new photos

[jeremy]

Have put a few photos on the flickr site www.flickr.com/photos/jeremysportster/
not in a great order....

[Patrick]

ooo shiny, nice headers

[jeremy]

Well pleased with them, very light and give me loads of clearance, rest of exhaust ready to go on...dare I say it, 2 weeks should have me ready to apply for IVA, and also coincides with due date for first born!!!!!

[Patrick]

that's fantastic news congrats

The rest of the build is look brilliant too, very clean

shame that M3 backbox is too tall

[jeremy]

Yes,it is a great piece of kit, never used,but I got it at a bargain price, so ebay or gumtree will be selling, as will the 2 E-Type rear silencers, never used, and a host of other spares I have no more use of...it's amazing how much I have accumulated over the course of the build!Time to get some money back!

[morris]

great to see some new photos Jeremy. What made you move the battery back to the engine compartment, it looked pretty neat in the back? What seats are those you have fitted, they're just the style I'd like but in black?

Looks like a really nice job you've done on the interior. seeing those speakers built in reminded me that it's something I should be considering up front to make sure I don't have to go back later and hack things about.

[Mike]

Jeremy

Great progress - I think you should leave the fuel tank out so that the M3 exhaust will fit!!

With your first born due soon are you thinking of building a Berlinetta next!!

[jeremy]

www.interiorsseating.co.uk - rx1110 with headrest is mine I think. The red top worked well, and I could have moved it to the front.My concern was whether it was strong enough to support lights, radio or cd player etc, and opted to go for a strong bigger battery.

[morris]

Ah, so it was the battery itself rather than the position. I'm planning on fitting one inside the boot on the nearside.

Just priced up some of those seats in full black leather including headrests and runners...£860...hmmm, I think I need to set my sights lower back to some secondhand MX5s till I can afford a plush interior, I need to spend my money on such things as the rest of the body work first

[peterux]

Your interior trimming, seats and dashboard are looking superb, well done!!

[jeremy]

Mounting in the boot area isn't a problem, using decent ducting to house the cable, this is what the original BMW set up is, and that part off centre is dead space except for your seat belts.When I bought my seats, it was from a previous company called Richmond seating(changed hands),it was at least 4 years ago, and cost me about £480.It is all vinyl, so was a bit cheaper.

[morris]

Yeah, the vinyl is a lot cheaper and probably better on an open top anyway as easier to wipe clean and dry after the inevitable bird poo and Welsh summer weather

I was looking at this shot of your custom headers



Will the O2 sensor be happy just reading off 3 cylinders? I ask because I'm also going down the custom header route but had assumed I'd need to collect all 6 cylinders to a single point for this to work. If I can get away with what you're doing it will mean I have the option of a true 3-1 x2 twin pipe system rather than 6-2-1-2 (if that makes sense)

[Patrick]

From what I've read recently it should be OK off 3 unless there's something seriously wrong

[jeremy]

I think the m50 non vanos engine only took readings from 1 bank of 3 cylinders, but I may be mistaken: when I had the other headers on, I had it running this way, and no diagnostic fault codes came up.....but next week when I complete this exhaust, I will run diagnostics and let you know...What enginge do you have?You could still run your system and include a 2-in/2-out X pipe and mount the sensor in the middle of the X pipe.

[morris]

Mines an M50B25TU so with the single VANOS. My cast iron headers have a blanked off port in the top so that may have been the original location of the O2 sensor. On my donor it was at an X point just before the cat. I wanted to go with the long 6-1 headers and into a side pipe something like this



but having to put the O2 sensor at the collection point would ruin the look. the other option was after coming out of the side panel with all 6, to come back under the front rail with the headers and do all the ugly stuff (collectors, O2 & cat) out of sight before sending the exhaust under the car to the back but it's starting to get really complicated then

[jeremy]

Depends on the year of your donor...you may not need the cat

[cabrioman]

Looking really good Jeremy, one point, I am not sure that your wood rim steering wheel will pass IVA. I am pretty sure I read any type of wheel with a wooden rim will fail.

I may be wrong but it would be best to check before you take it.

John

[Grey V8 Pete]

Will the O2 sensor be happy just reading off 3 cylinders? I ask because I'm also going down the custom header route but had assumed I'd need to collect all 6 cylinders to a single point for this to work. If I can get away with what you're doing it will mean I have the option of a true 3-1 x2 twin pipe system rather than 6-2-1-2 (if that makes sense)

My V8 was fitted with bosses on one pair of cylinders each side i.e. at the junction of 1 & 5 N/ side and at the junction of 2 & 6 O/ Side. Although the original set up had no sensors at all I used the above bosses to supply the Rover loom plugs (I per side) from new O2 sensors that I bought and it seems to work ok. As a precaution I also welded additional 2 bosses further down where there was just one pipe per side but have never needed to use them. Peter.

[GreatOldOne]

Hi Jeremy - Looking good.

If you're that close to IVA, take a look here:

http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/iva-advice/

I've put some Sportster specific items on there, that you'll need to sort before the big day.

As for the steering wheel, it needs to be padded - I'm unsure as to whether the yours will pass as is. My gut tells me no, due to the wood rim and bare metal central boss.

I fitted an old padded Momo wheel that I bought off Robin, and it passed with no probs. Unfortunately I passed it on to another builder...

[jeremy]

Thanks for all the advice, I am now starting the raer wing extensions, and bumper modifications, and the next 2 weeks reading all tips on iva test and various articles that are published.I will post a load of finished pictures for all to see for constructive advice.