Hi
To any J15 builders out there i have taken a chance by fitting integral master cylinders which i knew might be an issue later with bonnet clearances. I had a short trial fit on Sunday and yes i do have an issue.
On the trial fit the clutch will probably be ok but the bonnet slopes towards the front and drivers side so i dont think the brakes m/cyls will be, havent even got the float switches on yet.
The centre piece is still to be finally trimmed (a few mm here and there) before it is fastened down with the side pods but i dont believe the m/cyls will fit.

Nick M

I feel for you, however it is not too late to change them. Just need to get good at silver soldering and make up pipes to a remote reservoir. I would have fitted a tandem master cylinder if I could have. I believe one of our group has done so by moving the position of it in the pedal box. He needed special suspension arms also.

http://sylvabuild.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-foot-brake-final-assembly.html

Power bulge?

Just one of those things the m/cyls were quite cheap when i bought them from Compbrakes (less than £20) and i always knew it might be an issue.
I will save the final decision till later once i get the bonnet properly fastened down. My front tyre was very close on the arch to the front of the fibre-glass so it may be that i can gain a few mm of height by raising the front ?

Was it good to let it rip a bit at the hill climb ?

Nick M

The car has lots of potential. I am not happy the way it drives just now but then I have never had road miles to shake it down apart from last night. After every lap I got more and more confidence. It needs months of work to get it where I want it. My MSA licence arrived today not even opened it, won't need that for a while. Until I have it running on public roads I won't be able to analyse the problems properly. What I am delighted with is the gearbox, I was expecting pish ratios for the track but I can get about 40 in first. My westfield and it's MT75 box is useless on a track. I may have to fit an oil cooler not enough ventilation in a J15 for track use. I have opened up the vents in the boot lid to see if that makes a difference.

Have a look here at Rich Claydon's build, now stalled I believe, where he appears to get m/cyls and float switches under the bonnet.

http://www.jpsc-online.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45&start=110

PS I used remote resevoires.

[Edited on 10/7/13 by deeceee09]

The "one of our group with a tandem master cylinder and special suspension arms" is me! Only one arm in reality, the other is standard. Works a treat with plenty of feel. I can lock all four wheels in a straight line but I really have to try to do it.

No clearance issues and very simple plumbing. I'll put some pictures in my photo archive tomorrow. I deliberately built a road car. A race/track car running big discs and 4 pot callipers would definitely have less fade but the only reason it would stop quicker would be wider, stickier tyres.

Jeremy did say it was a pig to do, but being JP he's usually up for an engineering challenge!!

Thanks Fellas
I will leave it till later when it is all fully fastened bodywork wise. The replumb if necessary shouldnt be to bad as it is the reservoir feed that will have to be added.
Just trying to warn off any other builders that it may be best to play safe with remotes.
I will probably stick with the bias bar though.

Thanks

Nick M

I've used 3 wilwood integral master cylinders, and have now finished with fixing the bonnett......I have about 4mm of clearence and am very happy with them. However, I have spaced the top of the two brake cylinders out by a few mm's so they line up nicely with the adjuster, this drops them down a tad, also the standard fiesta level indicators fit on he wilwood cylinders and also are a lower profile than the standard wilwood caps.........All very simple things to o to get them in......

Hi Jenko
Yea i had a look at Richard the firemans and he also got them to fit so it may be that when i get everything fully fettled and tightened it wont be an issue. I have 2 standard ford float switchs but they have the connector square on top but fit the threads ok are the fiesta ones different to the ones shown in CBS and Rally design as these are the type i had laying around the garage.

Thanks

Nick M

I took a few pics tonight so will update the blog when I get chance, but the last post shows the level floats with connectors on the side.....I know that there are two different types of pedal box, so this could make a difference plus I recall a difference in master cylinder sizes, so again worth checking you don't have the larger ones.

I've just done a long overdue blog update and included some close ups of the master cylinders:
Clickster

Thanks Jenko

How have you managed to catch me up !!

Took the central tub off today on my own the centre becomes a bit fragile once the cut outs for the hoops are done doesnt it !!

Powerfile is a godsend one of my best buys ever

Nick M

Not sure ive caught you up....I tend to chop and change between the jobs just to keep myself interested.....at the mo, I'm taking a break from the wiring, so thought I would do some body work :-)......

For me it seems to be the dremal that gets most of he work....totally with you on the tub.....I'm even considering fibreglassing a strip of ally in.