Hello guys, sorry I am keeping a low profile these days - I am working flat out (as I need to to pay for this crazy hobby...)
The £50k you refer to is sadly a very distant memory. As you kow I have effectively paid for the same car to be built twice now and although the car is now very local to me I don't have the time or skill to do what is required. It has been very tempting to flog the new car and keep the original blue one which is not as pretty but far, far more reliable due to being much closer to factory spec.
I still haven't been able to match the best results in the blue car
which got us a best of 6th OA and 1st in class at Emcos in 2009. The key reason is that every time I drive the new car I have to re learn it as it changes between every event (or even during the event!)
First the good news -
The shell appears to have been very well prepared from outset, only one minor issue found to date (see bad news)
The braking balance now seems ok, albeit the rear bias has been wound in so far they are doing very little. I subsequently found out that the Aston Vantage they come from is actually heavier at the back, so no wonder the rears are overkill on my car...
The electrics now seem sorted after a second new loom has been fitted (and had all surplus wires removed)
The fuelling system has been totally replaced, including new custom made ally tank, all new pumps etc - now ok
The cooling system is better, but engine temps still climb to almost 100c after a fast stage when queing for the next. Far better than the previous system which saw 130c, but not as good as the blue car which uses an original BMW rad...? I don't think the occasional 98c is going to do much harm, but the dash light is configured to come on at 95c so I do keep an eye on it
New suspension seems good though has created massive issues...
New carbon dash and interior works well and looks pimpy
Power steering. Abandoned the variable assistance electric Corsa column, now on Merc A Class which powers the rack not the column. Far better system.
Engine was ok, until first stage at last event when the rings went in a big way. Bit of a bugger it seemed fine pre event. I'm about to have a new engine built anyway, but the car won't be ready for tomorrow's Smeatharpe event so having to take the blue car again. Not ideal and the second time I've had to use it this year.
Bad news
When engine let go it also trashed exhaust, so new light weight one being made (no traditional baffles only angled metal plates)
New suspension has caused massive head aches - bent rear arms to a crazy angle at one event causing all sorts of handling issues. Arms now strengthened twice and now don't budge, but at rally before Abingdon the beam got banana'd, causing variable camber and breaking a drive shaft putting us out - so now on 16 DNFs! Also manged to bend the front arms too, which are the ones originally made by Granville, which amazed the new chap as he thought they very very well made. These have now had additional strenthening too.
Beam now strenthened and we also found that in the original build the diff was only located to the floor, these posts had cracked not surprisingly as they wern't mounted to anything (shown in photos earlier in thread). Now diff properly located to the cage.
Diff also needed TLC and although the standard ones have done me proud up to now I have decided to fit a Gripper diff now as I hope the new engine will put a bit more power through it...
So, finally the good news outweighs the bad
Apart from the mass of DNFs the biggest problem is that I have to relearn the car every time I drive it at the moment as the set up keeps changing and this doen't only affect handling but also knock on effects on braking distance etc... Once we finally have the car set up and I can get to know it I hope the good results will come our way. I was hoping to be at this stage about 5 moths ago, spend this year learning the car and considering doing a national championship next year... not sure I want to commit to that unless I can get the car reliable and consistent very soon.
Current jobs:
Build and fit new engine - S50, 3.2 head, Schrick cams, 3.0 bottom end, 3.2 sump, JE race pistons, nitrided crank, steel rods.
Intending to fit sequential, probably Drenth and ideally paddleshit too - although I must sell blue car to fund this. Seems a bit crazy swapping a nice rally car for a gearbox but there you go...
Fabricate new exhaust
Try and reduce heat in the cabin, the insulating blanket under the tunnel got ripped off some time ago, now looking at fixing some metal permanent sheilding.
The list of jobs is shortening and not before time...
No events planned for July or August so this should give us a chance to get the car sorted and tested - fingers crossed....
- serious question....
Not knocking the fact that you have paid for rather than built the car yourself - just clarifying my comment.
but you did things in a somewhat blinkered way instead of coming on and talking to the some of the more clued up forum members and getting more than one view on the way things are done! rather than go with one mans (sometimes odd) ideas! 
