The kit with No Name shall be known as Harry

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Phaeton

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Quick trip down the A1 along the A151, picked up the kit, back up the A151 called in at the A1 Stadium Diner where the A1 & the A151 meet for a really awesome English breakfast, then back up home to unload.

Not really much to report other than need to find some seats & a set of wheels, must have sold 4 sets of MX5 alloys in the past :p

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Phaeton

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Had a bit of a mooch around the kit today, was going to look at the bulkhead/firewall but the piece of aluminium they send is so wrong that I'm looking at getting a new piece & starting again.

So decided to fit the lights to the back end.


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Phaeton

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Just an update on the name, my father died in February this year, 97 1/2, it would have been his 98th a couple of weeks ago which got me thinking, so as bit of a tribute to him as I owe him so much, I think he would have been happy to have his name associated with this build, so going forward it'll be known as Harry, Harold Inman Smith 1924 - 2022 RIP.

Went out for any look around today & try to get some space back, moved a few things out of the garage into a storage space I have at the back of the workshop, all the brakes etc. that I won't need for a while, looks like it will need new front calipers are although he'd bought new seals damp has got to bother the caliper & piston, he'd pulled them out. But there might be a pair in the parts bin if I'm lucky, found 2 servo units, unfortunately neither are of use as they don't have the proportioning valve but I do have one from before, there are 2 sets of pedals & 2 steering columns, I wonder how they'd react if I turned up with it being both left & right hand drive at the same time.

Also found a new set of disks, front I think & a new clutch, including pressure plate & release bearing.

As SWMBO was out & the rain had stopped I thought I'd try to make some form of start, so I held up the first part of the bulkhead & thought how the fck is that supposed to fit.

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I honestly don't know where to start with it, it's obvious it needs a notch out for the left rail, a notch out top left for the top rail, a notch for the support rail you can just see at the top of the picture, but why has the bottom been bent down, it needs to be bent up? Also where is it supposed to go on the right.

I abandoned that in favour of coming back with a tape measure & buying a new piece to start from scratch, but it did mean I could move onto the tunnel as it seems to be a chicken & egg type of thing, do you put the firewall in & butt the tunnel to it or do you put the tunnel in & butt the firewall to it. The last one I used shut pieces & can see me doing the same again.

Decided to tackle the tunnel, managed to get one side sorted before the rain started again, it's now a matter of manipulating it on the other side, it will get there but it's not easy, a little more thought by the manufacturer would go a long way



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As you can see the rain had started so I wrapped him up & went off to seek shelter to be greeted by,

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at which point Fraulin Ober Furher arrived back home so all play was suspended.
 

Phaeton

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Pondered the ill fitting tunnel & came up with a plan, block of wood behind the chassis rail to get it to hold in place then a ratchet strap to pull it over into place, it's as close as I think I can get it, not drilling it in the dark though will wait till I get an hour in the light to drill the pilot holes for the rivnuts.

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Phaeton

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No chance to do anything with the short nights, thought I may get an hour today but she had other plans putting the lights on the frigging tree, only gone up today & I'll be glad when it's back in it's boxes again.

On the other hand I treated myself to some tools to try to get that panel finished

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Phaeton

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In each kit there always seems to be a bit from hell, something that had the designer thought it through a bit better would be easier, on the Exocet it's the bulkhead, specifically the passenger side one, although the drivers is not much better. The new owner of the kit claims he's redesigned the panels & the new ones fit much better but I'm yet to be convince, either way my panels of what there is of them are the one ones anyway.

It's below zero, but it's dry so there's no reason not to continue, the rest of the rivnuts we put in for the tunnel & that finished off, the the panel from hell, I reckon there's probably 6 hours in it, it fits okay & I think the best I can do, it's better than the last one so after another 5 I may do one that's acceptable.

Bolts are temporary they will be swapped out for some stainless steel flanged button heads.

I did start to look at the drivers side but then the rain started & although I can deal with cold, cold & wet is a no no.


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Phaeton

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So today it was tackling the other side of the firewall, again multiple angles, got one of the holes wrong but a washer & you'll not see it. It's amazing how much time it takes, but it got me out from under her feet preparing for tomorrow, went I don't think I'll be allowed to do more..


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Phaeton

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Who cares it's Christmas day & the neighbours want quiet, it makes it the perfect day to get the angry grinder out & make the last piece of the bulkhead.



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Then when the son in law came around for lunch he had to pay for his food by helping me spin the frame over so that I can start on the floors.


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Phaeton

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Another fine day so had to get out there whilst I could, this time to tackle the floors, it just comes with a big sheet to aluminium, I'm told the new kits with these pre-cut, one thing I did notice was that presumably this is a sheet guillotined piece then the frame is not 100% true, laying the sheet down one edge it ran out by a few millimetres over it's length.

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Next thing was to get it down to a manageable size to lay on the frame & draw round,


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than the 1mm slitting disc to get to shape. 44 holes next,

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Son bought me an attachment for a cordless drill for the rivets as my air riveter died,

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We were both a bit dubious whether it would be any good, but it did the 44x 4.8mm rivets in around 10 minutes, if it lasts the other 44 on the other floor it'll have been worth the money.

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Then to finish off the day, put the other piece of aluminium that was left on the other side, draw around it & cut to shape, at which point this old man had had enough, not used to physical work anymore

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My son has just bought a house with a huge amount of work needing doing so I can see a lot of my time being taken up over there helping him, so need to push on as much as I can to get as far to completion as possible,
 

Phaeton

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3 days in a row been able to get out there, drilled another 44 holes twice, then some tiger seal followed by 44 more rivets

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Then came the rain as you can see, bit did go back out later & fitted the pedals, along with 8 more rivnuts down the centre to fasten the fuel & brake lines to.

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But to me it shows off a design flaw, this is the clutch pedal & they have welded a brace in to take the back edge of the pedal box which os good.

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But then when it comes to the brake they or at least to me have cut the bracket short, all they had to do was take the bracket to the other side of the support.

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Phaeton

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Bit more done, had to take the brake pedal off again to remove the spacers & put them on the other side of the bulkhead, well I used washers, then SIL came round so we flipped it back up the other way, added a few more rivnuts for brake lines. Then fitted the wiring tray, think I need to go fetch the wheels as next logical step is to mount the frame on the PPF




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Phaeton

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As it was raining & I don't do getting wet if I can help it, 150 mile round trip to pick up the ditchfinders I should have picked up earlier

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They're a rough but will do to move it around the drive.
 
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Phaeton

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Bit more today, both the front & the rear subframes built up to the point of fitting, no photos, then looked at the engine on the stand, he'd told me he's put new belt & water pump in/on but not turned the engine over since you can see it's a new water pump so have to assume the belts new.

Tried to turn it over but the alternator was seized, but I had a spare in the pile, it will need a new belt fitting as the one on is crusty.


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So then I had a little more time & Melvin hadn't been started for a few months I thought I'd spin him over, he fired & ran straight away, but guess what, yep the alternator had seized 😂🤣😂🤣 luckily it wasn't bad & a bit of Plusgas sorted it, but I now need 2 new belts.

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Phaeton

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Have to keep the momentum going so today pulled the engine out of the garage & lifted it with the crane to got it off the stand, fitted the flywheel.

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The fitted the new clutch, pressure plate along with a new release bearing in the box.

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Then fitted the gearbox to the engine, then off for fun to of fitting the PPF to the differential, always fun.

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At which point I realised that the gearbox must not have been drained, bugger

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Then fitted the engine & gearbox unit to the other end of the PPF, then fitted that all to the front subframe.

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Next job is to fit the exhaust manifold whilst there is easy access along with the steering rack, there is a pair of new track rod ends somewhere just got to find the. Once that's done it's marrying the 2 parts together, I'm sure I've done it before on my own but can't remember how 😂

Although annoyingly the aluminium radiator I bought won't fit, it doesn't have the side mountings, the box had all been opened when I received it so I suspect it's been out before & returned.
 

Phaeton

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So today despite saying I was going to do the exhaust first I changed my mind & made a wind chime.

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Lifted the frame off the trestles & then a mixture of pushing the suspension under the frame & pulling the frame over the suspension, got them to sort of line up, had to undo the PPF to gearbox bolts again then with aid of bars & blocks of wood got it all to line up & the 12 big bolts all in. Got them all tight & then retightened the PPF bolts, then add the front shocks & the steering rack, still haven't found the front track rod ends, I'm sure there is a pair somewhere.


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Ended the day lifting it off the dollies & putting it on axle stands, next I think is the steering rack so it can be moved about if needed, but work becomes tomorrow so progress may slow, but the backbone I think has been broken.
 

Phaeton

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Keep chipping a way, yesterday found the track rod ends & fitted them, then loose fitted steering column to check position, then today starter motor fitted, fuel damper removed from massive bracket & steering column completed fitting (although probably come off again)

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Phaeton

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Sorry mainly for my benefit so I can remember what I did when

Completed during the week

Engine wiring harness installed
Plastic clips to hold fuel & brake lines
Front to rear fuel pipe fitted
Front to rear brake line
Front NS & OS brake lines run, brackets needed but can't do until callipers fitted

Completed today

Exhaust manifold refitted
1st section of exhaust fitted including cat (hope it doesn't get stolen) including bracket to gearbox
Petrol tank drip tray fitted
Petrol tank fitted
Bracket made for fuel filter & confirmed routing of fuel pipe
Hole partially cut for gearstick cut in tunnel cover so it can at least put it over the tunnel to hide the cat.

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Phaeton

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I ordered a MK1 radiator but they sent a MK2, typical I didn't look until it was too late to return it & of course they refused to do so, I could do a chargeback, but it's a lot of hassle & this one was cheap anyway. Just meant I had to make all new brackets, which for whatever reason seemed to take ages today, but kept at it.

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Then it was another bracket for the fuel damper, by which time I'd had enough, 5 hours & 5 poxy brackets made, well maybe not quite that long but not far short.
 

Phaeton

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It was only minus 3 today so perfect for working outside, compared to 7am when I cycled up to the field when it was minus 8

Didn't get a great deal done, few other distractions came along but there was progress, all the fuel pipes are now completed, apart from the rollover vent.

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Next was working on the tunnel getting the gearbox end to come through the tunnel so it can be fastened back down to the frame, last 2 I've done I seem to have taken too much out, so went a lot slower this time.


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Then one I did a while ago & forgot to post, I've seen many Exocets with the wiper arm still attached, as it doesn't do anything I've removed it.

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