Phoenix Brakes

[philfingers]

Update

Wiring turned into a nightmare. Indicators were fine but blew both dipped beams for some reason, at 10pm the night before the MOT had been booked. They were sealed beam units and the units I had off the old Westfield which had been littering the garage for 14 years were skipped 3 months back.
So fitted some H4 Wipac Quadoptic units, another MOT cancelled. These were fine and easy to fit. Driving to the MOT I ripped the back out of one of the bowls- the tyre 185/60 x 14 R888 caught it on lock. I checked the clearance with the front tyres when on axle stands and not when the suspension was loaded up. Anyone else have this problem?
Set the timing to 10deg BTDC. Drove to the MOT and the car was spitting and backfiring all the way, passed the MOT, one top rocker arm slight play, needed tightening up (now fine). We adjusted the timing there and it ran (no load) much better. Then 15 mins later I came to leave and it wouldn't start.
Anyway it's all MOT'd and on the road. I'll continue to set up the carbs now I can use it one the road.
I can't see I'm going to get the timing too right anyway as the dizzy appears to be a Valencia electronic type one. With a 234 cam and 40's I'd expect an Aldon 103FXYS or similar. May try using the vacuum advance unit and see if that improves matters.
Small issues now are water system needs an expansion tank, water temperature gauge died and fuel gauge has a mind of it's own.
Car doesn't feel very plented at the back but looking at the coilovers the NS is set with a higher ride height than the offside, it should be the other way around if anything to compensate for driver weight. Seeing the way the rest of the car has been built I'll be doing a full geometry setup anyway.
Any advice on settings for inboard rockers (polybushed) and live axle would be appreciated. 1300 road car on 14" wheels. I have all the kit for setting up.

[matt_gsxr]

It does seem that 14inch tyres can catch the back of the headlights on the Phoenix.

Both mine and Jeff's have worn down the drivers side headlight (but not the passenger side), which suggests a slight lack of symmetry.


Matt

[philfingers]

My chrome rims are mounted from the back, is this correct. I bought another set of 13" Superlights off a caterham and fitted them to the front for now, the 175/55 x 13 tyres should improve matters. Unfortunately they won't clear the sierra calipers ate the back, so for the time being the 14"s stay on the back.
Any idea on geometry Matt?
Car feels very twitchy! not tried it with the 13"s on the front but my guess is this will only compound the twitching!

[jeffw]

Post up a picture of your headlights and the wear as this doesn't sound right.

[philfingers]

I will when i get chance, I was wondering if the body was fitted too far back on the chassis, then the rear wheels look ok in the arches.. . . . .

[matt_gsxr]

I think everyone has the chrome fitting on the front, with the black plastic bowl bolting up the the fibreglass.

It does look ugly, and don't bother trying to find chrome rims in the 5.75inch size because they don't exist (only black plastic).

here are a few Phoenix photos
https://picasaweb.google.com/m.robson20 ... ollection#

mine still rubs.

Matt

p.s. I tride to make one once, and it looked like this. It wouldn't fit under the headlight covers though once the lights were at SVA height.

p.p.s. (to Jeff, the injector just isn't functioning, I haven't jettisoned it)

[adithorp]

If anybody wants some black plastic 5 3/4" headlight rims, I've got a pair spare.

[matt_gsxr]

Regarding set-up. Mine is IRS not live axle (excuse in early).

I followed the instructions from Rob Farley (and on here as RobMsport) who used to post on the google sylva newsgroup (http://groups.google.com/group/sylva-chat). That provides a wealth of information if you can guess the right search terms. Here is a copy from one of his posts;

"
front to rear wedge
(lower front than rear -- 15 to 20 mm's without driver is a good starting
point) Stronger springs ? well that depends what's on there now ? Road plus
occasional trackday ---- 225lbs front , 180 lbs rear as a minimum . 16 to 18
psi tyres. About a third of max' clicks front shocks , about two thirds max
clicks rear shocks. IE if you've got 14 clicks 4 to 5 front -- 9 to 10 rear
. Straight ahead or a touch just toe in . Camber 1.5 minimum up to 2 .
This will give a safe starting point for you to experiment with
understeer/oversteer . I'm biased of course but you could fit one of my
front ARB kits. Get me offline if you need to chat about it. Rob.
"

around 1-2mm toe-in, is also a recommendation.

I don't know enough or have enough skill to comment, but I have generally followed the advice provided and things improved.

Matt

[philfingers]

I had a tinker last night. straightened out the panhard rod, looked as tho someone had jacked the car up on it! then removed one set of the tew sets of washers behind the half shaft retainer plate. The discs still clear the caliper carrier ok. All in an effort to stop the NS tyre from rubbing on the arch.
The shocks were totally different in both damper setting and spring preload. So I set the rear ride height to around 110/115mm (NS/OS to compensate for driver) from the chassis to the ground. Yet to play with the front but will set tracking slightly toe in.
The car felt a little loose at the back, while the panhard rod bolt was tight, it wasn't clamping up enough on the bush so a few washers in there sorted that.
Work continues. .. . . .

[matt_gsxr]

Phil,

It sounds like you are going to get to know that car very well.

Matt