Interesting stuff Lee. Just goes to show its not fit and forget, still many variables and head scratching!

How many miles have you done to eat those tyres?

vwJim wrote:How many miles have you done to eat those tyres?

I'd say about 700 but they were pretty much already eaten when I had the red9 put on. The drivers side was practically bald on the inner edge before the Red9 and I've had so much different stuff done to the front trying to sort it out that the front tyres had started to scrub back in October last year.
Hopefully it's all sorted now and I know the alignment is spot on and I've got new tyres so I shall be keeping a beady eye on them.

So back to my gunk encrusted front wheels......
The first one was a bit of an experiment really as I wasn't sure what to use to get all the crud off. It had set literally rock solid. First attempt was paint thinners on wire wool. All that did was give me a headache and dissolve the gloves I was wearing and dry my hand out Next up was alloy wheel cleaner and wire wool. That was slightly better but I had to keep wiping over the bits I'd cleaned more or less straight away or it just set solid again I did one wheel using a combination of the two then finished it off with some emery cloth just to smooth off the alloy after I'd finished.
On the second wheel I tried another approach and went for the wire wool without anything on it and found that this worked better but created a lot of dust. Cue the 3M mask and very sore fingertips after spending about 3 hours total cleaning up both wheels. Again I finished it off with some emery cloth to smooth the alloy. The biggest PiA was getting into the bits that are on the mounting face of the rim as it was a one finger wrapped in emery cloth job.
Anyway, I persevered and this was the end result, which if you compare it with what I started with I don't think is too shabby. Although as it's the back of the wheels I wonder who's ever going to see my efforts






I've had a look at the back of the rear wheels and thankfully they're just a bit grubby as they've never been on the front by the look of things
My spare on the other hand But that's a job for another day.

Oh, in my haste to update on the suspension I forgot to post up a picture of this little trinket I found for sale



I have no info on it at all but was hoping someone on here could shed some light. It doesn't have any marking on the back either so I don't know what year it is for or what exhibition. Any ideas as to it's origin gratefully received. The only other one I know of is owned by Richard Oakley but he doesn't know anything about it either.

Cheers, Lee.

cool find!
The only thing I can think of is that some time in the 50s or 60s there was a motor exhibition and Pitt had a stand there.
I'll have a look through my old mags and see if I can find 'owt for you,
Where did you find it btw?
DD

Doka Dave wrote:cool find!
The only thing I can think of is that some time in the 50s or 60s there was a motor exhibition and Pitt had a stand there.
I'll have a look through my old mags and see if I can find 'owt for you,
Where did you find it btw?
DD

Yeah I'm thinking that it must be before Peter Pitt went into partnership with Canterbury Sidecars so when he was producing the Pitt-moto. I'd guessed it's from an exhibition but have no clue as to which one. If you could have a look through some old mags I'd very much appreciate it

Cheers, Lee.

Lee you know Fuch were painted black on the back? :LOL:





I think it was only early Fuch not your baby ones though so maybe that was brake dust after all.

clymoj wrote:Lee you know Fuch were painted black on the back? :LOL:
I think it was only early Fuch not your baby ones though so maybe that was brake dust after all.

I'd be worried if they were detailed in quarter of an inch thick paint.
Just psyching myself up to clean the last one (spare) up

Great job on the wheels.
I too have fuchs.
Oven cleaner is a great help on the back of the wheel.
It breaks down the carbon in the brake dust.
It's not a magic one stop solution. But I think it helps.

e m p i wrote: I'm going to look at other options for the bolts, even if it means having them coated myself.

Cheers, Lee

Hi Lee, you won`t need to do that mate. I had the same dilemma just recently when looking for some 12.9 bolts for the link pin clamps for early spindles, everyone only stocked bare steel...

But after searching further I found a supplier who did 12.9`s in zinc plate Service was very good, postage was very reasonable and there are no minimum order quantities

Here is the link :

http://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/BZP ... p_M10.html

That will sort it for you and have it ALL looking brand new as it should

All the best

Spence.

[quote="e m p iYeah I'm thinking that it must be before Peter Pitt went into partnership with Canterbury Sidecars so when he was producing the Pitt-moto. I'd guessed it's from an exhibition but have no clue as to which one. If you could have a look through some old mags I'd very much appreciate it

Cheers, Lee.[/quote]

No worries Lee, I'll have a look through the old mags for you - I don't need an excuse to go back to the 60s lol
Get back 2 ya..........
DD

Sweet Rides wrote:

e m p i wrote: I'm going to look at other options for the bolts, even if it means having them coated myself.

Cheers, Lee

Hi Lee, you won`t need to do that mate. I had the same dilemma just recently when looking for some 12.9 bolts for the link pin clamps for early spindles, everyone only stocked bare steel...

But after searching further I found a supplier who did 12.9`s in zinc plate Service was very good, postage was very reasonable and there are no minimum order quantities

Here is the link :

http://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/BZP ... p_M10.html

That will sort it for you and have it ALL looking brand new as it should

All the best

Spence.

Oops, missed this post, you must think I'm a right ungrateful w......r Many thanks for that Spence That's goona be a job for the coming summer so it all looks spangley and new.

Managed to get a few more miles over the last week or so. We had our patio doors replaced last week and I took the old units down the tip. Heavy doesn't come into it I managed to cut the main frames I to sections and strap them on the roof then shattered the safety glass and shovelled it all into anything I could get my hands on (it's amazing how much glass there is). Ended up with 2 dustbins, 2 large truggs, 2 large kitchen swing bins and a few buckets Plus all the locking mechanisms and surrounds. Weighed (literally) a ton You can't beat that old 80's safety glass Was ok to drive but the braking was a bit interesting as far as stopping distance goes

Went to Battlesbridge show as well and had the first camp-out with Little Empi as a tester to see how he was gonna be sleeping over the engine in a pop-up travel cot. Yaay!!! Once he'd worked out it wasn't a game of Boo! He settled down ok and slept through the night I did buy a blow up mattress and pump though just in case I ended up in the awning so he could climb in with Mrs Empi but all was well Apart from the fact that he'd just had his second lot of injections so had a few upset stomach issues over the weekend that the nappies couldn't quite contain. The phrase "squirting out the sides" sums it up perfectly Which wouldn't be too bad but we were rapidly running out of clothes for him and us
All was good though and a great time was had by all and my bro in law came over on the Sunday for the day and we all made the most of the sunshine. Met up with Chris and Lisa D and and had a look round their Pitt. Good to meet you both and very nice bus, you should be very proud of what you've achieved

Loaded up again yesterday and did a boot sale. Unfortunately didn't get any pictures Should have taken one before we went as there was literally no space whatsoever left in the bus It was packed from top to bottom and both roof racks with stuff. Must've weighed quite a bit as we has a couple of bits of tyre rub as we drove along the A127.
Mrs Empi drove the bus for the first time as well But only in the queue and in 1st gear because we got there and there was a massive queue to get in and I was busting for the loo So I jumped out and she trundled it along for a few minutes.
Had a look at the tyre wear and it all seems pretty even at the moment but I'm keeping a beady eye on it. The ride quality is perfect and little Empi can happily snooze as we drive along now and we don't get thrown out of our seats on every bump.

So, the burning question...........is the Red9Design worth 2 and a half grand?
I would say YES definitely as the ride quality is similar to a normal car, the steering is so much more precise and it's made the driving experience as a whole much more enjoyable and not as fatiguing on long runs. It also means mrs Empi doesn't mind going out for a drive in it now as it's not shaking her t*ts to the point where they're almost falling off and little Empi doesn't run the risk of shaken baby syndrome.
I'm going to start playing about with the damper settings a bit more over the next few weeks so I can get datum points for driving with no load, just passengers, full load and full load with passengers.

Cheers, Lee.

Actually just remembered I do have one picture that I took at the tip. Unfortunately it was after I'd emptied everything out
Anyway, here it is



Cheers, Lee.

Thought I'd give the wheels a bit if a spruce up at they are looking a bit mullered. The paint has chipped off and they were done as bit of a rush job a few years ago.
Was gonna use Nitromores but when I looked in the tin it had all gone rock solid
So on to plan B and dug out the drill and wire wool attachments.
Here's the start, half done and half still in chipped paint. Bit of a grubby job and didn't half make me sneeze






Persevered with it and got all the paint off eventually



I'd hate to think what I'd been breathing in though



Anyway, onwards and upwards and into masking up



As you've probably guessed Mrs. Empi wasn't home, hence the reason I'm doing it in the kitchen



Next up will be to get it into primer but I'm working nights so just got to find time to fit it in. Oh and then do the other three as well

Cheers, Lee.