Build Day 42- IVA Trim, Handbrake Cable, Steering Clamp, and Lambda Probe

Day 42- IVA Trim, Handbrake Cable, Steering Clamp, and Lambda Probe

IVA Trim   

Covers on uprights, also on steering rod ends. (The one over the bolt connecting the steering arm to the upright was removed by Caterham during the PBI, however may put another back on)

Cap on head but not nut, of the front upper wishbone mount.

Cap on bobbin and on bracket top.
(Also on PBI Caterham fitted some scuttle trim onto the front of the cat heat shield.)

Handbrake Cable 

We have now finished fitting the P clips to the chassis and handbrake cable as many others have done. We do feel however that it runs a little close to the drive shafts, however this is the best we can get it. 

During the PBI Caterham have removed the P clips, and cable tied it to the "A" frame, which somehow takes it slightly further off of the top of the drive shafts. 

Routing of the handbrake cable.

Steering Clamp 

We have noticed, when re-reading other peoples blogs that the chamfered side of the small side of the steering clamp should face the shaft and not outward as seems most appropriate.

Tightened and torqued.

Lambda Probe 

We have now decided where we wish to run the lambda probe wiring along the body and to the connector. We used adhesive cable tie bases to hold the cable tight to the body, then ran it up the end of foot well, then along the top, being fixed in certain places. We have decided upon this so as to reduce the possibility of cable damage by stones etc. as it runs at one of the lowest points on the car.

Cable tie base on inside of chassis.

Cable running from possibly destroyed cat and up the foot well.
This was later removed by Caterham and relocated along the underside of the car, then up the tunnel, under the battery.

Build Day 40- Exhaust, Battery, Steering, and Wipers

Day 40- Exhaust, Battery, Steering, and Wipers

Catalytic Converter   

To finish off the exhaust system I fitted the cat heat shield, and dad fitted the lambda probe. The heat shield went on simply enough, just thread the two jubilee clips through the shield brackets and slide over the cat, then tighten with the heads on the inside of the cat. The lambda probe simply screws in and connects to the wiring loom. In order to protect the wiring we wrapped the head and the first few cm of the wiring with self amalgamating tape. We have the wiring routed up the front of the foot box and then along the front of the pedal box to the connector.

Clips threaded through shield.

Polished cat with springs and band clamp on.

Shield on.

Lambda probe in and wrapped.

Battery

Quickly connected the battery leads after giving them a quick clean, then managed to break both of the very brittle terminal covers. We just used some glue to fix the top and cut come slots out to allow the leads out.

Leads connected.

Cables tidied and covers fixed and on.

When the battery was fully connected we tested all of the electrics, apart from the engine, and everything works so far!! Fingers crossed that the engine start goes without a hitch.

Wiper Blades

As the blades have smaller than a 3mm radius on the ends of them they require to be filed down to comply to the IVA test. I did this with a small hand file, then painted the ends with some black Hamerite metal paint after I had cleaned them.

Blade ends.

Steering

Started by attaching the steering wheel, then the universal joint. However first we had to make a better assessment of the steering, as at the moment they are a few degrees toed out, despite having 13 turns on each rod end, so turned each one in, on turn at a time, until they were straight, then did it one more turn on each end. Then we reattached the track rod ends to the uprights, put the rack central, then attached the universal joint to the steering column. 

Wish the pad wasn't required, the wheel looks much better without it.

Steering universal joint, as straight as possible.

Build Day 15- 'A' Frame, Steering, Rear Brakes

Day 15- 'A' Frame, Steering and Rear Brakes

'A' Frame

More prep for the weekend, so started with the A frame. I didn't want to fully fit it until dad got to have a say on it so I just loosely fitted it with roughly the right washers, the correct bolts in the front two mounts, and the correct bolt and nylon washers through the di dion tube. Just remember to tighten the A frame to the di dion tube before trying to centralise the A frame using the di dion tube, otherwise it will throw the tube out of alignment.

Rear A frame mounting with nylon washers, torqued first.

Rear Callipers and Brakes

I then moved onto the rear calliper assembly. Firstly by sliding the disk over the splined end of the drive shaft, then putting the hub nut back. Following this the calliper brackets can be bolted onto the tube ears using the bolts used previously. The brake pads are then placed into the recessed slots either side of the calliper brackets. 

Before the callipers are bolted on the retaining clip must be slotted into the rectangular hole in the top of the calliper. We had found that attaching the brake line first to get the right alignment for the thread, then lowering the calliper into position and bolting it on, was the best way to fit the calliper, otherwise the brake line seems too easy to cross thread and it would be hard to get the perfect bend on the brake hose otherwise. 

Fitted calipers with clip in top.

I did also come to the conclusion that the disk would fit better once the hub nut had been tightened. I couldn't do this as the 41mm socket dad used on his previous Caterham had been rendered useless, as we have lost the 3/4" adapter required for the larger socket. We are just waiting for the new adapter set we have ordered.

Steering

The steering was fairly easy to put in, but couldn't be finished as we haven't finished cleaning and polishing the primaries, the cat, and the exhaust. The lower column went in first, just slid up through the two rubber grommets in the foot box, which was made easier by removing the covering plate. Then the upper column is slid down through, from the top, making sure not to dislodge the white plastic liner of the rubber bushes. The upper bush can be slid onto the upper column before or after, depending if a QR steering wheel has be opted for. 

Column clamp left loose for completion later.

I then loosely fitted the clamp to the middle of the column where the two meet, with the edges aligned. Moving onto the universal joint, between the steering rack and the steering column, it was evident that the job wasn't going to be completed due also to the front uprights looking considerably toe out, meaning that the track rod ends were going to have to be taken off and that the number if turns given in the instructions is wrong. I also found that the bolts passing through the universal joint and stopping it from pulling off wouldn't easily go through (only on the steering rack end) so the joint had to be opened up a little. 

Left like this until the primaries are fitted.

Later on we will finish this job once the exhaust is completed. This will hopefully resolve the wheel alignment (turns on the track rod ends) and also how much tilt is required on the steering rack, as we are unsure as to whether the steering column will foul on the primaries if the rack is at certain angles. We would prefer this to be as in line with the steering column as possible.

Build Day 1- Arrival & Wrapping

Father & Son Day 1

The kit arrived today!!! YAY!!! Dad had to work but was expecting a call to say it was being delivered, which both the delivery driver AND I had forgotten to do. I also forgot to get the GoPro out and filming, but hey ho. Was all in and done in less than 30 minutes. Dad then came home for lunch to look over the parts and check whether any of it was noticeably wrong or absent. Then later on, after he had got back from work, we set about wrapping and protecting all of our new, shiny parts.  

Day 1- chassis, boxes and engine in garage.

Chassis sitting beautifully on the stands

Just checking out the new Orcus Anthracite Wheels. Amazingly light and have a really nice, almost pearlescent, finish. A lot of white scuffs on the rim, however seems to come off easily so probably just the polish or wax used by the fabricators.

Engine on pallet, very easy to manhandle around the garage floor.

Huge pile of bits, hopefully all of it is here.

Fairly large indent in the bonnet, should be able to bend it back straight. Also down either side of the black stripe is a fairly heavy white line, hoping it is just polish caught along the stripe as it is painted over the orange thus having a ridge along the edge.

Gotta be the right car!!!

Pretty miffed that the car has arrived with an unpainted grill, despite paying an extra £35.

The rest of the day after the Caterham arrived was spent covering the car in bubble wrap and copious amounts of masking tape, and sorting through the numerous boxes trying to gauge whether anything major was missing. We also created a rack above the lighting which we could safely keep the bonnet and nose-cone.

All painted panels covered and chassis tubes covered. Note home made wooden chassis trolley. 

Hopefully we can avoid having to talk to Derek, however as the cars have changed somewhat in the last 15+ years and if the manual is as bad as it was back then for the original superlight, then it is unlikely to be long.