Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Go Miles! (splitting a Miura on the West Side Highway in a cloud of blow story...)

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/miles-davis-its-not-about-standing-still-and-becoming-safe/

I once saw a Cadillac V8 shoved into an X1/9, so I assume so :)

That would need some serious chopping to fit in to the x engine bay. it is a fiat 128/7 engine and box.

Go Miles! (splitting a Miura on the West Side Highway in a cloud of blow story...)

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/miles-davis-its-not-about-standing-still-and-becoming-safe/

Good link.

http://www.sfconline.org.uk/models/x1-9%20prototipo/x1-9prototipo.asp

Shows how abarth got round it.

Loved my 1300, got bored and sold it and took a while to regret it. Got a later x and it wasn't the same, 1500cc seem to unbalance it, but then higher ride hieght and heavy bumpers either end didn't help. Moved on. Had one more 1500, rusty and blown seized motor. Dropped the engine from my trashed uno turbo in to it. Twats in cars wandering over the white line make things a little scary. That seem to be perfect but as it was one of many it got sold to fund something else, an 850 saloon. The last one I had was a 1300 that ended up with LEDA coil over fully rebuildable suspension and braided brake lines and body that was patches on patches. Was left to get round to it but never did as the more I cleaned the more there was rust. Could face the scrap man collecting it.

Now the MK1 MR2 got it perfect IMO.

Something that I think we can all enjoy here:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOq94g2HB0&feature=channel&list=UL"]Peter
%22%5DPeter&v=SWOq94g2HB0 Brock 1991 Bathurst 1000 Tooheys Top Ten - YouTube[/ame]

Something that I think we can all enjoy here:

Phwoar - that is the daddy!

Nice noise.

Amazing! My sister has just moved to Bathurst So she'll get to watch it live this year!!

Go Miles! (splitting a Miura on the West Side Highway in a cloud of blow story...)

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/miles-davis-its-not-about-standing-still-and-becoming-safe/

Great site

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8pl6ywR761r4bs1zo1_1280.jpg

I've booked my first track day in the mgb. north weald. 21/9

there is a couple of wierd clonks which i suspect could front end, brakes, or propshaft. i will check the shaft bolts on the weekend, but i think that it is most likely kingpin or bearing play, as it happens when there is a weight shift.

now, i have the wheels/hubs and most of the brake bits (need calipers and pads). i need tyres, bearings and spacers.

question is, do i rush and do it all first (big cash), or do i just take the car out and hammer it, then sort it after?

I can't make the MG Car Club day but I'll join you at North Weald if you want?

How knackered are the tyres? I'd say 2.5-3mm for the track day and drive home, if you'll have enough by then, don't change the tyres.

If you need the spacers to run the wheels over the brakes then you need them anyway.

Save the bearings for after the track day. Track driving and high temps prob won't be the best bedding in for them.

that would be cool. it's a novice 'car limits' day run by mgs on track - i'll email a link. you might be a bit bored.

it's a case of the tyres being old, rather than bald (i know what everyone is going to say). i want to change to bolt on wheels, so it needs to be done at the same time (tyres/wheels/brakes/hubs). the spacers are because the wired axle is shorter than the bolt on.

front end can wait (kingpins/bushes/shocks/arb)

In my experience, the novice will enjoy the brakes and tyres more than the bushes, shocks, and ARBs.

You will definitely notice the front end improvement if you can fit it in though. Front control arm and ARB bushes make turn in so much sweeter.

it all needs to be done. it would be ace to do it all in one go, but i know it will turn into one of those 'while i am there' situations.

i'll start with the wheels/brakes

Make sure the splines are in good nick, If your running wire wheels are your tyres tubed?

Do the brake flexi pipes as well new brake fluid. Also after getting every thing hot I'd change the gear and diff oils if they hadn't been changed for a while.

Oh and a spare set of brake pads, have had the pads melt, the brand was Lucas, and they ended up like lipstick.

splines look ok - i had them off at the weekend.

flex hoses = new
fluid = reasonably new
pads = ???
gear oil = 2 years old
diff = 2 months

i am just going to see how it goes. i am going to change it all anyway, so fuck it. i'll just push it out of the airfield and call my recovery if it goes tits up, hehe.

Personally I get the oils really hot, then drain half way through the day. Or should that be that I have on the couple of road cars I used. Has it got lever arm dampers that you can refill with oil?

Have used old tyres, personally on my first track day with a car I spent the day learning the car and trying being smooth. Learning brake points and turn points. Oh and avoiding the kitty litter.

i'll just push it out of the airfield and call my recovery if it goes tits up, hehe.

Ah a moment of pride.

Check if you've got a reasonable amount of brakes left, then go and thrash the living shit out of it. If something breaks you can rebuild it, better, faster, stronger.

Show no mercy.

Show no mercy.

Definitely this.

Also, I won't get bored. I'll just have fun hanging the back out.

Ah a moment of pride.

no, not pride, just a case of not being covered by the recovery service for motorsport.

Don't forget string backed driving gloves and hand cream.

Check if you've got a reasonable amount of brakes left, then go and thrash the living shit out of it. If something breaks you can rebuild it, better, faster, stronger.

Show no mercy.

I'm catchin' what your throwinng, dude.

It will be fun feeling the improvements at each stage, too, rather than doing it all at once and then hating it for being too slow.

there's an engine rebuild on the cards anyway.

I know, I know, 65 raging horses should be enough for any man, but I want more...