THAMES VALLEY HOODS

John Peach nose job update (May '07)

John Peach get a nose job (February '07)

Danny's 2B/4 - in downtown Hounslow! (Feb 2007)

Peter Ray patents a Hood Bike Rack (Feb 2006)

Graham Mintram announces surpise negative progress (Feb 2006)

Pete Cherry SVA Triumph (August 2005)

Pete Cherry update ( June2005)

Steve Goodchild update (December 2004)

Sean Higgin's report on Engine swop (November 2004)

Peter Cherry update (October 2004)

Peter Ray's SVA Test (May 2004) - reported upon in Feb 2005 !

Steve Goodchild SVA Triumph ! - April 2005

On saturday I fixed the remainder of the snags after all the upgrades, ie changed to a longer clutch cable and cured the oil leaks , I think , So taking the obligatory test drive just round to Jeffs , I did about 3 miles. Just getting home and the cycle wing brackets, as fitted by GBS in my wishbone upgrade, both fractured and only after less than 100 miles , from the vibration.They were the ''old type''. Leaving me just a bit miffed that it would not be in use on Sunday.

Attached is how it stands tonight , stripped down while I get the brackets repaired. Hope to be mobile in a day or two. I have also seen the most eyewatering Ultima GTR that has just pased SVA ( '' it was a nightmare, mate'' ) ( so SVA has no respect for any class of Kitcar ). I have invited him along to our next club night. ( if I get there of course !! ) Be prepared to be goggle-eyed !!!

Enjoy the sun. John.

Our Area Secretary has entrusted his beloved car to Robin Hood Sports Cars for a suspension switch from sliding pillar to twin wishbones. Along with a number of other upgrades on the way (struts etc.) he hopes to help RHSC's with this proving test - and maybe "show" the car at Stonelight in support of RHSC's efforts to sell the package of change. John's confidence looks to be well placed.

Well, Old Smokey is still convalescing after his surgery.Today has been my first day off since collecting him, so between the showers I have begun the task of fixing up the loose ends left after the major work was done.He's had a good wash, and now looks a lot more presentable,The bonnet latches were removed during the installation of the new front upper cross member, and so was the red klaxon.These are now both replaced and working, so the bonnet is secure again, and h'es got his voice back ! A little croaky, perhaps, but will get better wih usage !!!

 * Re-route the overflow hose to the edge of the nose cone area,* Adjust the steering rack ends to bring the spokes of the steering wheel symmetrical.* Remove the restrictors that I originally placed on the steering rack to avoid wing / body contact at full lock. The wider track gives me a better turning circle like you wishbone boys already enjoy.* Fit some new edge trim around a few sharp edges , mainly the holes in the new front infil panels. I don't suppose I need todo all the stuff on the rack or hubs, as we no longer have to satisfy sva requirements.* adjust the headlamp beams * Tidy the wiring runs where the headlights and indicators have been reconnected.* Swap the cycle wing securing screws for nice stainless bolts, like he used to have.* fit nut covers to the rack and hub areas. * fit the rear camber wedges I've had for yonks, because he now sits lower on the new rear suspension and the camber is more pronounced. ( And I don't want to raise it back to where it was, it looks better at this height )* however, sitting lower has highlighted how the nearside wheel arch is offset to the wheel, so I need to re-rivet the stone guard section a bit further forward.

Oh, and while up on the elevator at GBS, they detected a leaking front crank oilseal, and gearbox shaft seal. Finally a major reorg of the garage is needed to accomodate the wider front of the car. Those of you who have seen it will know it is tight between my bench and the wifes plaything.

Danny's making great progress with his 2B/4 - Stainless and Blue. With an SVA fast approaching 10 Thames Valley Hoods called for free tea and "Yum-Yums" in exchange for a little advise.

Well the tea and treats were great - but we found it tough to pick out much wrong at all with Danny's fine motor. Assembled in a loaned garage across the road from his house - each trip for tools and that forgotten part was a 100 yard dash! Three years in the making with his son "soldier" the inspiration but seldom help! Mind you Soldier did come up with the design for the electronic boot lock and release mechanism - very Bentley !

Some pictures ....... and no it is not like "Old Smokie" John ....... your's is oil not early morning start up moisture!!!! 

April 2005 - Making great progress .......Pete's Update : -

"Still lots (mainly little things) to do yet, e.g. belts, int trim, seats install, rear susp adj mods, bleed brakes, make & fit wiper arms/blades, fit lights, trim boot inside & out;don't sound much when you say it quick....Anyway, while being a drawn out affair, the front wings have come out OK. I had to mod the mountings, as with the gigantic calipers which came with the kit, the flexis wouldn't clear the rear tubes, so I made up my own arrangement of stays."

Pete also sent along some photos which undeline his attention to detail and build quality .........

(Click an image for larger view)

Come on Pete ..... SVA for Stoneleigh or Newark ?

Peter sent this latest and brief update in June - which must surely pre-date his SVA by days !

Steve is a very active member of the Thames Valley area - and he's sent in a progress report that makes for happy reading - who knows - once he has crossed the finishing line - he can begin to finish his Hood like some of the rest of us !!!!

"Hi Graham. Just thought I would give you an update on the 2b so far. Exactly three years to the day after collection on 8th December 2001.......8th December 2004 ...... 
 I finally got my V.I.N. number.
And only have a few things left for the S.V.A (Single Vehicle Approval).
1. Finish covering over the boot area
2.Cover under dash sharp bits  and general tidy of wiring into looms
3.Get the blessed hazards to function properly
4.Stamp out the V.I.N.no. and get the garage to confirm
5.Cover all the sharp bits on the front wishbones
6.etc etc etc
7.Get the engine to idle 'smoothly'on twin 45s this cant be that difficult/and still meet the regulations for emmissions can it?
8.Trouble is, living on the main road I can't blat it round the 'estate' to try it out and the local garage is only 50 yds away.
9.so nearly there then.....
      cheers steve.

Good luck indeed Steve.

It went in fairly ok. Decided to leave gearbox in to avoid removing lots of trim and panels. It started up ok after a bit of starter motor turning, the only problem was lack of rocker cover gasket so oil was leaking out. Had the engine running for about 5mins total, I only reversed it about 2m and did not get to rev it in anger :-(

Early that morning just as I was about to leave home for the test, my wife who had gone to check the cows called to say Truffle was starting to calve, as I thought I was going to be late for the SVA, I told her not to worry and to call the vet if there was a problem (I usually have to do the calving even though my wife was brought up on a dairy farm). Any way back to the chase, I arrived at Leyton Buzzard with about 15 mins to spare. Dave waved my into the shed to start the test, Within 2 mins whether it was fright or nerves, my poor 2B wet it’s self all over their nice clean floor (no expansion tank on the rad! !)Another very nice SVA man gave me some water and even mopped up the mess!!!, after the usual checking with the mushroom ,be went all over with his 2.5mm gauge, then for what seemed hour’s up on the ramp (I nearly fell asleep) I was dropped down & drove to the rollers for the speedo and brake tests, then out side for the noise. I left Dave to do the outer bits and called my wife, Truffle had a girl and she wanted to know how much longer I would be (this was about 10.50am) so I said about V2 an hour I think.

1 1/2 hours later the test was finished, Carolyn was spitting feathers as she was late for work, so I grabbed the fail ticket, dived into my 2B and shot up the A5 (did you know that at over 100mph with no screen your head nearly gets ripped off unless you keep it pressed firmly against the head rest!).

The main fail points were:

Steering column upper mount loose.

Short bolts on steering rack.

Brake pedal touches steering column.

Side mirrors too far forward couldn’t see the poles behind.

Small nick in wiring loom insulation.

Rear reflectors edges too sharp.

108db on noise test.

No covers on rear number plate mounting bolts.

Ns rear brake binding (hand brake).

Edges of dash not 2.5mm.

Cockpit sides temp padding.

Fuel cap (aero style) not @ 2.5mm.

Mounty wheel not covered.

Silencer bracket sharp edges.

Spare wheel not covered.

Coil over adj. nuts + top wish bone dummy strut not covered.

Brake servo lacking lock nuts.

There were a few others mainly brake pipes too close together + loose wires (these were for speakers yet to be fitted !!)

I went back two weeks later for the re test, this time I had two testers as another car had not turned up, o joy, this time they only looked at the fail points from the first test, the first thing they noticed was the steering wheel centre pad had fallen off due to the heat, but with a couple of tie raps the chief tester fixed it back into place, what a nice man, all the radii were checked, then onto the noise test, as my rev counter was not working they used their own clip on one, the tester kept signaling for more and more revs until the engine rev limiter cut in, OOPS their rev counter didn’t work either, but it passed the noise test at 98db.

Got the new reg. and tax that PM, had the plates made up & went for my first legal drive to see Ian in Bicester, after I left him, only gone 1/2 mile the engine died, Ian kindly towed me home, I then spent the next 2 weeks trying to find the fault, fuel starvation, turned out to be a small rubber bush, must have dropped into the tank during the build and after spending several months in petrol it had turned into a flat disk about 2"dia which was floating up against the fuel outlet pipe stopping the flow. Since then it’s been great fun going to the shows etc.

happy hooding, Pete2B

•   failed on various loose wiring under dash (actually speaker wires put in for radio but not connected to anything yet)
• I had tucked them out of the way ,but HE found them.
•  some sharp edges .viz.  boot lock. windscreen pillars. one under dash left side. rear number plate surround.
•  rear number late light top edge.
• BRAKE BIAS brakes actually too good. rears locked up before fronts.
• all this had been done and it was pi**ing down,there and back.

Peter has regularly updated us on progress and can now send his final update on pre-SVA efforts ! Yes ........ he's passed !

"A short and meaningful progress report. Arrived at Leighton Buzzard 0800 yesterday 18th, MAC in my hand at 1125, tax disc in my hand mid afternoon at the Oxford DVLA office. How's that for a progress report?

Peter Ray and Graham Mintram are heading off to Le Man this year (2006). Peter has knocked up a bike rack to dream of - lightweight copper pipe and easy release mechanism with foam covers for the bike contact areas. A lick of paint over the copper to brighten things up and he's done..... food for thought anyone ..... what about RHSC doing a bike rack for the range ?

Words not required .............