Long time leader driver

[simonr]

We'll hopefully that is a picture of my car as of this morning resized hosted by photobucket as per instructions done on an iPad no computer at the mo.
I picked up the chassis/body from Swindon sports cars in December 1987, and just completed it! No only joking these things are never really finished. However it has been off the road since 2004, quietly oxidising in the garage little more than an obstacle on the way to the freezer. I last used it on the MCC Edinburgh trial 2004, it has a bit more daylight under neath it than you may be used to seeing, important for the long distance trials scene.
Last summer I decided on a little light recommisioning and what a lot of work that turned out to be but one year on the cars on the road again!
My first drive this morning and, the brakes are a bit wooly, it doesn't run that sweetly, the new fuel sender doesn't match the gauge, I need new seats - I could go on.
Cheers

[RedStar]

Hi Simon,

What spec is the car? More pics are always welcome (by me at least).

I'm wondering if this is the only "1 owner from new" Leader out there?

regards,
Karl

[simonr]

Hello again,
More pics tomorrow depending on weather
Yes Karl there can't be many people with the same car for nearly 30 years, many times I have considered breaking it up and using the space for a nice old Brit bike or two. I would never sell it now maybe break it up & build another though.
Karl your car is red, how did that happen? Did you not like the mottled pink effect on the original gel coat?
Cheers

[RedStar]

To get back to brighter red gelcoat you probably just need to get rid of the oxidation. Go over it with progressively finer emery cloth and finish with a polishing compound on a buffer and it should come up much better.

Once I've got the front end back on that's my plan for my bodywork....I've given it a test in a few bad patches and comes up a treat - gelcoat is plenty thick on mine so I guess its the same on yours.

Plenty of tutorials out there (mainly for boats but the same rules applies).

[simonr]

Ok it's a wet morning & Karl enquired about the spec of my car so here goes
1988 Leader with a lightly tuned crossflow & magnum /Firenze rear axle.
Car was built on a real budget when I was a student so no corner was left uncut, I kind of enjoy the simplicity of an old car like this so no fancy gadgets or up grades, it even still has points ignition although that may change.
Done lots of work recently for "recomisioning" which is turning into a resto, & if a am honest the original build left many opertunitys for improvement,
I have raised the suspension quite a bit by reworking the brackets on the rear axle & fitting new front springs, I have had to make all new trailing arms (rotten), fitted new Ali tank (rotten). There is more but cannot think for the moment, restoring the red colour sounds very laborious so it will remain pink for a while.
Cheers

[RedStar]

are the new front springs not cut down to "Leader" length? front looks way too high to me.

[simonr]

I have two sets of springs one cut down and one not so I can increase the ground clearance as I once did classic car trials. I may have a go at PCTs in the future (production car trials)
Probably going to lower it again for the summer doesn't take long to swap things around.

[simonr]

Back to standard Leader ride height & found a set of 4inch PCD alloys for sale locally.

[RedStar]

wheels look much better now.

sorry to keep on about it but the front is still way too high for me. I haven't seen another Leader that high - have a look on Google images and you'll see what I mean.

[simonr]

The ride height is now the same as any other Leader it's just the bonnet that's higher creating that big gap in the front wheel arch. The bonnet always "rested" on the engine, the engines been raised a bit on the mounts & the oil pan remodelled a bit stop it grounding. Still the engine rattling against the bonnet was annoying. A bonnet hump would cure the issue.