2006 Deep Black Track Shed BudgetBoltOnBuild

So, as updates go... Another one.

Car is booked in with Alex at AWMotorworks for a gearbox rebuild, new clutch & slave cylinder, clutch damper delete and more importantly, a Blackline diff. I can't justify the cost of a Gripper sadly as the car was supposed to be a cheap track toy :tearsofjoy: If the 'box had lasted a bit longer then a Gripper would have been the way to go as I'd have more time to save the money. I went out to the car today and the bite point is on the floor, I can't select any gears now unless I put it in first and start the engine with the handbrake on. I'd have limped it through Croft but that would have been no fun!
 
So the update that I was putting off for a bit until I'd sorted something out...

Last week on Tuesday, we were all called into the office at work and told the company was failing and we were all out of a job, which ultimately meant I lost the use of the Navara and my nice new Brian James T6 Transporter trailer. Very upsetting to lose all 3 in one day but these things unfortunately happen, the company was spending more than it was making and the recent hike in fuel prices was crippling us! (We'd take on a job at our Jan 2022 rates and we'd be losing £50 per delivery, it wasn't viable to do anymore!)

So onto the real reason for the update. I'd put my trailer up for sale last year but never sold it due to absolute timewasters. After the money that I'd spent on it and the previous owner had spent, I wouldn't budge on the price and I was getting lowballed all the time so I parked it up on my Father in laws farm in a barn and forgot about it. What had also happened in that time was the BMW also hadn't sold which was a blessing in disguise really. It had, however, killed the battery completely. New battery for £125 and it fired into life again! For 2 days... I took on some agency work last week and started it on Friday, went out to the 5 and it just turned over and over and over and wouldn't fire up. Over the weekend I faffed about with it and ended up with 4 potential culprits.
Fuse 50 in the rear fuse box (controls the fuel pump)
Fuel pump controller
Fuel pump relay
Fuel pump(s).

Started with the fuse. Popped as soon as I put a new one in, strange as the keys were in my pocket at the time. Tried another one. Pop. Ended up finding that the fuel pump controllers are picky when it comes to a new battery so I ordered a second hand one off ebay from a breaker for £10. Also ordered a new fuel pump and relay too just in case it wasn't that. Controller turned up and it worked straight away. It's been behaving for the past 5 days so fingers crossed!

So that means the Towpig is back!
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Oh. I start my new job on Monday. I'm done with trying to work for small companies now. I'm going to be working for Group Tyre, so hopefully a bit more job security there!
 
Some real shit luck. But at least the Beamer will get you out of a pickle.

Fingers crossed! It's currently having a new windscreen fitted for the upcoming MOT. I've also got to fit the replacement wiring looms for the split tailgate because E61 things.

The Clio is still booked in with Alex for the 'box refurb and diff install for the 12th April so that's still going ahead in time for Croft!
 
So... Not to be deterred by the job loss and other assorted downers this past few weeks has thrown at me, I stuck with my original plan of getting the 'box rebuilt by Alex at AWMotorworks.

Car was loaded and ready to go last night so around 6.30 this morning I hit the road down to see a man about a diff. I didn't take many pictures and Alex also only took a few pictures but he seemed impressed with the fact my gearbox was the original from the car being built back in 2006. What he was even more impressed by was the fact there wasn't much wrong other than the 3rd gear synchro. His mate Nick was less than impressed when he got a face full of CV grease from a previous boot clip failure :tearsofjoy:

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The box came off without a fight and everything was cleaned up with liberal amounts of brake cleaner, then into the parts washer went the bellhousing and a few other bits. Alex and Nick did a really good job of this and it's a shame it won't be seen again, all hardware was replaced with zinc plated hardware and it looks pukka!

Alex replaced all the bearings and seals, along with a new 3rd and 4th synchro. New OEM clutch and slave went in, it was quite impressive to see that the clutch still had plenty of material left after 124k miles! Sadly it was contaminated with fluid after the slave failed. The new Blackline diff is in and will get a thorough testing on the 6th May at Croft!

In other news, I accepted a job offer this morning so that's made my day even better. Even after parting with £1600 for the work:sweatsmile:
 
Did you get them to put new C-Clip on the input shaft? There are two documented failures on this forum that I know of…
 
Boring update. No pictures...

Been using the Clio as a daily for the past week while the Panzerwagen is having the exhaust manifold and EGR cooler replaced, it's done probably 250 miles or so and it's been a joy to drive, other than the faff of chucking harnesses on every time I get in it. I should probably have changed the brake pads from the ProRace pads back to my DS2500 but to be honest, it was too much like hard work so I'll just deal with it.

I can feel the diff working around roundabouts and stuff which is nice, fingers crossed it means Croft will be a bit more fun trying to keep up with some of you boys!
 
Trackday prep time!

Thankfully things are much easier to sort now, I have a few boxes that I use for fluids and spare brake pads etc... Along with a couple sets of tools that are fairly basic but will do the job is needs be.

Tow pig (now known to me as the BST - Big Silver Twat, due to the money pit it's become now I need it!) And Clio both got a bath today, nowt special but at least they're presentable rather than both being various shades of brown and caked in bird shit.
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Longest part of this was cleaning the 2 sets of wheels I've had sat in the garage while the car has been used as a daily. Both were absolutely hanging and had masses of rubber stuck to the inside. Both sets need refurbing sadly but that's not much of a concern right now.
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Thankfully Brian James makes a great drying rack that handily doubles as a trailer.

Now just waiting on a few service items for the BMW as I promised I'd change the oil if it eventually passed its MOT :sweatsmile:
Other than that, it's been plain sailing and hopefully we're ready for Croft on Friday!