DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Best ask him just in case

Wrap it in Carbon Fibre vinyl.

Two weeks in Italy?
Get Neil to do a stack while you are away, then CLM is easy.

Currently in Italy for 2 weeks myself, it is fab out here.

By the time Italy comes I am aiming to have it all ready bar the MOT and decals - ideally MOTd by then tho

Wow - here I am 17 years on......................... and you're going to be on the road in a couple of weeks!

Bit of a hiccup tonight. Mike emailed that there are issues with the left hand cam box. It's got corrosion on it which is unusual, but which has been 'solved' previously with gobbo. Looking for a better solution hence the wanted advert I've just posted.

Mike has texted to say he might have found one but I'll give him a call in the morning to see if it's still worth going up tomorrow

Texted my paint man today re painting carbon. He said same prep as fibre glass, rub down, fill holes, spray fill, rub down, prime and paint.
Simples !!

Keep going Mark, you'll get there!

Thanks revo, thanks gary

When you've got a spare five minutes, can you pop round and finish mine for me? Tomorrow lunchtime will be fine...

Did I mention my engine's Japanese?

Mike checked the compression ratio and found it to be lower than expected. Checked the engine number and it's from the Japanese market! Compression ratio has now been raised

I remember that dyno session and we were confused why it was low! Obviously it had other issues as well as the rebuild has highlighted.

It's going to be night and day when you get that thing going again.

Where is last night's progress Mark, I've got use my daily fix!

OK tired today but happy

So after the last minute cambox issues we established by about 11:30am yesterday that
a. the one Mike had found seemed to be good - but couldn't be 100% sure until tried the rocker shafts in there
b. Russ had kindly contacted me and said that the guy who looks after his car had one he would sell.

I set off for Mike's at around 12. On the way I spoke to Russ's guy. We almost agreed a price but he wanted to check if he was under-selling it so was contacting a mate to check. Carried on driving up the M1. An hour later he still hadn't heard from his mate. Another 40 minutes later and Russ was needing to know whether he was going to pick it up for me or not. I phoned him back and we eventually agreed a price. I ended up paying £180 which I think is a bit much but it was insurance - if we got up there and Mike's one turned out to be no good I would have wasted the day etc. Even though I paid over the odds I was then able to leave that purchased one with Mike as an exchange so I wasn't buying two of them.

First DDK spirit of the day award goes to Russ - who firstly sourced the part, then got out the cash to pay for it, then drove and picked it up and then brought it over to Mikes. Thank you so much Russ it was brilliant of you.

I joined up with Russ as he passed me on the M6. As we pulled into Mike's together Mike said that Mick Cliff had just left which was a shame as it would have been nice to see him again. He also said he'd just fitted the cambox and it seemed fine. Anyhoo - good to have the insurance.

Chatted with Russ for a bit and then he headed off for the drive home - the long way round.

Then I got my overalls on and started cleaning stuff up. By the time I got there my phone had died so I've no pics early on, but basically the heads and cam covers were on. Mike fitted the cams and they both rotated really nicely.

Then came the process of cam timing. Mike explained it to me and showed me - Mike did the first one and I did the second one with (a lot of) help from Mike. I got lost in the explanation several times but some of it went in. The level of detail involved is incredible, and fascinating. One side went on nicely but we did the second side twice and weren't getting any closer to the first side's reading so Mike slipped the cog off and turned it a bit. Next time managed to get it spot on. After tightening it had moved a fraction but from memory it's ended up 0.04mm different to the other side which is well within tolerance. From memory one side read 1.37 and the other 1.41 and they are meant to be 1.1 to 1.4. I think.

Then more cleaning and the cam covers on - exhaust first, then oiling the rockers - then top covers on. Then flipped on it's side for the exhaust studs


This was what was left. We never did find out what those long rods were for - can't be important


And here we are ready to load into Suzanne's car


I didn't get away until 9pm

So second DDK spirit of the day award goes to Mike - he has been absolutely brilliant throughout this process. Leaving aside the fact that he has encyclopaedic knowledge of everything to do with these engines and gearboxes - he's really gone the extra mile to get my engine back together and been incredibly helpful and patient in explaining stuff to me along the way.

Eventually we ran out of things to go wrong with the engine and I'm now really excited about driving it. More than really excited - its smiley time

Mike has had the crank and flywheel balanced together (when I fitted them before I just bolted it on). The compression ratio has been raised to european levels. Cams reground and rockers refaced. New rings. valves cut back a bit at the rear to allow better airflow (I think). Engine tinware added. All put together properly. NO silicon sealant inside the engine internals.

When I got home at midnight it was too late to get help bringing the engine out so I've brought it to work this morning in the back of Suzannes car - will get it out tonight.

Aiming to start adding the ancillaries tomorrow night and to fit it Saturday

What a post. Well done Mark, Mike and Russ.

Great to see it coming together.

Kind regards.