Project2

Flash Harry - Geoff's Little Project

Next day I tried to start it, and it wouldnt. So looking at it closely, I changed the Dizzy cap, rotor arm, and plugs. It still wouldnt start.
I thought it might be fuel, so I pulled the pipe off only to be drenched in a liquid that I can only say looked like the result of a night out on 25 pints of Guiness!.
After draining the fuel out, I scrapped around for some more petrol, which is a scarce comodity in a diesel household. Ah Ha... Yes... The boat fuel can... There was about two gallons of 50:1 Two Stroke in it. After putting this in and priming the system, It turned and turned, and then coughed into life, loads of smoke, misfiring, spluttering, and general poor running. I thought it was a rough engine. But five minutes or so of generally improving noises, it was running as sweet as a nut, albeit still a bit smokey.

Now to attempt to drive it up and down the drive, Oh dear it jumps out of gear, which later turned out to be the handbrake jammed half on (more rust!).

After a careful examination of the rest of the bodywork, it appeared that only the top bulkhead was really bad, especially the top half.
The chassis was plated and re-outriggered, but I wanted a coiler. At 47, my back didnt like the leaf sprung S3 I had just sold.
Several phone calls to a very helpful man at the Peterborough DVLA Office, and a trip to their website ascertained the limits to which the rebuild could go without loosing the valuable Tax Free Status or getting awarded the "Q" plate medal. The DVLA webiste is most informative. Its well worth a visit http://www.open.gov.uk/dvla look under the Vehicle Registration section and the Radically Altered Vehicles section for the rules / limits. Also be aware that a secondhand chassis is an automatic "Q" plate.

I had spotted a bargain at Billing, where Mr Designachassis had a Lightweight Coiler Chassis with some special mods on it as a cancelled order. I quickly snapped this up, and duly picked up the chassis in late November along with a Disco front, Range Rover rear axle complete with suspension and radius arms from a dismantlers on the the way home. Enough bits for a rolling chassis.

Double click on the pictures for the larger more detailed copies
December saw the rolling chassis assembled, and the engine and box out of the other.

The Bulkhead top was well rusted.... Well rusted to nothing really!...The rust releasing agent was too good... No metal left at all in places.

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