BB May2

Away on business last week and then for the weekend so no updates.

You will recall that my last comment was if that b****y bolt has to come out again the air will be blue. Well it
was. The clutch still wouldn't work, so after considering any other options, such as prayer or finding a genie
in a bottle, the engine came out again. This time I removed the flywheel as well and took loads of
measurements to try and find out what was actually happening.

It turns out the problem was related to the flywheel fitment. I fitted a new rear seal when preparing the
engine, and it turned out that whern I tightened the flywheel bolts the flywheel hadn't seated far enough into
the seal. I guess having run the engine settled the seal and the flywheel sat a lot further in this time. This
isn't a problem with the BMW flyheel as a convertor sits in the recess normally (see January 19 update here) .
The result of the flywheel not being seated is that the step in the input shaft before the splined section was
fouling the rubber seal in the centre of the flywheel, and therefore bypassing the clutch. D'oh, d'oh, d'oh!

Put it all back together looking closely at centralising the clutch plate (again) and then put it all together. This
time it all slid home perfectly, and the clutch worked fine after some adjustment. The feeling of relief was
immense, as I had images of major re-engineering being required.

I am awaiting the instruments, once those are fitted we are onto bodywork and interior fitout. Before then
we may have a drive around the close just to get a feel for it :-))

Frustrating weekend. I haven't actually done very much to the car although I've done plenty to allow me to
move on.

On Friday my instruments turned up at work from Speedy Cables. In the end I went for speedo, tacho and
fuel gauge only, but there will be space on the dashboard for the oil temp/pressure gauge later should I
choose to add them.

I've been so focussed on getting the mechanics sorted that I hadn't looked any further forward. Hence on
Friday evening I did the final adjustment of the handbrake and the throttle/choke cables and then hit a wall.
As usual, I hadn't read the manual closely enough, I expected that the next item was the side panels, but
actually it is to fit the rear side panels. To do that I need a wheel with the correct size tyre to mount on the
back so that I get the right curve on the metal. Of course I don't have that.

I've been in a quandary about wheels. The wires look great, but they are high maintenance and expensive. I
considered just having the standard 2CV wheels and getting stainless full width hub caps made up (or trying
to adapt Saab ones) but that wouldn't look quite right. Looking around the web (as you do!) I came across
the Burton car website, a Dutch kit manufacturer. They have developed some wheels which are reminiscent
of the original Bugatti wheels, and I have been pondering whether to go for a colour or chrome. In the end
I've gone for chrome and placed the order on Saturday. Of course, if I'd decided a few weeks ago the
exchange rate would have been more favourable......................... I also need to look at getting some tyres.

I also needed some engine turned aluminium sheet for the dashboard. I've decided to go for a full width
item, but I got some stupid quotes to provide a single sheet, so I posted a message on the Pembleton users
forum and pretty quickly got a response to try Europa spares. They had just what I wanted so that should
arrive this week. I did try making my own, but without a pillar drill getting accurate alignment is hopeless.

What I could and did do was to cut a template for the dashboard (several actually until I got one that was
right). All I need now is the metal.

Not much progress this week. To be honest it's a confidence thing more than anything else and with all the
travelling I've lost momentum. I know I need to get lights etc, but don't get much time to choose, I also need
to get over to Phil's and collect the remaining bits such as exhausts etc. but once again I can't take a day
off, and my weekends have got booked through to September!

Anyhow, last night I spent a couple of hours playing with the rear side panels trying to work out how they fit
(also being conscious that this is the visible bit!), trying out the seatbelts (too short) and fitting the rear
bump stops now that I can see where the panels will go.

The panel turned up (or should that be the turned up panel turned up) for the dashboard so I can have a go
at that this weekend - I really need to get some momentum back up now.

And I promise I'll take some photos this weekend as well.

Didn't get anything done on Sataurday, but had a long stint on
Sunday, resulting in having the dashboard made up. I still have to
make up the glove box cover, but I can't do that until I have the
hinges and lock. (I do have enough of the plate left to make up the
cover. I haven't attached it yet as I need to fettle one of the
chassis welds, and I haven't got the right disk for my angle
grinder.

Some of you will have noticed that the layout is different (and if
you did, you need help!), this is because I haven't put the oil
gauges in for now, and also because the full width dash gives me
some other options. I am missing a couple of the lamps, I'll have to
get those as well.

I got back from Japan to find that my wheels had been delivered. This
was mediocre news as I wasn't around over the weekend to play with
them. I rang Longstone Tyres to organise getting hold of the tyres and
went and got them fitted this evening. As recommended by Phil, I went
for 560x15 Camac crossplies. These have a greater diameter than the
standard Michelin X radials used on 2CVs, hence the gearing is raised.
You can see how great the difference is is the photo to the left.

Longstone tyres did a great job as the tyres were sod to fit
(specifically, to get them to seal enough initially to be able to inflate
them). In addition, the wheels were very unbalanced and balancing them
took quite a while. Have a look at their website above, you wouldn't
believe the things they do!

So, when I got back tonight I fitted the wheels only to find that the
internal; stick on wheel weighhts slightly foul the bottom of the swivel
on the nearside, I'll have to sort that one out, maybe even get the re-
balanced with rim weights, which I really don't want to do.

Having the wheels allows me now to do two things. Firstly I can
calibrate the speedo properly, so I fitted the hall effect sensor, which
detects the rotations of the speedo cable and sends pulses to the
elctronic speedo. See the photo to the left.

Secondly, it allows me to fit the rear side bodywork panels as I can see
where they come to against the spare tyre.

To clear the decks for thios activity I carried on fettling the dashpanel
tonight. I had to grind down some weld fillets and then touch up the
paint first, next time it will be dry and we can finally fit the dash.