I moved onto a full engine service, oil drained, sump filter cleaned, canister filter changed, new gaskets including rocker cover gaskets. New plugs and rotor arm.
Got the carb off that was leaking petrol and replaced the damaged seal.
Set points and static timed it at 5°
Fired up the engine and once warm balanced the carbs and set them up as best as possible.
Checked timing with a light and it’s roughly 30° at 3000rpm but I don’t know for sure as not a degree’d pulley.
Next up was the brakes, eventually figured out I had a problem with the rubbers in the top of my brand new master cylinder, so replaced those and used a pair of new tubes made up by Buttys Bits into those with new blue hose up to a BMW 2002 reservoir mounted in the smugglers.
Started bleeding the brakes only to get to the last one, drivers front and ‘snap!’ There goes the bleed nipple! Yep that means both fronts had snapped now, passenger side already repaired.
So drilled and easy out and new one in place the next day and could finally bleed the brakes…. And no leaks from the master cylinder!!! Result!!
The meant I could get the under tray back on below steering rack etc. do another bolt check and then finally finally get it down off the axle stands!! :D
Adjusted the front suspension height a bit and then set the tracking.
Climbed in and turned the key! Into reverse and went for it…… it bloody worked, it drove out of the garage under its own power for the first time in who only knows how many years!!
Few photos later…
Then the next day I torqued then rear hub nuts and put split pins in, emptied some of the crap out so I could bolt on the passenger seat. Then got to giving a very short test drive… off the drive, round the crescent and onto the road, back into the crescent and onto the drive. All of an 1/8th mile maybe haha! But it was a success.
Queue more photos…
So after few more adjustments I went out properly and did a 5 mile loop, to say I was happy was an understatement, felt incredible! Bit of a flat spot it it was running and driving… few more adjustments and did the loop again and went a little bit higher in rpm to 4K. Clearly more adjustments to be made and the front suspension is pretty much none existent… I believe I need to cut down the spring assisters in the shocks or change them out completely.
Sorted few bits of wiring out and was ready to take out to its first event… our own show, the RSVP BBQ, held exactly 1 mile from my house