Unclejake

I will be seeing him next weekend so shall tell him so. He is a good bastard and has an old school ride himself so doesn't fall down hard on the lads unless they are being really dumb. Small world mate. I'll get some photos up soon.

Ahh - I should have looked at your profile. A cop I know in your area was following a bagged out blue W111 down the road about 20 months ago that he seriously doubted was legal. He rang me to see if I wanted any bits off it if he pulled it over... Lol..... lucky I said no eh! (true story) Good work dude. Seriously cool.

Holy Sh1t!!! I love it. I will post some pics of the W111 I have been working on soon but I am no where near as brave as you so ours is sort of standard. Did your car come from Whangarei?

Chur Boes (sniggers) Hopefully I will remember all the questions: The engine and box are painted in Hammerite using a brush and then as the paint tacks off I 'stab' it with the bristles. Hammerite handles the heat everywhere except immediately above the exhaust ports. The suspension is essentially standard (Pre65 rules) but has been thoroughly reconditioned and has heavier front springs and shocks (all adustable) and lighter rear springs and shocks with a Watts linkage. The engine has most everything sone to it that is Pre65 legal (except a down port head). It would take an hour to write it all down so if there is anything specific you want to know sing out and I would be happy to pass on any knowledge. I have not raced the car for a couple of years - other priorities have got in the way. The Mercedes is a W111 Fintail (which has been one of the above priorities) and I will get some photos up of that later this week - I restored it myself but had a race engine builder do the motor. Thanks again for the kind words - I should be out again mid 2008.

Only slow ones. Circa 1.25 Manfield, 1.16 Puke and I guess around the 1.55-1.57 at the Taupo A1 track but I have not tried her out there yet. I hope to do about two seconds better at all tracks in early 2008. This is such a neat forum - thanks so much

Thanks Dudes. She is a Pre65 car so we have to use the 1500 pre-crossflow as the 1600 motors didn't show up until after 1965. The photos of the Cortina a a bit old as a fair bit of energy has gone into getting the Anglia ready for a good friend over the last seven months. I am 're-visiting' the Cortina engine this month and more changes are in the wind. I have to spend quite a lot of coin to get a tiny bit faster but it appears I enjoy building them more than I enjoy driving them I am a retard but at least it leaves me less money to spend on P.

Westcort - Turning the motor over on the starter motor usually gives you a fairly random pulse on the timing light in my limited expeirence. The pluse is usually around about where you want it on the degree wheel but half the time it just isn't there at all. Having only just cruised into this thread I am now wondering why you think your cam timing is out. Can timing too far in one direction will simply move your power in the rev range - as you have not been able to drive the car yet you probably do not know what it runs like. Letting a new engine idle for more that the absolute minumum time is not the best idea as the rings don't get a chance to bed in. If you can stand the agony of waiting it might be a good idea to get the exhaust system on the car and get it driveable - then start messing with it and find all your vacuum leaks etc . Good luck mate - there is not much quite as satisfying as building your own car

Let's hope the starter isn't not turning because a valve is now imbedded in a piston . Having said that I think Pintos are non-interference engines so perhaps that is not possible I don't dial in my own camshafts so I won't give any advice except to trun the motor over by hand again before you try the starter motor - just incase. Regards, UJ