Mid Month Update

A few small bits and pieces this time around, not much has actually happened since my last post.

Mitch Hoggan did this fantastic illustration of the E21 and presented it to me framed - it's got pride of place next to the door of the study:

I also received my copy of the Engineered To Slide documentary, Dream Build Drive.

Nigel's blog has been an inspiration and often a reminder that even by focusing on the little tasks, eventually a much larger project can be moved ahead in leaps and bounds.

You can actually watch it for free, but I've bought it because it's available for free, and because it serves as even further inspiration for my own build.

I un-taped the sunroof because despite being functional (i.e. not leaking on my wiring) it looked horrible.

Unfortunately the tape I used removed some clear coat with it! I've got a fair bit of paint/panel work to do on the car in the not too distant future anyway so I guess I'll just fix it all at once - more on this later.



I worked out the cause of the leak - not this scummy build up (although I will eventually get around to fixing that) - but instead the join between the metal of the roof and the fitting for the rubber hose was cracked.



Some threebond black made short work of that. This stuff is fantastic; it's form-in-place-gasket but basically as best I can tell it may as well be sikaflex in a smaller tube. Works fantastically as a glue, to cover over leaks etc.

It's certainly passed the test here.

Back to the rust; I've got a few spots like this on the left hand side of the car, I haven't looked under the side skirts yet but anticipate even more fun awaits there. The area around the windscreen has a few bubbles as well. Looks like it'll be time for welding/bog/sanding/sanding/more-sanding then maybe some paint once we start to get back into the summer months.



Being able to open the roof gives a bit better light inside the car - currently one of my two standard globes in the garage is blown; as a result my abysmal lighting is worsened even further than usual.

I've installed the fire extinguisher in a spot where I can still reach it without my shoulder leaving the seat back. This means that once I've got a harness fitted, even with the harness on I should be able to unclip, remove and operate the extinguisher.

It actually serves as a nice rest for my leg also.

I've been having a bit of a think about building a proper exhaust setup for the vehicle. As is right now it's too loud. Part of that is due to the fact that I have practically solid mounted the pipes at the rear of the car, and there is no flex joint at the front to allow this to actually work.

To that end, I've obtained a flex pipe from eBay to weld in with the upcoming adjustments. Tim Knowles has also let me know he has a spare 2.5" hot dog resonator I can use which I will put near the front of the system.

My plan then is to split the system at the diff from 2.5" to two seperate 2" sections - one out each side of the vehicle similar to this:

Sorry I can't name the source, I saved this file ages ago and do not recall it.

I'm as yet unsure but think I will probably run the pipes over the top of both half shafts.

Currently the vehicle has an oval, straight through muffler (2.5" ID) which isn't really sufficient.

I've ordered two of these mild steel, straight through 2" ID 5" OD 14" Long resonators under the assumption that each will offer similar muffling power to the original oval muffler, but because there are two sharing the exhaust output should yeild slightly less overall volume, without any extra restriction.

I've then got to work out what sort of tips I want to run. I could just use straight pipe, maybe even fashioned as blast pipes; or I could use a 2" to 3" angle cut tip as above.

Or a more retro styled 2" to 2.5" rolled edge chrome tip.... or perhaps get more creative - copper anyone? I've always liked the look of heat coloured stainless however I don't think it would suit the vehicle.

Lastly, I've ordered an 8AN to 8AN full flow fitting to allow direct attachment of the Bosch pump to the fuel cell. This will allow me to better secure the pump, while also enabling the pump to get much better flow from the fuel cell sump. Currently the 5/16" hose feed via 10AN->8AN->5/16 barb adaptors is -working- however I can't imagine it being great for the pump or possibly at high load for the engine if the pump supply were to struggle to keep up. I got an 8AN fitting with the pump, so will be able to use this with existing 10AN->8AN->THIS->8AN-044adaptor