Every cloud...... British Vita

[Pete]

Mike Taylor got in touch recently about a new article he's writing on BVRT. There's so few members of the team left now though that I doubt there's much new to come but maybe he'll find some new images? Great to see progress Trev. Will Dick was telling me at weekend about you getting the original number plate hanger back with the outline of your number plate on it!

[trevorhp]

Mike Taylor got in touch recently about a new article he's writing on BVRT. There's so few members of the team left now though that I doubt there's much new to come but maybe he'll find some new images? Great to see progress Trev. Will Dick was telling me at weekend about you getting the original number plate hanger back with the outline of your number plate on it!

Hi Pete
I was trying really hard to get to the Gold Cup meeting but a failed delivery to us on Friday set me back by a day and we never recovered Hey-Ho
Interesting to know about Mike Taylor's article, where will it be published?

Not really sure who is left now from the original members

Will was so kind to let me have both the original gearbox and the number plate hanger He is a real star.
I have so many questions for him once I get to see him....dropped by his place last month, on the off chance, and he was in Wales ...typical, left him a Carbon/Kevlar demo seat to try though.
He was probably the last person the see the '68 spec car complete when Barry had it in '69, Norman says he last saw it at the end of '68.
Trevor

[Pete]

where will it be published?

Not really sure who is left now from the original members

In Mini World I would think. He did quite a good one on Fitzy a couple of months ago, who coincidentally was giving the pots out at Oulton on Monday!

As for team members, not many! Big Ron Whitham is still about and Gillibrand I think plus Alec and Whizz obviously. I'm seeing Norman this week so will ask who else?

[trevorhp]

where will it be published?

Not really sure who is left now from the original members

In Mini World I would think. He did quite a good one on Fitzy a couple of months ago, who coincidentally was giving the pots out at Oulton on Monday!

As for team members, not many! Big Ron Whitham is still about and Gillibrand I think plus Alec and Whizz obviously. I'm seeing Norman this week so will ask who else?

If you feel it is appropriate.....would you ask about the Trophies

[trevorhp]

Progress is a little slow due to the good weather, gardening duty
I will post pictures asap.
However we are well on the way to replacing the small amount of rusty metal and preservong the vast majority of the original steel.
We will have to replace the rear valence as it was too fear gone to patch, also one front hedlamp rim was beyond repair.
Need a couple of heads up on details...
What material was used to seal the joint between the boot floor and the rear panel inside the boot/
How was this material originally applied? (looks like a broom may have been used or someones fingers),
it is quite rough and uneven where it remains intact.
In the corners of many of the joints (wing to scuttle inside the corner of the bonnet aperture) there is a white putty like material....what is this likely to be?
Mark suggested Dum-Dum in an earlier post but I seem to remember that being black.
Thanks Trevor

[mk1]

The seam sealer originally used was a sort of bitumen based tarry stuff that was sprayed on. It usually also went round the battery box & most other seams. I have no idea what it was, but this could give you some ideas.

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... -M-639.pdf

[trevorhp]

The seam sealer originally used was a sort of bitumen based tarry stuff that was sprayed on. It usually also went round the battery box & most other seams. I have no idea what it was, but this could give you some ideas.

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... -M-639.pdf

Most useful thanks Mark

ps dum-dum now ceased production some time ago EU rules I guess

[mk1]

ps dum-dum now ceased production some time ago EU rules I guess.

I would think it's more to do with the vast array of RTV silicone products that have taken the place in the market, all of which were better than original Dum Dum. Green Hylomar went the same way, sadly none of the similar products do exactly the same thing.

[Tim Harber]

Not been on here for ages and missed a fair bit. All cheery stuff thanks Trevor

Just looked how to add a pic and have this as a question

21686431_10213625550130512_3675955284343761778_n.jpg

Whats the registration or otherwise on this? Obviously rang a bell for moi

Had my spare bonnet on for Oulton by way of distraction

[Pete]

That's Geoff Wood's car Tim. His son has been posting some nice picstures of it on my facebook page. Not sure where the number came from but it was on for years, I'll ask him!

[rich@minispares.com]

That's Geoff Wood's car Tim. His son has been posting some nice picstures of it on my facebook page. Not sure where the number came from but it was on for years, I'll ask him!

its a Grimsby plate

spooky that tims car is a codhead issue as well isn't it?

[Tim Harber]

Thought it must be a bodge but now looked and EE was last issued in Grimsby in 1930 so its quite an early model....

EEE is however as common as...

[Pete]

EE 88 was on Geoff Woods' Mrs' own Mini, like you say Tim a vintage number.

[rich@minispares.com]

its a shame its vanished, it would be worth a good few quid now

I do like 'EE' combination plates

[fricsman]

Went to college in Nottingham many years ago with a lad from Grimsby who had a Minivan with the reg PEE 39.
Had occasion recently to consult a Urologist at the local Nuffield Hospital, in the car park was a red Audi TT with the reg A1 PEE. His car of course! Now on a white 911 Cabriolet.

[IAIN]

slightly off topic I know... I was out in Falkirk tonight and passed a Bently with registration EE 9 on it.

[rich@minispares.com]

I can't go blooming anywhere!

[trevorhp]

Might be worth talking to Tony Fletcher at Premier Fuel Systems, I believe Tony may have worked at Marston back in the day

Hi Graham
Tried to contact Tony at Premier only to find out he retired !!! Lucky man
However I spoke to Richard...what a great bloke
He is able to make a replica bag tank with the correct filler, what a result.

Tony did work for Marston but via another company doing mouldings.
Thanks for the lead.

[trevorhp]

Out of interest, does your car have a removable/hinged lower part of its battery box ?

I believe this was done so the a dry cell/small type battery could remain in the original position, I think the fuel bag also utilised some of the battery box area too, but have never seen it myself and am just going by my understanding of what I have read.

Well I have managed to work out what went on under the bag tank......
It appears that the dry cell battery went in under the tank on its side because access from the top was blocked by the tank.
I could not understand why the side and base of a perfectly sound battery box was welded on three sides
However once I cut the welds the side became a detachable panel held in place with the lip on the top and two bolts and presumably a bar across the front to hold it in place
Its not too easy to describe or see as the bolts have been cut off and the retaining bar is missing
The pictures may help
Thanks to Paul for the lead and the clues to what went on there.
As to other progress well the Mk1 rear light panels are back in...just the rear window aperture to re-size with some very slow careful welding and lots of heat sinks in place to prevent/minimize distortion.
Pictures of this work to follow later.

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IMG_2688.JPG

IMG_2686.JPG

IMG_2690.JPG

IMG_2694.JPG

[trevorhp]

The removable panel

IMG_2689.JPG