Project "Why Not"

[Vinnetrow 129]

The grill is going to look great!

[Ian 2,417]

The grill is going to look great!

 

Thanks Max, it does

 

 

This morning was like an archeological dig... Once I'd shoveled 6 inches of white filler dust away I found a bench!!  

 

 

 

To celebrate I put a couple of wheels on WN to have a look...  They soon came off for a second coat of paint.

 

 

 

The second coat of IH white lightened the wheels up, make them look less creamy..  Don't be fooled by the photo, the paint is nowhere near as smooth as it looks.

 

 

 

Oh, and the bonnet now has a mat black grill/mesh thingy

 

[Stormin 4,458]

Must admit, that grill does look better. The mesh just finishes it off.

[nigel 1,877]

I still think the wheels should be yellow

[Ian 2,417]

Must admit, that grill does look better. The mesh just finishes it off.

 

Thanks mate, all I need to do now is find a better way of mounting it..

 

 

 

I still think the wheels should be yellow

 

They are.. Just a very very pale shade

 

 

An update from inside the workshop.... The bench WN was on ended up looking like this yesterday!!

After the struggle of lifting her off the bench last time we decided the easiest thing to do this time was to slide drag the bench to the doorway and roll her down some ramps,,,

To be fair on the bench it has put up with a lot of punishment for the past er... many years including the weight of the 6x6 being built on it..

The bench will be rebuilt a lot stronger and on castor wheels

 

 

 

I'm very happy to report that all the changes that have happened on WN have been worth it..

Thanks to the new higher fuel outlet on the tank she starts up straight away with no hassles or queasy-start..  A little choke, no throttle push the starter button and she roars into life..

Today I realized that I was no longer thinking about the brakes when using then, I guess the relocated front master cylinder is doing it's job now

 

And now the big one.. Steering..

 

Gone is the twitchyness that was there under hard throttle while turning.. There is even a fair amount of self centering going on.. Oh, and the steering is so much lighter than what it was

The only downside was the amount of wheel turning needed to steer..

It was about 1/2 a turn lock to lock, the A35 steering box made that 2.2 turns lock to lock!!

 

This was sorted today by drilling and extra hole in the drop link a bit closer to the wheel and giving the connecting rod a bend so it didn't hit the exhaust or anywhere else..

The lock is now 1.5 turns lock to lock which feels right.. In fact it now has so much lock that the front brake calipers hit the front axle on full lock, so I need to make a couple of simple stoppers to stop that happening..

 

 

 

The fender pan is as done as it's going to get before the shows, it still needs loads more work but that can wait until I get her ready for final paint.

 

 

 

I have also installed a plug under the dash..

 

 

 

Nope, it's not for plugging in headphones   It is in fact wired into the bikes stop/run circuit.    The plan is to grind out some of the plastic bit that separates the positive and negative and weld both bits together.

The idea being when it's plugged in to the stop/run circuit will be in run mode.. So if the plug is attached to the driver and the driver get thrown off for some reason, the plug get pulled and the engine stops

 

 

 

I'm now so tired I can hardly type without having to correct a smelling mistake on every other turd, so it's just as well I'm on the last three photo's..

Here's WN out in the wild yesterday.

 

 

 

[Alan 1,273]

Thanks mate, all I need to do now is find a better way of mounting it..

 

 

 

 

They are.. Just a very very pale shade

 

 

An update from inside the workshop.... The bench WN was on ended up looking like this yesterday!!

After the struggle of lifting her off the bench last time we decided the easiest thing to do this time was to slide drag the bench to the doorway and roll her down some ramps,,,

To be fair on the bench it has put up with a lot of punishment for the past er... many years including the weight of the 6x6 being built on it..

The bench will be rebuilt a lot stronger and on castor wheels

 

 

 

I'm very happy to report that all the changes that have happened on WN have been worth it..

Thanks to the new higher fuel outlet on the tank she starts up straight away with no hassles or queasy-start..  A little choke, no throttle push the starter button and she roars into life..

Today I realized that I was no longer thinking about the brakes when using then, I guess the relocated front master cylinder is doing it's job now

 

And now the big one.. Steering..

 

Gone is the twitchyness that was there under hard throttle while turning.. There is even a fair amount of self centering going on.. Oh, and the steering is so much lighter than what it was

The only downside was the amount of wheel turning needed to steer..

It was about 1/2 a turn lock to lock, the A35 steering box made that 2.2 turns lock to lock!!

 

This was sorted today by drilling and extra hole in the drop link a bit closer to the wheel and giving the connecting rod a bend so it didn't hit the exhaust or anywhere else..

The lock is now 1.5 turns lock to lock which feels right.. In fact it now has so much lock that the front brake calipers hit the front axle on full lock, so I need to make a couple of simple stoppers to stop that happening..

 

 

 

The fender pan is as done as it's going to get before the shows, it still needs loads more work but that can wait until I get her ready for final paint.

 

 

 

I have also installed a plug under the dash..

 

 

 

Nope, it's not for plugging in headphones   It is in fact wired into the bikes stop/run circuit.    The plan is to grind out some of the plastic bit that separates the positive and negative and weld both bits together.

The idea being when it's plugged in to the stop/run circuit will be in run mode.. So if the plug is attached to the driver and the driver get thrown off for some reason, the plug get pulled and the engine stops

 

 

 

I'm now so tired I can hardly type without having to correct a smelling mistake on every other turd, so it's just as well I'm on the last three photo's..

Here's WN out in the wild yesterday.

 

 

 

The idea being when it's plugged in to the stop/run circuit will be in run mode.. So if the plug is attached to the driver and the driver get thrown off for some reason, the plug get pulled and the engine stops

 

Ian,  I think you meant to say that if the driver SELF EJECTS in SHEAR TERROR via his inbuilt REAR END propulsion system, then the plug gets pulled stopping the engine.

[nigel 1,877]

his description of this device is different to what he told me when he was inventing it, he told me it was called a butt plug, so i asked what is a butt plug for ? his reply was the driver sticks it up his botty. and the holder was to put it in when its not in use

[Ian 2,417]

his description of this device is different to what he told me when he was inventing it, he told me it was called a butt plug, so i asked what is a butt plug for ? his reply was the driver sticks it up his botty. and the holder was to put it in when its not in use

 

Quite where you choose to stick the plug is up to you mate, I won't be sticking it anywhere that makes it hard to sit down

 

 

Freshly uploaded overnight Part 18 of the build videos is here... Enjoy

 

[Triumph66 1,256]

Ian,

Looking forward to seeing it in the metal next week at Sedlescombe, the tractor not the butt plug!

It does look mean and lean.

Andrew

[Stormin 4,458]

Ian,

Looking forward to seeing it in the metal next week at Sedlescombe,

Andrew

 

Me as well.

[Ian 2,417]

Ian,

Looking forward to seeing it in the metal next week at Sedlescombe, the tractor not the butt plug!

It does look mean and lean.

Andrew

 

 

Me as well.

 

Thanks guy's, you don't have long to wait

 

More progress today, I fitted a couple of stoppers to limit the steering lock a tad and stop the calipers from hitting the axle, but I forgot to take a photo..

 

A battery cut-off switch is now fitted..

 

 

 

And the empty headlamp hole now has a cover... Sorry Nigel, I just had to go for the brushed steel look to match the dash panel.

 

[Stormin 4,458]

That front end just needs some headlights either side.

[Ian 2,417]

That front end just needs some headlights either side.

 

Your right, it does... I'm on the lookout for a small chrome pair of lamps

[meadowfield 1,900]

Looking the mutts Ian

[Ian 2,417]

Looking the mutts Ian

 

Thanks mate

 

Well, what a day it has been.. Busy busy busy.. Some boring stuff like bolting the seat down, and a slight rewire of the "dead mans plug" when I found the engine had lost it's spark..

 

A photo of one of the steering lock stoppers..

 

 

 

The steering wheel has a new center.. I think you will approve

 

 

 

Putting heat wrap on the exhaust down pipes was not fun.. Very itchy stuff!

 

 

 

To dry the heat wrap out I thought I'd go for a gentle potter about the place to heat the pipes up.... This is where I found a problem and is why under bonnet now looks like this..

 

 

 

The last time I drove WN the engine started to cough and pop a bit. I thought it was just really low on fuel and left it at that..

Today the coughing and popping continued even with a full full tank, and then I found out it was only running on one cylinder!!!

With Karl's help (thanks mate ) by swapping the coils and spark plugs from side to side we were able to rule them out, which is just as well as I would not stand a chance of getting replacements before the weekend!!

 

So I thought I would give it a bit of a hard drive to try and clear out the problem...

 

2000rpm.. Sluggish..

4000rpm.. Sluggish..

6000rpm... The second cylinder kicked in and gave the engine so much power it felt like a turbo going to full boost in a second!

 

So below 6000rpm sluggish, above 6000rpm = Hold on

 

Which can only mean a blocked jet in the right side carb.....   So you can guess what I'm doing tomorrow

[Stormin 4,458]

Best have it fixed for RPT or you'll be in hot water.

[Ian 2,417]

Best have it fixed for RPT or you'll be in hot water.

 

Fear not Norm, as you have seen elsewhere WN is alive and very well

 

As it turned out getting the carbs off and on WN was very easy, only the fuel tank had to come out first..

Both carbs were cleaned out, the left one was spotless inside, the right one as expected had a blocked jet which was causing the running problems..

 

 

[Stormin 4,458]

I'm really looking forward to seeing it.

[Ian 2,417]

"We drove Why Not and survived" 

 

[the showman 4,074]

Yeh we did too, Thanks for the blast on Why-not Ian, it was quite an experience

[Stormin 4,458]

The GT14 just didn't feel the same driving back to the workshop.ðŸ¢

[Ian 2,417]

Yeh we did too, Thanks for the blast on Why-not Ian, it was quite an experience

 

Your welcome mate, your grin said it all

 

 

The GT14 just didn't feel the same driving back to the workshop.🐢

 

You mean the throttle has a peg on it?

 

 

For your viewing pleasure chaps, here's Nigel, Norm, Chris and myself having a hoon about

 

[the showman 4,074]

     OMG, best fun day ive had for a while   :lol:      

[Ian 2,417]

     OMG, best fun day ive had for a while   :lol:      

 

We must do it again sometime

[Ian 2,417]

Morning chaps, not much to report on the WN front as nothing has been happening..

 

But I did take her round the test track yesterday to get some on board video footage..  It's a shame the footage came out too shaky to use, I need to make a better camera mount!

 

But I did push her harder than I have done with lot's of sideways action

 

I'd best give her a bit of a clean up before BTF!

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, one more think that I was suprised but happy to see...

 

I had to turn WN around late yesterday to park her back in the workshop, so I climbed on and pottled down the carpark.. While turning I gave the loud pedal a little blip and the inside tyre chirped a little as it tends to do..

About 30 mins later I noticed a couple of marks on the tarmac!  The little chirp was in fact both  tyres breaking loose!

Yes the carpark was a tad damp but it gives me great hope of some smokey dounuts in the future

 

It's a bit hard to see but there are two strips of rubber left in the tarmac