Friday 27 January 2012

Driving and living with it.

Over a year on after completion I thought I would note a few small things I found useful and have learnt living with it.

Marking nuts on suspension and other bolts holding important things with a dab of bright nail varnish is a great visual check. It helped me notice one screw that came loose on the gearbox mount! Not something I would think about checking.
Brake cleaner (not aerosol) in a pump spray (Comma do one) is great for quickly cleaning the engine from oil and dirt. Also cleaning nice shiny wheels.
Windoline Glass cleaner I found best for cleaning the car in the garage without rolling it outside and in out the sun or winter rain! It's best at picking off bugs and crud while leaving no streaks! It not solvent based but still dries quick. Wax after.

Made notes on whiteboard of things I spotted or thought of over time. Now getting on with them in the winter months.

I was given a Ryobi Impact Wrench for Christmas by my wife, and its a really useful thing to have in the toolbox or boot. It would have saved loads of time at the track day and will come with me to the next ones!

Its amazing how different dry November roads are to warmer days! I went for a drive just to use up some fuel before winter set in and fish tailed the back end while joining a dual carriageway. It was reminding me who was boss! And I do think that learning how it behaved on the track and realising what not to do possibly helped me at there!

Although I have 2 trolley jacks, lifting onto axle stands is trickery and dangerous if the garage floor isn't smooth as it wants to pull the cars towards rather than roll as you jack up. I went a bought 2 scissor jacks from screwfix and they lifted straight up safely. One crank handle got straightened to work in a drill for ease and speed.
Small selection of spares and essential imperial and metric tools in the boot is a must.

Now to carry one with a few mods and changes. :) This blog will continue as the car still isn't quite finished! :P..... are they ever? ;)

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