Outrage

Hi dastardly, ive completely rebuilt my lower bulkhead on the existing "goalpost". One thing i would have done differently is weld a brace across the left and right posts at the bottom to hold the posts the correct width apart if you are doing it off the vehicle, otherwise the welding and fabrication can alter the differences meaning it won't fit when you put it back on (ask me how i know!) Mine was rebuilt using sheet metal folded to a profile template i sent to a metal workers. They bent it up to the correct angles for a few bear tokens and I welded it together. It's not an exact rebuild i[',ve omitted the vertical bend in the passenger side next to the transmission tunnel as it made it easier to fabricate and didn't give you much extra room. Ive also changed the dashboard design, it mow sticks out rather than sitting flat the idea is to have a shelf at the left and right hand side a bit like a series 2 dash for all the junk that you have nowhere to put. There are bigger pictures on the bodywork page of my site if you are interested, it might give you a few ideas (follow link below) Cheers,

I tried opening up the microswitch on my fuel changeover, the end results were still unreliable after cleaning up the contacts. However, i did the same thing with my ignition barrel and it's worked great ever since! Cheers, Lee

I've got a hell of a lot of entries that are all me! how can I appear on so many electrol registers, wonder if ive secretly been cloned!

Just registering my suport for Simon. Looking forward to a series version of the "Original" X-eng disk handbrake!

The relays O2,s speced only pull 37.5mA at 12V which should be quite low enough to safely switched by the sensor. Use the normally open or normally closed contact to get either on all the time then off when the level drops or lit up when the level drops, needs to be fed via an ignition fed source so its not on all the time though. Cheers

Les, I reused the standard pedal arrangement and all the existing rods on my lightweight. i just made up a bracket that holds the throttle cable outer sheath and then used one of the levers off the throttle rod that runs across the bulkhead to pull the throttle cable, works a treat. there are some shots of the engine bay on my website that might show the bracket. Cheers,

How about loading a flasher relay outputs with resistors as ballast to replace the flashing lamps? still expensive and complex though unless you've got a spare lying around. RS Components do 12VDC multifunction relays but they tend to be expensive and you will have to trawl through the various modes to find one that will meet your requirement. I tend to use OMRON they are a good make. Maplin Electronics (www.maplin.co.uk) sell an MK111 Adjustable timer with relay output for £3.99 although you will probably have to assemble the kit although its only got a few components. It will come with a pre-made Printed circuit board you just have to solder on the few components. Much simpler than assembling Siggys flip flop circuit and it will drive a few lamps without any modification. Part number VT27E The time base for this module is a pulse time of 0.5-5 seconds with a pause time of 2.5-60 seconds. its capable of switching 5A so is more than adequate to operate a few flashing lamps. the instructions are available at: http://www.velleman.be/downloads/0/manual_mk111.pdf Hope this is ok, Cheers,

.....A hoop section of a stick set fo to fit an 88" and the bit that goes above the door? I'm quite fancying going back to canvas for the summer but after selling both my old hood and sticks (in a rare lapse of good judgement) i can't face the cost of buying new sticks being a yorkshireman! They are just bent tube and a few bits of sheet metal and i can probably knock them up at work out of some conduit for a fraction of the cost of a new set (£200+) I'd be willing to offer a few beer tokens in exchange for the privelidge. Alternatively if someone could take the measurments or even better trace the profile of the hoops onto some old wallpaper etc i'd be much obliged. I could probably wangle the door brackets from some good pictures. Thanks, Lee

Ive used a combination of RED and GREY connectors to diffrentiate between 24V vehicles and 12V vehicles, they arn't interchangable so theres no chance of jumping a 24V from a 12V or vice versa. The only problem with this idea is that you need two sets of jump leads. My 24V ones are double the length as these have to reach between our Danline Snow sweeper trailers which are towed by tractors and are a pain in the ass to manouvre to get them close to one another. VWP also sell them in RED. Cheers,

I can reccomend the 175A anderson connectors. I'm in the process of installing them on all the maitenance vehicles at the airport. Ive gone from the battery + and the chassis or battery - with 25mm cable (rated at 175A) with heavy duty ring crimps to an anderson socket mounted on the front grille of each vehicle. The jump lead is made from the same 25mm cable with an anderson socket on each end and the additional handles on the anderson sockets. This allows jumping between vehicles fitted with sockets. Ive also made up a 0.25m length set with an anderson socket on one end and the other has crock clips, you can plug this into one end of the socket to socket lead and allows you to jump vehicles without charging sockets. for the 175A models you can get dust covers which keeps the carp out, i dont think the larger and lesser ones do. The handles for the jump lead are a nice add on and make connection easy. The kit isn't cheep, but its solid. Ive got a heavy duty set of crimpers to make my connections but you can solder them on. Ive also used airfield lighting cable heatshrink over the connections to keep the moisture out. All parts sourced from VWP. Cheers

HFH: great idea, i hadn't thought of that, would also make a better statement!

Roger, that might be quite entertaining! Could turn this carp situation into a new form of amusement! I also like the Tank idea, i always quite fancied one of those APC things that are always advertised in the back of the landie mags! Whilst i'm on the subject, the residents on the street arn't much better, I own a Saxo and before i took it apart (many moons ago) i also own a lightweight, my ex also used to have a a polo. I used to leave the Landie at my dads on a less congested street as i though having 3 cars and only 2 drivers parked up was inconsiderate! But its astounding how many cars per family peole have including works vehicles - and they must park slap bang precicely outside their house! bugger the fact that they are taking up 2 spaces. My situation earlier led me to park across the street and 4 houses up which i don't mind doing as long as my cars not blocking the traffic out on the main road. At the moment its like white van city, there are on average 4 x long wheelbase transit / merc vans whic are braught home along side their normal car and usually parked like a wall infront of my living room (never the offenders own houses!). Its like having an advertising board blocking your window. I'm sure i'm going mad - i keep getting urges to go out and rent "Arnold Clarke" and "Enterprise rent a van" vehicles! Although ive been tempted to buy a £300 scrap heap and have it signwritten with something amusing/vulgar and park it outside the offenders houses I could buy a box van and some ramps and use it to store the saxo in though whilst parked outside someone elses house!

Just got into a nice confrontation with a couple of school run bad parkers on the street, one in a new beemer the other in a disco My street is a narrowish road with terraced houses all the way down with the rear entrance of a school at one end of a terrace row. 3pm The whole school run crowd shows up, one child per car and its absolutely mad trying to get anywhere near the street. Unfortunately 3pm is about the time i usually get home after finishing my shift so i have to contend with the poor driving before i can get some sleep. Gets home today to join the queue, disco pulls in and parks in the space of two cars - you could have got 2 disco's in the same space. Beemer infront of the disco seems to be manouvring about so i pull along side and ask if he's pulling out? Confused "no" from the driver so i continue down the road and end up parking on the main road walk home and resign myself to waiting for the school traffic to clear. Half hour later the driver of the disco returns and i go out onto the the street and enquire as to if he's leaving? he replies no he's waiting to pick up the kid from football practice, "can you reverse up a few meters so i can get inbetween you and the beemer?" i says "I can't reverse any further back, i wont be able to get out" he says "you must be joking you've got a space 3m infront and behind, we could get another car in and u'l still get out" i says Confused look returned. "I drive a series 3 with no power steering that drives like a tank and i wouldnt need as much free space to park" (trying to appeal to his Land Rover sensibility!) More glazed looks. He walks off back in the direction of the school and i go back in. Half an hour later he drives off to be replaced by a woman in a 306 still taking up undue space but leaving me a gap enough to shunt in my Saxo. I sprint up the road glancing in the direction of the school and catch sight of the beemer driver who's stood at the school gates. Jump into the car, round the corner to find..... .....the beamer driver reversing his car to take up both his original space + the room behind! He gets out and glares at me before turning back towards the school. I get out and shout "now then mate, whats the crack?" he says " i new you were going to try and get in there i don't want you damaging my car" i says "if you had left your car there i could have got in easily especially if i ask the woman in the 306 to move up a meter" he replies "don't be stupid find another place to park" i reply "I live on here, Ive just finished my shift, i just want to park up and go to bed" he replies "no chance" At this point I left the car and walked upto the woman in the 306 and politely asked her if she could move her car up she answers yes and shunts it forward anothe meter (he takes a step back thinking its fisticuffs). Whilst he's stood there i reverse parallel into the space thats been left in one move leaving everybody space. Get out and walk in his direction (also towards my house) he changes his tune. "Sorry fella i just don't want my car damaged it must be bad living on here, the school warns us its bad parking" i reply, "i have this problem every day and don't like falling out, but in general parents parking is attrocious!" he replies "yes i know, did you see the discovery parked up behind me"! Ive come to the conclusion that school runners on our street either overestimate the size of their car or are simply too antisocial to consider others! Never mind - same time tomorrow then!

Although it'll not solve the problems u r having starting i'd also reccomend these battery connectors! I'm in the process of installing them on all the company vehicles and engine driven equipment on the airport, as the equipments always flat when you need it! Typically snow clearance equipment! a long lead with plugs on each end can charge between 2 socketed vehicles with no chance of connecting them wrongly or them slipping off the terminals and shorting on metal work. Ive also made up a crocodile clip converter for one end so i can charge vehicles that don't have sockets. slightly OT but never mind!

I got one of those fancy auto darkening welding masks that i'd mentioned in passing to the other half about 8 months ago which i didn't expect! lots of chockies, pleanty of clothes and a few beer tokens! all in all, quite chuffed!

Has anyone got a part number for an alternator with a 16mm hole? Ive just replaced my alternator but the new one doesnt come with a pulley and the shaft on the old alternator is about 13mm! Could someone also check the shaft size of the alternator with part number RTC5083E (for a 2.5NAD i believe). Thats what i though i was replacing but as the new ones different i'd like to know weather its been boxed up incorrectly and ive got the wrong part.

Agree with Western, 2 pieces of box section under each seat with holes drilled through to accept the mounting bolts. Ive used this method to add more strength to my lightweight seat box which is fitted with defender seats. It also gives me another inch or so of height which is nice if u r vertically challenged If u have a B+Q wharehouse nearby they sell short lengths of box that are about the right length to cut in half therefor 1 length per seat and not much wastage, but a metalwork supplier may be cheeper. Cheers,

Nice job minivan, ive just baught a recon landy alternator, wish i'd have gone your route!

Hi Shaun, i know the feeling - the lightweight has now been off the road 3 years and running. Just given up on it again for the winter, too cold to work and not enough light after shifts. Oh well, maybe next year! Thanks for your help with the charging info.

Oh god - don't get me going on the cat/pill farce! that page is so true its unbelievable! After several attemps i usually have to walk away and let someone else do it whilst i suppress the urge to strangle the little bu**er!

Shaun, Thanks for your input, as a bloke in the trade would you reccomend any particular charger to float charge the batteries?

Cheep doesn't matter if the companys paying for it!

Thanks for the input chaps, If the batteries don't like being charged constantly, how about installing a seven day timer that would only charge them say twice a week?

Thanks for the replies lads. As these things never seem to get used i don't think i need to go for the power of an accumate. I think a coulpe of optimate III's will do the job.

Hi all, I'm looking for a charger that i can leave connected to batteries indefinately to keep them fully charged. Its for a couple of emergency trailors that we keep in the firestation at work. Ive looked at a few chargers like the optimate range and wondered if anyone had any suggestions or critisism's of optimate chargers or could suggest a better make? They do an eight way version that seems a little over the top as the rest of the appliances already have bespoke charging systems so i was toying with installing 2 optimate III's, 1 per trailor. Cheers for your help,