Gozza

Semi productive day yesterday, pulled out the old motor and box, swapped the box over onto the new motor along with a new clutch and pressure plate. Need to find an electric fan and get that mounted up in front of the radiator and do a little bit of cleaning up in the engine bay then I'll sling the new one back in.

Motor and box coming out together so suspension gets dropped out first. Have a rebuilt power steering rack and crossmember to go in at the same time too..

Today I gave the old 2000 a fresh sump of oil and a new filter and took it out for a 100km thrash in preparation for pulling the motor and storing it. Got the new motor to a point where I just need to fit it to finish up the small tasks... Cleaned out a bit of space and made a start...

Small bit of progress... Adapter plate for the throttle body welded on to the plenum and painted it yesterday. Also cleaned up and painted the water pump housing and fitted that along with a new QH water pump. The previously overhauled power steering pump and a new Alternator got thrown at it also. Getting closer...

Choice man! Enjoy!!

It might be clean now, but let's not kid ourselves... the secret is not filling it with oil! Hi Alex, I'm sorry I haven't been over to collect the F1 motor, I hope it's still in the pristine condition I left it in;) My approach to this EFI thing will be to be as careful as possible putting everything together, then taking most of it off for the run in. First runs will be with the MS controlling spark and with all sensors connected but without any of the fuel related items. I'll just chuck a set of carbs on for a start... figure that's the safest on a new motor with so many other new and untested things. Much to learn

It's starting to get complicated Just need to make up a few brackets to mount things properly then it'll be time to start on the computer.

Wired up the injectors today... small steps

Picked this little bastard up in Temuka today. Time to clean out the shed and start fitting all the little do dahs and nick nacks I've been collecting for the megasquirt EFI setup. Steep learning curve ahead

Good things are supposed to take time right? Seems like months have passed (and it fucking is) since I got this started but a milestone was reached recently. Bottom half is all done and dusted. Bored to 2.6L, fancy pistons, Newman 280/300 cam, new oil pump, line bored, new bearings, balanced everything, blah blah etc... Have had to find another head as the one I had turned out to be cracked but the new one has gone away to have the big nitrided valves fitted. Some new guides go in also, along with a little exhaust port work and a skim to get the compression ratio up to 10:1 Hopefully have it in the garage in the next couple of weeks to make a start on the EFI conversion.

Truth is, I was under the impression they were supposed to be forged but since I've googled them I'm not now so sure... they were supplied by the machinist in Christchurch. The brand seems ok but if anyone has anything to add about Nural brand pistons id be pleased to hear. Can see the part number in that pic...

Had a chance to check up on the progress of my new motor today while on the way past Tumuka. Not much to report really but the bottom end has been assembled so that's a start. Everything looks pretty good, all nice and shiny and turns pretty easy. Alex says he will try and make a start on the head next week which will involve the new valves and a bit of cleaning up. in other breaking news I've found myself utterly confused with options regarding the megasquirt computer and it's plethora of options but think I've settled on what I need. Just a small bit more brain work to figure out what I need to make the Bosch coil pack do what I need and I'll get that on the way too.

I haven't forgotten about you baby. Just been busy with life and the saloon...

Last of the parts finally turned up today. Got some Nitrided valves with stellite tips(whatever the fuck that means), new iron guides, seals, and some inserts from a fellow in the UK. Im having second thoughts about the inserts as I hear they can cause more shit than they prevent. Plan will be to run on avgas because I like the smell of it but if I can't get it then pump gas. Anyone got real world advise? Anyway, I'll get these off to Temuka tomorrow and hopefully a new donk will emerge in short order.

Be a good girl and wait here for awhile...

Thank you Hanna and Alex! I've got so much to learn before I can even start, and then there is the other Mk1 project currently under way... One thing is for sure, this wagon is going to be fucking sick when it gets back on the road.....

Probably time for a little update on the Trumpy. So the new engine is currently being built up from an old PI motor that was lying around in a garage down south. Basic details are .40 thou over, forged pistons, Newman cam, lightened flywheel, balanced pistons/rods and rotating bits, 10:1 comp, extractors, and the EFI setup based on the old PI bodies. There is also a power steering rack and pump getting the treatment in town which will go in at the same time... Please enjoy some pictures

Been a while since I've posted anything up on my Trumpy but have been having heaps of fun with it. The OD gearbox has made a world of difference to how it goes on the open road so that was definitely a worthwhile excercise. Since I got it back on the road last June it's done about 4500 miles with no real faults to speak of. Been mostly just around Nelson and Mot but have been up the lake half a dozen times and once down to Westport which was a blast... I am really stoked at how it handles now compared to before the big upgrade but have been pining for a bit more grunt. For a little while now I've been collecting bits for a new donk and am just about ready to pull the trigger and get it built. Plan is a 2.5 bored out a bit, up the compression, EFI, cam, headers etc... Ive got most of the stuff together for the EFI setup and have been modding a set of PI manifolds to suit. As soon as this is done I'll get the engine itself underway....

Please note, the frenchwomans bicycle is not mine

I'm getting keen...

Weather doesn't look too bad for tomorrow...

This still going ahead this weekend?

Looking forward to this! Will be nice to meet you guys and have a beer!

Had a productive weekend. Pulled the gearbox on Sunday morning and went in search of my oil leak. Had to remove the clutch and flywheel and also the engine backplate to gain access to the crank seal housing that I thought was leaking. When I got in there it was dry as a bone so back to square one on that... It must be coming from the sump gasket but I was sure it was somewhere further up:( Anyway, with the old box out of the way I made a start on getting the OD box back in. Not easy by myself with minimal room but managed to wrestle it back in and got it bolted up. Did run into a small problem though in that I didn't realise that there are longer bolts and spacers required to lower the gearbox crossmember and keep things aligned properly. Result is that the new box is too high up at the rear and strikes the floor when bolted up. Got the bits on the way.... Old and new...