Mid week Update…
This morning like every morning this week I have attempted to get work on the GT done, but as a side show I dropped by Comma Plating in Coventry to drop off a load of parts to be Zinc plated for the cut away engine. Two years ago the engine was finished and taken to shows for display, however storage has not been kind to it, and rust was everywhere due to the dampness in the garage. So I have stripped it down and sent loads off to be zinc plated, which will protect those parts for the next 20 years or so. The rest of the engine such as the block will be dealt with when I find time. But I would like to get it all finished before Billing (it might be missing the gearbox, but one things at a time).
After that I dropped into Halford’s to buy Gary at Retropower a new brush as I trashed his yesterday, I forgot to return it to the thinners tin after using it (oops), it was a solid mass last thing last night.
After I came home and collected the other rear interior trim quarter card for the GT and set off for Retropower and another day of graft (well I call it graft). Alas all I managed to fit was one quarter window rubber and a test fit of the quarter glass. I was not well, I was stuffy, hot, wanted to vomit and generally queazy. I guess its all the good cars up at Retropower are making me ill, either way I came home slept it off for a couple of hours and now feel a whole lot better, waking up at 3am this morning to chirping birds didn’t help.
So this afternoon I drove over to Bill The Balancer and collected the balanced engine parts for the Blydenstein Developments Engine. Bill as always has done an amazing job and the picture below tell their own story:
One balanced crank, nice shiny edges 🙂
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
The crank is now at Cylinder Rebores for some oversize grinding for new Main Bearings (as its cheaper to grind as I already have the bearings in stock from the parts day in March).
Next is the conrods, which have all been lightened and balanced, and some nice polishing to boot.
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
Add these to the new pistons which have also been balanced (you can just see on the inside edge where material has been cut away).
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
The Pistons are also up at Cylinder Rebores to put on the conrods, which I should collect early next week with the crank and bearings sets.
Last out of Bill’s workshop was the lightened flywheel which as well as being balanced is now a lot lighter, (not so light that the car will be un-road usable).
Bill the Balancer BLYDENSTEIN DEVELOPMENTS 617X
Hopefully I should start putting the bottom end together late next week, and get that all wrapped up safe and into storage, then start on the head.
Right rest time now, busy day even if it did not all go to plan, tomorrow I want to get a bit further with the GT, but I am aware I need to pack the car for a couple of days in Reading installing an Engine in Mazzo’s HC. I leave Friday AM very early with the intention of getting there for Breakfast and making big inroads on the engine swap on Friday, so its just a tune up session Saturday and home for tea.
