John Bonnett
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Posts posted by John Bonnett
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That sounds fair enough.... I'm certain if I had put that much work in I'd be reluctant as well!
I will however make some enquiries into the digital scanning of the bonnet tho as I would like that style bonnet on Project Rotisserie
I had been considering doing one of these:-
That looks magnificent. I hope you write up the build; there will be a lot of interest. .
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I have just spent the last 90 mins reading through this thread and I have to say the quality of the workmanship is magnificent! Certainly an art that's sadly dwindling.
Im really impressed with that front end. Any chance you would let someone take a mould of it so it could be remade in fibreglass? I think it would certainly sell well
Very kind of you, thank you. Sorry I don't know your name. I'd be more than happy for the bonnet and the whole car for that matter to be digitally scanned but I'd be reluctant to have anyone taking a mould off the bonnet.
Pete, I really don't know about 72 degree thermostat being optimum for power, I just have the builder's word for that. But his engines do very well in their racing Midget so there may be something in it. I've got a rolling road session booked for the end of next week and in preparation I've removed the HS4s and am putting the twin 40s back. I'll report on the result.
John
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John you need to think about putting this whole amazing story into a hardback
pete
What I need is a ghost writer Pete. Fancy the job?
Actually when I saw that you had replied I was expecting a comment on the low running temperature because I would have thought nearer 90C would have been a more appropriate running temperature. However, the engine builder said that they had run dyno tests using and comparing different thermostats and a 72 degree thermostat yielded the most power and helped give them an edge over the competition. For my part it was worth it just for the freedom of worrying whether it would overheat in the blistering temperatures.
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Our friends Jerry and Judith joined us for the trip and the first photo shows us at Plymouth waiting for the ferry. We had a leisurely journey down to Tours stopping overnight at Chateaubourg 9second picture). The next day we stopped for a cup of coffee and noticed the MGJ2 in an adjacent driveway. The owner was with the car and he had spotted us arrive. I went over to speak to him and what an interesting chap he was. He has a fascinating collection of classic cars, bikes and scooters and we spent a very happy hour with him talking cars.
We arrived in Tours on the Friday afternoon to sign on in really intense heat; so hot that everything you touched burned including the gear lever. But the cars coped rather better than we did. The event itself started on Saturday with breakfast at the Chateau de Luynes. Triumphs were well represented as well as other British marques. A couple of pictures showing the huge variety of vehicles.
After the Grand Prix de Tours we drove south and spent a very hot but thoroughly enjoyable week in Aquitaine east of Bordeaux. Despite the heat which was never below 30C and sometimes as high as 40 the car ran impeccably with the running temperature never higher than 80C.
The return journey was uneventful and the toolbox remained unopened for the entire time away. The final picture shows the car outside the Chateau de Ternay which was one of our overnight stops on the way home. It was incredible; owned by the same family since the 15th Century and full of artefacts dating back to that time. The Count and Countess de Ternay gave us a terrific welcome, cooked us a fabulous dinner and in the morning, after breakfast a tour of the Chateau. It was unbelievable.
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John,
Enjoy your trip to Tours, I bet the French will be totally overwhelmed by the car.
Will miss it this year, but I think it could well be back on the list for next year.
Bon voyage,
Neil
Neil, thank you for your good wishes. We will miss you and are really sorry you will not be there to lead the happy band. Sylvie Deutchmann is no longer involved with the event but she has invited us to have dinner with her and her husband on Friday evening which should get the weekend off to a good start. We are eating in her daughter's brasserie so I am sure we will have a cracking meal.
Whether the French will be overwhelmed remains to be seen. True I have had some good responses but two people, one a Triumph owner looked at the car and said Why? What made you do that? So it is obviously not to everyone's taste and that has to be good that it isn't. We are all different and that's what makes life so interesting. For me, having got over the euphoria of arriving at the end of a very long tunnel, having it tested and on the road, I am very aware of the various body issues that will be sorted when the painter has it but at the moment to me, they stand out like a sore thumb. I suppose the saving grace is that it obviously isn't finished and people hopefully will take that into account when they look at it. I have written a short description on the quarterlight in my best French describing the car and its raison d'être so I hope they will be understanding rather than critical.
We will be travelling with another couple who have a very recently recommissioned GT6. So two cars with few miles on the clock and very much unknown quantities. With that in mind, we have decided to take two days to drive from Roscoff to Tours which make about 150 miles each day. This should be comfortable and allow time for plenty of stops.
I cannot make up my mind what to take in the way of spares and am vacillating from nothing to everything. I'll probably pack a few basic tools and hope for the best.I'm really pleased with the new rear spring which has not only produced a sensible ride height but has firmed up the suspension and even reduced the understeer. On the road, the car is rattle free and feels taught. The engine is a bit cammy with little torque under 2000rpm so hill starts are interesting. I'm still running the HS4s which have not been optimised on a rolling road so things might improve once the DCOE40s are on and properly set up.
All being well, I'll keep everyone up to date with reports and pictures over the two days.
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Sorry, John!
Still think a separate fuse for the socket would be good!
John
You are probably right John. That would certainly safeguard the lights and all the other circuits fed by that particular fuse if someone dropped something metallic in the cigar lighter
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Fuse it! For goodness sake, fuse it!
And I'm surprised to read John Bonnet advocating a 'piggy back' by which I assume he means a Scotchlok connector (See pic)
These are another Spawne of Ye Deville, and a thorough bodge.
I hope he means something different.
John
John please read it properly before jumping in. The brown feed to the lighting switch is fused and if you look at the relevant part in my parts list the piggy back connector is exactly that; a proper soldered Lucar connector with a protective sleeve. .
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Another option you might like to consider is to take the feed from the Brown cable that goes to the lighting switch. Use a piggy back terminal. Your cigar lighter will probably have illumination so you can get that from the red/green cable which is your side light feed. You will also need to run an earth back to meet an earth cluster perhaps on the back of the speedo or an eyelet screwed to the body. These parts should do the trick
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1084
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1711
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1295
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1097
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1749
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1115
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1110
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=5264
I've just done this job on a friend's GT6 and it came out very nicely. Drop me a PM if you need any help
John
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Well. we leave for France this coming Wednesday and I think we are ready. I've made and fitted a towing eye which should save any damage if the car needs recovery and most importantly, a new rear spring has just gone on. I ordered a spring with an increase of 40mm ride height and now the car stands level and looks just right. Low cars are completely out of their depth down here in Devon where many of the lanes have high crowns with grass growing out of them and of course the occasional large stone.
All in all, I'm really happy with the car and it is as ready as it can be for our French holiday.
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Hello All
Well the adventure has started.
We drove down to Portsmouth in all that rain on Saturday morning!!!
and arrived at Santander after a smooth crossing.
When we got off the boat us and a chap in an MX5 were singled out for the third degree by the customs blokes? but they turned out very friendly(I think they just have to get a daily quota)
we then drove to llanes for the first night and through the Picos mountians in the mist and rain!!!! to sahagun 2nd night.
Then a boring drive down to Avila walled city which is fantastic and we are here for 2 nights.
will try and put photos on later
Roger
ps first 550 miles done only 1500+ to go!
Good to hear from you Roger. Glad all is well. Keep us posted,
John
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Sounds like a fantastic trip Roger and an excellent cruise to get it started. I really hope all goes well and look forward to seeing your pictures. But may not because I'm a sad old git wot doesn't do Facebook.
Good wishes
John
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I would just like to thank Angie and Bernie at Club headquarters for facilitating an "Agreed Value" on my car. Your help and assistance in this matter is very much appreciated. thank you and
kind regards
John
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Thank you all of you. Neil I'm really sorry we could not join your happy band in Wales but there just wasn't enough time to get the car ready. I'm sure it was a cracking trip particularly with you as the consummate tour leader.
We took the car to Abbotsbury in Dorset yesterday and Exmouth today. The engine is bedding in and it is going really nicely. The car is an absolute pleasure to drive and exceeds my hopes and expectations in every department.This is particularly pleasing (and surprising) because every single car I have either built or put together has been a disappointment at least in the beginning until the teething troubles had been addressed. There are still a few things to do to get the car ready for France but if we had to, I guess it could go as it is.
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To my huge relief, all went well this morning and we now have an MOT certificate and the car is on the road. So, a real milestone. Tours is looking a reality.
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Hi All,
I'm rebuilding a 1500 Dolly (prefix YC) engine to go in a Spitfire. I want to replace the water pump, but I don't know the year of the engine, and I see there are different pumps fitted to the 1500 engine. Anyone able to tell me how to identify which pump is correct? It hasn't got a fan on it, so I don't know whether it HAS to be a viscous fan drive type, if that is what was originally fitted. (Are all the pump bodies the same & interchangeable?)
Thanks in advance
Brendan.
Brendan, I cannot answer the water pump question I'm afraid but do you have the correct pre-engaged starter motor because if you don't you may have difficulty in locating one. This starter is unique to that engine; very rare and a normal inertia motor will not work. The answer if you don't have the correct motor is to change the ring gear and then you can use the usual model. I thought I'd mention it before you get too far down the line.
John
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No it is not held Steve but perhaps a tight fit. It is only held in once the spring clip is fitted.
I think if you get some grips on it and twist it should come out. You may even find it easier if you remove the whole assembly by unscrewing the threw setscrews and having a good look at it on the bench.
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Personally, I would leave it as LHD. Have you seen how much LHD cars sell for in France and on the Continent compared with RHD?
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My mechanic friend spent a bit of time today checking my work and aligning the wheels. I'd made no effort to track up the rear wheels and just wound out the tie rod to suit the distance between the clevises. Result was a massive toe-out of one inch! So, worth doing. I took the opportunity of having a look at the underside of the car while it was up on its lift. All appeared good with no apparent oil leaks.
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Hi Steve, connect the two rods; one for the release, the other for the lock to the interior door handle first. In your picture, the catch release is fitted correctly with the spring clip. The threaded fitting should be screwed onto the rod so that the spigot fits through the hole in the bush. You will need another spring clip to secure it and stop it from falling out. The rod is threaded to allow for adjustment to suit the lock.
I hope that helps but let me know if you need any more information. I've just done mine so it is fresh in my mind. You might like to think about the window winder mod when you are struggling to drop the pin in.
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With just one more inner wing to modify, we are just about ready for the MOT this coming Tuesday. There are still a few jobs to complete before the car is finished but these are largely cosmetic so barring any unpleasant surprises the big jobs are behind me. The engine runs rally nicely on the HS4s and it was a real pleasure to drive it out of the workshop in the sunshine down to our house.
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John
As one who has worked a few all-nighters in his time, the only thing it has taught me is that self-imposed deadlines suck, and no car, or event, is worth sacrificing your health and sanity for. When you reach the spanner-throwing stage, close the garage door and walk away, rest, do something else and come back with fresh eyes. There is always another event out there to attend, and exhaustion is the point at which you start making silly mistakes.
The real reward in a project like yours is the admiration and respect you have earned from all of us who have followed this fascinating project. That will remain long after a missed deadline is forgotten.
Steve C
Steve, you are absolutely right about self-imposed deadlines; completely and utterly ridiculous and that is exactly what i would say to anyone else. I know and understand that but I just cannot give up. Fortunately we are back on course.
With the dramas of the past week behind things are again moving smoothly. Both doors are fully built with Park Lane doorcards (absolutely excellent quality) and both close well with good shut lines.I had to fit a choke cable for the SUs as a temporary measure until the Webers can go back on but this was the work of a few minutes. My stainless steel pipe work was a bit compromised by the fitting of the SUs but I think it still looks reasonably tidy.
The first picture shows the tyre to wheel arch clearance.
The last picture shows the screw on modification that i have made to the window winder handle.-
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Bloody Hell John, that looks fabulous. What an achievement - you have every right to feel very proud.
Steve C
Steve, the whole journey has developed into a white knuckle roller coaster ride totally because of the Tours deadline. I'm sure that without it all would be stress free. As it is, I'm totally mentally and physically exhausted; a situation that probably many of us who have been in a similar position will be able to relate to.
Yesterday, the drama continued. The faulty Weber was collected by Courier and has now been returned to the supplier for rectification. The HS4s are fitted and thankfully, the engine runs nicely. It just would not switch off with the key. I'd made a basic wiring error which has now been rectified and we are marching on.
Sorry about the lack of the promised photos but I'll put some on later today.
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The front Weber was faulty and has been returned to the supplier so to maintain the momentum, I'm planing to fit a pair of HS4s tomorrow. This should get the engine running nicely and ensure that we are ready for the MOT next week.
Today has been spent on building up the driver's door which has been a time consuming job. Holes were needed in the door skin to accommodate the lock and handle and I took a great deal of care to ensure they were the right size. It was a case of file a bit and check and then a bit more sneaking up on it until the fit was snug. I'm using the MK3 Spitfire handles and locks with MK1V latches and mechanisms. Surprisingly they are compatible. To my mind, the early handles are far nicer but that's just my opinion. I cannot believe how crude the locks and am amazed that they work at all.
Will post some pictures tomorrow.
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I think it will look cool in blue too.
Re: the number plate on the front, is this so you can get it MOT'd and then you will get it painted?
I know this is not a final solution, but would a fibre glass inner wheel arch work or something like we have on modern cars, to give you the additional bit at the front of the wheel arch, it could be a bit naff, but might be a short cut..........
Aaron
Yes the number plate will be removed prior to painting Aaron but if it is ready in time the car will be going to France in bare aluminium; also to the Show at Powderham just after we get back.
It took a bit of time but I carried out the definitive test on bodywork to tyre clearance today. This involved removing the damper, taking off the spring and replacing the damper and road wheel. I then jacked up the wishbone as far as the bumpstop and turned the steering from lock to lock. We have clearance between the tyre and the wheel arches on the bonnet by just a quarter of an inch. That was a relief I can tell you. So all I have to do is to modify the inner wings. Thank you for your suggestion and along the same lines, I should be able to extend what I have to cover the front of the tyres which should do the trick.
GT6 gathering at Shelsey Walsh
in Other Events
Posted
If there is enough interest they are going to have a stand for GT6s at Shelsey Walsh speed hillclimb on 23rd August. Tickets are seven pounds fifty if booked beforehand or ten on the gate.
http://retroridesgathering.com/