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Et voilà (thanks to my friend Nathan for the machining!)

Another long gap between updates, but I've got a fair excuse this time having the joy to report becoming a father for the first time at the end of March

I'm now learning how to build cars in the hours between 5 and 8am - so progress is happening, if a little slow, especially since my mind doesn't work as well before 8am meaning things seem to take longer than ever! Sleep deprivation doesn't help either!

Anyway the 4 poster is now fully up and running and the Capri has finally made it to the rolling road to bed the engine in and see how things are -



The good news is we didn't kill it!

The bad news is a couple of issues were highlighted -

Problem 1) Cooling - we just couldn't get the damn thing to cool fast enough, despite me removing stats and removing the warm-up by-pass. In the end I've concluded the stock pump isn't flowing enough, and the fan I had (push due to package space) was useless. To that end I've got a brand new electric pump and because this allows me to taker the nose off the pump I also have space to fit a proper high power suck fan.

I've gone for the top end 150 ltr/min EWP150 pump from Davis Craig with full digital control



Interestingly at 3000rpm we found I lost over 10 BHP with the temp at 95degC verses 80degC. Hence going for the highest flow and full digi control, the plan is to try and get it to hold the temp between 75 and 80, rather than the normal 90odd.


Problem 2) Timing - once we'd bedded it in a bit and moved onto power runs we initially got quite excited, >100 BHP at 3000rpm, but instead or really ramping up from this point it tailed off and flatlined at 4000rpm makign only 150bhp at the flywheel. Now this isn't bad, afterall a 2.8i only makes 160, but peak power should be at >6000rpm, not 4000!

Clearly something was amiss, with cam timing suspected. After getting home I did a timing check by valve lift rather than with the timing angle wheel and found we only had 2.9mm inlet lift @tdc, rather than 3.5mm as it should be. Stepping one tooth took it too far (4.12mm lift) so it became clear why I'd timed it like I had - best you could with a fixed gear, about 3deg late basically. The solution - get the file out and make a new keyway - got this done this morning and we've now got correct timing. A fully adjustable gear would be the best solution, but this can wait till I'm trying to get the last bit of power from it.

Problem 3) Airflow - so the other reason it might flat line at 4000rpm was that the airflow started to stall - maybe it couldn't draw any more air/fuel in. Given the timing was out the airflow probably wasn't too big an issue, but I'd only got an IDF 40 (with 32mm chock) to fit with the intake and adaptors I was using. A 40IDF is normally limited me to a 34mm choke (you can overbore to 36mm but there's a rise of not getting the flow speed needed over the carb). Anyway, after a few hours with the die grinder and a file I've got the intake opened up to take a 44mm IDF - so can now run a 36 or 38mm choke - hey presto more airflow. I only had 44's that needed complete rebuilds and since time is an issue at the moment I've splashed out on a new carb - like so




All I need to do now it bolt on the intake and figure out the pump location and fit it all - simple, I hope.

First round is end of July, but been invited to go on a stand at Classic Ford (early June) so to say time is running out would be an understatement - I do love a deadline!

Now that looks awesome! Nothing better than twin carbs on mass.

Sure you know this but those seive filters aren't great for flow, but they do the job for getting things running

Good on you, looks great already and going to be stunning when it's done - bookmarked!

Not a car update, but an excited one as I finally got something I've been waiting a long time for, a ramp in the workshop



And not just any 4 post, an alignment one that'll go with the Hunter alignment gear I picked up cheap a couple of years back. So very stoked at the moment - can't wait to get the motor powered up (need an inverter) and get playing with the Capri suspension geometry.

The best bit though, getting a bunch of mates together, firing up the BBQ and cracking a few beers -



Only issue is that the ramp is rather big, very big... so the Scimitar (which was always a daft idea!) probably has to go, ah well rather have the ramp anyway

Fixed mine for you

Kind of worried how well I think that would work! Certainly be different!

Cheers guys, some good feedback.

Still not fully thought through the galvanising, but will almost certainly get it blasted as have a place that does stuff so cheap it'd almost cost more in wire wheels for the angle grinder (plus it's so nice just to hand something over and get it back all clean just needing some paint).

Caliper wise, thinking Princess because I have them lying around plus they always have really nice pedal feel and worked great for 8 years on my old Escort track car. But the sliding 5 series bits I will keep in mind as a back up as they might help with other clearance things

In other news I got up to 6 bolts/hour yesterday, just the rear bumper beam area to take to bit now.

Also examined the Pinin axle, and let's just say it's not what I was told it was (i.e. it's an open diff...) You win some you lose some - might just use the stock axle now and invent a disc brake setup. Will help the budget, plus the only wheels I can find I like in 5x114.3 are way too expensive for this built.

Anyone else struggle with flux in projects? I just can't seem to get a fix on exactly what I'm going to do with this one yet...

Cheers guys, fingers crossed it'll be worth keeping an eye on

Not a lot of progress on the car itself, save for emptying it out (there are a few useful bits which is nice) and getting it in the air.

The most amazing find is that it only seems to need the side riggers replacing... which I'm finding way too hard to believe. Have got some from QRG since they're only £20 odd quid each galvanised and plan to jack the body up to fit - sure that'll be fun. Apparently can be done without this, but want to get the body up just to check over the rest of the chassis (there's no way it can be this solid, surely?!)

Also picked up some way too cheap wheels/tyres to make it mobile - one set of MGB rims with good tyres for £30 - pretty happy with those as half a chance I can sell them for more when I'm finished with them



In other news, a plan for what I'm going to do is forming.

I'd like to do a fair amount of things, but obviously need to keep it in the 8 point rule, so going to use the original gearbox to retain the points and modify the engine, suspension and axles.

How? Well brakes wise I want to go the vented at the front, and change to discs at the rear. I've got a pair of Austin Princess calipers stashed away from years ago (a £5 bargain 15 years ago) that'll I'll rebuild and use for the front, and combine with some vented discs, possibly from a Toyota Cressida.

For the rear, well you can get some brackets from Retro Power, for about £50, or you could go a little further...

As mentioned, the Scimitar is a bit long legged, so a shorter diff ratio would help, the axle weighes a ton so a lighter one wouldn't go amiss, and who would say no to a cheap LSD (or a Torsion one anyway)?

I give you






The rear axle from a Mitsubishi Pinin 2.0 GDI Sport - Torsion LSD, disc brakes lighter than the old 4HA and a 4.363 ratio (maybe a little short...) and almost the same width as the Scimitar axle. Left field I grant you, but at £100 for the lot, I dare you to find a cheaper way of getting all these things. The PCD is also 5 x 114.3 (so 5 stud version of the std Scimitar PCD) so the front hubs can be easily modified to match and this also means a very wide range of J and Ford US spec wheels will fit - NASCAR spec steelies anyone?

It obviously needs a damn good service, but parts are nice and cheap (£20 for a pair of discs for example). First step will be to cut off all the brackets and make it a plain axle and then put on the mounts to link it up to the car - simples....

Suspension wise it'll be nothing crazy, a set of coilovers new bushes and probably changing to spherical joints on the axle end of all the rear end links.

Costs to Date:

- Car - £260
- Pinin Axle - £100
- Pinin Prop - £20
- Wheels - £30 (to be sold on later)
- Side Riggers - £40
- Front Calipers - £5

RUNNING TOTAL - £455