Progress

Finally, some progress.

After another lengthy hiatus, work has started again, only possible as I now have help and the car is in a proper workshop.

Lots of decisions to be made, firstly I was never happy with the fuelling setup. Twin tanks complicates things and everything I read about them leads to problems. So the one behind the driver (me) can go. The tanks are 2.5 galleons each, so will be fine for a track day session. By losing the driver one, it also helps balance the weight if there is no passenger (even with a passenger, my COVID ballast will take some balancing!). 

Without that tank it also means that the driver seat can go backwards a little to give my lanky legs a little more room. However, there is also another use for that space which I'll get to later.

Next decision was around the gear changes. I wanted an electronic paddle shift, but that costs £££. From talking to the experts, they're also trouble, they need too much power and you risk losing spark and stalling which is something I'd rather avoid. An alternative is to go with hydraulics, but that costs £££££ and again is complex with either a compressor needed or having to top up a tank.

So the decision is to go with a stick shift, mechanical. It's not ideal, and will cost lap time, but not as much time as breaking down. Plus it will still be fun and I can always change when I save enough pennies.

The big progress has been the wiring, the loom is now extended and mostly in place. A lithium battery is on order, none of this old school acid or gel malarkey! This does beg the question of where to put the power commander, rectifier and all that gubbins. I wanted it under the nose cone on the passenger side, but that meant lengthening a load more cables, so it can go in the handy position which has just been made available behind the driver where the 2nd tank was going to be.

One more expenditure, a water pump. The pump on the 'busa lump isn't enough to circulate the now bigger system with the upgraded radiator that I fitted, so an additional pump is on it's way.

In the final picture here, you can also just make out the clutch slave is mounted on a custom bracket. Not sure how it's meant to go according to the kit, but as I never got a manual...