Had a bump

[Neil8p]

Might be going to see Chris S sooner than we planned

[pic] www.arden8port.plus.com/Pics/bump%201%20Dscf0001.jpg [/pic]

[pic] www.arden8port.plus.com/Pics/bump%202%20Dscf0002.jpg [/pic]

[pic] www.arden8port.plus.com/Pics/bump%203%20Dscf0003.jpg [/pic]

[Plotloss]

Oooh bugger.

Doesnt look too major though, so I suppose thats something.

[Neil8p]

Wouldn't like to say at the moment. I always thought dents were easier to repair than creases.

Fortunately we know who did it and they are willing to pay.

They are considering going through insurance, but I'm not sure I'm happy about that. We had a bad experience with our Subaru and an insurance approved repair centre.

[Plotloss]

Fortunately though, scrape on the arch aside, the damage looks confined to one panel that is easily cut out and replaced.

Insurance shouldnt be an issue but be forceful and say that you want it to go to a specialist of your choosing.

[Cooperman]

Chris S will make a good job of it I'm sure, but don't stop him from working on my Black Rally Car which is having lots of bodywork done at present.
Do you have Chris' phone number. Just in case you don't it's 01462 711080

Peter

[Neil8p]

Thanks for the number. Thought I had it with me but found I'd left it at home.

Spoken to Chris and I'm going down Friday afternoon so he can cast his expert eye over it.

Much happier bunny now

[Cooperman]

Hi Neil,
You'll see my black 1990 Cooper 1275 which we are building into an Enduro Rally Car with the 3+ day RAC Revival as the first major event in November.
Chris does a super job.

Peter

[Neil8p]

Hi Peter

I'll look out for it.

He looks after a friends car as well (JFL ring any bells?) and did a great job after it got t-boned at a tarmac rally.

Cheers

Neil

[Neil8p]

Forgot to say -

Plotloss, the scratch on the arch was done by my father-in-law a while back.

He normally only drives a 3-wheeler on a motorcycle licence, but we have a very long drive and he likes to move the minis about about whenever he gets the chance!

[Cooperman]

Well I never. My son and I built JFL as a 998 cc rally car and subsequently I fitted the 970 'S' engine.
I never liked the thing as it was underpowered at 970 compared to my 1275.
It always handled like a dream though.
Give Brian my best regards.
Peter

[Neil8p]

It's a top car and I thought it was a mad thing when I drove it. Never been in anything like it!

I've helped Brian at various stage rallies and hill-climbs, and JFL is still going strong.

It was never ideal as a hillclimber so he's building a new toy at the moment, but I think he still plans to run the car in Historic rallies and is off to Ypres next month.

JFL did cause us to spend 6 hours in A&E in Swindon once. Long story.....

Cheers

[Cooperman]

There was a several-page article in the now defunct Popular Classics in 1974 when we had just finished building it and it had the 998 engine which was giving 73 bhp. I'll try to find it and if you let me have your adress I'll post photo copies to you if you wish.

Peter

[Neil8p]

That would be great. I'll mail you.

Cheers

[Cooperman1]

Hi Neil,
Sorry I didn't get to meet you at Chris Spen's yesterday. I had a meeting at Gatwick so was out of the area. Did you check out my Black car?
I have found the mag with the JFL article and will photocopy it on Monday and get it in the post.
All the best,

Peter

[Neil8p]

Hi Peter

Yes we we looked at the black car, minus it's front panel at the moment. What work is required to turn it into a rally car?

Chris is stacked out with work at the moment so it's going to be a few weeks before he can fit us in. Looking round his workshop though it will be a good job.

I saw Brian on Saturday and mentioned that we'd spoken. He's off to Ypres in a couple of weeks but is not taking JFL as it's a regularity run and he doesn't think his ears could cope with 400 stage km's!

Cheers

Neil

[Cooperman]

Hi Neil,

To turn the black car into a fully prepared rally car will be a complete rebuild.
I've sort of evolved a build sheet, parts list and strip-down sequence which includes removing engine, front & rear subframes, all braking system parts, all the soundproofing, radio and speakers, etc.
Then rebuild with a 6-point cage welded in, solid sub-frame mounts, seam welded front subframe, complete engine and box re-build, new braking system, etc, etc.
If you're interested I'll email you the initial build sheet, but this will change a bit as the work progresses. We reckon about £3000 will cover the parts, as we shall renew everything and add lots of things like a heated front screen, two Cibie spotlights, rally instrumentation, Sparco Rev seats.
When finished it will, effectively, be a new car built to the Enduro Formula 1400 regulations. With a 'legal', but 'blueprinted' engine we anticipate about 82 bhp - the engine must stay standard, but this is a carb model, so we should get that with an RC40 exhaust, Aldon igniter system, Metro GT cam, and very careful building at +0.060" overbore (1330 cc).
Should be fun!

Peter

[Neil8p]

Hi Peter

Does indeed sound like fun! I'd love to see the build sheet for it. It was fascinating looking the spec sheet Brian has for JFL.

Whenever I modify one of our cars I make a list of what I need, and plan out what order things need doing in. Some people take the mickey, but for me this is the safest way of doing it.

Personally I think reliability and safety is all about the little things - correct torque settings, properly terminated electrics, carefully routed pipes etc. I hate wasting time fixing the car at a track day, I'd much sooner be out on the track

Cheers