My HPE....now a rolling recommission

[Nigel]

Thanks muchly Kevin.

All these checks have confirmed that the rear end is essentially
where it should be save for tiny anomalies. It's almost as good as a bodyshop
would have done in a much longer time-frame.
Remaining for now are two ripples in the right rear wing skin which will get
sorted when I have her resprayed, or maybe earlier...

I've now incorporated the rear fog lights within the clusters. There was plenty of
room, and the MOT man confirmed it was ok to do this.

[SanRemo78]

You can achieve this by replacing the reverse light lens with a BAY15 bulb holder and a dual filament LED bulb

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/405070572224?itmmeta=01J1WVGXYEWE8C3HRQWDPCAHS9&hash=item5e50166ac0:g:v9sAAOSwySBmgmJ5&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HIFCmBT13xiVc6Hz2yps1UpTuuguVkaoP6iYH9qX5m9yBrCbv2zsN5EttbDr45ztmcsGZru700TPpJ6zk9TssKQVfxhi5AtKRYnVpIpgVZJOiilOOvmppfaHhce53c19WUfaq9Vp7QpCOvzoeA4X9ssXtXrBsJHX%2FnC%2BgXxegeUzThaBMO5%2B4gD66wJZfXjXBppV5se%2Bq2UNVXhLMd1d2q6wb6SgIxYZstSlaj%2F9mGjZcVq6Sd7QuBgJrxJGwdLdWpNJ5T7qsuYhZstUUsvkEFd6H4idwgYB0E13sYEWSTo%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7Dfw5uPZA

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/bay15d-1157-red-and-white-stop-reverse-fog-combined-led-glb380-llb380-380?_pos=1&_psq=red+white&_ss=e&_v=1.0

The red signal overrides the reverse one. I've done this on the Alfa 159 so I've got dual reverse lights and dual foglights!

Guy

[Nigel]

Thanks Guy.

I always like alternatives and this is a viable option.
I'll see what my method looks like in practice and go from there.

Cheers
Nigel

[peteracs]

Hi

Both solutions look to be better alternatives than the afterthought of hanging lights on the rear bumper which on the Beta was always the simple solution at the time to confirm with the new law.

Peter

[SanRemo78]

Oops. There's a Construction and Use rule about the positioning of foglights and putting it in the same part of the housing as the side/brake light is not legal. I guess that's because it means you won't be able to see a brake light operating when the fog is on easily. Even my suggestion of putting it in the reverse light spot may not be legal as it requires a 10cm gap. I may have to revisit my own Coupe set up. Or just rely on a friendly MOT examiner!

Guy

Rear Fog Lamps

Vehicles Used From 1 April 1980 and Trailers Manufactured from October 1985

Lamps must be fitted at or near the rear of the vehicle. If one lamp is fitted it must be positioned on the centre line or offside of the vehicle. If two fog lamps are fitted, they must form a matched pair about the centre line.

The lamps must be fitted not more than 1000mm (2100mm for agricultural vehicles, engineering plant or motor tractors) and not less than 250mm from the ground.

Separation distance between a rear fog lamp and a stop lamp must be:

100mm minimum if contained in a common lamp body, otherwise
100mm minimum between light emitting surfaces of the lamps.
The horizontal angle of visibility of these lamps must be 25° inwards and outwards. The vertical angle of visibility must be 5° above and below the horizontal.

[Nigel]

I see a spanner in the works!

Thanks Guy, I predict, hopefully, that Paul my MOT tester will stand by his comments.
However, the effect of my mod will need to be seen first to determine if
the distinction between the two lamps is convincing enough.

I hope to post a couple of photos next week.

Nigel

[Nigel]

Earlier I mentioned the Recaro seat runner being troublesome.
I had to use a porta-power to push the seat forwards in order to overcome
the mis-positioned rollers, just to reach the rear mounting bolts.

I bought a set of new runners from Car Builder Solutions, the twin-lock type.
Fitting entailed 4 new brackets. Two are wedge-shaped tubing, cut and welded from 25mm box section
which bolt to the seat frame, the other 2 are mounts to the floor. I had already determined the desired seat
angle, so comparison measuring did the trick. Hole/bolt positions in all 4 brackets needed to be off-centre to reach
the 430mm width required.

The new runners are a pleasure compared to the originals.

These runners would need some modifying to accommodate standard Beta seats (with the tilt-slide-forward function)
but probably doable.

[squiglyzigly]

Hi Nigel,
I completely agree with your thinking. The Recaro seats feel too flat to me also. And lifting the nose of the seat will undoubtedly feel better for your legs. I’m intending similar angle mods to the base when my seats have been rebuilt and the tired webbing under the base have been replaced.

Hope it works for you.

Ian

[Nigel]

Following on with the Recaro seat rail mods, I found it wouldn't slide back far enough.

I took the seat out again today and realised that an over-thick pair of
washers was causing the issue. I've now got virtually full travel.

Also found today was another pair of perished 2 year old R6 fuel lines either side
of the filter. So perished that upon pulling for inspection one started to leak. I've done
a temp repair with what I have, but now ordered R9 to cover the whole system.

MOT is booked for next Friday morning so I've been checking over the obvious stuff.

I'm hoping he'll let me have a look underneath whilst it's on the ramp. I've still got the annoying
clonk from the right front side (I don't think it's related to my other post) (which I
won't mention to him) where a look-see would be good.

Nigel

[Nigel]

.....and it passed with no advisories.

He said that "the polybushes (wishbones and anti-roll bar) were likely to be causing
the numerous clonking noises. The low bar in MOT standards doesn't cover such anomalies."

I will, however, continue to search for the sources.

He was clearly happy with my fog lamp mod, no mention.

Now for more seat adjustments, it's a little too high at the front.

Nigel

[Nigel]

I'd mentioned previously that my 1957 Singer wasn't performing as well
as I'd wanted.
I spotted this Brother on Marketplace this morning and it was only 15 minutes away.
After a bit of research it was deemed suitable for my tasks so off I went.

I hadn't realised it has a bath of oil underneath the machine which had to be drained
in order to put it in the back of the Mazda. The seller was very helpful. I'd already spotted that
we have a mutual friend in Iain Swan, (who once worked with Guy Croft) and that the chap who
made my alloy fuel tank, Woody, died in a motorbike accident a few months back. Very sad.

Anyway, here's my 'new' machine, and so far I'm very happy.
One hundred squids well played.
 

[peteracs]

Good buy, many happy hours making covers for the new Recaros?

Peter

[Nigel]

Hi Peter,
Yes indeed, I've now got one squab 90% done, much more difficult than
I'd imagined.

One flaw with this machine is that the output speed is too fast, and I'm
finding it less controllable than the Singer due to the belt not slipping at all.

An internet solution is on its way though, a 40mm motor pulley rather than
the 100mm currently fitted. It seems that it's a common issue for some.
But mostly it's getting to grips with something different.

Best regards, Nigel

[Nigel]

The 40mm motor pulley still didn't slow it down enough, so I realised I needed to
go drastic. With U Tube help, I've now got the motor driving a 180mm pulley, and that is
now driving another 40mm up to the machine, the new shaft supported by 2 pillow blocks.
It's now very slow and, importantly, controllable.

As can be seen, I'm getting there. They won't be
standard-shaped covers everywhere, particularly on the rear of the back rests.
One mod I've done is to file the headrest notches to allow removal without stripping
the backrest.

[Nigel]

The passenger seat pictured above is now finished and I'm
on to the driver side seat.

One of the hazards of operating a new to me sewing machine is the slightly
different controls.
For the first time today I managed to put the moving needle through a
finger nail! It was a slightly ouch moment, during which I broke the needle,
but all is well and the finger/nail combo will survive. This may well be too much
information for some, but danger is all around us, we learn from mistakes.

I'm now trying to figure out a relatively simple adjusting system to alter
the height of the front of the seat. It may have to involve a spanner but that's ok. 

Nigel

[WestonE]

Ouch is right

[mangocrazy]

For the first time today I managed to put the moving needle through a
finger nail! It was a slightly ouch moment, during which I broke the needle,
but all is well and the finger/nail combo will survive. This may well be too much
information for some, but danger all around us, we learn from mistakes.

Nigel

That definitely made me squirm, as a sometime sewing machine user...

[Nigel]

For the first time today I managed to put the moving needle through a
finger nail! It was a slightly ouch moment, during which I broke the needle,
but all is well and the finger/nail combo will survive. This may well be too much
information for some, but danger all around us, we learn from mistakes.

Nigel

That definitely made me squirm, as a sometime sewing machine user...

I was quite lucky Graham, no infection, and the only remaining evidence is an annoying split nail.
Must have been some really clean leather that I was working just before!

Nigel

[mangocrazy]

For the first time today I managed to put the moving needle through a
finger nail! It was a slightly ouch moment, during which I broke the needle,
but all is well and the finger/nail combo will survive. This may well be too much
information for some, but danger all around us, we learn from mistakes.

Nigel

That definitely made me squirm, as a sometime sewing machine user...

I was quite lucky Graham, no infection, and the only remaining evidence is an annoying split nail.
Must have been some really clean leather that I was working just before!

Nigel

Glad to hear it! 

[Nigel]

Finally, after acquiring these seats last May, they are in the car.

I have managed to reduce the height of the rear mounting on the drivers side
a bit more by minimising bracketry.

The very cheap steering wheel is a bit bright at present but I am hoping
to find some leather dye to tone it down.