Build Update

[Goldie]

Had a decent week in terms of the amount I have got done..!!!

My mechanical fuel pump, I bought a Holley pump which fitted with plenty of clearance..!! I still had the problem where the push rod was too far out and I later found out by turning the engine that the rod was not moving, so checked it out and it appears that it was not free to move.. Gave it a tap and it was fine...!!!Once I fitted the new pump I then continued by installing the solid and flexible fuel pipe front to back.

During the crancking process I noticed that the gearbox was actually in gear.. So I decided to fit the gear stick and connecting rods to get it back into neutral. I have never done this before, and I had no instructions, so it was a little experimental. When it was fitted it really did nto feel like it was correct when I moved the gear stick.. I found that by disconnecting all the rods fron the gear stick and leaving them on the gearbox things became much easier... I also figured the the stick itself could be mounted on another section of the tail section.. Once I moved it to this other section it all sort of fell into place... One thing that had to be done to get the gear stick into place was cut away a section of the 1" box section surrounding the transmission tunnel. AT the moment I am considering how I should put this section back.. If I put it back the way it was then I would not be able to remove the gear stick in case of a problem...

I also worked on how I was going to fit my "non-standard" radiator... The AK kit uses an SD1 rad but I have a custom made rad which was for another kit. And as it is so nice, I really want to use it.. But it is 1" higher than the SD1 rad.. Anyway, if I remove a part of a lower bracket and fabricate a new part of this, then I can easily fit this radiator that I have got..!!!

Anyway, feels good adding so much in such a short time... I will still be cracking on all this week..!!!

Cheers

Carl..

[TINKA]

Hate to tell you but if your mod to mount the radiator ends up lowering the radiator you will live to regret it. I have recently had to replace my rad raising it just over 1" at the same time. It was lower than the scoop on both sides and on going into my local garage it caught the ground shoving it back into the main chassis rail. Mike T has also recently taken his rad out on a speed bump with a similar result

[Goldie]

I hear what you are saying..!!

What my plan is.....

The 2 top mount bars, I have room to raise them 0.5" without hitting the body... So I will raise those 2 bars by putting a spacer in there.... The I was planning to lower the bottom backet by 0.5" by just drilling 2 new holes on the hanging bracket.... (actually, not drilling, but welding that bracket into place..!!)..

but then that would lower the rad by 0.5" and this is what you are warning me not to do...

Option 2 is....

To still raise the top bars by 0.5" but at the same time, shorten those top 2 bars, therefore making it so that the radiator leans back a little bit more... And leaving the bottom bracket as it was originally designed... But, I am not sure how far I can lean it back before it gets in the way of the bonnet hinge.. When the bonnet opens that hinge moves forward, and may therefor hit the modified rad... Maybe you can tell me how close that is on yours... ie... what is the max amount I should take out of those top 2 bars..??

Cheers

Carl..

[TINKA]

On mine when I replaced the radiator I extended the top bars and this meant I could raise the rad by just over 1" which meant the ends of the rad just missed the body. If you shorten them I think you will find you might need a new hinging system as the rad will be in the way of the standard hinges. As the set up stands the rad just fails the clear the hinge bar, so if you raise it at all it will catch the hinge, hence I moved it forward.

HTH

[Purple AK]

Try and angle it forward :thumb: I'm in the process of redoing my drive Cos the rad scrapes on the slope into the garage