Tuning Canterbury 695

[the hobbler]

That looks first class Andrew--whose kit did you end up using? Before you fit rear discs, give the car a good try-out. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you find that you don't need the rear discs. The car is so light that when braking hard about 70% of the load is on the front brakes and the rears (if discs are fitted) will most probably have a tendency to lock up. The rear discs do such a small amount of work that (a) the discs do not 'self-clean' and therefore get badly corroded and, (b) the what hand-brake system is being used with the rear discs? Calliper hand-brakes do not have a good record! With rear discs on such a light car, you may find that you always have to do a fair bit of maintenance on them prior to every MOT.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

I bought a steel framed setup from Axel Gerstl
I wanted steel instead of the alloy ones available
I reference to the rear discs - I discussed previously that being rear engined it was my belief that the rears do do an amount of work
On my hot 911's the rears worked hard
I will photograph the setup on the table top later and we can "discuss" the merits!!
I hope to be eventually run about 65 - 70 HP

 

[stevehg]

Busy day - after cutting off spring hangers -

Good job Andrew, in hindsight I'd have been better going down this route rather than wasting money on various springs trying to get the right setup. Out of interest, what did you have to cut?

cheers, Steve

 

[AndrewHarvey]

I had to cut off the two alloy spring mountings
When the car was made it had two sets of 10mm studs coming out of the cross member - passing through two alloy bra let's that the spring locates in
Over the years the steel SD studs and alloy brackets had become one....
So no cutting of anything strange - just easing the brackets off the studs to reveal the long studs the main independent suspension mounts on

 

[stevehg]

Thanks, I get it now. I was struggling to work out what would need cutting. Fortunately, last year, mine released with a few taps, and I used some ally anti seize when I put them back together.

Messing around with land rovers, where there is a lot of ally and steel mixed together, means I always have a good stock of ally anti-seize.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

So here are the final brake upgrades.....rear discs, braided hoses and fancy oversized master cylinder
I have always fitted the Goodrich hoses - they were as good as another 20 HP in my Porsches - in regards the change they bring to the braking performance and confidence in late braking....
Master cylinder is a direct swap.
Bet the rear discs are not..........

 

[AndrewHarvey]

So to work............

 

[stevehg]

Looks like they could be a straight bolt on from pics, leaving the major fettling for handbrake and brake lines.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Got the brake lines..........rain stopped play.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Just sorting final items
Has anyone experience in rev limiters for the 500 running 123 ignition?
I contacted the manufacturer of the ignition asking if they made a module but they don't
I'm considering an Omex item
Any knowledge is welcome

 

[the hobbler]

Morning Andrew;
Yes I have come across a rev-limiter for the 500--it is a result of evolution and made in infinite variety by the human body---the 'eye-ball Mk1'. To gain full benefit from it, one occasionally, when the engine starts sounding 'revvy', uses it to look at the Tachometer. When paired up with the wallet in ones back pocket, extremely reliable!

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Hi Tom
Whilst I agree with your view in principal - my experiences in track days, sprints, hill climbs and rallies - a rev limiter is as essential as s fire extinguisher
Really don't want to detonate the engine whilst "pushing on"
It will Rev to 7000 but it will be limited after being setup on the rolling road

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Grabbed a couple of hours on the beast, finishing the front suspension, fitting the fancy master cylinder and braided hoses.
Then completed the battery master switch install
After researching the correct install - I have fitted an 11 watt 3 ohm resistor to dump the alternator charge in the event of a panic switch off
If you don't fit one and use the kill switch whilst the engine is running - you fry the Diode pack
Next up rear discs
I ordered the rear coil overs from Gazshock and they will take 3-4 weeks

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Managed to bugger up the nearside brake pipe into the new master cylinder
Would be fine if it didn't run over the steering box and behind the wishbone bracket.........damn reckon at least four hours to fit the pair.......that amount of time when having 6 children is huge.....still grin and bare it Andrew grin and bare it.

 

[stevehg]

That's a pain, but actually I didn't find it too bad. I did it after putting the steering box back, to make sure it cleared it ok, but did have the benefit of no suspension in the way.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Rear discs being fitted today. I will have to engineer a connection detail for the handbrake
Photos to follow?

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Very busy few hours. Stripped the drum system down and the disc setup was relatively straight forward once I understood what was going on.
Will complete the other side in the morning and then look at hand brake connections.
Much more of a concern is the continuing issue of no gap on the nearside front wheel. Picture attached
I have height adjustable setup now but as I have spacers fitted i have no chance of moving the car like this.......I plan to fit bolt on arches later but what is wrong???
Your help would be gratefully accepted

 

[Franko500]

Is that the side that had some accident damage?
Have you replaced the top arms and suspension mounting bar? these are the only items that will affect the set back. You can adjust the castor and wheel base by removing spacers at the front mount and adding them to the rear mount. Although I found this created very little adjustment.
The only other possibility is if it had enough of a whack then the inner front arch & front x member may have gone back a few mm and therefore holding the top & bottom suspension components in the wrong place.
You will need to do some careful measurements from front to back suspension mounts to determine this one. Unless you have access to a body alignment jig/measuring system.

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Many thanks Sean
It is indeed the side with the accident damage
The kingpin was bent and thus disposed of
The car has new top arms
The inner wing is creased but this is the outer section that nothing mounts to
I will replace this when it is painted
I think it needs placing on a jig and straightening
Until then I guess I need to lift the ride height to get around the problem

 

[AndrewHarvey]

Sean - do you think this is the way forward?
Do you know of someone local who could put it on a jig?