Cossie Update Part 4
Two months!! I’ve not driven the cossie in two months!! Having said that though, it’s all coming together very quickly. There’s not a great deal to report this month, except that the car is nearly all done. As I write this though, I’ve still got to get the car on its wheels, and put the exhaust system on, start it up, and make sure it runs!
So, what’s been happening? Well, the last you heard was I listing all the things that had been bought for the car, and the fitting of most of them. So what’s new? Take a look in the dash on the car, and you’ll see! Three of the most beautiful gauges ever created, monitoring Oil Temp, Oil Pressure, and Boost. Made by Defi, and supplied by New Age Motorsport (through Mike obviously), the gauges have a 270-degree sweep, peak recall and memory function, all controlled by a small ECU. The three gauges were, quite frankly, a pain in the arse to fit, because the centre vents on a saff are not really designed to take 60mm gauges. I had a panic trying to find something to make the gauge panel out of, but an old number plate has been sacrificed in favour of my centre vent display! Aside from that, they were a piece of the proverbial to wire up. The temp. sensor is taking from the sump through a 1/8 NPT fitting, which I got Harvey to put in when the car was last there. The pressure sensor comes off the side of the block where the pressure switch is located, and the boost gauge takes from the inlet plenum in the normal fashion. All the gauges are analogue readout, with what is effectively a digital take off, but all I’m certain of is they look the bolloxJ!
Having fitted those, it was time for more gauges - well, not so much of a gauge, but an ECU monitor. I got a phone call from Mike a couple of weeks ago, sounding all excited – delirious in fact. After I suggested that Wham were in fact not re-uniting, he went on to tell me about the S.E.C.S monitor that he had just purchased. The monitor studies all the reading that the engine takes at the ECU, and has a readout for Air Charge Temp, Throttle Position, Coolant Temp, Manifold Absolute Pressure, and Battery Voltage. The unit also has high and low warning facilities that are user-selectable, and has peak recall facilities, and also looks…. the bollox! I hadn’t even had a chance to tell Mike during this phone call that it sounded pretty cool, but was told that I was having one, and that he would pop by the house later to drop it off! This was a worthy investment, since it also has the facility to control water injection (for the future), and is upgradeable for oil temp and pressure.
So that’s about it on the gauge front, apart from selling my redundant ACT gauge to my brother, for less than it cost, with free fitting! The dark 90 spec dash that I’d always wanted is in (finally), so I have a complete 2wd grey dash lying around if anyone wants it. Not a lot else to report really, since the car’s not yet been for its MOT, and this will decide whether the car will be at the meet tonight. It’s all about plans for the future of the car now, with show season looming ever closer, so after it’s back on the road today, it’s going off the road tomorrow – respray time! I’m having the car stripped down – interior out, windows out, four new doors, new rear bumper, and new lights all round. ETA or the car to be back is the weekend of the Central meet, so it’s gonna be close. Having said that, this time next month, the car will be nearly finished, and it’ll be time to spend some money making it stop better, and go faster. Can’t have my brother in a quicker car than me now, can we? For now though, it’s all about the Renault Savannah!!!! Another month driving that should be a real laugh – it does 90 mph flat out in 5th, and keeps up with lorries and everything! Also up and coming is another trip to Harvey’s for a clutch, and a new gearbox that is sitting there waiting for me. Might see if I can grab some brakes before then and have them fitted at the same time. But for now, that’s it….
By the way, excuse the state of the car this evening – it aint gonna win any car of the night, but the respray’s at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. See you all next monthJ!