[Mr drew]

Crappy lock down and winter meen I havent been doing much except for some CAD drawings for parts I need making and cant do myself. More on those when I have physical parts!
What I have been doing this last week is prepping the cam belt cover for carbonising, the standard design of clips and what not doesn't lend itself to replication so I'm using the standard back as the basis of a pattern and the front parts will be made from scratch. The standard set weighs a little over 700g, I should be able to half that...I think

gelcoated

First layer of glass on

Mould finished

Whilst I was waiting for the resin to cure I decided to lighten the damper reservoir brackets, no idea why..

before

after

6 grams total saving, for the pair. Now I think about it I probably have some aluminium screws laying around that could replace the steel ones and save another 6 grams.

 

[ozsubrosa]

A sort of vehicular anorexia you're getting, Mr Drew

 

[Mr drew]

A sort of vehicular anorexia you're getting, Mr Drew

As I was cutting the carbon I did think "you need help" then rationalised it with "that six grams you don't have to diet or exercise away"

 

[NathanD]

Love it as always! I seem to be adding weight quicker than you are losing it!

The cam cover will be awesome, is it designed to simply clip on how the old one came off? Are you allowing holes for vernier adjustment too, or will these be enclosed?

 

[Mr drew]

The rear will mount just as the stock one does, the front bottom cover will have a couple of extra screws to attach it, the top will use three screws just like the original.
They will be enclosed, putting holes in defeats the point of fitting a cover to keep debris out in my opinion.

 

[NathanD]

The rear will mount just as the stock one does, the front bottom cover will have a couple of extra screws to attach it, the top will use three screws just like the original.
They will be enclosed, putting holes in defeats the point of fitting a cover to keep debris out in my opinion.

I agree - all though you get scene points for seeing them spin - the last thing you want is a tiny stone flying in there... Especially given how you will be using yours!

 

[Mr drew]

I agree - all though you get scene points for seeing them spin - the last thing you want is a tiny stone flying in there... Especially given how you will be using yours!

Exactly.... an acquaintance of mine had a westfiled that he used for sprinting, after installing a very powerful, very expensive 2.0 xe decided he would drive it to its MOT, no belt covers at all to save weight. Ended up having to drive on a piece of road where they'd resurfaced with chippings.... One got on the belt, Not pretty!

Original, if slightly tatty and chopped about cover

roughly trimmed rear, not a bad saving when you consider..

That compared to the original it is 'full depth'...

So when the front parts are made they will be shallower and therefore proportinaly lighter than the originals.

Now all I need is my dummy engine to bolt it to so I can make the front covers.

 

[Mr drew]

Retrieved my engine block over the weekend and continued trimming the back cover.

Here I set up a laser cross level that was parallel with the bottom of the block then used the vertical line to trim the front true, you can see the cut edge on the right of the image is green where the laser catches it on the way past.

As I left it, I'm now waiting for a delivery of pulleys and a water pump so I can finish trimming where the idlers fit and then start on the front parts of the cover.

 

[NathanD]

Absolutely love it! So much easier to fit trim, refit etc etc when the block isnt in the car too!
Here was me thinking just the front of the cambelt cover, how silly of me!

 

[Mr drew]

I thought you'd have known me better by now Nathan...
So the cam belt kit arrived and the pump and pulleys were thrown on with the engine mount.

Trimmed to clear..

This looks wrong but its similar to the stock backplate, its so if the back plate moves the teeth of the belt dont touch

Then I roughly cut a piece of wood to make the front cover pattern and grabbed the router with a tracing bit, really I should have ordered a larger bearing but as I didnt have much to do I just taped it up to increase the diamter

so that the outline of the front cover piece..

Would be larger than the back..

and therefore overlap when the finished part is made.

 

[rad_brad]

Have always wondered what an engine cover would look like on one of these, now I will get to find out.

Amazing work as always, if only could get you to work on mine

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