CRS rebuild after a Castle Coombe incident

[dart427]

Bruce, do you know whether these brakes are still deliverable by AP Racing (part number?). Will these brakes fit to 15" wheels?
   
   Cheers,
   
   Horst

[C9OBY]

quote:Originally posted by dart427
   
Bruce, do you know whether these brakes are still deliverable by AP Racing (part number?). Will these brakes fit to 15" wheels?
   
   Cheers,
   
   Horst
   

   
   Horst, I don't have a part number, but will phone the company that refurbshed them for me in case they can help.  I cannot remember who told me, but I think the issue is getting the right brake disks (the suggestion being that they are no longer manufactured).  Lots of conjecture I'll admit - let me see what I can do to unearth something a little more factual.
   
   I am running 15" wheels, so can confirm that they do fit, but they ONLY JUST clear the rim (about 3mm space between caliper and inner rim).  As a result, I had to relocate my lead wheel-balancing weights. Probably not a problem,but something to be aware of nonetheless.

[Superarnie Mk2]

Dear all,
   
   I was told by John Owen a few years ago that BG Developments in England (Bob Green) used to supply brake packs to AC Cars using AP Racing Products. I contacted Bob last year and he confirmed this. He confirmed that the AP discs used on the CRS/Superblowers are now obselete however he still has the old AP technical drawings and can either make a new set for you or if I remember rightly he mentioned he could modify a Seat brake disc which actually worked out alot cheaper. The AP Racing brake caliper Pt. Number was: CP5205 which is a lug mount caliper [fit directly onto the suspension].  (That caliper was also used on Ford Cosworth brake upgrades I believe)The kit also worked with a 291mm x 30mm discs.
   Hope this is of value
   Regards
   Gary
   PS: C9OBY- Your car looks superb!!

[Alan Faulkner-Stevens]

Firstly, well done to Bruce. His hard work shows just how well a CRS can be repaired and ensures that any other CRS owners who unfortunately damages his or her car can get it repaired to a high standard.
   As to the AP brakes on the CRS, after I learned that AP were discontinuing the parts some years ago so I had BG produce me a set of the special front discs [extra thick, 32mm I think and 40 vane units] for my CRS as spares. They were very helpful and gave a good service.

[dart427]

Dear all,
   many thanks for this information.
   
   Cheers
   Horst

[Ian Rogers]

What a brilliant job Bruce. Well done. It will be good to see you and the car in it's new paint back down at the Scarlett Arms. I have missed the past couple but should at the April one. Mind the potholes!
   
   Took the SB for a blatt to Goodwood a few weeks back. Bloody marvellous. Makes life worth living.
   
   All the best
   
   Ian
   

quote:Originally posted by C9OBY
   
Hi all
   
   As some of you know, I decided to get a little closer to the grass-roots of track-days in September last year.  Or more to the point, to slide across the grass (tearing up a few roots in the process) and 'kiss the wall' rather firmly whilst strapped into my car.  The result was a slightly re-decorated Cobra.  Well, they do say that one way to improve performance is to remove weight - something that was achieved rather efficiently a few split moments after my departure from the racing line (mid-way through Tower Corner at Castle Coombe race circuit, to be precise).
   
   That was 11th September 2009, and since then I've been busy getting it all back together again.  To date, I've not put anything onto the forum as I myself found some of the challenges a little painful.  At times I did wonder if I would get it back up and running, but now that the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight, I thought it only fair to share my experience with other CRS owners.
   
   Importantly, I believe that this is the first CRS to be 'properly' damaged and subsequently repaired.  Call me the guinea-pig.  I know of one other car that was written off and another that had some minor damage remedied, but nothing like what I've been through.  Corrections welcome if I've missed anything.
   
   To sum up the experience to date, ignoring some very long hours spent in the garage / sourcing bits & pieces, I can confirm getting one of these cars repaired to 'original' standard is not that hard.  Cost does play a role, but the key highlight has been getting the carbon fibre body repaired back to original state, thus preserving it's integrity (structurally and figuratively).
   
   The body was repaired by a brilliant company called Modena Group up in High Wycombe.  Before finding them, I spoke with various other specialists who claimed to be able to fix carbon, but nobody was able to assure me that the end result would be an unblemished, structurally intact shell.  This in itself led to me considering putting a kirkham body on my AC chassis, noting however that this would have significant implications on provenance etc.  First prize was always going to be getting the car back on the road as an intact 'CRS'.
   
   Before I delve into the detail of the repairs, it's worth noting that nothing that has been achieved over the last 6 months could have been done without the help and support of a number of people, both within and outside the club.
   
   There is a very long list of contributors, but key people to mention for their continued support and involvement throughout the rebuild include Alan Faulkner-Stevens, Keith Lessiter, Alex and Alec at Thunder Road and Matthew Feltham.  Others who helped get me started with good advice and assistance include Andy Shephard, Clive Robertson, John Lewis.  Many thanks to Bertie Gilbart-Smith and Equity Redstar for sorting out my insurance payout.  And last but not least, a special mention to Ian Wyatt who kindly towed my car back to London on his trailer, leaving me to follow behind him in his absolutely beautiful MKIV Lightweight.  A very brave man indeed who hands over his keys to a recent crash victim, but Ian selflessly made the offer without the slightest hesitation or comment.  To everyone else that has sent me emails / called me wishing me well, thank you.  I am sure that you'll forgive me for not mentioning you all in person, but your support and kind words were much appreciated.
   

[C9OBY]

It will be good to see you and the car in it's new paint back down at the Scarlett Arms... Took the SB for a blatt to Goodwood a few weeks back. Bloody marvellous. Makes life worth living.

Hi Ian, good to hear from you.  I absolutely agree, a blast in the countryside is the perfect tonic to modern life.  I'm counting down the days until my next trip down to the Scarlett Arms to rejoin the Surrey chapter - will keep you all posted.
   
   Work this weekend is focussed on solving a water leak, getting the rear fog & reverse lamps sorted and (all going well) starting the process of sorting out my suspension settings.  Stay away rain!

[C9OBY]

The water leak...
   
   Last weekend I finally began final prep for 'the start'.  Water, oil, and... a leak!
   
   
   
   After some time under the car and peering through gaps with a torch, we found the source of the leak.  On a positive note, it was not coming from any of the pipes/ connections that I'd fitted, but I could not get to the pipe.  After lots of time looking for an easy way in, I finally began to remove the air intake manifold and plenum (after some research on google).
   
   
   
   A little while later,  I had the pipes off the car and ready for inspection.  Not easy the first time, but quite straight forward once you've done it a few times.
   
   It quickly became apparent that when the engine was removed from the engine bay during the early stages of repair, the hot water pipes were not correctly disengaged, resulting in the pipe being pulled away from the mounting bracket (bolted to the engine block), causing the little 'tear' visible in the second photo.
   
   
   
   
   Two options: find a new one, or attempt a repair.  Option B (TIG welding a seal) didn't take too long, and appears to have solved the problem.  At worst, if the repair fails, I'll source a new set of pipes.  I polished it down almost flush to the pipe, folded the bracket back into place and refitted everything.
   
   
   
   
   
   Onto the exhaust pipes...

[C9OBY]

The exhausts
   
   About 2 months back I took my original, bent exhaust pipes (rear half) to a little business in Woking and asked them to bend me a set of pipes in 3 sections that would enable me to 'jig' a replacement system into place back home.  A few weeks later (and for a very reasonable sum of money) I had the pipes, along with some flet plate from which I planned to fabrcate new brackets.
   
   
   
   
   
   The original pipes were fabricated from a number of different curvature pipes with multiple joins.  The new pipes are bent from one pipe, hence no joins / welds etc.  To enable easy fitment, the new sections were each flanged to accept themselves at one end, with extra length on the non-flanged end.  Once on the car, I was then able to easily slide the pipes together, cutting off excess non-flanged length for perfect fitment.
   
   Next were the brackets, all of which had been twisted.
   
   
   
   I cut each one off, using it as a template for my new brackets.  The new ones are slightly in order to give me a little more clearance where the pipes emerge from the rear of the car.  In the photo below, the original (hammered back into shape) is on the left, mine is on the right.
   
   
   
   I then welded each bracket onto the new pipes after jigging them against the original pipes.
   
   Once the fabrication was complete, I set about polishing the pipes.  As you can see, a little time on the polishing wheel worked wonders.
   
   
   
   
   Finished pipes in place. You can also see the new heatshield recently fitted inside each wheel arch.  Not particularly cheap (£110 for 3x5feet sheet) but extremely effective protecton (up to 900 degrees rediant heat, 450 degrees direct heat).
   
   

[C9OBY]

Inner wheel arches
   
   The original fiber glass front inner wheel arches were simply cleaned,  re-painted on the engine bay side and re-coated on the wheel side.  4 metres of new boot seal later and the aged seal was replaced with lovely new seal.  Over time the bolt holes on the lower rear edges had worn through the fibre glass and hence Modena kindly mended them with fresh sheet.  Once painted and sealed, you couldn't tell the difference.
   
   
   
   
   
   With a set of new bolts and penny washers, the refreshed pannels were fitted, completing the engine bay!  One last test ... putting in some petrol and testing to see if she would start.
   
   
   Starting the engine
   
   With 5 litres of petrol, a re-filled water system (no more leaks yet) and the oil level rechecked, she started first time!  Perfect idle, with gradual warm up to full tempreature.  Once running hot, and with all the new mocal rediator pipe connectors at full heat for the first time,some tightening of jublee clips ended an isolated trickle of water.
   
   Throttle works fine; radiator fan kicks in fine at heat.  Engine turned off (and some more fuel added for later on).

[C9OBY]

Rear lamps
   
   The last bit of fabrication was the fitting of new under-car reverse and fog lamps.  My original lamps were fitted to the rear bumber bar bracket, but as I've changed to quick lift jack brackets, a new solution was required.  Having seen a few cars at Gerry Hawkridge's workshop about a month back, I quickly set about the fitment of my new lamps.
   
   First I soldered together longer sectiions of wiring, connected them to the originals and added heat-shrink tube down to the lamp units to ensure that they are 100% waterproof.  This is especially important, considering that they will be located behind the rear wheels a few inches above the road surface.
   
   The finished articles waitng behind the car for fitting.
   
   
   Luckily, the rear bracket that supports the exhaust pipes is perfect, both in location and height. Using some of the stainless steel sheet supplied with the exhaust pipes, I quickly measured and drilled extensions onto which the lamps are fitted, then bolted beneath the car.
   
   
   
   
   
   The finished article - a lovely, clean look.
   

[C9OBY]

The first drive!
   
   At mid afternoon today, I finally lower the cobra to the ground for the first time.  I did a spanner check to all exhaust bolts, connected and tested the parking brake, had another swig of my leffe beer, then lowered her down slowly onto bricks. The bricks are needed to give me sufficient clearance to get the jack in/out from under the car.
   
   Now on bricks, I had enough clearance to the ceiling-mounded garage opener to be able to re-fit the bonnet.
   
   
   
   I then rolled the car carefully off the bricks onto the garage floor.
   
   Shock: As first look, I panicked a little.  The car was so low, I must have somehow made a mistake fitting the suspension.  However, after a quick check to each corner, I realised that I have simply become too familiar with having her held up by 450mm axle stands.  She looks so small, low, lithe, sitting there back on 4 wheels.
   
   After letting the engine warm up again, I then proceeded to reverse out the garage and up the drive, stopping at the top to get out and take a look.
   
   The almost-finished article!
   
   
   
   

[C9OBY]

What's left to do?
   
   I couldn't resist getting back onto the road, even if it was only around the loop within our estate.  Brakes, gears, throttle all working perfectly - it's fantastic to be driving my cobra again!
   
   So what's left to do?  I need to take the car down to an auto-electrician to sort out some niggles with the rear lamps.  I then need to get the MOT, put the number plates back on, and finish off 'decorations' (i.e. bonnet/boot badges etc).  I also need to get the suspenson re-set, as fitment of new rose joints and cleaning/copper greasing all suspension members has resulted in each wheel being out of place.  I'm pondering doing this myself, but may relent and take it back to Thunder Road who did the set-up mid year last year.
   
   I'm aiming to be officially back on the road withing the month, in time for the May bank holiday and the first spring meet down in Surrey.
   
   Look out for a youtube video upload!

[AC Ace Bristol]

Bruce
   
   The transformation of Your CRS is a credit to you  [:)]
   
   As you drive hard and enjoy the Cobra on both road and track, take it to Big Al at Thunder Road for full setting up of suspension, steering and corner weights, Also re-assures you when another set of eyes and trained hands checks over a major rebuild...  not insinuating you have anything amiss.  [;)]
   
   The new blue paint looks 100 times better than the original metalic blue  [:p]  [:)] ........    Great job    [8D],
   
   Look forward to seeing it at the next Surrey meeting.   (Can I have my bricks back, Still trying finish my building project...)
   
   Keith

[nikbj68]

Bruce, Excellent work!
   Although I did like the old 'flake blue [:I], this is a gorgeous paintjob, and the effort you put in on the exhausts & fog/reverse lights was rewarded with a really great view for most other drivers you will meet!
   To celebrate, I`ll join you by opening one of my VERY special Leffe 9`s!
   
   
   
   CHEERS!!!