Snag list priorities

Too many things on the list for one blog. :-)

The priorities in August (subject to other things breaking!) were:

- Make the engine smoother and quieter
- Reduce excessive oil consumption
- Sort the radiator leak
- Drivers door locking, window frame and glass fibre
- Bonnet catches and alignment

The car has been getting some reasonable use, and has now done more than 2000 miles in my ownership.

I had a good a chat with a friend, Grahame Bull, who runs a classic car restoration company specialising in Jaguars. He's incredibly busy so I didn't want to take much of his time, but He had a look and listen and gave some useful advice as follows:

1. Change the oil and filter, refill with 25/70 oil obtainable from Moss Europe. He also advised NOT filling oil above a point about half way between max and min on the dipstick, as the crankshaft may be churning up the cylinder bores.
2. Take the car to Sigma Engineering in Gillingham to have the timing and mixture set up.
3. Put a small bottle of K-seal in the radiator, to seal the leak without blocking the heater matrix

Oil and filter duly changed. K-seal added to radiator.

The workshop manual says that the oil capacity is 4l including the filter. Drained the old (very dirty after only 700 miles) oil, changed the filter, measured and added 3.5l of the new oil.

The oil is certainly pretty viscous. You don't exactly have to squeeze the can to get it out, but.......

I've had discussions with Max at Lakeside and Brian Buckland of Club Lotus about the door problems. Brian has sent me the modified door catch, and will make up the Lotus-specific handle actuator.

Brian also suggests that Spyder have a jig to align, and can repair, the o/s window frame.

Max is trying to get the remaining matching paint from the elusive Miles Wilkins.