Skoze

As you can see from how long it's taken me to reply, that is completely accurate.

Seriously impressed with what you've done there Dan, nice one! Also made a little headway this weekend - might just be ready for my mate's wedding next month after all if we really go for it.

Loving your work Dan! Really been enjoying following this from LurkTown. Dunno if I ever posted this, but it's about to be showtime on the Landy. Capri went last weekend so get some cash to play with, i'm getting very excited... 3.9 Rover putting out a WHOPPING 180-ish bhp, running megajolt and EFI, not masses of power but it should be quite fun in something that weighs just over a tonne and had 50bhp new. Bought a reconditioned gearbox which will probably last about two weeks, picked up an overdrive so it's geared to a real-world 140mph (not that I think i'd be able to hold on til that), and building up a stronger rear axle with hardened shafts and an LSD for skids and wheelies. Might convert the 10" single line drums to front discs, or just plumb the remote servo back in, might be sensible. It's going to be interesting for sure.

I'm loving my Jag.

Yup, it's basically exactly that but a touch newer. It's done well, it's just getting very irritating at certain points now! The more I think about it, the more just gritting my teeth and going for a 5diii is making sense but the Sony's something i've not considered at all! Looking into it though it's definitely a contender, especially up against a 6d. Speaking of which, seeing some of its video issues I think it may have all but written itself out of the equation (which is massively annoying given how good it seems to be in low light for stills!) I've not long come back to shooting digital after a few years almost exclusively using film and the difference between using the 28mm on my Canon EF and coming back to a 24mm on the crop 550 just in terms of composition makes a very strong case for full frame... As for budget, was thinking about 800 for a body, although I could just exercise some patience and put some more pounds in the fund.

Need some camera advice dudes. 550D's been an absolute workhorse for the past however long but i'm now frequently meeting the limits of what it can do, so it's time for an upgrade. Use it for absolutely everything, but mostly documentary/ street/ sports. 550's done 6 years service so i'd be wanting to get the best part of 10 out of whatever comes next. Torn between: 7d Mk2: can still use all the lenses i've got (especially the Tokina fisheye for making riding/ skate videos and stuff), seems a good bit of kit but getting one second hand doesn't seem to be all that possible yet. 5d Mk2/ 6d: full frame would be super nice but then a few lenses become obsolete. Seem pretty reasonably priced second hand but i'm aware the 5d2 bodies are getting on a bit now. 5d Mk3: Save up for a few months and go all out, still face having to buy new lenses to go with it, but then never want to replace it ever... Thoughts?

Picked it up on Friday so far i've managed to spend £100 driving to Birmingham and back.

Bought a Jag XJ6. Year's MOT. £300. Hilarity to ensue.

When you say fitting a head gasket I hope you mean buying a bottle of steel seal.

Anyone got a link to a "How to fit a stereo to something that's never had one before ever" guide? Thinking of either doing it 'properly' with a shallow sub and some 6x9s or making use of the fairly decent speakers I have that are about to become redundant; @CurtisRiderdo i remember you doing something with a set of computer speakers ages a go? Just wanna build a box with some shit in it to sit behind the rear bulkhead in the Landy, just simple to plug my phone/ ipod into. Fleet update; Capri's gonna go in the new year as it's starting to really suffer from my lack of interest/ garage/ money and needs a better owner. I also need to progress with my life and having two money pits isn't really conducive to that. I've also got some motivation back for the Landy, just gonna build it up to be what it should've always been. TDI's sold and gone, got a 3.9 Rover V8 running EFI and Megajolt going in next month, then gotta stick a fresh box behind it and beef up the axle a bit. Hardened shafts and an LSD for doing skids. Just need to work out the best way to get the fuel to it and re-drill the flywheel to take a Series clutch.

Saw this unfolding on facebook, absolutely awful news. Thinking of the family, will do my best to make the funeral - Charlie was a diamond.

Was running a bit noisy, so ran it over to my mate's place (big boss at Burton and been dicking about with Essex' on and off for 35 years) who's half a mile away as its first trip out, both of us were scratching our heads over what the f**k it was so i'm gonna pull it apart before it gets trashed. This car, this f**king car...

Capri's f**ked again lol

It lives again, again.

Next year...

u ok m8?

Still had plenty of oil pressure! No idea, clattering halt, rad header split, whatever - surprisingly i'm not that gutted. Think i'll take it as a sign to stop f**king about and just give the original block to someone to get it rebuilt properly. The one that's in it is still worth a few hundred quid for the pistons and block, so that'll pay towards it nicely.

Guess who's got a Capri with a seized engine? Clue; it's me.

Passed MOT with no advisories! General consensus was cam noise of some degree, still gonna strip it down and see what's what when I have the time and motivation to do so. We'll get there eventually...

All very good suggestions... These heads are from an oval hot rod which had a mental cam in it so i've not really given the springs much thought - certainly could be worth checking out though as it's one thing fitted working largely on the basis of assumption... Jon Wade did also warn me i'll be spending my life keeping these tappets adjusted so you're probably on to something Jardo! Got MoT in an hour so i'll gently nip it round the corner then start pulling things apart when I get home. Need to drop the sump anyway as i'd like to change the oil pump, fitted a high pressure one and my gauge is telling me that wasn't remotely necessary.

I'm inclined to agree there, it's not really got a rattle to it just very consistent. I did set all valve clearances before it went in but will re-check when I re-torque heads - it's probably been running for about 5 minutes max as I keep wimping out and shutting it off not wanting to hurt it any more. It's also pretty smoky in the engine bay, I'm not too surprised as there's a lot of fresh paint and some oil's got about no doubt, gonna double check all exhaust nuts though but sounds far too hard to be a leak. MoT station/ garage is half a mile from home, so i'll run it over there for test tomorrow and get another opinion on it. Either way, i'll drop the sump immediately after and have the caps off.

To quote the Streets, "It was supposed to be so eeeeeasyyyyyyy" Was fine first start, now it's got a good old knock on. Even with my most naive, positive-thinking cap on i'm struggling to believe this isn't a rod - however, it's got brand new bearings and all journals are within tolerance so it doesn't quite add up. Thoughts? Increases with revs but doesn't really get louder or more frantic. I've been told this cam is noisy but i'm struggling to believe it's that... Yours, off to find another another another engine.

Needs ironing out and i'm questioning how smart this cam choice was but;

I'm too excited to sleep, genuinely tempted to call in sick tomorrow and stay up all night spannering.

Got that twatty intercooler fitted then? Nice work! What are they standard? Just got some hours in on Big Tone after work, it's now got a working clutch which means it's full steam ahead to get it running this weekend. Also I need a lower jack, having to do this to reach under the sills every time is a bit silly. But I could definitely bring back the 70s street rod look...