RATS' Test Mule

[clee]

Never turn your hobby into your jobby

The JIL GTA race project has been up on axle stands for the last 2 years ...loads of bits in boxes but there is still just so much to do + all the customer cars stacking up . I have not had the time ....+ dosh is a slight issue

So ...this makes sense honest .Non runner for 2 year that turned out to be a very easy fix
Pretty tatty but she now runs and hopefully will not need much to get through MOT .It has leather seats that will be taken out and sold on ..poss going in the grey one behind ,that one has sat for 11 years but also fired up OK after a few hours work .

Plan is to get me something I can drive + take on some trackdays + test mule for tuning bits and bobs/engines etc etc .
Need to sort brakes + I think the wipers are stuck solid .Needs a few bits like alt and waterpump ..

[Prab]

I'm guessing this has the RATS ecu upgrade, how does it drive?

prab

[TNT ANDY]

Lovely to see this back on here Lee

[clee]

Now with added value MOT
Found a set of decent enough rear clusters ,replaced all calipers,pads and disks with new and a pair of new front tyres and she passed with no advisories
It is over fuelling though and the fuel pump is whineing .Temp sensors check out OK but I need to check the MAP .
Full to bursting at RATS' HQ and the drive is full at home so I'm negotiating for a bigger unit just across the yard and hoping the work keeps coming in .Might be I branch out into other rusty Rens

[Trevhib]

Clee, you always appear to have cars coming in. Does anything actually ever go back out the door?

[clee]

...errr sometimes but they do tend to hang around for a while ..mainly because we usually end up having to do this to them That blue one is just out the door after full lump rebuild ,recom after 5 years standing ,Grey one been stood for 11 years ......
Very rare I get one in for just a look and a service .99% come in for full resto ,stripped to the bones ,rust cut out of the plastic and full lump rebuilds ..average stay a couple of months ....
I've got 4 ready to go home but they tend to live miles away and people have busy lives so they stack up at home also ....

[clee]

Ahhh ...overfueling was dodgy reg ..all swapped out and good now

[Trevhib]

Ace You must be the go-to guy in the UK for these mate

[clee]

Pretty much

The old boys have all but packed it in .Roadspeed fella is well into his 70's and about to shut up shop I think and Paul Sage is working from home on the older models and general Ren stuff + he is London priced

[clee]

right now ,sit down but I've been titivating
Picked out a few choice bits and got out the detailing kit .
The interior has scrubbed up quite well .It needs a few bits but I think I have a box somewhere with pedal cover etc .Popped in my custom steering wheel boss and wheel ...Mint A/C scuttle cover ,I need a cleaner boot liner .
Wheel set blasted and going for powdercoat and sticky rubber .Car pulls very well now it's had a few miles and it's good to get back into one that I own ...means I can thrash it a bit more :evil:
I have a pile of re-furbed running gear subframe etc but I'll plonk that on slowly over the next few months ...Don't want o get another n a million bits and go nowhere for years

[TopCat]

Them wheels look so good!

Remember all your air conditioning needs are catered for

[clee]

Yep Ta .
The A/C seems to do something but not sure what as yet It's R12 though so will need upgrading and a bit outside my field of knowledge
Seals etc + change fittings ??Not going to happen anytime soon but on he list to do .

[TopCat]

Yep Ta .
The A/C seems to do something but not sure what as yet It's R12 though so will need upgrading and a bit outside my field of knowledge
Seals etc + change fittings ??Not going to happen anytime soon but on he list to do .

You won't even need to do that mate. I have an R12 "drop in" which we use. It would be a case of recovering the old refrigerant vac out system and re gas.

I can pop up and do it one weekend in the winter if you wanted, be good to have a look around the old alpines

[clee]

Will make a date

Open day at RATS on the 15th of this month .Should be lots to see but a bit of a trek for you .
https://www.facebook.com/events/193228637516406/

[TopCat]

Yeah bit of a trek. Summer/Autumn is always a busy time for me work wise, so can't leave the area in case work comes in.

Winter time I can re gas up at your place no probs

[clee]

[clee]

Where did I say Paul had packed it in Working on older and gen Ren I said
Someones been telling tales and I think I'm on yet another **** list
Got an outing to Lutterworth Renault on Friday in ELY for show and tell with the Alp boys and some boring old Nissans so I'll have to speak to him there and explain

[clee]

Stupid car

I treat it to some lovely new wheels and rubber and then it decides to conk and splutter just as I have an outing planned .....heat related/fuel ...summink..... won't rev ,conks ..leave it a few mins then starts etc etc etc ..
Still ....nice shiny .......going nowhere fast ....

[clee]

Was huge flakes of red paint from the inside of my jerry can clogging up the system
Took the tank out and cleared it ,was loads in the return from rear fuel pot so I ran a separate filtered pump feed to it from the front and flushed it all out .How it got past the front filter I don't know but have replaced both front and rear filters and she seems OK now .
However .....looks like I have a leaky expansion cap ...I hope ...

[clee]

Shake down continues and some things are coming back to life ,others not .
Fitted a nice new expansion bottle .......

then took if off


Seems OK when cold but obviously not when hot .To thin a wall or just crappy re-grind plastic but it's back to the old dirty Ren one and all is well ...just not as pretty .

[clee]

Further tarting + testing turbo today .
Plumbed in a proper gauge and it's holding good at 9psi ,11 psi pre throttle so more or less std .I'll be up at Scoffs next Sunday so will see what she does and pop in a few more psi if it will allow ..... see what we get atw :twisted:
It does seem to go well though or perhaps it's just me not having given one any real abuse for a few years .All the ones I've driven of late are either on new lumps or shakedown after full rebuild so .......
Found some better trim to pop on as the existing had been painted gloss black and had reacted and cracked ..I still need to get a strip of vinyl to hide the screen de-lam .

[Trevhib]

Coming along well Clee

[clee]

Thanks Trev

Got to resist the temptation to go too mad with it but these can't hurt OE dampers no longer exist and I can spec the springs ....

Might just wait a while and get into the new unit before I swap it all but must be back on the road in short order .
I have an engine I can dress up that seems OK and all the subframe,running gear in fresh new order as been buiding up stock parts .Just need a week to do it

Or ...I pop a set of cams in as well and get another 50 horses ...NO ! Stop now !!

[clee]

Car made it up to scoff's RR yesterday with no bother .....Seemed to lose a pot when first strapped down but I think it was just nerves
After a few tinkers all was well by pure WTFness and on she went again
Std car with 100k on the clock and seems to have lost less than 1hp a year from new


Some small hoses have sprung small leaks but nothing major and I will be getting it back up North sometime soon for a lick of paint as a Christmas present to myself

[clee]

Not much more progress of late except that I have prepped a load of running gear etc ready for a big swap and sent some engine bits off for deep clean and a few fettles .
I have just had these knocked up and will be testing spring rates in the next few weeks .


Moving unit on Friday and will have more than double the space to fill so hopefully able to get old JIL round and in sight to grab a few hours and progress that as well .