I don't mind patina but its the horrible white powdery ali rot I don't fancy, waiting to hear from my paint man on the possibility of scotching it and them matt lacquering it.

I'm looking forward to seeing the updates from Ribble HQ.

It will be interesting to see the developments / improvements in the Navigator compared to the original Cordite.

Hope all goes well, Paul. :)

Progress is starting to pick up now, with the rolling chassis at Ribble HQ i got the chance to collect the engine from the engine builder yesterday, typical engine builder, had sprayed everything black....
30 minutes this morning sees the block in silver smoothrite which at least isnt black, once i get the rocker changed out for the alloy one it will start to look a bit better. Off to RHQ tomorrow to drop of the now mated engine and OD gearbox so we can drop it onto the chassis so Ribble have more idea about clearances etc.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-s.../IMG_00469.jpg

Spec for those that are interested in such things, its a 1300 with new pistons and rings,
Compression is 9.85 to 1
Bradbury Engineerings own Fast road Cam
Stage 2 ported head which I picked up brand new of ebay for £80, its off a Triumph 1500 FWD so has larger valves than the 1300 allowing better breathing.
Complete bottom end has been dynamically blanced.
New sheels and bearing all round.
High flow oil pump
Uprated vlave springs
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C.../IMG_00471.jpg

Well went into RHQ this morning bright and early and with the assistance of Andy and Gaz we managed to drop the Engine and Box into place, also fitted the rear spax whilst i was there. Was going to fit my braided brake flexis whilst i was there but fitted the rear one and it was about 3" too short, it fitted but left no slack at all for movement so will be on the phone to Rimmers in the morning. On the up side managed to finally find someone with a rotten shell who will cut out the trans tiunel for me so that should be delivered to Andy sometime this week, he now has or will have this week all the parts required to get the frame etc underway

I wish RHQ would show us some pics of workshop in full flow...

Absolutely Gary,

We'll get it sorted. Looking very full now with 3 Heralds in Turnkey strip, Mac's Spitfire, Development Spitfire/Navigator (The Green one), Colani, Demo Pilot (Vanessa) and Demo Navigator about to rejoin after spray. Just as well we went for the big workshop :biggrin:

Photos will follow (Once I get Andyp85 to sweep up a bit!)

Well, start cracking that whip!

First update today from andy, work on the frame redesign is underway
http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7c7787fe.jpg

On another note does anyone have a spitfire 1300 or 1500 front pully to hand? i need the diameter of it just behind the v so i can order a trigger wheel to weld onto the back of it as i will be running a Nodiz electronic ignition system.

We've got a Spit 1500 in the workshop. I'll measure the pulley when I get in over the weekend.

Cheers mate, it's the diameter just behind the actual pulley I need ill try and do a sketch later
Mac

Oh and if anyone wants to go nodiz I'm on a forum that is currently getting 20% off, makes it much easier to get the best from your engine and very easy to install.
Www.nodiz.co.uk

Mac

This is the only image I have of the Workshop

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BHuOdchCAAEQGxg.jpg:large

So I'm sitting outside my hotel in the sunshine waiting for dinner, so what to do? Go gauge shopping that's what!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-e...4_16_17_34.png
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...4_16_17_34.png

Now I know that the "Ribble Navigator" on the quad gauge is out but the speed hut website isn't clever enough to deal with an apple device just yet but I know on the full browser version you can move the text so that's easily solved. The speedo is GPS driven which I'm fairly sure isn't "strictly" legal but apparently it's pretty accurate so I'm willing to take a punt, what do we think?

Ps should have mentioned that these are 4" gauges and the speedo also has signal left and right and a high beam light. All the gauges on the quad gauge are programmable. The pair customised and shipped will cost me $660 US plus whatever the customs man decides he is due so I'm reckoning about £520 at my door including all the sensors apart from the fuel level sensor.......

Very nice, I like those a lot!

I think they look nice and period, shame about the LCD on the speedo but you can't have everything, and for the money I haven't found anything close in the EU as good

Gaz, any chance of a pic of the Colina dash what a tape measure over the gauge area to see if they would fit?

No problem, I will get one tomorrow when Im back at the unit.

Thanks Gaz, don't know if you've spoken to Andy today but caught him earlier I between super cars and I'm coming up next Tuesday to have a look at progress and discuss time lines etc.