Nlc - Lister Bell Stratos Build Thread

[Steve J]

You only live once. 😊

Will have to pop over at some time to see this. May give me motivation to refurb my Exige or get a Land Rover 2a. 😄

[Dr H]

You're welcome over anytime Steve 👍

[KurtB]

Utterly stunning!

[Dr H]

Daniel from Calibrated performance was over today.

Motec ECU and modified loom fitted. Now running twin lambdas. Also running the new ITB linkages but we have problem with them and they won't open beyond 80% as the force needed as the ITB arms get towards horizontal (which they should be at WOT) is too much for the motor

So tomorrow's mapping will not be the final thing will be fine to get it all sorted for IVA etc. Will have to modify the linkages and then get Daniel to redo the map - but he might be able to this remotely over the net rather than me having to wait for him to come back to the UK again.

Manifolds went a nice colour though!



 

[Dr H]

Another dyno session.....and another 'not quite there' result!







Car now idles great and the ITB idle control from the new linkage setup is spot on. Twin lambdas working well too. However, the linkages won't open to 100% (only getting about 85%) so can't make full power, also getting some lash and slight sticking that's causing issues.

So still no idea what power it will put out .

Plan is to rework the linkages, add some extra return springs on the DBW to help with the lash issues and then Daniel form CPS (who has wired and is mapping the car) will make the required changes remotely from Aus.

But once again the car was on the dyno for about 4 hours in total and (apart from the ITB linkage) showed no issues at all. No leaks, not noises, nothing went wrong! In fact this time the coolant temp was lower throughout and the oil temp was also a lot lower. We moved the oil temp sender to the remote filter head I fitted. I think previously it was getting heat soak from the EM but now it's far enough away to be reading a good 10-20 degrees lower. Didn't go over 110 today.

Manifolds were glowing orange a few times but no apparent issues with heat. Gold reflective heat shield on the bulkhead is amazing, as is the zircoflex I put on the gear cables. Manifolds no longer a nice golden colour...



So I might be OK for IVA once the linkages are sorted. Full power not needed and might be useful to help run the car in a bit. Will drop the running in oil now and change it for fully synth 10-60.

Couple of pulls

View on YouTube website

View on YouTube website

 

[Phil S1]

Can't help but admire your resilience Leigh but you're surely getting there now. The Stratos looks and sounds fab....the stuff of dreams 

[The Cakes]

Looking and sounding good Leigh 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[Dr H]

Cheers guys. It seems like a never-ending project where I never quite get to where I need to be.......

I'll get there one day though, and have no idea what to do!

[Dr H]

Time for an update that's not much of an update....

I made (well I instructed and my BiL modeled it up) a 3d printed roof vent thingy turned out well, vents fit spot on. Just needs covering.




I made a heat shield for the AC compressor which sits just below the exhaust manifold




Have decided to actuate the rear canopy using solenoids and this switch:




Have removed the screen printed graphics and Dan Luton (TitaniumDan on SELOC) is on the case to knock up a decal that looks more like a Stratos

The new arms for the ITBs have been laser cut and are with the guy who developed the current linkages. Once we can get together (who know when that will be) - we can bolt it all back together and hopefully the DBW control will be sorted.

Apart form this I've not been doing much, well apart from dealing with a couple of issues that have cause me some real pain....

First issue was the alignment of the front canopy. I noticed that the gap between the canopy and the front 'scuttle' was quite big on my car, was at LB a couple of months back and noticed there gaps were much smaller. I pointed this out and was told that the canopy pivot points must be in the wrong place .

Moving the pivots isn't too big a job but it has knock on effects. There are plates on the main body that have location pins for the canopy. The left is a rubber stop and the right is a 'quik latch' type fastener where the black bit fits in a hole in the canopy.




When you move the clam pivot points then these no longer line up centrally.....




This meant having to drill the plates off (they are riveted on) and have new ones cut, so I could re-drill the holes, have them powder coated and then refit the rivnuts. As well as being annoying and costing money it took ages with the current situation as many places not working much if at all. Got them all sorted in the end and now lines up.






The other (and much bigger issue) is the paint on the car. It's been painted for a year now and sat in the garage being worked on it's inevitable that it might get a few knocks. I've had a few issues, including the burnt section on the rear previously discussed on here earlier. I have a local, friendly and very good smart repairer and a tin of the original paint used to paint the car. So he's sorted these issues out for me. He was here again today to do more and its the 5th time he's been now. It's now beyond a joke..... He's never come across paint like it. It marks incredibility easily and seems to be super soft

I had the front canopy off the car to move the pivots. It was off the car for about 2 weeks. It was placed on the floor of the garage on it's 'nose' on lots fabric and pieces of foam to protect it. And was leaned up against the wall. It has a large plastic petrol can behind it (again covered in layers of fabric - microfibre cloths) just touching the front of the canopy to help keep it just off the wall. When I finally lifted it back onto the car, both areas that had been against the fabric had imprints in the paint.

If you wet sand it with 2500 or 3000 grit to get these marks out, the paint flats great and all the marks go but when you polish it up with a DA or Rotary and a polishing compound you are left with a very flat glossy surface with really obvious deep lines in it that seem to have been put in by the sandpaper. There are randomly spaced and can be anywhere or sometimes nowhere. Had a small mark on the roof, sanded 2500 then 3000 (both wet sanding), all marks gone. Polished up and got a very high gloss but had noticeable long scratches in it. Used new clean sandpaper and new pads on the polisher so no contamination there. Kept polishing with different compounds (very very carefully) and have pretty much just about got them out but it's taken a lot of passes. I don't want to do anymore as I fear polishing all the paint off....

Had the issue with one of the pop up lamp pods. Wet sanded it and got a nice flat matt finish. Polished it up with a 2 inch pad on a rotary and compound. Nice slow speed to stop overheating. All going well, finish coming up nice and shiny and then I felt the pad grab. Stopped and found green paint on the pad, checked the lamp pod and there were 2 patches that had literally pulled off the surface.

Then other parts of the paint seem to chip at the drop of a hat, like the paint is very brittle. You only have to lightly knock it and you can chip a lump off easily. Dropped a small M5 bolt on the door sill the other day and it chipped a lump off.

Last repairs made today but the lamp pod paint seems to have reacted and the lacquer has wrinkled slightly. The guy painting it is pulling his hair out. He can't understand what's going on. We've decided to leave it to cure for a week and he'll come back to try and flat / polish it out. If not it'll need stripping back and trying again.

We've had to draw a line under it now. Removed all the black bits off the back and polished the rest of the car. Looks quite good without the spoiler!







No idea what to do with the paint in the long term. Almost convinced myself that at some point in the future it will need to be re-done


Next steps are to finish fitting the interior (still need the door cards.), fit the windows, get the ITBs sorted and bolt the doors and rest of the bodywork back on. All IVA centers still closed so no rush......

Oh and I think I need to re-do my wheels in Lambo Imola Bronze matt paint - I love the colour . Would look awesome against the green....

[rocketian]

On 04/02/2020 at 10:19, Steve J said:

You only live once. 😊

Will have to pop over at some time to see this. May give me motivation to refurb my Exige or get a Land Rover 2a. 😄

I travelled 50,000 miles in a Land Rover S2a, back in the 70s - the last of the proper Land Rovers.  Go for it

[Steve J]

A 2a is still on the cards as a post divorce present to myself if I have any money left. 😊

[Dr H]

Rolled it out into the sun to try and get some heat into the paint!

It's quite green......












 

Back end back on....




 

Will be back out again tomorrow sitting and getting hot! Hopefully it will harden the paint. Managed to knock anther bit off yesterday......

 

[Phil S1]

Wow! That looks simply stunning Leigh 😛

Really hope some good warm sunshine does the trick for you.

[The Cakes]

Just love all the angles, clever those Italians (sometimes) 🙌🏻

[Kevin]

On the road this year Leigh?