1st breakdown & hopefully last.

[jbcollier]

Very cool!  Love to see a video of the engine being run through its paces.

[SilverBeast]

Very cool!  Love to see a video of the engine being run through its paces.

...and one of your face in the passenger seat while he's doing it as well!😇

[rjbaren]

An update.  The next size up Mikuni carb needles ordered from Fox Distributors in St Charles, IL have arrived from California and I have installed them.  I was on the richest setting of the previous needles and I was advised to start in the middle of the five grooves of the next size up needle which I did.  The car runs even better.  I can cruise at 40 MPH in 5th gear now if I choose.  I took it back to PHP Racengines shop where Leo Franchi (the race car driver) and I went for another ride with the air fuel mixture rig in the tailpipe while I held the gauge in the passenger seat for Leo to check the mixture readings.  I suggested maybe I should drive, but Leo insisted he drive as he needed to feel it.   So off we went, blasting around the two lanes and Leo was giggling while accelerating.  The numbers on the gauge were right on and Leo said the car is excellent.  The car is quite loud but it really sings when Leo runs through the revs, he revs it a lot higher than I ever have.  But man that car goes!

Leo still doesn't like my brakes.  I have removed the boosters and redone everything with a different mater cylinder.  Leo suggests I get a "stickier" set of pads.  Any suggestions?  (By the way, I have had two other guys from Northshore Sportscars who reinstalled the engine and own and race an S2 Europa and they made no comment about the brakes).

I have also completed the relays for the headlights, and radiator fan and included and override switch replacing the instrument light dimmer on the dash.

Next project is to install the new screw on oil cap from RD enterprises.  I have the three ear cap but it leaks unless it is backed off a partial turn and I am not comfortable with that idea.  I cut a small gasket and put it under the O-ring on the cap but now it is so tight I need a channel lock to remove and replace the cap.         

I also removed some wiring crimp connectors I didn't like at the alternator with proper color coded wires from British Wiring and soldered the connections and re-taped the harness and it looks very closed to original.  The new tape is a bit cleaner and shinier, for now. 

I have also removed the Tach and sent yesterday to Nisonger for the magic needed to make it work again after installing the FAST electronic ignition.  It was always pegged.

This may be the last project I undertake for a while, I hope.  I think it's time to do more driving.  I keep the rear hood open without the trunk box, and often find myself in the garage just staring at that beautiful motor.   

Thanks to everyone for all the help and invaluable information.  What a cool car and cool group of people.

[Clifton]

The easiest way to get better feeling brakes is to move the pivot on the brake pedal.  More travel = better feel and slightly softer pedal. Old sohc Honda bikes had a too large mc and felt horrible too, zero feel. "Stickier" pads would be a race pad. Not nice when cold, loud, and wear rotors pretty fast. Look into brake pedal ratio.

[Bainford]

You've made fantastic progress. I fully agree; time to do much more driving.

[jbcollier]

Once you're completely happy, it would be nice to know the carb set up details.

[jbcollier]

Brake feel is subjective, brake performance is not.  Find a quiet straight road or parking lot, nothing narrow or tree lined.  Try a series of hard stops with you "squeezing" the brake pedal to give time for the weight to transfer to the front.  Don't just jump on the pedal.  You should be able to lock the fronts but not easily.  The rear brakes should not lock before the fronts.  When the fronts lock, try backing off slightly to get the fronts gripping again.

So, how were they?  Did you find the pressure required to lock the fronts reasonable? Too high?  Too low?  Did the rear brakes lock after the fronts?  Were you able to modulate the brakes?  Could you, with a bit of practice, bring the fronts to the threshold of locking and hold them there?  Did the brakes fade?

I prefer aggressive street pads and nothing that requires warming up.  EBC greenstuff are "good" but they will fade in the mountains.  Presently using Mintex 1144s.  Haven't tried them in the mountains yet.

[rjbaren]

I did some hard stopping today.  The front brakes lock before the rears.  I seemed to be able to find the threshold where the fronts are about to lock up.   I need more time behind the wheels to really get to know what I have.  I drove about 500 miles before my distributor screw fiasco and now it feels like a different car.  I have driven maybe 150 miles so far so I have a ways to get before I really know this car.   

The Mikunis, hydraulic clutch, and the rear lower control arms made  a huge difference.  The lower control arm had a little bit of a curve on one side so with the engine coming out it was a good time to change them.   Now it is straight and adjustable.   

[BDA]

It sounds like things are falling into place!