So, with just nine days to go before the start of the race meeting, we still have no race car. This does not present a major problem because I am working that day anyway. That gives me an extra 14 days before I can actually race, but will it be enough?
I have the car booked in for the roll cage fitting next week. You may recall that whilst I can weld, it is only pigeon shit welding, and I wouldn't trust myself to fix something as important as the roll cage, so it is being sent to Full On Fabrications in Pickering to get fitted out. Let's hope they live up to the reputation the recommendation suggests. They need the bare shell, so the doors and bootlid need to come off, and the seat needs to come out so they can weld the cage in without anything in the way.
The seat - oh the pains that has given me - literally. The car has to fit my 12 year old son as a junior, and myself as a 6 foot 1 inch adult, and as the seat cannot have a sliding adjustment mechanism and has to be firmly bolted in place the seating position has to be a bit of a compromise. After trying several ideas with the original seat base frame and a quick release bolt mechanism i eventually welded a mounting system in place.
The doors meanwhile have been skinned - i.e basically reduced to the outerskin, which reduces weight as well as freeing up room for the roll cage side protection/door bars. The hinges have to be retained (regulations) and at present the door locks are in pace simple to keep them shut, but once they are refitted they will be welded closed and the locks can be removed too.
So, in the remaining two weeks or so, we have the following list to complete;
Brake light (easy enough)
Towing point to be added front and centre (easy enough)
Battery box to be added (spill proof and secure) - costly in Aluminium, might come up with an alternative.
Seat belt harness (hopefully I have a date expired FIA harness being donated for free, which is adequate for autograss)
Door numbers and roof numbers - Vinyl numbers and a pucker roof pod are about £50 - I may have a cheaper solution - watch this space.
That just leaves the wiring to sort out and whaddya know - What was a runner with the replacement ECU and harness has now decided it doesn't want to run again - damned NATS system.
However, I'm confident that with a mix of the ECU's (3 off) and wiring harnesses I can make it go again.
