SOUNDS IN DIGITAL
Aug 18th
Another superb device this week is the SmartDAB, which connects with your smartphone to give DAB radio in ANY car. The government hasn’t annoubced when they’ll be switching off the analoguie signal as yet but experts reckon it could be by the end of 2018.
Most new mainstream cars come with a DAB facility now but if yours doesn’t then this could be the answer. There’s a few products around that claim to give this facility but the one I tried required half the dashboard being removed and a degree in electronics!
However, the SmartDAB is plug and play is fitted in More >
HELP IS AT HAND
Aug 18th
AirMan’s ResQ Tyre Repair Kit is a definite alternative to changing a spare wheel by the side of the road (invariably in the pitch dark and rain!). The maker’s, AirMan UK, is the aftermarket arm of Active Tools, the world’s leading supplier of emergency tyre kits and hardware.
This, their best-selling costs just £29.99 includes everything you need to get back on the road and is perfect for all types of passenger vehicles, so is therefore spot-on for kit and specialist car use, where spares are cumbersome and impractical and a tin of spray is close to being useless in reality.
The More >
CATERHAM GIVES 310 REASONS
Aug 11th
Caterham Cars has announced a new addition to its range – the Seven 310 – and claims it represents the perfect balance of power and confidence-inspiring handling characteristics.
Harking back to the acclaimed Rover K-Series-powered Superlight R300 model, widely acknowledged to be the best-balanced Seven to date, the Seven 310 has emerged from engineering developments made by Caterham’s motorsport programme.
A necessary Sigma engine upgrade, allowing racers to move up to the Supersport category from Tracksport – which involved high-performance camshafts and revised mapping, generating as much as an extra 20bhp in the rev range – resulted in the surprise discovery.
While an More >
BIGGER PERFORMANCE; SMALLER PUMP
Aug 11th
Mocal has launched a newly-updated oil pump, which is smaller and comes with improved internal bushes for longer-life and increased flow rate.
To make things even better the new pump costs less than the item it replaced The EOP2 is a self-priming compact gear pump, which has been designed primarily for gearbox or differential oil pumping and has been used in some turbo oiling applications.
The brass pump body features bronze gears that can cope with most oil viscosities. Mocal Electric Oil Pump EOP2 – £116.00
More from 01249 782 101 or visit www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk ENDS.
DON’T LUG YOUR NUTS AROUND
Aug 11th
Quick-change wheel-nuts have always been a popular accessory in the US and Japan and they look far more attractive than standard nuts.
Now you can have the ‘DTM Motorsport/Drift Scene’ look of wheel-nuts on your car regardless of whether it is really equipped with them or not.
LugNuzzCovers from FOLIATEC®.com is the name of the colourful aluminium covers that replicate racing lug nuts and they can be supplied in the popular 17mm fitment in a choice of six different anodised colours.
They push-fit over the wheel-nuts or existing lug nuts of almost any car with no irritating conversion necessary and they are retained More >
WE CAN REBUILD IT!
Aug 11th
Burton Power has managed to source a comprehensive rebuild kit for the T5 Borg Warner gearbox used in the Cosworth 2wd and RS500. All items in the kit are genuine parts from Tremec, the manufacturer of this gearbox, and all bearings included are made by Timken.
The kit is suitable for overhauling a worn T5 gearbox provided it hasn’t suffered a major component failure such as knackered gears, synchro hubs and the like, in which case those components would need to be purchased in addition to this package.
The kit includes all bearings, baulk rings, shims and snap rings. Order as part More >
TURNING A CORNER
Aug 11th
Already one of the best handling road cars money can buy and a very kitcar donor, the cornering ability of first and second generation (NA/NB) Mazda MX-5s can now be sharpened yet further, thanks to SuperPro’s recently expanded range of roll-control products, namely the firm’s adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. Now available for the MX-5, the heavy duty bars are 24mm in diameter for the front, up from the original Mazda 19 or 20mm and 16mm in diameter at the rear, up from the original 11 or 12mm. The front bars feature two pre-set adjustment points with three on More >
GET A LIFT
Aug 11th
New from Rally Design is this new Big Red 48in ‘Farm Jack’ with a 2.5-tonne (600lb) capacity.
In addition to its main purpose, it is also very useful for pulling and pushing, vertically or horizontally, extricating a vehicle from a ditch and generally lifting a heavy vehicle and comes with a strong and safe ratcheting system.
Even better is the bargain price of just £32.28 inc VAT and it’s available now from www.rallydesign.co.uk or 01227 792 792 ENDS.
HOW MANY TEETH?
Aug 11th
When replacing the starter on a Mini that was built before the change to pre-engaged starters in 1984/5 it’s vital to obtain the right parts.
The inertia starter needs to have the correct nine-tooth pinion and this is rarer than the ten-tooth type used on other British Leyland cars such as the Sprite, Spitfire and Mini Metro; these often get fitted to Minis as they’re cheaper, but doing so can ruin the ring gear or the bendix teeth.
It is also important to obtain the correct solenoid. Early Minis had the type with a push-button, which was useful for turning the engine More >
WHO ATE ALL THE PIES?
Aug 4th
The kitcar-mad vet, and all-round good bloke, Ed Morton, he of Pie Valley Buggies has just got his MGF-based Minx beach buggy through the IVA test and is now working on his next project, a similarly-based Nova.
Everyone loves the Richard Oakes-designed Volkswagen Beetle-based stalwart and like me Ed rates the MGF as a donor highly, while we also share the view that the Nova itself still has plenty of mileage left in it. Put the two together and he could have a winner on his hands!
Unsurprisingly, Ed is using a version of his Minx chassis and the MGF donor as More >
