670 replies to this topic

[VXTyrant]

I've been looking forward to the inevitable project thread an it didn't disappoint! Good write up and a cracking job well done

[The Batman]

No, it looks too big in those track suite bottoms.

are you asking me to take a picture of my but in no trousers?

[turbobob]

You have defected from turbo to SC , I have to say that that is a great looking project and fantastic looking result

[rob999]

Top work Jimmy I thought a Garrett would have gone in there..

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Part II

Now I had a marathon ahead of me….

The mission – To get the timing chain repaired, remove balancer shafts, replace flywheel to a lightweight type, rebuild the engine on Eagle Rods, get it on the rollers and map it, give it a geo….

Easy eh…?

This involved taking renting a van, driving to Reading to borrow a trailer from Max (top man!), drive back to South Wales to pick up the VX, then driving to Aylesbury. Then trailer the car to Norfolk then down to Henley. Once done there back to South Wales, then back to reading, then home to South Wales again. Well over a 1000 miles. All in one trip without going home!!

Ready to set off



Now my budget was smashed to pieces by this point and with no insurance on the car I decided safest and cheapest bet was to sleep in the van at night. So with my Millets foam pad and my sleeping bag in toe I set off in my rental van for a long weekend of fun. Now with the van, VX, trailer and bits I counted 12 wheels, 2 steering wheels, 3 flywheels, and a spare. So Jimmy the trucker hit the Motorway in his 18 wheeler. All I needed was a John Deere cap

My Wagon





After collecting all the bits first stop was Joe’s place for the engine work. We were met there by Vocky whom I met for the first time and we set about removing the engine and rebuilding. Now again as the rear clam was off and there were three of us we sped through the work. Neil quickly identified the source of the engine rattle as a seized Pre-Tensioner which could have snapped the chain at any moment as was no longer even touching the chain let alone tensioning it!!

RIP Kerry





Joe humping my air filter



Joe stroking my pipes



All out



Vocky's feet. The man would not be photographed. It helps so that MI6 cannot id him

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Started smoking when warmed up for the first time!!




The work went very smoothly and hats off to Joe and Neil when we finally got it all back together and some juice into the flat battery it fired into life for the first time in it’s new guise. Sounded great!

Now again we’d factored in two days for the work but we were done in one so Joe was itching to show me the big city lights of Aylesbury and hell…. I was keen to let him!!! So after finishing a bottle of vodka between us we met up with a few of his mates and hit the tiles. I looked ridiculous as I had brought no real going out gear with me, so was wearing steel toe cap boots and had been forced to get ready using Joe’s dodgy hair gel

Ho with the taxi driver

Woke up the next morning with a sore head in Joe’s Mum’s bed Luckily armed with the knowledge that an uncouth Welshman was coming to stay she was stayed with a friend I did very much appreciate the bed though as the van was not a comfy place to be!! Joe was a legend and knew I was at a loose end and we saw out our hangovers with one another and even attempted some half arsed repair work on Joe’s car. We quickly decided that we were in no fit state to be working on cars and hit MacDonalds for some food.

After reflecting on life I got organised and loaded up ahead of the mammoth trek to Courtenays (a million miles from everywhere). Cheers again Joe

So arrived at Courtenays around 10pm and was shattered so made camp for the night. I woke up in the van at around 7am freezing, with face full of dust but excited about the day ahead!

Jon and co were great and got it on the rollers straight away, but the work took a long time as the partial throttle fuelling was not right. A few calls to Klassen and we identified the problem to be a tired fuel pump (hold the front page;) ).






Was too late in the day to fit but I had still pulled a decent enough amount of torque on the rollers so it was time to call it a day and hit the road again.







So the trip to Hofmann’s took an eternity, and I was getting sick of the tatty old hire van by now!! The best thing about crashing in their car park () is that since the move it’s very quiet down the bottom unit! Until it started raining!!??!! Ping ping ping ping ping ping on the van’s roof was annoying, but tiredness took over and I dropped off regardless.

Was met by the talented Mr Strikland in the morning who was good enough to make me a brew and we set about getting the car geo’d.

Unfortunately we didn’t get very far the guys spotted a frightening amount of play in the drivers side front wheel. Now I’d replaced ALMOST everything in this area. Ball joints, wishbone bushes, drop links, track rod ends the bleedin lot!! Except the steering rack. Now remember this car had been in a rather nasty accident, and it looks like the rack took a knock! There’s crappy little plastic knuckles on each end of the rack and these crack, jam and cause play.

Now credit to Phil at Hofmann’s as he knew how over-budget I already was and saved me a fortune by giving me a pretty comprehensive run through of how to remove and repair my existing rack on Phosphor Bronze ends. Went from around £600 + labour to £40 and I’ll do it myself! He could get in trouble for not coining in on my misfortune, but helping me out like that they’ve got a good customer

So loaded back up and set off to drive home.

Dumped the VX at the bodyshop, then turned back around and set off to give Max his trailer back (thanks again mate). Had a brew and a chat then back to South Wales for the last leg of my trip.

Travels now over, time for bed!

-------------------------------------

That was the end of my uber trip. Still loads to do though!

Finally finished off the rear clam and fitted with the lightweight bootlid, lightweight rollbar cover, and Exige spoiler




Parked the car in it's spot where it was to remain for the next few weeks.




So infuriating to have a tuned machine like this and not be able to drive it. Still no mot or log book/tax so at this point I had never driven it!

Set about pulling the rack out and refurbishing the ends. Pig of a job, but do-able!

Then started on the interior

Removed my standard seats, airbag, steering wheel and boss, consoles, stereo, seatbelts, speakers, speaker panel/parcel shelf and probably more, and set about rebuilding how I want it.


Then fitted.

JonBetts Harness Bar
Willans Harness
JK Composites lightweight seat
OMP Steering wheel on snap off boss







I will put the second seat in as soon as I get time, but having a mare at the moment so needed to get a seat in to get it road legal.

MOT and vic check went through without a hitch and my babay is now road legal. Unfortunately this was too late for my first track day so I had to trailer it to Pembrey where I got to drive it for the first time and she was great!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qsiAL3R7qg&feature=player_embedded

I've got to fit my undertrays, diffuser and get the car geo'd ahead of the car's first real test at Silverstone next week with Cliffie and MAXR. Bring it on boys .

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Ooooh, floating car

[XXX]

Fantastic work JJJ and your team of helpers....typical of .org really. Truly great acheivement given your starting point - a very sickly looikg car. Now looks the dogs. Another VX lives on.....

[turbobob]

Lovin this story (Although there are too many pics of Joe bending over ...... )

[LY_Scott]

I've been looking forward to this thread, did not disappoint! Lots of hard work. Awesome mate congrats and enjoy

[rcvaughan]

Great project Jimmy Look forward to hearing how it drives at silverstone

[fred666]

Interesting read... All the bits added to the exterior i don't really like individually (Bootlid, spoiler, rear clam cut outs) But together they all seem to work well! whole project works brilliantly. Proper track look to it and functional vents A nice read mate Ps sort your camera out if thats lightning yellow

[VXR 43]

Wicked write up Jimmy! The car is looking the nuts!

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Interesting read... All the bits added to the exterior i don't really like individually (Bootlid, spoiler, rear clam cut outs) But together they all seem to work well! whole project works brilliantly. Proper track look to it and functional vents

A nice read mate

Ps sort your camera out if thats lightning yellow

Colour is defo NOT lightning yellow!! It's Citrine Yellow off of the Mk 1 Modeo seems more becoming of the moniker of Lightning yellow to me!


Cheers guys

[Seb.F]

Do like!

[RobNA]

Good stuff

[VXT Tim]

definitely looks better on the vx than that picture of a mondeo you sent me! Great work buddy!

[forgotmepassword]

Fantastic project. Looks the business

[darronwall]

looks good! every credit to you,you should be proud of that.Look forward to seeing it on a track soonthumbsup

[leevx2.2]

Well Done Jim i have seen it and drivern it it is a loverly car ,You have done so much so quick i cant believe it