Bearing Up (or out)

Despite the lack of Cobra updates, I have not been totally idle. Since my last update, I have been slowly completing the engine disassembly, to the point where all that remained were the cam bearings. These need to be removed for the machining work, the fact that they are worn out is incidental at this stage! A cam bearing is typically removed or installed using an expanding mandrel to hammer it in or out. I have heard some stories of bearings being damaged by this process, so I decided to design a tool to wind them out and in on a thread. I then turned the required parts (5 different bearing sizes so 5 individual mandrels!) and gave them a test. Success! The 5 bearings came out without a hitch.

The other area of progress has been on the gauges. I have never been keen of the normal kit car approach of a set of aftermarket warning lamps festooning the dash, so I thought I would take a more contemporary approach. To this end I have decided to attempt to manufacture my own gauges so I can integrate the lamps within the dial faces. This has taken quite a lot of research, but I am now at the stage where I have a schematic and board layout for the minor gauges (fuel level, water temperature), along with a plan for the major gauges (speedo, tacho). Oil monitoring (pressure and possibly temperature) will be achieved with the use of an LCD which will also provide trip and mileage information. There is still a long way to go on these, but it seems to be in the right direction so far.