Our track project - including diary of a Sprint N00b...

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:28

I've been keeping a diary of the work and progress I have been doing on the track car. I planned to bring it online once he had passed his MOT, but we have decided to do the work he needs to pass the MOT anyway so we are still on with the project!!!

12 Jan 2008

Before I go into what we did today, I think a bit of background information is in order.

The first time I saw Humphrey was in a train station car park. He had been in the same space for a number of days and it was obvious he hadn’t moved. Being the East Anglia Area Organiser for the MR2 Mk1 Club, I stuck a note on the windscreen with details of our meets, with the idea that if the note hadn’t moved in a week, he had been abandoned and was fair game.

I got a PM on one of the MR2 forums a few days later from his owner, saying Humphrey was very much not abandoned but the owner didn’t have anywhere for him to go at the moment. Unfortunately having 3 MK1s on the drive at that time, we couldn’t offer the space either. Eventually Humphrey was moved and I got another PM a few weeks later saying he was for sale and could I let anyone know who might be interested. He had a few bits wrong with him so we weren’t interested, and at the time I knew no one else looking either. Another few weeks passed and I got another PM saying did I know anyone that would take Humphrey as he was now getting in the way and the owner wanted to just give him away!! Well, we thought we may as well take him then, with the plan of getting him up to MOT standard and selling him for a few hundred. We did make this clear to the owner too, who just wanted to get rid of him. He is named Humphrey because we got him just as John Inman died, and decided as a tribute to name him after Inman’s character in ‘Are You Being Served’ – Mr Humphries, because he was free. ‘I’m free’.

So than we had four. Humphrey, My Sakura, Phil’s imaginatively named ‘Mister Two’ and Phils old car ‘The Red One’.

Plans for Humphrey were put on hold for a bit due to a house move, and then the plan to strip ‘The Red One’ so we had room in the garage. Unfortunately we then found some terminal rust in Mister Two, meaning Phil had to get a new car too. Hence the eventual purchase of ‘Phil’s Car,’ ‘Mister-Two-I-Mean-Phil’s-Car’, ‘The New One’, and various other names as Phil won’t name his cars. The cruel sod 

Realising that out single garage and two car drive was getting a little overcrowded with five cars, we quickly stripped The Red One, and got the shell taken away. Moved Humphrey into the garage and started stripping Mister Two as he had some good bits on him that people were hankering after.

Phil asked me one day ‘How much spare money do you think you will have next year?’ I started to get worried thinking his biological clock was ticking, but far from it!! There is a Toyota Sprint Series that he was thinking of entering, and what better car to use as a track toy than Humphrey?

So that brings us to today when we finally decided to pull out fingers out as Humphrey needs an MOT. The main thing was to get him out of the garage and get Mister Two in it. We are more likely to work on Humphrey if we can see him.

Cue much shoving about of cars. Sakura driven over the road, Phils Car sat on the front garden. Mister Two starts with minimal persuasion, after having his tyres pumped up. Humphrey gets pushed.

An important bit on Humphrey is the brakes! We have decided to use Mister Two’s brakes and also the good Koni suspension that he had. Every flipping bolt on Mister Two is either rusted on, rounded off or generally inaccessible. It doesn’t help that we only have one of each socket and one of Phil’s extensions has gone missing, so I do a lot of standing about listening to Phil swear, rather than actually helping. Anyway, finally all four callipers and discs are off Mister two – this will also stop them seizing back on and make him easier to manoeuvre. Phil then starts looking at the suspension and realises that the Mk1b suspension (Mister Two) is mounted differently to the Mk1a (Humphrey). So, we will be running Humphrey on standard suspension, or forking out for a new set.

It’s starting to get cold, so we begin packing away. Mister Two gets pushed into the garage. There’s more room in there now as he hasn’t got a front or back bumper so is much shorter. Humphrey gets pushed into place on the drive, and we decide to leave him uncovered. Phil’s Car and Sakura get driven in as normal.

It doesn’t sound like we have done much today but with the amount of shoving cars about, cracking off seized brakes, and undoing rusty nuts (heh), it takes time. At least we have made a start.

Some non car things I need to do are:

Get track experience.
Get a race suit, not compulsory but it’s nice to look the part.
Get a helmet, compulsory but I can use Phil’s as our heads are the same size!

Humphrey - up in the air as usual...

He's going to need cleaning a bit, been parked under a tree!!!

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:29

13th January 2008

Didn’t help today, was feeling a bit ill but did hear Humphrey’s engine. At least that works!!!

19 January 2008

Cold and rainy today but things need doing!

Went to Parcel Force first of all to pick up some tools Phil had ordered in the week. He had ordered some more sockets so that we could both work on different sides of the car. They are all different colours too, very funky.

Also nipped into SCA Race and Rally just to see what they had. I found a cool sparkly steering wheel and some pink harnesses, but Phil wasn’t impressed. Also found that my fat arse does just fit in a bucket seat fortunately. On another note, I ordered my race suit and helmet this week too.

Anyhoo, back at home and the brakes that we took off Mister Two last week now need to go on Humphrey. What a great help I was. I got the seized up side, which meant Phil had to stop doing his side every time I needed a nut cracking off. I managed to undo 5 nuts today once they were started, and I did one clip all on my own. That’s about it. Then I was just fetching things for Phil as and when he needed them. Bled the brakes but they are still a bit spongy, then dried the tools off and put them away.

Phil has booked the MOT for next Friday!!! Not sure we’re gonna be ready. This is D Day as well, because if he fails with something terminal it’s no sprint for us.

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:30

20th January 2008

Had a bit of a lazy/ill morning but finally got up and took some ibuprofen and went out to help Phil with my W-heat sac sound my neck!!

When I got out, he was doing the front brakes, so we now have new (newer) discs and pads all round. Took him out for a run and discovered a slight pull when braking, and a spongy clutch. About a mile from home we realised we hadn’t torqued up the wheels though so hastily, yet carefully drove back home.

We decided to bleed the brakes to see if this helped the pulling problem. LOADS of nasty crap came out of the front drivers side, although the brake pedal felt no better afterwards. All the time we were doing this, it was peeing it down, so we abandoned the clutch bleeding, and packed up. This time we torqued up the wheels, and took him out for a run again. We think the pull is little better now, but still a bit unsure as to whether it’s going to make a difference for the MOT. We have also found that he does pop out of fifth – we were told this when we got him but wondered if it was an exaggeration. It’s not. We definitely can’t do a gearbox change, so we are just going to have to put up with this. It’s not like we are going to need 5th whilst sprinting, but we are going to be driving to events and this might prove annoying. Phil didn’t realise what had happened when it popped out as he hadn’t realised he had gone into 5th – just totally did it out of habit. This is what it’s going to be like when we are driving, we might have to try and stick a note somewhere going ‘DON’T GO INTO 5TH!!!’

All packed up now and we are confident that we have done all we can to pass the MOT. Scary time.

Oh, I still haven’t driven Humphrey yet!

I’m also getting muscles from all that lifting of wheels and undoing of tight bolts!

Phils shiny sprockets:

Shiny brakes...

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:31

24/01/08

Today I got my helmet and overalls!!! How exciting! And I don’t look that much of a fool in them either.

I ache like anything, and I’m sure its due to the work I’m doing on the car!! Ah well can only be good for me I guess.

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:32

25/01/08

MOT day, and I was so excited I got Phil to ring me with the result. Unfortunately, he failed, but it’s all cost effective and fixable. The brakes passed (just). He needs a new droplink, which Phil can make. The number plate fixing is broken! Needs a new windscreen (we wondered about this, as we weren’t sure how much space is measured in the MOT), and unfortunately needs some welding to the B pillars and back arches.

The MOT guy gave us the details of a local bodywork guy though, who seems pretty decent so we are booked in for that in a fortnight. If he’s any good, he’ll be getting a lot of business from us too as Sakura is going to need some welding for her MOT in March.

So, we finally have a cost to apply to the car - £45.00 for a MOT! I’m sure the costs are going to go up in the next few weeks though!

My costs so far are £69 for the helmet and £66 for the suit, although I could have spent more on the suit and got a motorsport approved one. Phil already has all the clothing so he’s just spending money on the car!

Rusty B Pillar:

Phil pondering over number plate mounting options:

Tak · 27-01-2008, 13:40

Great read Vix

Can't wait for more updates on Humphrey’s progress

Feek · 27-01-2008, 13:47

I'm getting a bit confused by all the names, but very interesting

vix · 27-01-2008, 13:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feek

I'm getting a bit confused by all the names, but very interesting

I thought it would be slightly less confusing than going 'the red car', 'the other red car'... it's awkward as they are all the same make :/

Zirax · 27-01-2008, 15:28

Good luck with this!

One day i'll get my backside out on track in a car. Been saying it for years, stupid house costing money.

vix · 27-01-2008, 16:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zirax

Good luck with this!

One day i'll get my backside out on track in a car. Been saying it for years, stupid house costing money.

We've just given up on spending money on anything else but the cars

27-01-2008, 13:28	#1
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	Our track project - including diary of a Sprint N00b... I've been keeping a diary of the work and progress I have been doing on the track car. I planned to bring it online once he had passed his MOT, but we have decided to do the work he needs to pass the MOT anyway so we are still on with the project!!! 12 Jan 2008 Before I go into what we did today, I think a bit of background information is in order. The first time I saw Humphrey was in a train station car park. He had been in the same space for a number of days and it was obvious he hadn’t moved. Being the East Anglia Area Organiser for the MR2 Mk1 Club, I stuck a note on the windscreen with details of our meets, with the idea that if the note hadn’t moved in a week, he had been abandoned and was fair game. I got a PM on one of the MR2 forums a few days later from his owner, saying Humphrey was very much not abandoned but the owner didn’t have anywhere for him to go at the moment. Unfortunately having 3 MK1s on the drive at that time, we couldn’t offer the space either. Eventually Humphrey was moved and I got another PM a few weeks later saying he was for sale and could I let anyone know who might be interested. He had a few bits wrong with him so we weren’t interested, and at the time I knew no one else looking either. Another few weeks passed and I got another PM saying did I know anyone that would take Humphrey as he was now getting in the way and the owner wanted to just give him away!! Well, we thought we may as well take him then, with the plan of getting him up to MOT standard and selling him for a few hundred. We did make this clear to the owner too, who just wanted to get rid of him. He is named Humphrey because we got him just as John Inman died, and decided as a tribute to name him after Inman’s character in ‘Are You Being Served’ – Mr Humphries, because he was free. ‘I’m free’. So than we had four. Humphrey, My Sakura, Phil’s imaginatively named ‘Mister Two’ and Phils old car ‘The Red One’. Plans for Humphrey were put on hold for a bit due to a house move, and then the plan to strip ‘The Red One’ so we had room in the garage. Unfortunately we then found some terminal rust in Mister Two, meaning Phil had to get a new car too. Hence the eventual purchase of ‘Phil’s Car,’ ‘Mister-Two-I-Mean-Phil’s-Car’, ‘The New One’, and various other names as Phil won’t name his cars. The cruel sod  Realising that out single garage and two car drive was getting a little overcrowded with five cars, we quickly stripped The Red One, and got the shell taken away. Moved Humphrey into the garage and started stripping Mister Two as he had some good bits on him that people were hankering after. Phil asked me one day ‘How much spare money do you think you will have next year?’ I started to get worried thinking his biological clock was ticking, but far from it!! There is a Toyota Sprint Series that he was thinking of entering, and what better car to use as a track toy than Humphrey? So that brings us to today when we finally decided to pull out fingers out as Humphrey needs an MOT. The main thing was to get him out of the garage and get Mister Two in it. We are more likely to work on Humphrey if we can see him. Cue much shoving about of cars. Sakura driven over the road, Phils Car sat on the front garden. Mister Two starts with minimal persuasion, after having his tyres pumped up. Humphrey gets pushed. An important bit on Humphrey is the brakes! We have decided to use Mister Two’s brakes and also the good Koni suspension that he had. Every flipping bolt on Mister Two is either rusted on, rounded off or generally inaccessible. It doesn’t help that we only have one of each socket and one of Phil’s extensions has gone missing, so I do a lot of standing about listening to Phil swear, rather than actually helping. Anyway, finally all four callipers and discs are off Mister two – this will also stop them seizing back on and make him easier to manoeuvre. Phil then starts looking at the suspension and realises that the Mk1b suspension (Mister Two) is mounted differently to the Mk1a (Humphrey). So, we will be running Humphrey on standard suspension, or forking out for a new set. It’s starting to get cold, so we begin packing away. Mister Two gets pushed into the garage. There’s more room in there now as he hasn’t got a front or back bumper so is much shorter. Humphrey gets pushed into place on the drive, and we decide to leave him uncovered. Phil’s Car and Sakura get driven in as normal. It doesn’t sound like we have done much today but with the amount of shoving cars about, cracking off seized brakes, and undoing rusty nuts (heh), it takes time. At least we have made a start. Some non car things I need to do are: Get track experience. Get a race suit, not compulsory but it’s nice to look the part. Get a helmet, compulsory but I can use Phil’s as our heads are the same size! Humphrey - up in the air as usual... He's going to need cleaning a bit, been parked under a tree!!! __________________ Last edited by vix; 27-01-2008 at 13:32.

27-01-2008, 13:29	#2
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	13th January 2008 Didn’t help today, was feeling a bit ill but did hear Humphrey’s engine. At least that works!!! 19 January 2008 Cold and rainy today but things need doing! Went to Parcel Force first of all to pick up some tools Phil had ordered in the week. He had ordered some more sockets so that we could both work on different sides of the car. They are all different colours too, very funky. Also nipped into SCA Race and Rally just to see what they had. I found a cool sparkly steering wheel and some pink harnesses, but Phil wasn’t impressed. Also found that my fat arse does just fit in a bucket seat fortunately. On another note, I ordered my race suit and helmet this week too. Anyhoo, back at home and the brakes that we took off Mister Two last week now need to go on Humphrey. What a great help I was. I got the seized up side, which meant Phil had to stop doing his side every time I needed a nut cracking off. I managed to undo 5 nuts today once they were started, and I did one clip all on my own. That’s about it. Then I was just fetching things for Phil as and when he needed them. Bled the brakes but they are still a bit spongy, then dried the tools off and put them away. Phil has booked the MOT for next Friday!!! Not sure we’re gonna be ready. This is D Day as well, because if he fails with something terminal it’s no sprint for us. __________________ Last edited by vix; 27-01-2008 at 13:32.

27-01-2008, 13:30	#3
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	20th January 2008 Had a bit of a lazy/ill morning but finally got up and took some ibuprofen and went out to help Phil with my W-heat sac sound my neck!! When I got out, he was doing the front brakes, so we now have new (newer) discs and pads all round. Took him out for a run and discovered a slight pull when braking, and a spongy clutch. About a mile from home we realised we hadn’t torqued up the wheels though so hastily, yet carefully drove back home. We decided to bleed the brakes to see if this helped the pulling problem. LOADS of nasty crap came out of the front drivers side, although the brake pedal felt no better afterwards. All the time we were doing this, it was peeing it down, so we abandoned the clutch bleeding, and packed up. This time we torqued up the wheels, and took him out for a run again. We think the pull is little better now, but still a bit unsure as to whether it’s going to make a difference for the MOT. We have also found that he does pop out of fifth – we were told this when we got him but wondered if it was an exaggeration. It’s not. We definitely can’t do a gearbox change, so we are just going to have to put up with this. It’s not like we are going to need 5th whilst sprinting, but we are going to be driving to events and this might prove annoying. Phil didn’t realise what had happened when it popped out as he hadn’t realised he had gone into 5th – just totally did it out of habit. This is what it’s going to be like when we are driving, we might have to try and stick a note somewhere going ‘DON’T GO INTO 5TH!!!’ All packed up now and we are confident that we have done all we can to pass the MOT. Scary time. Oh, I still haven’t driven Humphrey yet! I’m also getting muscles from all that lifting of wheels and undoing of tight bolts! Phils shiny sprockets: Shiny brakes... __________________ Last edited by vix; 27-01-2008 at 13:33.

27-01-2008, 13:31	#4
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	24/01/08 Today I got my helmet and overalls!!! How exciting! And I don’t look that much of a fool in them either. I ache like anything, and I’m sure its due to the work I’m doing on the car!! Ah well can only be good for me I guess. __________________

27-01-2008, 13:32	#5
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	25/01/08 MOT day, and I was so excited I got Phil to ring me with the result. Unfortunately, he failed, but it’s all cost effective and fixable. The brakes passed (just). He needs a new droplink, which Phil can make. The number plate fixing is broken! Needs a new windscreen (we wondered about this, as we weren’t sure how much space is measured in the MOT), and unfortunately needs some welding to the B pillars and back arches. The MOT guy gave us the details of a local bodywork guy though, who seems pretty decent so we are booked in for that in a fortnight. If he’s any good, he’ll be getting a lot of business from us too as Sakura is going to need some welding for her MOT in March. So, we finally have a cost to apply to the car - £45.00 for a MOT! I’m sure the costs are going to go up in the next few weeks though! My costs so far are £69 for the helmet and £66 for the suit, although I could have spent more on the suit and got a motorsport approved one. Phil already has all the clothing so he’s just spending money on the car! Rusty B Pillar: Phil pondering over number plate mounting options: __________________

27-01-2008, 13:40	#6
Tak L'Oréal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 9,977	Great read Vix Can't wait for more updates on Humphrey’s progress __________________ The look on your face when a toddler rips out your heart and shows it to you? Priceless.... For everything else, there's FWOOSH!

27-01-2008, 13:47	#7
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	I'm getting a bit confused by all the names, but very interesting __________________

27-01-2008, 15:28	#9
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Good luck with this! One day i'll get my backside out on track in a car. Been saying it for years, stupid house costing money.

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