A40 - stage one f@#kin finally

[3VOM]

Isn't it that the motorsport body don't like people doing it

[Scrubworks]

What qualifies as a race number, exactly? If I decide to be hilarious and put a giant 69 on the side of my Moggy, which has never been a racing car, how can anyone possibly prosecute me for anything?

[New POD]

That number plate looks so much better than the modern plates attached to a battered Morris minor that must have been recently plate raped, that lives down my son's road. It's got an A reg circa 1964 on 2022 plates, held on by what looks like the charging cables for a generic mobile phone.  I'm not up on Minors and trying to work out build dates, but I think it had pre-63 plates last time I saw it. 

I failed to take a photo. 

[New POD]

8 hours ago, Scrubworks said:

What qualifies as a race number, exactly? If I decide to be hilarious and put a giant 69 on the side of my Moggy, which has never been a racing car, how can anyone possibly prosecute me for anything?

What's stopping you having a yellow car with lots of random letter and number combinations all over it. 

[tooSavvy]

'53' doesn't count...... ?

*Beetle

 

[barefoot]

10 hours ago, New POD said:

That number plate looks so much better than the modern plates attached to a battered Morris minor that must have been recently plate raped, that lives down my son's road. It's got an A reg circa 1964 on 2022 plates, held on by what looks like the charging cables for a generic mobile phone.  I'm not up on Minors and trying to work out build dates, but I think it had pre-63 plates last time I saw it. 

I failed to take a photo. 

'63/'64 was when the A plate was introduced & not every car got the suffix, I had a '63 Beetle 425JUY which failed to get the A, so your Morry Thou is probably correct.

[Scrubworks]

7 hours ago, New POD said:

What's stopping you having a yellow car with lots of random letter and number combinations all over it. 

As long as you aren't using Charles Wright font they won't be ANPR readable, and as long as your actual plates are clearly displayed, that'd be fine. Besides, I don't think that really relates to my original question. If there's a legal definition for "race numbers" under the Road Traffic Act or Highway Code or similar, I'd like to see it.

[LightBulbFun]

15 hours ago, New POD said:

That number plate looks so much better than the modern plates attached to a battered Morris minor that must have been recently plate raped, that lives down my son's road. It's got an A reg circa 1964 on 2022 plates, held on by what looks like the charging cables for a generic mobile phone.  I'm not up on Minors and trying to work out build dates, but I think it had pre-63 plates last time I saw it. 

I failed to take a photo. 

 

5 hours ago, barefoot said:

'63/'64 was when the A plate was introduced & not every car got the suffix, I had a '63 Beetle 425JUY which failed to get the A, so your Morry Thou is probably correct.

A suffix was first introduced/used in Feb 1963 and ran till December 1963, used by county councils which had run out of suffix-less marks, and also by the new Scottish offices opened up which where given old London X multiples (for example AXA-A was Kirkcaldy)

however county councils that still had suffix-less marks could keep issuing them until the end of December 1964, hence the apparent overlap  (some of the remote Scottish county councils never even got to the end of their original 1904 2 letter 4 number allocations!)

A Suffix marks are now given out as Age related plates for any 1963 vehicle that needs a new registration mark/is being freshly registered here, back in the bad old days for a period of time A suffix plates where given to any and all Suffix-less cars which where robbed of their original mark, regardless of the vehicles actual age, so you would see all manner of vehicles on A suffix plates, and there was also a period of time where 1963 vehicles got suffix-less age related marks as well

these days the DVLA are pretty rigid with their age related plates

any vehicle from 1963 onwards gets a suitable suffix or prefix plate

any vehicle from 1953-1962 gets an 123ABC style plate

any vehicle from 1931 to 1952 gets a ABC123 plate

and any vehicle 1930 and older gets an AB1234 style plate  

4 hours ago, Scrubworks said:

As long as you aren't using Charles Wright font they won't be ANPR readable, and as long as your actual plates are clearly displayed, that'd be fine. Besides, I don't think that really relates to my original question. If there's a legal definition for "race numbers" under the Road Traffic Act or Highway Code or similar, I'd like to see it.

pretty much any number plate is readable by ANPR regardless of exact font these days, so dont go slapping set of Tippers, Hills or Ace plates on your car and expect to be able to stick 2 fingers up at the nearest Camera van LOL

but as mentioned I dont think theres anything against race numbers on your car, not from a RTA perspective anyhow, what various racing bodies have to say about it is another matter, but thats with them, theres nothing legally against it, a Police man cannot pull you for simply having a number in a white circle on the side of your car or such

so AFAIK you can indeed go and slap on a giant 69 onto the side of your Moggie thou if you wished  

[Asimo]

Not just race numbers, I’ve seen clones of these two sad heaps in Hereford recently.

 

[High Jetter]

8 hours ago, tooSavvy said:

'53' doesn't count...... ?

*Beetle

 

I've herb you.

[Matty]

Long time no major update. I've been amassing parts to overhaul the suspension for a while now. My aim was always to build a relatively standard looking car but with fast road use in mind. The standard suspension was very tired and in need of work.

Starting at what I hoped would be the easy end, I've changed the rear telescopic dampers for Spax adjustable gas units. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly A40 teles are for some reason as rare as hens teeth. The club have just managed to bring some NOS back from Austrailia of all places! These were relatively dear at 50 quid a side. To be fair that has to reflect the cost to the club of acquiring them. However I figured that after decades sat on a shelf somewhere they might be no better than mine. The Spax ones were twice as dear but very much uprated and the damping rate is fully adjustable.

[Matty]

Whilst still at the back of the car, the bushes in the spring hangers were perished. I looked for poly items but it seems no one makes them. So new standard rubber ones from the club went in instead. 

[SiC]

Your car does look generally very tidy. 

[SiC]

Do Midget bushes not fit? Looks a similar size by eye. 

[Matty]

To the front. I bought 2 refurbished armstrong dampers from the club on an exhange basis. I figured this would save me time and having to take the car off the road while I did my own.

While researching on the Web I came across a firm called AJ Barnard. They make adjustable valves for lever arm dampers. Really clever pieces of kit they are a like for like replacement for the standard valves except instead of being a sprung full bypass valve they are a fully adjustable needle valve. All I had to do was drain and flush my refurbished shocks, refill with 15w fork oil and bleed. Then fit the new valves. Externally they look identical except for an 8mm hex on the crown of the valves. This is the adjuster.

 

[Matty]

As you can imagine the one under the steering box was a twat. Otherwise an easy job. I changed the top trunnion, wishbone and anti roll bar bushes to poly items while I was in there.

 

[Matty]

I also put a new speedo cable in to stop the speedo bouncing around under 30. Made fuck all difference. This car always rewards work by breaking somewhere else 😁

[Matty]

Just now, SiC said:

Do Midget bushes not fit? Looks a similar size by eye. 

You bugger. Didn't think of that till you said it 🤣

[Matty]

I went out last night with a mate and put some good miles on it over some good roads (finally stopped raining). The difference is very impressive. The ride is still very comfortable and progressive, but the body control is much better and it corners really quite flat. I've currently only gone up 1 from full soft on the teles at the back and two quarter turns away from full soft atvthe front so I've lots of adjustment left. What I really don't want to do is make the ride harsh so I'll play around for a good compromise but so far I'm bloody impressed.

[Scrubworks]

3 minutes ago, Matty said:

You bugger. Didn't think of that till you said it 🤣

Yeah I was gonna say, Moggy ones look like they'd be the same. I think all those BMC A-Series rear wheel drive axles are all the same suspension design :P.

Looks like good work though, should drive so much nicer. Interested to hear how you get on with the Spax dampers.

[Matty]

Just now, Scrubworks said:

Yeah I was gonna say, Moggy ones look like they'd be the same. I think all those BMC A-Series rear wheel drive axles are all the same suspension design :P.

Looks like good work though, should drive so much nicer. Interested to hear how you get on with the Spax dampers.

Yeah I went a bit route one with the bushes at the back end. Still though, they were easy to change and only a quid each so I can always do them again in poly down the line.

The Spax were an easy choice as they were the only option 😄. So far although the back end feels noticeably firmer, i was really throwing it in to bends last night on east lancs famously "smooth" roads and it doesnt skip so im happy so far. Time will tell on quality and longevity i guess.

Anyhow, when's your next update??

[Scrubworks]

2 minutes ago, Matty said:

Yeah I went a bit route one with the bushes at the back end. Still though, they were easy to change and only a quid each so I can always do them again in poly down the line.

The Spax were an easy choice as they were the only option 😄. So far although the back end feels noticeably firmer, i was really throwing it in to bends last night on east lancs famously "smooth" roads and it doesnt skip so im happy so far. Time will tell on quality and longevity i guess.

Anyhow, when's your next update??

I'll go and write it now, I've been busy procrastinating.
I'll take some pictures of the SuperPro polybushes I've bought for my Moggy so you'll be able to have a sort of comparison.

[Mally]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

I also put a new speedo cable in to stop the speedo bouncing around under 30. Made fuck all difference. This car always rewards work by breaking somewhere else 😁

This guy will sort your speedo.

Worth going to see his workshop in the front room.

http://www.jdo1.com/contact_details.html

Edit, was only £60 when I went though. He must have bought new wallpaper.

[Matty]

Cheers Mally

[Scrubworks]

My speedo wobbles as well, even after a new cable and drive gear at the gearbox end. I think the old logic of "it's always the speedo cable" no longer applies. These speedo units are just so bloody old now 😆.

[Matty]

Just now, Scrubworks said:

My speedo wobbles as well, even after a new cable and drive gear at the gearbox end. I think the old logic of "it's always the speedo cable" no longer applies. These speedo units are just so bloody old now 😆.

It's a country mile out anyway. At an indicated 40 I'm doing about 34 according to the GPS on my phone app.

[Scrubworks]

I've found GPS speedo apps can be just as inaccurate. My phone actually tends to under-read, which is a sure route to a ticket. Best way I find is to drive behind a friend in a newish car doing a set speed, and work it out that way.

[martc]

A bit late to the party, but racing numbers on cars? The official answer...

https://beta.northumbria.police.uk/about-us/publications-and-documents/accessing-information/disclosure-log/other/racing-numbers-111919/

[MiniMinorMk3]

Yes, it's Motorsport UK (formerly MSA), who get all upperty about race numbers on cars. They think that joe public and his wife get all annoyed when they see loads of Escort Twin Cams blasting through their village and will immediately give all motorsport a bad name. How ever they still have numbers on the Wales GB rally cars when they go between special stages, so it's all bollocks if you ask me.

If you want white roundels on your door with the number of your choice on it then go ahead, 'cos plod ain't going to nick you for it, (but your mates will probably have a good laugh behind your back).

 

PS First time I've read about the A40 and I must say it looks great.

[Matty]

Just to be very clear, I have no intention of putting race numbers on it. All this stemmed from a picture @vulgalour put up, which he was only using to show a cleaned up mk2 front end! And yes @MiniMinorMk3, if I was to do it I'd never live it down 😆