Right, I'll stop spamming my own thread now and do a quick update.
Handbrake. Standard one is rubbish, Dec spec one is dead due to the Volvo calliper being seized beyond any attempt to strip it. So last weekend I test fitted the front discs from a 1.8 to the rear of the car (vented and much bigger than the 1.6 brakes on the front) which involved ripping off the dust shields. Why? Because I need bigger, thicker discs to suit the huge aluminium 2 pot AP racing callipers I found at the back of my garage, or somewhere.
So the discs fit, but the callipers don't, not until the adapters I designed get back from the machinist (relax, I know it sounds like I've done something properly, but I'm sure I'll bodge something badly to keep the balance). Also on the "not fitting" list are the 25mm wheel spacers, which being old style universal ones hit the calliper (only 4 times per revolution
) so I paid, yes,
paid, for some proper bolt on spacers.
One.
Hundred.
Pounds.
Plus machining them down. Saves me having to buy new wheels to clear the brakes though.
By round 3 of BDC on 31st May I should have the most stupidly huge rear brakes of any MX5 in the world (and standard front brakes - there's the bodge, shouldn't be a problem though, right?).
Of course I don't
need a handbrake at Norfolk Arena - I did my best laps ever there with no handbrake, or clutch (really - the release bearing ended the day 5 mm shorter than it started), but I'm sure it'll come in handy for hill starts and stuff.
So I've just spent my round 4 money fixing the car for round 3. This wouldn't be so bad but I was supposed to be using the money from the contract that didn't get renewed last month.
I'm sure the mortgage people will understand.
It was sunny and I wasn't thinking, I just bought the stuff I needed.