Restoration starts again....!
Discussion
Cheers for all the positive comments chaps, it does make it more worthwhile and keeps one motivated... I certainly need it, the interior and final detail parts to this car have been much more difficult than anticipated. Just doing the seats today took best part of 3 hours. The trimmer had put the bolts into the runners, which is fine but they where 100mm long zinc plated M8 set screws. They only need to be 25-30mm! So I thought it would be prudent to change these for stainless bolts and nuts, etc. That's easy on 3 of them but the fourth requires the runner to be unbolted from the frame. Getting that nut back on took me ages.. Anyway, the seats are in and I sorted the seatbelt mod too, a good afternoons work all told. Only leaves the windscreen on Thursday and then road tests and set-up.. Roll on Burleigh.! 
This shot gives a better colour representation of the cream leather.
This shot gives a better colour representation of the cream leather.
Cheers Han. It smells like a new car inside too.! A few niggles to sort out, some I'll probably have to live with like all us S owners... 
I'm having a look at the engine today as it won't idle and running very poorly, it'll be something simple but difficult to resolve no doubt. Hopefully be running and driveable by next weekend.
I'm having a look at the engine today as it won't idle and running very poorly, it'll be something simple but difficult to resolve no doubt. Hopefully be running and driveable by next weekend. 
Mixed day.. Got TVR running properly by resetting the ecu.. Took her out for a short run to see if ok, all good but came back and found a heavy oil leak at the rear of the engine running down onto the exhaust. I thought I'd fixed it before by replacing the dizzy o-ring seal, obviously it wasn't that. Set about doing a little investigation work and basically found the inlet plenum gasket had been put in badly and was leaking through at the joints.. Anyway, glad I've sussed it, at least it's not an engine out job..!
Ah well, at least it's two steps forward and only one back...!!
Ah well, at least it's two steps forward and only one back...!!
Edited by tel595 on Sunday 10th April 23:27
Well, it's the final part to this story. I got the S3c mot'd last Thursday, and I've had a few days of very warm, sunny driving to enjoy it. The car is absolutely wonderful and the sheer pleasure I've had driving it the past couple of days has made all the hard graft, sweat and tears worthwhile, I couldn't be happier.! With the weather turning out so nice and the car doing what it should, it's made me forget the cost of the project and just enjoy it.
There's a couple of niggles but no rattles, knocks, etc. to concern me. The engine pulls really well and doesn't smoke (yet), so all good. Had the geometry set up at Hangar 111, and it now drives straight as a die although the shocks need to be on a stiffer setting. I'm having the rear part of the exhaust modified as per the V8 next Wednesday. This is because the fuel tank I have on the car is possibly from a V8, as the fuel pick up bowl is located in the middle and not to the left as on the V6 cars, and therefore the rear of the exhaust sits too low from the valance. It must have been changed at some point before hand..
Other than a complete disaster, MY S should be on the next Eurotour.!
There's a couple of niggles but no rattles, knocks, etc. to concern me. The engine pulls really well and doesn't smoke (yet), so all good. Had the geometry set up at Hangar 111, and it now drives straight as a die although the shocks need to be on a stiffer setting. I'm having the rear part of the exhaust modified as per the V8 next Wednesday. This is because the fuel tank I have on the car is possibly from a V8, as the fuel pick up bowl is located in the middle and not to the left as on the V6 cars, and therefore the rear of the exhaust sits too low from the valance. It must have been changed at some point before hand..
Other than a complete disaster, MY S should be on the next Eurotour.!
But it doesn't end.......
Went to the Lotus test track at Hethel today, as there was a spare place and I thought it would be a good place to set up the suspension, etc. Thought it would weed out any possible gremlins too. Upshot is, after the second session, I noticed a distinct reduction in power and a quick glance at my oil pressure gauge indicated something wasn't quite right.. I decided to nurture the car home and she drove ok with oil gauge just hovering around the 25psi mark. No big rattles or anything, but when I turn the engine off it comes to a stop very quickly , and I can hear the starter motor labour more when starting her up. Think it must have damaged a big end or main journal bearing.
Question is now....do I strip, repair and rebuild this engine before Eurotour, or do I hunt down a donor one and stick that in as a stop-gap? Decisions, decisions.. nether one I wanted to be making so soon..
Went to the Lotus test track at Hethel today, as there was a spare place and I thought it would be a good place to set up the suspension, etc. Thought it would weed out any possible gremlins too. Upshot is, after the second session, I noticed a distinct reduction in power and a quick glance at my oil pressure gauge indicated something wasn't quite right.. I decided to nurture the car home and she drove ok with oil gauge just hovering around the 25psi mark. No big rattles or anything, but when I turn the engine off it comes to a stop very quickly , and I can hear the starter motor labour more when starting her up. Think it must have damaged a big end or main journal bearing.
Question is now....do I strip, repair and rebuild this engine before Eurotour, or do I hunt down a donor one and stick that in as a stop-gap? Decisions, decisions.. nether one I wanted to be making so soon..
Alan461 said:
Sounds like you will have to pull the engine anyway, have a look at any damage then decide
Yep, there's not a lot of choice there Alan. As always, it's going to be the time factor.. If I can get it out and stripped before the end of the week, I'll get it sorted. I want to keep it going until wednesday as the exhaust is being sorted, and it took ages to get that booked in so don't want to lose my slot..Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff