News
A BUNDLE OF FUN
May 24th
Lots of kitcar folk like to do a bit of camping. Things just got a bit easier when it comes to a good night’s sleep while out under the stars. Thanks to the marvellously-named Bundle Bed, I reckon you can chuck that irritating old air-bed and seen-better-days sleeping bag into the nearest skip.
The makers, James Clark and Lucy Bartlett, who run Bundle Beds, claim that they have the future of sleeping outdoors and a decent night’s sleep, all wrapped up in their little bundle.
It is a fully self-contained proper bed, complete with a slim, self-inflating (wa-hey!) mattress, built-in cosy duvet More >
THE STEERING COMMITTEE
May 24th
It might well be tempting fate, but let’s hope that we’ve now (finally) left the worst of the winter weather behind us, which is all the encouragement the good folk over at Mountney need in order to begin looking forward to the looming show season.
Putting their money where their collective mouth is, Mountney has unveiled an expanded range of 12in and 13in, vinyl- or leather-rimmed steering wheels, all manufactured to the same exacting standards that the company has long been known for.
Spring is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated season of them all, particularly given how brutal the 2017/2018 winter was, More >
NO GAS
May 24th
The dual-purpose MIG 145 No-Gas/Gas MIG welder from Machine Mart offers the advantages of standard MIG welding without the need for gas bottles, producing excellent results in various conditions.
This popular welder is ideal for automotive repair and other DIY jobs on mild steel up to 4mm thick. With features such as a professional-style non-live torch, which can be put down while working without sparking, electronic wire speed control and thermal overload protection with auto-reset.
In terms of power, settings can be adjusted from 35-135-amps and the welder operates from a standard domestic 230V power supply.
To get you started, some flux corded More >
OLIVER’S ARMY
May 24th
Summit Racing is now stocking Oliver Racing con-rods but they advise that you don’t buy them for a mild engine build. They are pretty much overkill for engines that never see the high side of 400bhp and RPMs over six grand or so.
However, if you’re building a big-horsepower, high RPM V8 engine, step right up and get a set of Oliver rods, which are based on four principles:
Durability: Oliver uses aircraft-quality, American-made 4340 AQ material that is vacuum-furnace de-gassed and inspected for cleanliness. That means better durability and fatigue resistance.
Strength: Oliver uses a two-stage heat treatment process. The first stage is designed More >
A COOL HEAD
May 24th
Webcon is delighted to announce that their ‘A’ Series Crossflow Aluminium Cylinder Heads are back in stock.
Production was halted in early 2017 due to a problem at the foundry that casts them. The tooling was moved to a new, state-of-the-art facility and, almost a year later, these unique heads are once again being produced.
The ‘A’ Series Aluminium Crossflow Head allows fitment of a pair of Weber 40DCOE carburettors, or DCOE-style throttle bodies (also available from Webcon) and is the ultimate upgrade for all versions of the legendary ‘A’ Series engine.
Heads are available as below: 9900384900 Bare head c/w valve seats More >
MINI TOOLS!
May 24th
Mini Spares has announced that it can now offer an excellent range of quality hand-tools at sensible prices to enable you to work on your classic Mini or other British (or American) classic or kitcar powered by an A-Series.
A range of Imperial socket sets will provide you with all the sizes you will probably need for servicing and rebuilds.
TOOL26 is a ¼in drive, six-point, shallow AF/Imperial socket set with sizes: ¼in, 9/32in, 5/16in, 11/32in, 3/8in, 13/32in, 7/16in, 15/32in and ½in AF – £9.90 inc VAT.
TOOL27 is a deep socket version of TOOL26 – £13.37 inc VAT.
TOOL28 is a 3/8in drive, More >
DIESEL-BASED SPORTSTER IS AN ATTRACTIVE PROPOSITION
May 18th
LOVE THIS
One of the year’s most intriguing newcomers is the turbo-diesel version of the excellent Marlin Sportster.
Marlin has offered the model to suit BMW donor for many years (they were one of the first to offer Beemer mechanicals) but this is the first time a diesel version has been used.
It uses the straight six units from either the E36 3-Series or E39 5-Series and thanks to the readily available diesel tuning options power can easily be hiked without so much as laying a ratchet on the engine.
The beautifully-prepared demonstrator unveiled at Stoneleigh had 201bhp and 302 lb-ft of torque although More >
A GREAT MOVE FOR TIGER RACING
May 18th
Big news from Tiger Racing is that they have now taken over the rights and marketing to the Alpha ECU systems and throttle bodies, created by Webcon UK and sold by them.
At last weekend’s National Kit Car Motor Show, Tiger was promoting their Alpha Pro5 engine management kit, which includes everything you need to make a Ford Zetec not only work but work more efficiently at the very competitive price of £1995 inc VAT.
For more information visit www.tigerracing.comor 01945 461 423 ENDS.
THAT’S IMMACULATE THAT REFLECTION
May 18th
Of the car care companies in the UK producing products that are heavily-scented often more akin to Lush or Body Shop, the kings must be Immaculate Reflections who manage to combine novelty with proper sweet-shop smells.
However, although a good laugh, the company makes seriously impressive products that really work.
Take this, their highly-concentrated Jellybean shampoo that for all the world smells like a box of Jellybeans. What’s more, it is Ph neutral so is good for your skin and your car’s bodywork.
Highly concentrated, you only need a couple of capfuls to create a monster amount of suds and soapy deliciousness.
I used More >
GOODBYE TO NASTY NIFFS
May 18th
Don’t shout it too loudly, but apparently, Summer is just around the corner! This is great news for drivers as they get to enjoy longer, warmer nights and fabulous, sunny road trips. It’s not always great news for your air-conditioning, though. As you punch that snowflake button for the first time in months in a bid to keep the cabin cool, you’re often greeted by a most unpleasant smell…
You can blame it on the dog or the kids, of course, but there’s a very good chance that it’s actually coming from your air conditioning system itself. Having sat for a More >
