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Messages - Kevin Wood

35176
General Discussion Area / Re: DAB
« on: 13 March 2007, 22:38:20 »
Quote
largely because of over eager station controllers demanding to be louder than the other station...

Yep. Used to love listening to a decent FM tuner, especially before I had CDs. It was probably the best quality source I had, and the BBC were at least purists in terms of sound quality until recent years. Now it sounds like some chav has messed with the equaliser. Unlistenable on anything of any quality.

In addition, the ADs have to be emphasised even more, of course, so you're forever reaching for the volume control.

Same with TV. We have HD pictures at last albeit a far cry from what was being demo'ed in the early '90's but the quality of the progammes and production has gone down the toilet so it's not worth bothering.

Kevin

35177
General Discussion Area / Re: DAB
« on: 13 March 2007, 10:06:08 »
You haven't got something that occasionally interferes with it, have you?

Computer equipment is the most likely culprit. Might be worth trying to re-locate it but the real answer is a better antenna.

Kevin

35178
General Discussion Area / Re: Ramps.........
« on: 15 March 2007, 21:03:40 »
Quote
No it doesn't.  With only two wheels down, it becomes a driverless trailer.  

Sorry. I forgot we were talking about dollys as well as A-frames.

I think I'm still correct in stating that It would be an un braked trailer so you're limited to 750kg or 1/2 the mass of the towing vehicle whichever is lower? Unless the dolly has braked wheels?

A trailer with axles in the centre is easier to manoevre too.


Kevin

35179
General Discussion Area / Re: Ramps.........
« on: 15 March 2007, 19:11:06 »
I think if it's going to get regular use you're better off with a full trailer. Much discussion has been going on in kit car circles about the legality of towing using a dolly or a-frame. Certainly if the combination is over the unbraked towing weight of the towing vehicle it's illegal unless the towed vehicle's brakes operate and even then opinion is that it's OK as an emergency measure (used as a tow rope) but probably not as a deliberate way to transport cars.

Towed car has to be taxed and MOT'ed if its wheels are in contact with the road.

Kevin

35180
Quote
It's post 1992 for cars I believe, and I still don't think there's a mandatory requirement for cats on a bike.

For production cars that's true. However, if you build a car from parts and put it on the road through Single Vehicle Approval it's based on the age of the engine (which you need to be able to prove) with 1995 being the date after which you need to pass a cat emissions test. If the engine originally came from a bike, and you put it in a car, the car ruels apply.

Kevin

35181
Quote
Stick a redtop with throttle bodies in it

That's another thing. The fuel system. It seems the simplest solution to bung a pair of Webers on it but these days I wouldn't bother playing about with carbs. DIY fuel injection is easy and relatively cheap. Use a pair of Jenvey TBs or, if money is tight, a set of bike TBs (plenty on EBAY). A megasquirt http://www.megasquirt.info to run it all and you're laughing.

IME, carbs gave me any two of the following: Power, flexilibity, fuel economy. With injection you get all 3.

There aren't that many people around who can do a good job of tuning carbs these days and it's just so much easier with injection.

Also remember that if you're using an engine that was manufactured post August 1995 (bike or car) you'll need a catalytic converter.

Kevin

35182
I built a Westfield 7 years ago and can vouch for the fact that it's a great experience. I didn't bite off as much as you have, of course. I started with a bare chassis but getting that far from scratch would have been 3 times the work of the rest of the build - for me at least.

I would echo Mark's comments about the "under a grand". At the end of the day if you built the whole lot out of scrap you could maybe do it (then again, if you want it road legal the best part of 300 quid's gone on the SVA test) but it's a balance between time and money at the end of the day. If you try and restrict the budget too much you will get fed up with it before you're starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There will be a lot of work turning scrap parts into something you can feel proud of. You could make something roadworthy but not pretty with considerably less work but it'll still be  a real struggle. Then again, it's a balance you can adjust along the build as time and finances allow.

I agree with Mark regarding the engine choice too. A single seater would be a no-brainer. Bike power all the way IMO. If it ends up as a 2 seater bike engines are a love-hate thing. Many people swear by them but you need to keep the car as light as possible and can't afford to include any creature comforts. They are a pig to drive on the road in stop-start traffic, especially if you don't have a reverse gear, but once you get them rolling you have a 6 speed sequential box and 12,000 RPM red line to play with :y

It also depends on the proportion of road / track mileage it will be doing, of course.

I went for a 2.0 Ford Zetec which was probably the right choice at the time although sometimes I wish I'd gone for a C20XE instead. (These days the Ford Duratec or Audi 1.8T would be high on my list.) It's well mannered on the road, has plenty of power and doesn't add too much weight to the car. Mine's tuned and is probably making 180-200 BHP, although it's never been on the rollers (it was mapped on the road using a wideband O2 sensor and lots of datalogging).

There are also those who insist you need a V8 which is far too much engine for a small car IMO. Weight that will make the car much less nimble, gobs of torque where you least need it in a light car and an engine that doesn't like revs. The sound, though... :-*

I wouldn't be too hasty to knock Ford underpinnings. Whatever your opinion of the cars, the RWD mechanical parts (engines, gearboxes, diffs) are bullet proof and used throughout the kit car industry. There's much more support for doing unconventional things with Ford bits than anything else, IMO. Having said that an Omega would make a fine donor if you want to be different.

Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to bounce any ideas off me. It's very easy to set off on one track and end up with not quite the car you wanted in the end so get as many ideas from others who have trodden the path as you can, blag as many rides in as many cars as you can, and think about whether you'll get your greatest fun from doing track days or commuting in something a bit "different".

Kevin

35183
General Discussion Area / Re: A few photos of my uni project
« on: 12 March 2007, 12:13:07 »
Quote
Word Docs converted to flash paper

Cor! in my day we just bashed all the text into Word (can't remember if it was DOS. Might just have had Windoze 3.1 by my 3rd year <shudder>).

Then off to Argos, buy a printer, run off a few thousand pages of various peoples theses, take it back within 14 days and say you didn't like it ;-)

Kevin

35184
General Discussion Area / Re: A few photos of my uni project
« on: 11 March 2007, 22:16:32 »
Looks very impressive indeed. I develop software to test mobile phones, normally at the air interface but I now know who to ask when I need to generate something to exercise the application layers ;)

Been working on A-GPS recently. That would be a nice addition to tell the user "...and the ride's 500 metres over there ---->". If only more mobiles supported it!

There's an awful lot of potential in mobile phones these days but no-one developing applications like this to show them off, or so it seems.

Good luck with the rest of the project. I know documenting it all after having fun developing it is a real PITA :(

You can treat yourself to some autobahnstorming in the Senator when it's done :y

Kevin

35185
General Discussion Area / Re: Having a laugh???
« on: 13 March 2007, 15:40:02 »
Well, the reply from the "seller" actually turned out to be a wind-up from another lister. Hook, line & sinker!

Some very appologetic replies until the truth was discovered.

The forum is email based but the offending article in all its' pride and glory is Ebay item 260095940813 if anyone fancies a project!

Kevin


1st Comment:
Quote
Although I think this one might be beyond rescue....
What were they thinking LOL :)) Ebay 260095940813
2nd Comment
Quote
3 Bids OMG what are they thinking.
There's not much that's not horrendous about that.
I think James May would like the interior :-))
3rd Comment:
Quote
That green thing is even beyond Mr Wisemans skills of restoration, the
only place for that is the skip

blue touch paper lit and.... whoosh!

Quote
Gentlemen,

I have been a lurker on this list for some time now and I have always
appreciated the agnostic stance you take to Se7ens and brands and so on. I
am thus sooooo insulted by your remarks about my car now for sale on Ebay.

My 1964 Jeffrey may not be one of your fancy carbon toting Caterhams, nor a
BEC revvy monster but it supplies hours and hours of fun at considerable
bang for buck.

Now you claim it needs serious renovation or putting it in a skip. What were
they thinking the little upstart from Scotland asks. Hah, have you seen his
little car? Is that bulge on the bonnet really needed or is it phallic? I
reckon we all know the answer to that question :-)

And then there is this chap Booth, working at Reuters of all places where
honest reporting is supposed to still happen - well Mr Booth, I'll have you
know Mr James May is a very fine, well educated and well spoken Englishman
and I have little doubt that yes he would like it. But what were you
insinuating?

And finally Mr Wiseman, he seems to have way too many cars to give my poor
J5 the love and attention it deserves so I would refuse to sell it to him
even if he were to bid.

So there

Mike Burnit

35186
General Discussion Area / Re: Having a laugh???
« on: 13 March 2007, 13:54:15 »
Just saw another total piece of carp from ebay get slated on a kit car forum. Owner came along and got all defensive... Had a female name for the car n everything.  Oops!   :-[

Kevin








35187
General Discussion Area / Re: Having a laugh???
« on: 12 March 2007, 22:20:48 »
7,000 watts of ICE?

Yeah, right. They'll be Bull**it watts, not RMS watts. Lovely neat amp installation too. I wouldn't have included a picture of that.

He mentions all the chavved up parts but not the mileage ::)

Kevin

35188
General Discussion Area / Re: Project sodding MoT
« on: 13 March 2007, 16:57:35 »
Quote
The handbrakes are good when setup correctly.....which people rarely do!

I'll and that to my list then. Lever's touching the armrest before any useful braking occurs.

I'm ashamed to say I drove off with it on when I was looking for MaxV6's house the other week.

Kevin

35189
General Discussion Area / Re: Will She, Wont She?
« on: 13 March 2007, 22:41:39 »
Quote
and your house look clean when its minging

Right. I'm off to check the washing up pile through the viewfinder of my digital SLR.  8-)

Kevin



35190
General Discussion Area / Re: hows that going to work then
« on: 13 March 2007, 11:12:58 »
 ;D

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