T-minus 3 days and 2 hours and counting...
Today I mostly mopped up the remaining jobs...
- drilled off a lower damper mount bolt which I managed to strip during installation a couple of weeks ago
This was a new experience for me, but I did rather well I think and didn't even hit myself in the eye with flying metal debris
- changed another set of damper mount bolts, at the rear...one more pair to go but one bolt short due to above foulup so that's for Monday night I think
- replaced the airbox hose, which had split around the time of my service in the summer...RDH Rob kindly sent me his pre-owned one, and it fits nicely...better made than mine (S2 plays S1, stands to reason
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- re-checked the coolant level after all the radiator shenanigans, everything crossed however looks ok still...funny feeling it's the heater matrix giving off a whiff of coolant from time time, oh joy. Anyway that's for another day. Non-trackday critical (apparently we will just replumb our way past the matrix if it lets go properly, according to Race Engineer Fat Bob Fisics)
- removed the front bonnet, then drilled out the one remaining rivet holding the hinge to the front clam
If only this had shown up while the car was marooned at Sanjoy's...typically it started to fail once the clam was all back on and I was ready to drive away. Anyway, got the "hinge" out...another "let's use a bolt as a pivot" special from Lotus, come on guys. Lubed it up as best I could, then re-installed using bolts this time (even though I am now King Riveter after the radiator fan fitting kit stuff we did...!) Refitting and re-adjusting the bonnet to the hinge is hilarious for one person, mind you. Get an assistant if you ever have to do this. Same goes for adjusting the stiker pin for the bonnet latch.
General shakedown drive reveals all the same clonks and bangs as normal, but the new hub and bearing at the rear have cleared up the rear-wheel steer feature (!), and even on damp ground the car is feeling pretty planted. Nice. Reminds me why I've kept it, and why I've spent so many hours scrambling about it in weird positions, getting backache etc etc. She is back in her own garage for the first time in about 6 weeks I think. Have to remind Lisa it's no longer a dumping ground for general tatt
My travel toolkit & spares kit are broadly complete, just a few details to sort tomorrow, and all she needs now is a wash, a top up with fuel and the tyre pressures checked, and that's it...too late to tinker with anything else.
Yours tired yet with a decent sense of achievement,
Spanners Fordy.
)
I have no expectations other than to have fun, and bring the car home in one piece.