Happy New Year and much to report

I had no idea it's nearly a month since the last update, and there's much to say. The last 4 weeks have been spent frantically squeezing car time in around Christmas and December socialising activities.

I had held off getting new spark leads until I was sure that the coil pack relocation would work with the body on, heater position, vacuum take off for brake booster etc.

Once I was happy a quick call to Fastlane performance with some measurements and 3 days later the below were in my possession.

These look in keeping with my other blue hoses however when I got the headers back on I wasn't happy with how the leads sat over the header flanges so I've lead them underneath and they fit much better that way.

The next challenge with the body on waste headers themselves, a very tight fit on both sides, the nearside unfortunately touching the cladding. See below

This unfortunately won't do... A call to Jon at AK suggests that the cladding wasn't factored in when making the headers. As we thought there would be a bit of room under the corner it was time to get out the hammer and bash sorry - reshape - the corner to allow for the header tube. If need be I could dremel a gap or take the hammer to the header itself but I was hoping not to.

Happily there was enough space with a bit of a tap. Photo to follow.

The picture above shows how tight the header is but also gives a view as to how my relocated spark leads look. 

Next up, somehow either it wasn't noticed by the company doing the rear hub refurbishment or more likely me being hamfisted, one of the studs on the offside rear hubs was damaged. This was discovered as I took the wheel off ready to fit the handbrake cable properly.

This wrote off one of the Image wheel studs which is a pain.

However an email chat with my friendly engineering neighbour Tony revealed he possessed a die nut - a thread cutting die with nut hex shape profile - meaning the small nick in the stud thread could be repaired as opposed to taking the entire hub assembly off and sending away for a new stud to be fitted.

Above, one damaged and unusable wheel nut... 1/2" UNF thread and below the die nut - meaning it can be turned with a spanner in situ as a full thread cutting die would have been a challenge to turn with the other studs on the hub.

These are really only for thread cleaning and repair as you cannot cut new threads  well with these. Not enough control.

The next instalment coming soon includes home made grommets, spacers, eccentric collared oval bearings and if Toad of Toad Hall was writing this probabaly a bit of 'poop-poop' too! 

I bet you're on the edge of your seats now?