Nlc - Lister Bell Stratos Build Thread

[Phil S1]

Sounds like you're almost there with it Leigh ;-)

It's going to look the business when it's done, that's for sure.

[Dr H]

Lots of stuff still to do Phil.

 

Being realistic I reckon it will be next spring / summer by the time it's all done, IVAed and registered!

[Dr H]

Oil cooler just arrived

[richbk]

next spring as in 2018 leigh ???

 

surely not ?

[Dr H]

next spring as in 2018 leigh ???

 

surely not ?

 

Yep I reckon.

 

I'm being realistic about this! I originally though 18 months which would be this October but I'm behind as I've been waiting for the engine and my plans have changed a bit so I need to get a custom engine loom made, get it all working and then get the car mapped from scratch. Also the ITBs are all custom made and 'never done before' so they might take a while to get sorted out.

 

You know what they say: 'good things come to those who wait'

[Dr H]

A while since the last update and.......................nothing to add really.

Still waiting for my bloody engine! I saw it last week and the bottom end is together. The crank, rods pistons and flywheel / clutch have all been balance and not bolted into the block. Everything else is still in bits. Apparently another 2-3 weeks but I've been told that a number of times before.......

But to keep things moving I've been plugging away at all the little jobs that would mainly be done at the end. I've ordered the body from LB and plan to dry fit the engine and measure up for the loom (custom job) then remove it and send for body fit. Whilst this is happening I can fit the ITBs etc and make sure the engine if fully dressed and ready to drop straight in when the body is done. I've discussed this with LB and they say that in some ways fitting the body without the engine is is easier.

Wiring is pretty much done, just a couple of a things to add.

I'm making a set of heater / AC controls using the new mouldling that LB now supplies and just need to add some decals. I'm actually going to get the aluminum plate anodised black and use white decals. I'm using and electric heater valve rather than a cable operate done - so it uses a rotary control as opposed to the slider used in the original car.

Also considering fitting an starter button. Looks like I can integrate one into the heater control moulding and it will be easily reachable form the drivers seat. Might not be in the car for IVS as it's much easier to gt them through with a key for ignition and have steering lock .

Progress so far:



Will eventually be trimmed with the same material as the dash.

Started to look at seats and interior materials. I may well use the LB seats but I'm also considering some Corbeau NFX seats. I need to measure them up and see if they sit low enough. As Craig pointed out to me the LB seat are very very close to the floor of the car. If these sit to high there won;t be the required head room. Nowhere has any in stock until April so I can't assess their suitability until then. They are definitely narrow enough. Max 32 inch waste! So if I do get these I'd better start watching what I eat......





ITBs are still being made. Linkage now all designed up and ready for making. Unfortunately Darren does F1 work and as the season approaches it's gone mad. Also the design has turned into a bit of a pain in the backside. To try and get the mechanism we want it's very light. He's managed to get it sorted by driving both banks of ITBs off no 1. Which means a few mods to it.



The only other thing I've done of note is to add more bling to the engine bay in the form of a fuel tank heat shield. Zircoflex III self adhesive heat shield and then DEI gold over the top to match the bulk head.




So here's hoping I get the engine soon so I can really push on!
 

[Dr H]

Just remembered - finally finished refurbishing the body catches (x1/9 targa roof catches)

Got some stainless pins machined up - thanks to a fellow Lotus owner on SELOC.




Bought some stainless springs and shaped them to match the originals






Got all the bits black powder coated




Reassemble






And the result:

[Dr H]

Not much to update really.

Accelerator positioned



Custom bent pipes for cooling system to replace runs that are just silicone hose as supplied in the kit.



Campag decals (made with SELOCers help) now fitted to wheel centre caps. the 'marks' are just reflections.



ITB setup almost finished. Fuel rails machines and bracket for DBW actuator will be done later this week.

Vist to trimmer to discuss trimming of seas, door cards etc. Found him locally. 80 years old, learned his trade from his farther who worked at Jaguar and did all the development work for the XKs, Mk1 and 2 and E Types. He worked with his dad a Jaguar too. His work is amazing.

Fuel injectors sent for cleaning, matching and (importantly) offset voltages plotting. I don't have any info on voltage versus time to open / close the injectors, which is needed for mapping the car. Sent them off the DRM Motorsport to have this done. Turns out he's a fellow Lotus owner.

Oh and I get the engine and gearbox back next week!!!!!

 

[Ruxpin]

I really hope I get to see this when complete. Your OCD attention to detail will make it stunning.

[Dr H]

Engine wasn't ready...... Looks like it will be the end of next week now before I can collect.

Just called a body shop to discuss getting it booked in for paint. Will be July at the earliest before they can get it in. Edmonds Auto Refinishers in Burton on Trent. They do lots of classic stuff and I know some on here have used them. I would naturally consider StephenM who did my 340R but it's a bit far! Will probably give him a call to discuss it anyway and see.

Got the price for an interior trim from the trimmer I went to see. Quite expensive at £2-2.5k! But his work does look awesome. His most impressive looking seats when I was there turned out to be from a Mk3 Cortina. He'd done an amazing job in brown leather to replace the original vinyl. However just found another place less than 5 mins from where I work that do classic VWs / Porches etc. Might give them a call.

In the meantime I've been messing with bits and bobs. Decided to paint the bare metal on my driveshafts to stop any rust in the future. Primed and ready for topcoat. Not sure if you are supposed to paint the toothed rings - but speedo pickup works off something else anyway so doesn't matter!





Oh and the battery tray was taken off and modified so it can be removed without having to disturb the new alloy pipes I put into the cooling system. That's the 3rd time I've had to have it powder coated due to rethinking and modifying .

And I removed and repainted the clutch master cylinder because I noticed a small blemish on the paint

This is what happens when you're waiting for other stuff!

[Phil S1]

The devil makes work for idle hands Leigh!...and the devil is in the detail too!

Let's hope your engine is soon ready, before you decide to modify the battery tray again ;-)

[Dr H]

Powder coater loves me - keep paying him to do the same thing over and over again!

[Ladders]

On 03/04/2017 at 23:15, Dr H said:

Campag decals (made with SELOCers help).


 

MLOC'ers really!

[Dr H]

Dave you're like me - swing both ways so to speak!

[Dr H]

Bit of a spanner in the works today

Engine builder was finally putting the engine together for me to collect on Wednesday, but called earlier as he has an issue.

I bought some PAC uprated valve springs to replace the 175k miles ones on the engine and use with my slightly more aggressive Piper cams. They are listed as the correct springs for the 24v and are supposed to work with the standard valve cap/retainer.

He said that the lifters were sticking slightly - again all new - and with further investigation the spring doesn't seem to be seating in the cap properly, and the spring can move over to one side and therefore the hydraulic follower fouls it. You can re-centre the spring and it all works fine but the chances of it moving again are pretty much guaranteed so leaving them as is, is not an option.

I rang the suppliers of the springs and they checked everything and said they were the correct springs, they should work with the standard Alfa cap and gave me the internal dimensions of the springs and the corresponding requirements for the cap. The cap measures exactly as expected but the springs are about 0.2mm bigger internal diameter than the spec says. So that's almost £400 on valve springs that don't f***ing work . I have tried to contact the spring manufacturer in the States to see if they make a suitable cap but not managed to get them to reply. However having trawled through their catalogue there is nothing to the exact size.

Only other option I can find for straight swap uprated springs (which come with caps) are from AHM (Alfa Motorsport Specialist) and they are £1k a set

Looks like the only option is to have some caps machines to size - which will delay things further!!!!!!

I really am starting to get totally pissed of with this engine build and this is only just the start.........