Blue Vixen

[Grantura MKI]

Adrian@ said:

Oops, an example of the pin and proof of what happens when it gets over tightened,... I love it...here's the money. That has cheered me up, it's even got a normal nut and spring washer.
Adrian@
Edited to remove the canned laughter...as it was in poor taste, and that might of been someones pride and joy.

Edited by Adrian@ on Wednesday 2nd April 20:35

The reason it still retains the original fasteners is because they had NEVER been touched. Car is very low mileage and retains many of it original fixings.
This shows what happens to 50+ year old castings.
Now go back to you chuckle session.
Best,
D.

[octanetorque]

prideaux said:

I spoke with David Gerald today and Doug can supply new uprights in modern alloy casting from the later model spec which may require the brake back plate changing to fit i am told these are just over £600 including the VAT they have been strengthened some what but if its the age of the material thats a greater issue that creates the fatigue a set of these should be good for another 25 years
Will have to save up my beer tokens (going tea Total the doctor will be pleased)
A

I'll be going bicycle total if I'm not careful. This is the part where you tell me its £600 for each upright replacement, isn't it?

That being said I'd rather spend the money on having all this done properly and as someone's already said - its an investment. I do intend to keep this car for sometime and I imagine that its a total hoot on track.

Does anyone have the link for that video of the uprights failing on the Vixen? And any good videos of the Vixen being driven hard?

[prideaux]

octanetorque said:

prideaux said:

I spoke with David Gerald today and Doug can supply new uprights in modern alloy casting from the later model spec which may require the brake back plate changing to fit i am told these are just over £600 including the VAT they have been strengthened some what but if its the age of the material thats a greater issue that creates the fatigue a set of these should be good for another 25 years
Will have to save up my beer tokens (going tea Total the doctor will be pleased)
A

I'll be going bicycle total if I'm not careful. This is the part where you tell me its £600 for each upright replacement, isn't it?

That being said I'd rather spend the money on having all this done properly and as someone's already said - its an investment. I do intend to keep this car for sometime and I imagine that its a total hoot on track.

Does anyone have the link for that video of the uprights failing on the Vixen? And any good videos of the Vixen being driven hard?

Hi Mate
Sorry to confuse its £600 a pair £300 each you would never change one so i put the price as a pair the more i think about it the more i see the logic of changing them at some point soon especially if your going to use the car a lot the picture i posted of Davids that was a broken one actually fell of in his hand without even doing anything so must have been just ready to go if the material degrades with age even crack testing is not really an assurance both my cars have new set ups so would probably get away with just changing upright and pivot bar and bearing and i had a Quote to do that locally by someone i trust about £1000 all in however you may need to change other bits depending on whats been done recently these are things we all should i suppose look at when buying a car has this work been done however we tend to be taken in by the shiny bits and the Engine and shocks thinking if it aint broke dont fix it rather than will it break?
A

Eddited to Add Quotation to do the whole job properly with new quill shafts etc what price is a life ? obviously you may not need to do the Quills as they may well be already done recently as in the case of my cars so reduces the cost conciderably

Edited by prideaux on Thursday 3rd April 09:05

[Skullcollecter]

octanetorque said:

I'll be going bicycle total if I'm not careful. This is the part where you tell me its £600 for each upright replacement, isn't it?

That being said I'd rather spend the money on having all this done properly and as someone's already said - its an investment. I do intend to keep this car for sometime and I imagine that its a total hoot on track.

Does anyone have the link for that video of the uprights failing on the Vixen? And any good videos of the Vixen being driven hard?

Here is the link for the upright failure ;-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1H8yeePRJU

[prideaux]

Skullcollecter said:

octanetorque said:

I'll be going bicycle total if I'm not careful. This is the part where you tell me its £600 for each upright replacement, isn't it?

That being said I'd rather spend the money on having all this done properly and as someone's already said - its an investment. I do intend to keep this car for sometime and I imagine that its a total hoot on track.

Does anyone have the link for that video of the uprights failing on the Vixen? And any good videos of the Vixen being driven hard?

Here is the link for the upright failure ;-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1H8yeePRJU

Looks more like stub axel Quill failure.
A

[Monkeythree]

The video actually shows the broken shaft at 1:30 in. And when the car is being towed, you can see the upright and pivot bar all looking fine and dandy.

M3

[octanetorque]

prideaux said:

...these are things we all should i suppose look at when buying a car has this work been done however we tend to be taken in by the shiny bits and the Engine and shocks thinking if it aint broke dont fix it rather than will it break?
A

That's the right attitude. I'd much rather spend the money now, add a bit of capital value and feel safe in the thing as I pull 5G in a bend! I'm just aware that I've driven it once and yet I'm spending (probably) about £3000 in its first 3 weeks of ownership...

While I've got the suspension in bits, is it worth uprating the brakes? Any suggestions? Calliper change to fit vented discs, I think would be the answer, along with some fast road material. I see kits are available, but not looking for a Stirling Moss/Brembo special just yet.

Thanks as always,
J

[octanetorque]

spent ages on the phone today with Adrian@ and a few others.

Uprights look in good condition. Suspension being put back together this week then it's number plates, tracking and a six-month run-in / getting to know you period.

J

[octanetorque]

Latest update...

Trying to put front suspension on, discovered that the driver side wishbone is bent/warped - chassis geometry is still spot-on (luckily) so just awaiting new wishbone(s) from Adrian@

In other news I discovered that the Speedo is off a Lotus-Cortina - which is awesome except that I need to have a temporary replacement as mine seems a bit...optimistic...Does anyone know the diameter of the speedo and what else might fit? Any trusted refurbishers?

Happy Easter!

[prideaux]

Not sure of Diameter but Google the Guage shop Alan does great work he has done all mine for the Tuscan and they are like new
A

[octanetorque]

prideaux said:

Not sure of Diameter but Google the Guage shop Alan does great work he has done all mine for the Tuscan and they are like new
A

That's useful, thanks!

In other news - I do a bit of motorway driving, I'm considering a 5/6-Speed 'box or Overdrive system (Laycock?) for Christmas.

Any experience in fitting these? Would both of these require a body-off & engine out exercise? Any benefit of one over the other? One more Historically acceptable than the other?

Thanks as always and happy Chocolate Egg eating!
J

[tomtrout]

The box slides out from underneath. I would have thought you would be better off with the 5 speed sierra type 9 box than an overdrive system. The original four speed box is a delight. Worth thinking about before diving in with a 5 speed conversion.

[octanetorque]

tomtrout said:

The box slides out from underneath. I would have thought you would be better off with the 5 speed sierra type 9 box than an overdrive system. The original four speed box is a delight. Worth thinking about before diving in with a 5 speed conversion.

I totally enjoy the 4 speed box - I'm just investigating options/seeking sh*t-stirring opinions...

[prideaux]

tomtrout said:

The box slides out from underneath. I would have thought you would be better off with the 5 speed sierra type 9 box than an overdrive system. The original four speed box is a delight. Worth thinking about before diving in with a 5 speed conversion.

Hi Andy
I do like the 4 speed with overdrive in the Tuscan V6 cars however for simplicity and probably less things to go wrong the 5 speed Sierra that I have on the Vixen really does make for relaxed driving when on motorway trips etc Alan also converted it to a Hydraulic clutch and it really is a pleasure to drive and a rather creative Gear box mount that meant no change to the original chassis mounting Brackets.




A