so a slight pause in build recently, as household and garden tasks have taken a priority with the recent upturn in weather. However I grabbed some time in the garage over the weekend and continued prep work on the plumbing and pipework in the chassis.
Brake lines are in rough situ awaiting final fitment so I need to think about the fuel lines and how they run around the chassis. Thought I would start at the rear and move forwards.
When I bought the kit I acquired the full fuel kit which includes:
low pressure fuel pump
fuel filter
high pressure fuel pump
mounting plate
swirl pot
various fuel lines / hoses
jubilee clips
fuel tank
Swirl pot has been fitted earlier in the build so time to focus on the low pressure fuel pump, fuel filter and mounting plate. First step was to mount the pump and filter to the mounting plate and I elected to use a large jubilee clip on the filter rather than the plastic cable tie as I felt that offered a more robust fitment.
The fuel pump needs some basic assembly but all goes together quite nicely and I noted that one of the rubber mounting bobbins locates through the mounting plate into a rivnut fixed into the chassis.
Next step was to drill 9mm holes for the rivnuts - need to be quite careful here as the holes are quite close to the edge of the chassis frame the mounting plate sits on. The plate is secured by M6 dome head screws.
So holes drilled, rivnuts inserted, the plate can be fixed into position and the pump / filter set in place.
Some fuel hose needs to bridge the filter and pump and that was secured in place with some ptfe tape around the brass fittings and jubilee clipped into position remembering to ensure the jubilee clips can be accessed from above for when the access panel in the boot is fitted later on down the build process.
All done, one more stage ticked off, next stop, high pressure fuel pump on the drivers bulkhead
Feel some momentum building up now, I know I have laboured on about the differential getting fitted but it really was a landmark n the build and allowed for other aspects of the construction to move on.
So back to brake pipe routing whilst everything is accessible.
First one I installed was the rear to front run which follows a route down the transmission tunnel from the rear splitter to the master cylinder. I elected to start at the splitter which on reflection was probably not the ideal start point as there is alot more bending over and under chassis frame as you route towards the master cylinder.
Space is also a consideration at the rear as alot of services need to pass through a tight gap - handbrake cables, low pressure fuel hose, wiring loom etc so I was particularly conscious in ensuring I left sufficient room at the rear when routing the brake pipe.
It proved useful to temporary fix the pipes with cable ties until I have settled on the final positioning so i have some flexibility left/right/up and down before firming up and P-clips into position - again all the more important bearing in mind the tight space at the rear.
What I did come across reading a fellow builders blog was the master cylinder holes need marrying with the correct pipe run:
- Front hole nearest piston - rear brake line
- Middle hole - Off side brake line
- Lower hole - nearside brake line
realising the error in starting at the wrong end in routing the rear pipe, the offside pipe I started from the master cylinder, routed to the transmission tunnel followed round the footwell panels, over the steering column and down underneath the chassis rail toward the front of the chassis, again all temporary fixed into position with cable ties
Final pipe, the near side routed from the master cylinder, across the transmission tunnel round the footwell panels and again down the underside of the chassis rail to the front.
**important**
In routing the rear pipe to the master cylinder when you get to the master cylinder ensure you have the pedal box panel and fire wall to hand to check the pipe does not foul the bodywork - this will save some grief later on down the build if the bend on the pipe is at too greater a radius that it catches the pedal box
Nice easy one to get installed and passed away an hour!
I ordered the full kit for disc brakes from GBS which comprises:
- handbrake
- handbrake cable
- 2 x brake pin
- link bar
- nuts, bolts, cable clips
all quite simple to put together, insert the handbrake cables through the chassis locating holes above the transmission tunnel and in turn route to either side of the chassis, locating a rubber grommet into a hole within the chassis frame next to the braided hose/rear pipe connection.
Connect the cables to the handbrake via the link bar and brake pins (ensure the r-clip is underneath not on top).
Secure the handbrake to the chassis via the fixing position above the transmission tunnel.
one handbrake installed...
