Normans_Ghost Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Finished this years upgrade at 11am this morning. Roads too damp to fully try but car seems to noticably quicker. Work done: Engine out and new sump gasket fitted. New cam belt but got into a mucking fuddle and lost the timing so had to retime everything. Good wash down. Gearbox and diff to BGH. gearbox fitted with ultra close ratios and gear selectors "lined up". Gear change is now more like the Elan Rocket box, click-click like a switch. Diff has now got 4.22:1 ratio. The Quaife case and top cover bought on the recent bulk buy were fitted. New bearings fitted where required. The gear box was in our breakfast room for 2 weeks and everyone who came in remarked "that looks good - what is it?" The lowering of gearing will drop max from 150 to 135. Acceleration will improve. New AP racing callipers fitted to rear which required ali mounts to be machined (on new lathe - worth it's weight in gold). Handbrake lever & cables removed. Bias adjuster moved to under dash and line lock fitted about 10" behind gearlever. New brake pipes made for all this "re-plumbing". Wiring from dash forward ripped out and fully rewired. Using new fuse box and taking wiring the most direct route and "splicing" the front-rear wires under the dash (indicator and side light wiring went to front and from there to rear!). Also removed all relays and the half intensity headlamp unit. Now have 2 headlamp, 1 sidelight and 1 indicator going to o/s/f. The nearside headlamp and side light wires branch from these across front. The oil pressure gauge and warning light wires, brake light wires and ignition wires branch off in front of pedal box. On the nearside, coming through the bulkhead just left of centre are the batter cable and solinoid wire, the water & oil temp gauges, the 4 alternator wires, the switched live feed to the fan & the n/s indicator. This loom runs on top of the starter and straight on to the alternator where the live feed branched to the fan thermo swith (on engine filler neck). All the earth wires required are taken to the nearest chassis fixing, the longest being about 6" long. Remember that my car has a through-the-bonnet exhaust. Only problem is that with scuttle back on it is difficult to get at fuse box. Next weekend job is to remove scuttle and extend wiring 6" so fuse box can go on engine side of bulkhead panel. Should have done this in the first place, but will use a multiplug so it won't be too bad. The old callipers and hand brake lever/cables weigh 6 kgs. The gearbox (without bell housing) was 33kgs, now 27kgs. So 12kgs saved there. New callipers weigh 3kgs the pair. The total weight of wire/fusebox/relays removed is a massive 2.4kgs. The amount replaced is less that 400 grammes. I reckon the total weight saving is around 11 kgs, and if so the car will now weigh in at 520kgs. Bear in mind this is a cast iron blocked BDR. I will get a flat floor setup done in next few weeks and will then know total weight exactly. (The estimate is based on last weight with all fluids and 1/2 tank fuel). It was too damp to try in anger. Tried going up motorway but apart from slip road, which was almost dry, far too much traffic to "have a go". On the slip road, floored it as came on and back twitched like a thing posessed. Can't wait for dry roads and a blat across the Snake. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiF Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Well done Norman, sounds as if it should be pretty fast now 😬 Sorry I am still in Belgium ☹️ so have to be patient for the other upgrade Richard in France Flying fast in my very bright yellow 226bhp Duratec 7, with internal kevlar/carbon panels and pushrod suspension 😬 😬 😬.for pictures of 7 and carbon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil.cavanagh Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 sounds great Norman! I'll have to try and get 'up norf' sometime soon and see (and hear!) the result of all the hard work. *thumbup* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Excellent work Norman. The only question is, did you put on less than 11kgs over Christmas 😬 😬 😬 Jonathan ----------------------------------- 1db too loud ! ☹️ Bastxxd Santa never delivered the Raceco!!!! ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Sounds good Norman must be a great organiser. I have given up on Xmas upgrades and restrict myself to just disassembling the car instead during that period. I have found that I had always forgotten something important with an Xmas upgrade and that the people who could supply the bits were on hols like me. ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Sounds great Norman. When we doing mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris__ Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 Extremely impressive Norman. That's a lot of winter upgrading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team RogNeedham Posted January 3, 2005 Leadership Team Share Posted January 3, 2005 I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with Norm on Sunday 2nd when he was completing the above. Thankfully he can multitask as I was asking basic BDR type questions The run through sun, rain and hail in my Xflow to Sheffield was fun - but the sound of the Norm's car just in the garage was..well impressive to say the least 😬 😬 Rog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 4, 2005 Author Share Posted January 4, 2005 Richard, I'm being patient. But hurry up. Mav, Whenever you're ready. Neil, Will you find your way a second time? Jonathan, about 2lb only. Broke the non-drinking regime for xmas and had a barrel of Wentworth Needle's Eye on. Don't last long does it! Graham, Only problem was Burton sent the wrong sump gasket. Luckily found out before 24th and correct one arrived next day. I tend to over order on stuff like wire, connectors and conduit. Got enough left over to do another 3 cars! Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Bill Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Perhaps it shall go like it looks now Ha ha ha ! BB PS I'll give you a go in my Vectra if you'll let me have a go in yours at easter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 4, 2005 Author Share Posted January 4, 2005 BB, talk to me nicely. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Norman i am part way through doing much the same as you with my loom and splicing rear wires etc but I'm interested by your comments regarding Relay removal, are these not needed? Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 4, 2005 Author Share Posted January 4, 2005 Mark, I've fitted better switches and the load is handled better.They are rated at 25 amps and, as far as I know, the rockers are 10 amp. The plastic rocker switches would burn the contacts without relays. I may find, in time, that my switches also burn the contacts, only time will tell. I've removed my air horns and fitted a small, simple horn which shouldn't pull that much current (just remembered, I must look at it - it doesn't work) (I had a Sierra 4x4 once and passed it on to one of the salesmen. he complained the horn didn't work so I took a look. It didn't have one, just 2 wires where it should have been. I'd driven the car for 2 years without using the horn) One other thing, I use piggy back spade terminals to "splice". I don't like the bullet type as I have many problems over the years with poor connections from these. Just needs a short length of tape to insulate the bare side. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 4, 2005 Share Posted January 4, 2005 Norman thanks I'm having a new Carbon dash with Stack so new switches are a possiblity, I'li pour over the DT catalouge for a while I've bought multi connectors to make the loom modular as I like to be able to disconnect sections to check for faults etc so there will be one split below tunnel then one at rear of car then split by side and the same at the front Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Norman Any chance you could e-mail a photo of your cable routing in the engine bay ta mark Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Mark, of course. However, remember that I have the exhaust coming through the bonnet so you won't be able to run same as mine on the n/s. Give me a couple of hours. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy couchman Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Ah... the missing horn syndrome. Had that with my first ever company car - a Fiat 131 Sport back in 1981. Should have had air horns but all it had was a relay which went 'click'. Spoke to compnay fleet buyer (Ken) who phoned up the salesman: "Hi. Have you still got that orange 131 Sport in stock?" Salesman (expecting another sale) "Yup, it's on the forceourt now." Ken: "Good. Just run it into the workshop and take the air horns off would you. I'm sending Andy round so you can fit them onto his car." Ah, the joys of the comprehensive PDI... 😬 Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Thanks Norman Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Did they help? I think you'll have to run down the bonnet edge then come in with the light bracket, which negates a lot of the "shortest route" principle. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Norman No e-mail received yet Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Mark, they did go, they're quite big as I didn't reduce the size. I've sent it again just in case. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Norman still no mail? others have come through OK 🤔 Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normans_Ghost Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Mark, send me another email (norman@dmservices.co.uk) and I'll reply with the pictures. Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Mem No 2166, the full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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