EXCEL V8

Yes - both set-ups were used at different times - yours is the later pattern. On the earlier ones there is a three-way connector and a brake pipe goes to each side of the chassis and into a flexible hose and on to the brake cylinder - you have to bleed each cylinder separately. Pete

It probably has a/c as it has the Chrysler alternator that was fitted to cars with a/c, and below that you can see the Harrison A6 compressor. The interior looks correct for it's age. Pete

Cartridge-type bearing is top of the list, followed by beefier double-row like the Esprit used, or properly spaced/shimmed tapered roller bearings like your Jag hub carriers use. Bearing availability/dimensions will probably dictate choice in the end if original driveshafts are to be retained. The two hub carriers can be told apart by the machining on the "nose" - the early ones were not machined and had a larger diameter "dirt flinger", and vice versa for the later ones. I'll have a look to see if I have a spare early one in the lock-up (may take a few days). Pete

Ouch!! Yes - the circlip is the only thing retaining the bearing in the hub carrier. The bearings are ridiculously expensive just because they are rare now. I'm going to have a chat (if they ever let us out again!) with the foundry I'm using for another project to talk to them about re-casting the hub carriers to allow the fitting of bigger, stronger bearings. Is your damaged hub an early or late type? Pete

My 1974 radiator has two M10 studs at the bottom on angled brackets. The brackets are a permanent fixture on the radiator itself. The top twisted brackets attach to the inboard headlight pod fixing bolts with M8 nuts/washers. Pete

Well done Brian! Costly exercise but worth it. And you now have lots of knowledge about Dellortos . The rear wheel bearings aren't hard to deal with so long as the lower stud comes out of the casting - often a lot of heat is required! Let us know how you get on. Pete

Check first to confirm that the steel "spring" is in place around the diecast aluminium alloy body of the assembly - it should be immediately behind the threaded section. Lotus position may be required! Pete

Geof - take a look at T7 Design's website - lots of different compressor/pulley configurations. Nice company to deal with as well. Pete

Thought I'd check in the shed before venturing off to the lock-up - I've got the steel part you are looking for Brian. I assume you're aware that the instruments mount to the steel part with the "wooden" mask fitting over the top. I might have the veneered masks somewhere, but I do remember that they were rather warped at the corners (people over-tighten them). Pete

I think I might have an SE style steel instrument mounting panel in the lock-up. I'll try and have a look over the next couple of days. I don't remember throwing it away (but there are lots of things I don't remember these days!!). Pete

I'll also be using a total of three as well - one fixed pulley between aircon compressor and crank, one eccentric between crank and alternator - both on one belt, and an eccentric one between crank and blower - separate belt. Pete

I'm hoping to use one idler and one tensioner as well, but not a spring-loaded type - I'm going to use a second eccentric timing belt tensioner and manually tension the serpentine belt. So long as you can get pretty close to the required belt length the eccentric tensioners are really compact, unlike most of the spring-type tensioners I've seen so far. If you need a pulley with a LH thread fastener - Saab use them, but I don't recall which model. Pete

Looking good Steve! Is the alternator going to act as tensioning pulley, or will you run a separate pulley? Pete

Happy Christmas fellow wedge owners - or as close as we can manage this year!! Hopefully there will be some meet-ups next year! Winter Solstice today! Spring is on it's way Pete

I have a restoration thread going on Excel.net - although there's been nothing to post for a while . Stuff seems to be going glacially slow at the moment! I'll post up the engine build on here though when I get properly started on it! It will be good to see the parts you've had made as well Steve - thanks for that! Pete