New Toy 3

I’ve been busy assembling parts for a rainy weekend’s work on the car. I’ve also had it rolling road tuned. And noise tested. Jobs to do include installing a pair of shiny chrome wing mirrors, some new exhaust wrap in the engine bay, an exhaust heat shield to prevent me burning my leg when I get out, fabricate a stainless steel heat shield for the alternator in place of the crude aluminium one there at the moment, and fabricate an aeroscreen which can go on in place of the windscreen for track days. I also need to make up supports for the trumpet socks on the carbs. When the car is revved, the carbs are sucking in so much air the socks are also getting sucked in and there is a danger they could work loose and get sucked right into the engine.

Then car is running really sweet since it was tuned. The technician recorded it at 170 bhp at 6,000 rpm, and still rising. That’s pretty powerful in a 650kg car! He has advised me to run it on Super Unleaded fuel though, which I’ll do as soon the tank is empty - and that won’t take long at 18mpg from a 6 gallon tank! The same day it was tuned I took it down to Brands Hatch to be noise tested. It came out at 104.4db at 4,500 rpm. That makes it within limits for day time track days, but not evening ones. However, I have now got an additional baffle that goes in the tail pipe that reduces the noise by up to 10db (at the expense of power) which should make it legal for evening events if I ever decide to do one.

I’m still waiting on a date for the new roll bar fitting though. Come on Tiger!