Good day, starting with incorporating the switches for the demisters into the tight space on the removable panel. Took much longer than expected, then I shortened the wires that lead to them to tidy it up. Nev arrived and we got stuck into making the new instruments work. I confess bafflement regarding positive and negative earths, all I know is that after some fiddling the fuel gauge now reads! Actually 1/4 full.

During last week Nev has made a binnacle for the warning lights in the centre of the dash and rather fine aluminium trim to tidy off the lower edge. Then I made three aluminium brackets to support the dash top, and glued some foam on the top of them to prevent it drooping. After that it was carefully measuring and cutting out the gaps in the dash top for the demisters themselves, the cutting being with a neat pneumatic oscillating saw Nev has. The dash top will be covered and held in place, either with recessed screws or Velcro, but I think Velcro may not be positive enough. I'll use Velcro for locating the ECU, which Nev has tucked up neatly behind the centre console. Tomorrow I need to fit the bonnet release cable and the windscreen washer piping. The O rings for the injectors have arrived so we'll see how time goes.

I had been trying to find out the power delivery on the MX5 for SVA assessment, but of course when I got home Alistair knew exactly where to look. Max power is at 5800rpm so that is the figure I will use on the application.

David Elliston has allayed a huge fear I had about the SVA application by sending me a copy of his form. Since his website has been the source of so many useful bits of information about building and officialdom it should be reprinted as the build manual. I must have turned to it 50 times. I can't quite see how such a widespread anxiety has grown up around the SVA forms but Hey Ho. The new gauges for fuel and oil pressure have arrived, with engine block adaptor, as has the bonnet release cable.

Now that Catherine's' foot is better and she'll be out all weekend I plan to go down to work on the car next weekend. Neville called while I was in Sweden yesterday to say he had identified the correct fuel / oil pressure gauges and the relevant engine fitting at Europa Spares so I ordered those by phone. The ones I bought all those months ago are of course surplus now and out of guarantee but I'll sell them - not the most expensive mistake I've made in this build but you do wish that the Fisher build manual joined up the odd dot - this time on Midget tank senders and Sierra looms and positive vs negative earths! I've also ordered a bonnet release cable and new O rings for the injectors - I plan to change all 4 sets while the fuel rail is off. Nev has been rivnutting the tunnel top and says that the switches on the demisters can be set behind the wheel or the dash panel so will be OK, hence I just have to shorten the cable runs to tidy them up behind the dash.

Another day at the car! I started by re-doing the stupid mistake I had made last week, misunderstanding Nev's point about where the rear fog and reversing lights should go. Then I secured the rear lights and sealed them. Next I fixed the high level brake light properly having simply taped it last week - much harder than you would think. Finally I moved on to the demisters. Nev and his assistant had remade the dashboard in a much more robust sandwich material and covered it, plus making a removable insert. You can see above how it fits. The demisters came from Car Builder Solutions and are really clever and very simple. They wire into the spare unfused yellow leads from the Sierra ignition barrel and can run hot or cold, pulling over 160W each. They have adjustable vents and can easily swivel / rotate to point downwards, so the one on the passenger side (photo on left) can be adjusted to keep the passengers' feet warm so long as I leave the space below clear. The switches are pre-wired and will have to be fitted behind the steering wheel being definitely not SVA OK. I also tidied up some wiring. Very productive day.

Catherine, broken ankle notwithstanding, daughter uncontactable in Northern Sierra Leone, me away endlessly at present, suggested I have a day at the car. Brilliant! Nev left the key and a list of suggested tasks which was really helpful. From that list I swapped the reversing light and fog light (typical me to confuse the wiring) then fitted and wired the number plate light. After that I spent a couple of hours tidying up the rear wiring looms and finally decided to tackle the high level brake warning light. This meant drilling the roll bar to take the wire then trying to feed the wires round to the pre-drilled hole Nev had made low down near the boot floor. However something solid is in the way so I poked a stiff wire down the other side of the roll bar and despite some resistance decided to make the exit hole again. That took ages (drills or steel quality?) then feeding the wires to enable me to hook them and get them out through a 10mm hole was an agony. Eventually it got done and I connected positive and earth, switched on the ignition and had the satisfaction of seeing it light up first time when I pushed the brake pedal. I spent the rest of the day tidying up the looms, wrapping them in protective spiral and tape and using cable ties to make it neat and safe. The rear looks a lot neater now though I must still securely fit the rear lights and the rear loom runs. Nev has re-done the air intake and the engine does run much better. I ran it until the fan cut in a couple of times. When I get a chance I must re fit the injector on No 4 cylinder which is still leaking.

I've never seen Nev's workshop so neat! Apparently he now has a girl assistant, which explains things. Drawers are even labelled!

I spoke with Nev on Friday when I got back. He's been unable to make any progress really.

Although I don't see how I can get away to help, the next best thing was hearing from Neville that they are making progress, air intake remounted, engine restarted and general tidying up. His electrical chum is coming soon to fix the wiring and so on. Hopefully I'll get down to see it by mid-August!

I still don't see how I'm going to make any serious progress for the next few weeks, or thereafter if I have to keep going to Oakhanger. I've got so much going on at work with visitors, overseas trips and so on. I'll have to speak with Nev and ask him to finish the car electrically and mechanically as a specific customer project, then get it back here and trim etc here. I'll give him a call. On the one hand it feels like I'm wimping out but there is no way this is going to be allowed to languish like so many other unfinished projects I hear about, and it will be forever a work in progress even after SVA.

Well it's now 16th June, I've not been able to get to Oakhanger for ages and it'll be at least another three weeks till I see the car again. Nev cheered me up by describing a speedo pick up he's built to take the output from the MX5 gearbox speedo cable output rather than propshaft or diff. When even Nev describes it as having "this bit here and this bit there then a clever little bracket to the whizzo and some Sikkaflex to hold the wozzit" you know Henry Royce would have been proud. Nev's going to get some of the outstanding stuff finished whilst I'm away. Wouldn't mind getting to SVA before the weather closes in. I'm going to miss his car show in aid of the hospice too which sounds a great idea but I'll buy a ticket and he'll show the car.

Managed to get a few hours and saw the roll bar. Nev's done a great job. He's also drilled it ready for the high level brake light. We looked at the pick up for the speedometer and he's going to have a go at fitting the pick up. I had a better electrical session, getting Sierra wheel re-assembled, the horn working, the head of the digital speedo wired up, the rev counter function working. However although the separate fuel gauge worked, it reads full which I don't believe. Could be wrongly wired, but I checked several times, or could be the sender is just stuck. Or maybe the sender is not connected? I just thought of that. And the temperature gauge in the speedo needs plumbing in later but not urgent. I trimmed up the dash panel too so maybe some good progress today.

And painted and finished today!

Spent the weekend driving, collecting Emma from University and all her stuff from halls. Did not get to car but got great photos from Nev of the roll bar, for which he has fixed stay bars.

Sunday afternoon was really nice after all the rain so as a break after Hong Kong last week I drove the car into the yard to work on the warning light cluster. How frustrating can things get? With benevolent support from Nick, Nev's next door neighbour, I wrestled the indicators into life and the high beam light. But the wiring diagram was not clear - to me anyway - and I could not get the ignition light to work. I spoke with Nev who was at Brands Hatch supporting the Lotus Cortina and he seemed pretty relaxed about it. But I remained sceptical and a bit demoralised because it seems that everything I tackle is a challenge. Then when I get it right somehow my finished wiring goes awry and I blow half a dozen fuses! I had to work on the Bank Holiday so I took today to go down to the car. Nev was at his best, avuncular when needed, intervening when needed and letting me pretend I had worked things out. I nearly blew my own fuse when we realised that I had to undo most of the engine bay loom to trace the alternator wires but the end result was a much cleaner loom, simpler wire routing and all the warning lights working, plus the reverse light connected and the handbrake warning light circuit. I think the high beam switch on the indicator stalk is broken but I have a spare. And just to prove it.....















Nev is going to weld the stays on the roll bar in the next day or so which is the last "engineering" job - we hope.

On Sunday I got the rear indicator / brake / side lights connected properly, including the brake light switch at the master cylinder and ready to secure in place. The reflector rings and internal fog / reverse lights needed securing differently and I'll need to get something suitable. At least the main ones work.

Then I switched to the dash indicator lights. I could not get them to work at all and after a long struggle gave up. Need to speak to Premier Wiring and do some circuit testing I think. Nice note from Nev - "it's starting to look like a car". Finally woke up Cranbrook today so will go down and collect windscreen, seat covers and VIN number tomorrow!

During the week the aluminium header tank and cap arrived so yesterday I had a word with Neville regarding where, pipe runs etc and we ended up with it central on the scuttle, raised slightly on 1" aluminium section to keep the air above the highest point of the water in the engine. It was all a rather long drawn out process trying to get pipe runs to fit and what I've ended up with is a little strained on one bend but once filled we started the engine (first time in 3 months or so) and let the water flow until hot, topping up as it settled. Once full, with the fan running to show it was hot, we shut it down and left it to cool for an hour. Then we repeated the exercise and have left it overnight. I'm going over later so will have a look to make sure all is well. I had found some key components by shopping about, a D Tweeks inlet pipe with branch suitable to go on the end of the plenum and have a feed from the idle control valve, demist fans, a "budget" horn, some new silicone hose to replace tatty bits, a couple of electric bits and so on which will arrive next week. Also pleased to discover that for SVA the handbrake switch can be wired to the brake test light and save a switch on the dash. At the end of the day I was rather dumb when trying to complete the rear lights, trying to fit bayonets back to front and so on and ended quite frustrated with myself but compared to some of the negotiations at work just now it don't half take your mind into other realms!

It's exactly 2 years since I first saw the Fury at Stoneleigh. The JPSC are having a get together up there but I'm not going until the car is SVA'd. On Bank Holiday Monday I got the indicators and hazard warning lights working using the relay and connectors I found on Sunday plus I tidied up some wiring. We found that we had run out of spade male terminals (why are there always more females? I'm not complaining mind) so I moved on to the dash area. I had decided from reading other blogs and posts that a heater is probably unnecessary due to the heat soak through the footwells so we'll go with hair dryers for demist. I therefore cut a sheet of 2 mil ally and blanked off the heater gap in the scuttle which you can see above. I also decided to buy a CBS aluminium header tank, and that can sit on the scuttle where the heater was going to go, leaving plenty of room for the electrics. Lastly I started getting the indicator and light stalks refitted, then the dash. The dash blank needed widening at the steering column area. I then tried fitting speedo, warning lights and instruments but the warning lights proved invisible behind the steering column so I cut out a space where the heater would have been. Not very neat so far but I'll tidy it up next time. Have to get side repeater connectors from a scrappy. It appears they are standard and SVC don't sell them.

A day of electrics. I started by fitting the headlight rim retaining clips, easier than it seemed once you identified where they should go. Then I switched to the back of the car. Last week I decided I did not like the lighting format and would have needed a reflectors set as well. SVC had a combination reflector rim with insert reversing light for one and fog for the other so i ordered those and will return the others once I'm sure these are OK. It was back to taping, measuring etc then drilling out the third pair of holes. The hole saw that had hidden last week was only 79mm and I needed 93mm for the new holes. Nev had a pneumatic deburring tool that made life great, plus this time I also knew where the coarse rasp file hid. Once that was done I switched to wiring in the headlights and indicators at the front. To my delight a sidelight worked and Nev and I worked our way through fuses and relays and got the dip and main lights and intermittent wipers going. It's not straightforward even with the Premier instructions! I need a relay for the indicators and hazard system but the hazard column light now works.

Then I switched to the rear lights, eventually routing the rear loom under the rear frame, round the tank and back in via the boot sides. By the time I had got the wires identified and ends stripped and female connectors clipped on it was time to stop.

I need the relay mentioned, some male and female connectors, connector blocks and I need to find out if I need an extra heat sink for the rear indicators. Good day!

Got to Oakhanger about 2.00pm. First job was to jack the car up and trim the bonnet return that was catching on the fan housing after the bonnet was repositioned. Nev's big jack would not fit under the car, the hoist was broken and so I used his older small jack. I got the car up OK and axle stands under the frame. Then I chalked out a line to cut, used an angle grinder with a sanding disc and cut it to shape. Letting the jack down I failed to spot the worn ratchet drive on the hydraulics and when it did catch the release the car came down with an almighty bang. I am concerned that the sump bottomed on the steel channel between the hoist posts but hope it is more my pride rather than metal that is bruised.

Then I started on the headlights. As usual, working out which hole needs to be drilled where, which screw needs undoing and which not, took up a a lot of time. Once the first one was done the second took no time and my only puzzle is how the spring clip fits for the headlight rims. I'll call SVC tomorrow. Anyway here we are>

After the headlights I fitted the indicators, which can be seen above in the headlight recess, then the side repeaters. Now I was firing on all cylinders and decided to mark up the rear light positions and fit the indicators and brake / tail lights. With extraordinary care, and using tape, steel rules, spirit level, dividers, compasses etc., measure twice, mask with tape, check four times and drill, I got the offside holes perfectly aligned, then the inner nearside. The nearside outer, for the indicator light, despite being beautifully measured, and I say that with passion, coincided with the nearside boot floor wall. First thoughts were my error, but it's not. The boot floor sides are different, port to starboard. Hey ho, and as Dylan Thomas said, "Llareggyb" to be done about it. So I drilled the wall out too and started on the hole. Of course I had been unable to find the 80mm hole saw, (it appeared when I was tidying up at the end, exchanged "Hellos" with me and proceeded quietly on its way to the storage box) so I was drilling within a scribed circle prior to filing down. And the coarse rasp file too was also lurking elsewhere until later when I tidied up so I slogged away with fine file and so on. Eventually the nearside indicator seemed to fit, nearly, so I packed up and headed home. It may sound frustrating but actually the 12 hours or so I've fitted in this weekend have been great. We're getting there.

One of those lovely English spring days. Just right for car building plus I'm not away on business nor committed elsewhere. May even get down after church tomorrow morning! Nev was in and so we looked at fitting the roll bar. Like many parts that bridge Kit Car Workshop and Cranbrook it did not fit. Nev had to cut off the bracing bars then I fitted and drilled the main plates. A real faff as the body as moulded is not square, as many other builders have pointed out, and I'm no engineer. Getting the thing relatively central and with enough space for the washers and nuts to miss the frame was a nightmare but after several hours it was done. I then started fitting the seats after Mark Fishers' guidance and seeing his own car at Detling. The front of the fibreglass moulding sits in front of the chassis cross rail and is drilled through in a couple of places to hold it. You then climb into the tub and sit down to make sure that the height of your eyes misses the windscreen frame and then pack up the seat base - in my case a piece of wood about 1" thick to get the height right for your eye line and to spread the load (you). I drilled through the seat base and wood spreader at the seat angle and screwed it down. Result - a very nice driving position for my 5ft 10 inch height! Then I ground off the sides of the passenger seat until that slotted into the tub and fitted that too. Finally today I refixed the bonnet so that it does not leave such a gap at the scuttle and sits flat on the side pods. One side pod is a little out fore and aft but this is a Fury, and the chassis body combination a KCW / Mark Fisher / Cranbrook hybrid at that, so it will do. Now the bonnet butts onto the fan housing when lifted but I'll fix that tomorrow.

Neville has sent the car away for the bonnet to be painted. So I went down to the Detling Kit car show and met Chris and Steve from Cranbrook and was able to see a lot of features on a body like mine that help to determine how I'll move ahead. In addition they are thinking of making an MX5 donor version so were very interested in my car. I said I would take it down to show them when finished. I also met Mark Fisher, along with a couple of guys from the JPSC. They confirmed that the proposed SVA changes are detail only and nothing like the scare stories being bandied about involving crash tests etc. The consequence was that I ordered the windscreen, the fitting kit and, having seen them on Mark' own Fury, the removable seat covers. Expensive day.