WEEK NINE

Monday, 13th January

Monday morning, and it's all action! The steel for the cab roll over bar has gone off on a Cherwell vehicle to Leeds, to be made into 2 x hoops. The intercooler has been collected by Serck's to be modified and re-cored. The ERF radiator has been condemned by Pav as it will not fit between the chassis rails in the new position. So that has to go, and he's found one that will fit, in Doncaster to buy, so that's collected by another Cherwell vehicle on Tuesday.

Four human brains are engaged on the lowering of the chassis ride height to an exact spirit level's bubble, by some 6 inches, front and back.

The cab roll bar feet are cut and bolted into the four corners of the inside of the cab shell.

All the glass is removed from the cab, and more mod's are taking place to the cab interior shell.

The engine and gearbox have been removed from the White, steam cleaned and shining in the sun, waiting to be fitted next week.

Just about now (Monday PM) the problems with Cherwell trucks start appearing from nowhere - with breakdowns! An alternator on one in London, clutch at Andover, on another, throttle cable on another at Nottingham, and so on… Until all four mechanics, by Tuesday dinner time were working on several Cherwell vehicles, trying to keep them on the road, to do the business which pays for the Racing! So they took priority over the new Racer until Wednesday evening.

In the meantime, I had contacted my electronics wizard (Stuart) who had visited us with his assistant, to check out what electrical wizardry we would like him to build for us to go on the new Truck. We gave him a few jobs to think about, such as a complete new cab loom, engine management wire extensions, switches to automatically, from a speed wheel sensor, turn on and off the water brakes. Wash and wipe on the steering wheel, etc., etc. Just to keep him on the ball for the major things later on!!

Thursday, and Pav's gone in the van to Leeds, to collect the roll over bar hoops, On the way back, we have to divert him into Lichfield, to collect an urgent pallet of freight, and deliver it to Banbury, same day, as we are really busy at work. Much to Ben's impatience, back at base!

Friday saw the roll bar roughly in place inside the cab, for the main frame to be welded up Sunday.

My windscreen fitter has come to replace a screen in a road motor for MOT, and while he's here, weighs up our glass requirements for the new Racer.

So - end of week 9, and Pav is certainly starting to improve the speed of the build, and the workshop looks cleaner every time I look at it!

11 weeks still to go!