You can see more photos by clicking on the date.

As everything starts being put together you realise that one thing gets in the way of another! Friday night I knocked up a belt tensioner that slides along the framework that I put in place, worked really well so was pleased with that. The under tray was also R-Pinned allowing easy access.

Saturday we realised that the exhaust was hitting the cross member of the steering, ended up taking a lump out and then filling it again with plate. The rear panel was R-Pinned so can be removed quickly, and a seat attached. Another hundred small jobs then done!

Finally another full day on Sunday doing all the little bits, like nylocking, and all the finishing touches. Thankfully pretty much all done now, Bug could do with a clean, collected lots of dust since I painted it! Tractor will need a paint... yet to decide on colour!

New front end was knocked up and all put in place, t drive support constructed along with brake calliper mounted. Will it be done for Easter... Who Knows!

Unfortunately I had to spend another week in the Alps tearing up some snow, so bit behind but spent a weekend catching up!

I needed to get the bug done and dusted so spent a couple of hours finishing the fixing of the new engine, engine cowling modified to give me more movement on the engine and a cover made to stop any fingers being damaged by the exposed rotating mesh on the new Tecumseh Enduro engine. Manged to remove the governor from the engine and get everything all mounted... Slowly getting there!

After waking up today (about 9am, had got in at 3am) with a slight hangover from night before, suddenly remembered I was meant to be out in half hour to go down the workshop, fun as per usual!

Was hoping my new Tecumseh would have arrived so I could start fitting that, unfortunately not. But I have been assured its well on its way?? I got to work with re-spraying a couple of panels that has seen numerous over panels (of other machines). Unfortunately my choice of spray paint was slightly different to the powder coat that it had last year, o well nothing I could really do! Basically a day of putting it all back together, new nylocks, double checking all nuts and bolts and some fine tuning. Not looking too sad at the end of the day...

Rog had a fun packed day, he had the pleasure of playing with his CB125 clutch. Few things needed welding up which Rog had a pretty good shot at especially being only his ever 2nd attempt! Must be a natural! Managed to get the chassis now rolling which makes moving it a bit simpler! Bearing change in top pulley and general bolt together of a few more bits.

Rog had managed to do all his painting of the panels during the week so he could start putting everything back together. All new bolts and nylocks on all the panels and a rear axle.

Rog also thought he would have a look at the brakes as they appeared to be pretty seized and were not going to be stopping him at any rate... Once the pistons were removed it was obvious that all the mud living behind the piston were probably some of the problems!

Anyway, tonight I managed to get down the workshop and start work on my new 2006 Group 4 machine, Jason Huskinson's old John Deere. Over the last couple of weeks lot of mental thought has gone into this machine to improve it even more over its last years very successful debut season (1st in championship), (Well Done Jason)

Unfortunately whenever lots of thought goes into something it will involve lots of work, the existing strengthening all needed to be removed. As usual nothings ever simple, Jason had made sure none of his welds would be failing and more often than not in the most difficult places to get to. The carnage started with the angle grinder but soon moved onto the burner to melt what welds were left.

Thought I would give the insides of the Honda a once over before the new season comes round... Some interesting findings.
  Drained the oil (Castrol GTX), had been in there two meetings, looked pretty golden still, so far so good.
 Then pop it opening without breaking the gasket so was even happier, but then... the sump had like a lining of a grey/silver/metallic ultra fine sludge. It wasn't like you metal you find in a tvm220, very very fine, checked the internal oil filter and this had not caught up any metal, but I wasn't surprised considering how fine the sludge like substance was.

See more on the forum...

Anyway, a couple of hours in a small shed with some Hammerite and electric fan heater and we had some panels that were looking a lot better than they had in their previous life!

Thought I should do some painting that i needed to do too, the newly built front end had several coats of hammerite along with the stub axles and few other bits.

While that was all drying I got on with finishing my new axle, its yet to be fitted to the bug and all lined up.

Rog needed to finish his rear axle too, so he got on with that too. Both had a go at some arc welding to make up some coach bolts for his t-drive framework, with some interesting results... Altogether another productive Sunday, still think a a few more are needed though!

With it being well into the new year now and me being back from week away boarding it was time to get back down the workshop. Rog got straight onto removing layers upon layers of red oxide from Gordy's old bug. Was proving to be quite a big job with just the angle grinder...

I had to start stripping the T Drive as it I knew the key wasn't happy in it, bearings needed replacing and a re-shim was in order. After spending two hours making a new special "oversized" key to fit the damage the old loose one had caused I put some new bearings in for the vertical shaft and a quick re-arranging of the shims allowed me to loose most of the play. Bit of bearing seal and instant gasket and it was as good as new, slid the clutch basket on top to make it look even more done!

Good old dad had rebuilt the front end in his spare time so that was ready for a paint, will get round to that!...

Rog thought he ought to have a look inside his T Drive too as it was obvious bearings needed replacing, he feared the worst as he opened it...  Apart from looking like mud had been used as the only lubricant it looked in good condition. He got to work cleaning that up and arranging for some new bearings. The bolts that had been used for the disc brake looked like their time was up so got to work making some new ones.

With a day spare over Christmas it seemed a good idea to get back into the workshop, Rog needed to start work on his newly acquired bug from Gordon Huskinson too. We both needed to do work on the T-Drives so seemed as good as place as anywhere to start.

Rog had quite some trouble removing the hub's and plumber block bearings, things had really rusted on!! Nothing some pullers, WD40 and a lot of elbow grease couldn't fix though!

Like the rear axle the entire bug had lots of rust! Rog set to work with the emery cloth angle grinding disc, to clean all the panels up... Believe Rog managed to do the front panel, got tad boring after that.

I started to put some finishing touches to my new hydraulic clutch actuator, I managed to mount the master cylinder and connect it to the old clutch pedal. Once I have the rear axle all done and clutch built I will be able to test it, also need some oil in master cylinder!