Sometimes you have a win...

There was some danger of flooding affecting 66's secure storage recently and I was leaving for a few weeks. So I moved it to a friend's 5 car garage as a precaution.

I returned to find the R-pins missing from its bonnet securing clips and a car that wouldn't start. For some reason, I can only attribute to peer pressure, he said he'd started it to show his brother but claimed not to have driven it. Where the R-clips had gone was a mystery.

66 has always been a reliable starter and I was getting quite concerned when none of the obvious things made a difference. Visions of him taking her out and missing a change etc leaving the R-pins by the roadside were dancing in the back of my mind and things weren't looking great as its an especially good example of that engine and I'd hate to lose it.

Rego was overdue too, having been away, and that just complicated matters. I still was nervous how its full harness, side exhaust etc might be received by most inspection garages.

A phone call to the south coast led to the electrical engineer who'd originally wired the car. He put me onto a local race mechanic with experience of clubbies and I flat-bedded it over to him.
It took him a few hours to work out that the relay that tells the ECU to maintain fuel pressure after the starter is released was sticking and to return 66 to her normal glowing health.
For this act of mercy he wanted $40!
The first time in my life I've felt like kissing a man.

"Um, don't s'pose you do rego inspections?"
"No but Mark, across the road, might fit you in."

The only problem Mark found was that although they looked good from the outside, the rear runs a lot of neg camber and the inner tread depth was just about used up.
I got the order in in time to catch the suppliers truck from Brisbane and had a new pair of R888 Toyos on the back by lunch the next day.

So here I am with 66 in full health, two great new race mechanics, one of them a sympathetic inspection ticket holder who races sprintcars himself, and a big smile on my face.
I paid a bit over the top for the flatbed and the tyres but figure that if 'd waited a week to get them at a lower price I would've missed this mornings battle with a 900 kawasaki over the back road from the Channon to Kyogle.

Wouldn't have missed that for quids!

 

Well done Dave, good to hear of something fun coming your way.

 

Good story...so...where are the pins? you'll have to start driving faster or decrease the camber at the back.

 

+1

 

that is a good road from memory, I'd live in Kyogle if they had a Ferrari mechanic

 

this thread needs pics

 

Fantastic!! Pics???

 

I keep on forgetting to take my camera out with me, Speedy.

The missing R-pins remain a mystery. They're not in the garage she was in and no-one is admitting finding them in their pants pocket.
Its looking like a hassle to find replacements, so far. They are quite small. 2.5 or 3mm dia at most. None of the places I've tried have such small ones in stock.

Yeah PP. Driving faster has to be the solution. I don't want to change its current settings as Sonja at Redback has put a lot into tuning the suspension. A woman that understands racing suspension better than most men commands my respect.
I'm in no hurry to alter her handiwork.

 

there's a woman by the name of Olga that is good with the handiwork as well

 

hehehe

 

+308!!!!

 

How does she feel about wearing a six point harness on a drive?

 

just call her on my phone and ask her

 

It's great that you look at the positives Dave, with what you've been through lately mate it's good to hear you're happy.

 

Thanks, Brett.
Happy is probably over-stating it a bit.
However if you're going to cry over the bummers in life you'd better appreciate the blessings.
ATM I have sunny weather, a car that cries out to be enjoyed and the free time to do it.

I figure I'd better get some practice in with her before Horse and the boys finish their cars. Think I might have a HP disadvantage there.

 

What is the length of the R-Pin mate?

 

We're working on "Brett" time.

 

Really small Pap. About 1 1/2" or 2".
They slip through a very small dia set of holes to secure over-center bonnet clips.
I'll get some accurate numbers and a pic or two tomorrow.

 

Interesting R-Clips are that hard to procure.

Glad to see it's otherwise sorted!

 

North coast lethargy strikes again!
"Sure. I can get them in".
"Call me monday".

Five days to get a handful of r-pins from Brisbane!

 

I would have had a good look under the bonnet....they could have been left there whilst whoever was having a geek then whoever forgot to re-clip them when finished

 

That occurred to me and I did log a few hours in the engine bay examining almost the entire wiring harness. They weren't in there though.
This area has thousands of acres of maccadamia farms with a huge bush rat population feasting on the nuts that lay on the ground year long. The little buggers chew any plastic coated wiring they can get at to sharpen their teeth.
When the lawn-mower or whatever wont start thats the first thing we look for, around here.

Frustrating!

I might make up one of those "Look but don't touch" signs, "unless you want to be punched"

 

So...................the rats read ???

 

Ha ha ha!!

 

we have smarter rats on the east coast ..... everything gradually gets dumber as it goes west