Saturday 8 February 2014

1966 Sunbeam Sport oil cooler mount brackets

Made when the Rootes Car Co of Scotland introduced their amazing Sunbeam Sport Imps, the cars were just what we wanted and sales were good from day one.

The cars engine was uprated and to handle the  extra power an oil cooler was fitted at standard.


Now being re manufactured in Hout Bay, South Africa. Note the CNC lazer cut plates on the right
of the picture.

This was now 48 years ago and while later cars were sold with the oil coolers total Imp production stopped in 1976, so nothing was made after that time.


The first ten sets have all been pre sold!

They have now been fitted with high tensile nuts by brazing them on, plus that fold over flap was brazed to hold it firm. Bead blasting to remove the mill scale and spray painting with DTM (direct to metal) black paint will complete the process.

Next in production will be Alternator rear support brackets, timing pointers, engine lift plates etc.

Roy

The argie 10 dinghy kit, best value for money from three sheets of plywood

Dudley Dix wasted very little of the plywood sheet when he designed the Argie 10, in fact we need to use a thinner router cutter than normal so as not to cut into panels next to others.


Click on the picture to enlarge the image.

One of three sheets of 6mm okoume marine ply, we will send them and the required epoxy, glass tape, fumed silica and 3M micro balloons off to Pretoria next week.

We have the plans ex stock and sell them under licence to www.dixdesign.com

Roy

Friday 7 February 2014

Jaguar 3.8S type engine rebuild

I did this engine about thirty years back, then the engine had 96,000 miles on it.

With new piston rings and crank bearings from Joe of Masterparts fitted the engine has been fine
all this time.


Click on the pictures for a larger image.

Time being what it is the fact was the engine now needed some new pistons and here they are!


Plus 30 oversize, new crank bearings plus 20 oversize and we have a new engine!

We had two options, use second hand parts with new rings and bearings, or make the engine like new again, the car being a 1966 Jaguar 3.8 ltr, S type has to be worth a new engine?


The con rods have been bead blasted clean, this I like.


Inside the Jaguar 3.8 litre XK engine, its rather compact really?


New main bearings ready to accept the re ground crank, looks great!

 

 

The cylinder head was refurbished also, why not do this while we can.

Roy
 

Thursday 6 February 2014

Roberts Imp 998cc motor

This short motor was intended for another Imp, we had bothers with a used Sport 180 series and Wills ringed head, so we never got to fit the motor in the end.


The engine will now be fitted to a 1971 Hillman Imp Deluxe, with the Mk2 head and standard camshaft but with the larger performance single choke Solex carburettor, it will add power but at a
smoother and lower end of the band.


This is a really nice cylinder head design, with the overhead camshaft, once set, the tappets stay as they should be for many 1000s of miles.


 The original concept of the design was from Coventry Climax, we stock their silver logo stickers!
R30 each plus postage.

Roy

Roy
 

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Watchmate Vision AIS

We will have a pre sold unit in stock by Friday, please contact me if you want to see what they
look like in the box.


WatchMate Vision - WiFi touchscreen AIS transponder

$1,249.00 USD
Availability: about three days from your order with CKD Boats cc

The WatchMate Vision AIS Transponder includes built-in WiFi, NMEA 2000® & 0183, GPS receiver and GPS antenna.

2012 NMMA Innovation AwardWinner of the NMMA Innovation Award, the WatchMate Vision AIS Transponder offers the best in collision avoidance systems while also providing new ways to view AIS on mobile devices. WatchMate Vision is a clever, dedicated safety instrument for any leisure or work boat skipper wanting to make accurate safety decisions using integrated AIS, GPS and NMEA 2000 information.
The Vision Class B AIS transponder brings a new dimension to AIS information by the intuitive way it eliminates unwanted alarms and removes clutter from the display. It shows and prioritizes only the targets that have a current collision risk while allowing the user to customize the powerful features to their current situation (Offshore, Coastal, Harbor or Anchored).
The easiest way to integrate AIS with mobile devices. Vision’s safety data can also be used wirelessly with mobile devices running a variety of apps. But unlike other marine products with WiFi, the WatchMate Vision can securely connect up to 5 other devices simultaneously. You can have a wireless connection to your laptop, smartphone and tablet - all simultaneously! And for even larger networks, you can wirelessly connect the WatchMate Vision to an external WiFi router for unlimited expansion capability.

This innovative easy to use AIS transponder combines:

  • Download the Vesper Marine WatchMate App
    Free iPhone app provides configuration, status monitoring and interactive remote control over operation
  • Compact fully self-contained design allows for mounting most anywhere
  • Large bright color touchscreen with worldwide coastal outlines
  • NMEA 2000 & 0183, WiFi and USB
  • Routes your NMEA 0183 instrument data over WiFi
  • WiFi configuration options: Access Point creates a network or Client of an existing router
  • Will overlay AIS targets on a variety of smartphone and tablet apps
  • Can be placed in Silent Mode (receive-only)
  • Internal high-performance parallel two channel AIS transponder
  • Includes 50 channel GPS receiver with internal antenna (optional external antenna)
  • Utilizes Vesper Marine's new multi-processor architecture for fast performance
  • Fully waterproof (IPx7)
  • Easy to install: Just plug in a VHF antenna and connect to 12-24 VDC.

Mobile App Support

WatchMate Vision is supported by a growing set of mobile apps and we frequently post reviews of iOS and Android apps for compatibility and features.

Monday 3 February 2014

Testing times for British Seagull engines part two

Not quite just yet but with a customer in Pretoria placing his order for a restoration of his 1973 British Seagull 5hp motor, I can see Justin and myself having another go at testing the old against the new out board motors.


 
Note, we wore PFDs for the actual test.
 
Click the picture to enlarge it.

Check those old British Seagull engines, we also have a February 1974  smaller engine to test now as well, at 2 to 3 hp output I bet it will surprise us all.


This one has been serviced and is for sale.

Roy

 

Optimist Dinghy kit

This came to us when the KYC ( knysna yacht Club) wanted to start an Optimist sailing group but had no Optimists. Looking around they found the imported GRP boats but discovered that the hull cost more than one of our plywood epoxy kits with the mast and sail included!

 
One of our kits as built by the boys grandad.

http://www.ckdboats.com/optimist.html

Check the link to view our web page on the Optimist dinghy kit.


They placed placed an order for five kits, it became eight as other parents joined
 into the scheme.


The first event was the SA Nationals at Hermanus YC at which they discovered the kit boats weighed within 700 grams of each other but were still lighter than the imported GRP boats.


Entering the Novice group they took four places out of the top five, including first place!


The truth is you can still be on the water for far less when you use  our kits and your own labour.


The pictures show that with our special jig assembly is quite a simple event, we also supply a fourteen page step by step builders guide with lots of pictures.


Roy

Pictures were supplied by a customer.

Sunday 2 February 2014

The meaning of CAD ?

A well known yacht designer sent me a link to a classic car rebuilder, why? well we both enjoy older cars, he has a Lotus Europa Mk2 and I have a Singer Chamois with a mainly Sport specification.

Who is this guy? its Dudley Dix.

The meaning of CAD?

That's easy, it stands for   Cardboard Aided Design.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1090054_project-binky-is-an-awesome-4wd-austin-mini-video

Have look to see how its done.

Great stuff!

Roy