Autotested. Mission Complete.

[Roy Kemp]

Cool. As you've probably seen from the photo elsewhere, we got the car running, got it to an Autotest, and survived the day with nobody dying in the process. Which is great because that was the goal.

Buy broken and neglected kit car, sort it, Autotest it.

Sweet. First project in a while that's not been aborted or ended up in general disaster. However, it's far from the end of the tale. Because I was so unspeakably shite at the Autotest that I now intend to do lots more and get some practice. Out of 10 entries, I was stone dead last. I've been competing in some utter crap since the age of 17, and had never come last. Now I enter a purpose-built Autotest car with a mate who's a complete novice, and even he beats me. 

Anyway, the car did pretty good. Even though a quick test drive managed to break the flexi pipe on the exhaust. Just rotted through after sitting outside for a number of years. Keeping on trend with the whole Autotesting/Gymkhama/Ken Block theme, we managed to perform a bodge with a Monster energy can and some jubilee clips. Seemed to work.

So we did a few tests. Steve's a bit better than me, despite being a complete newbie. Because, being used to FWD Autotesting, I keep chucking it around cones with the handbrake, holding it on and powering round. Really does not translate well to a Dutton. Just keeps stalling the engine and making you look like a tool. Anyway.

First real problem is that the cooling fan has packed in. We had previously stripped it, freed off brushes and cleaned the stator out because it was blowing fuses, but now it seems to have properly died. Oh well. We decided to keep going but keep an eye on the temperature, and only have one attempt at each test.

Then the Monster can sheared. Had to replace with a Whiskas tin. 

Anyway, the car did survive the day. The clutch release bearing does make squeaky noises at random times, will get replaced at some point. And there's a creak coming from under the chassis somewhere. Must look for cracks / broken welds.

But we'll sort everything out. Next task will be to get a ticket on it. Should be fun...

 

[Roy Kemp]

Yeah that's a good point. Cheers for that!

[Roy Kemp]

I'll have to:

Sort exhaust

Check/fix lights/horn/other stuff

Fit some legal tyres

New cooling fans

Possibly new harnesses

Might also need carb mixture set to pass emissions

So a bit of spend/effort but not the end of the world.

[Steve Kerswell]

good luck with all of it. Good to see them being used and abused :-))