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Hello to all once again, following work is completed on the car:
1 - "Computer generated" (whatever that means) paint is purchased, it cost me a bomb, don't ask how much but it looks very good in the can, hopefully it will look wow on the car. So it is finally "swift ka grey" with matt black bonnet and half fenders.
2 - Roll cage fitting is finished. I had to use the bevel protractor and bubble guage of my Mitutoyo combination square + a lot of patience and perseverence to get the angles right. It was an absolute ordeal but it is done with once and for all. No time during the day so had to do this work at night. I don't even know how many welding rods are used. All 4 base mountings are box gussetted.
3 - The chassis has been retorqued after aligning the rear legs by shims so as to align with the floor panel.
4 - The entire suspension was removed, cleaned, painted and reassembled without disturbing the spiders (obviously). The lower control arm mounting channels have been replaced (the car came with "value engineering" parts for which I was only responsible long years back, had to undo some of the wrongs done then). Handling will now improve drastically. The front suspension jounce arrestor buffers and their brackets had developed rust so they are changed. New shock absorbers are fitted in the front, rear will be changed next week as they were not immediately available.
5 - Complete brake system is now new. New wheel cylinders, new liners and all new hoses have been fitted. Bundy tubes and master cylinder were already fitted previously.
6 - New original handbrake cable is fitted. Ratchet mechanism is overhauled as it had jammed up over a period of time.
7 - All wheel bearings have been serviced, found good, so same wheel bearings are refitted. All brake drums have been painted.
8 - New Valeo clutch assembly is fitted onto the flywheel.
9 - Engine intake and exhaust manifolds have been replaced. The intake manifold is the one which saw a small production run of only about 200 cars. It takes the Mikuni carburettor directly, so volumetric efficiency is good. Manifold pot heating is eliminated to increase charge efficiency (thank God I am out of the Solex misery at least in my two cars, whatever I did, they would just leak off).
10 - Clyinder head to manifold heater adaptor is removed and blocked with M8*1.0 adaptor. I can use it to obtain double inlets to the degassing tank or to fit a second temperature guage (I have an adaptor in the radiator).
11 - New Autolec make original equipment water pump is fitted (obtained by fluke from a derelict autoparts shop in Pune some months back, I just went and asked, he just sold it to me across the counter). Mechanically operated 4 bladed fan fitted with smaller diameter S1 equipped water pump pulley (to obtain 57 lpm mass flow).
12 - New timing chain, sprockets and oil seal fitted. Camshaft is set at 10 degrees static crank advance. The car will run @ 7 degrees BTDC to original AVL specification (the old chain was out of specification by one tooth (a mistake which many unknowingly make and which users do not notice as they would have never felt the power of the correct setting).
13 - Crankshaft pulley is replaced. S1 non-AC car pulley is obtained and fitted.
14 - Cylinder block is painted and engine is assembled in the engine compartment with new mountings as the old ones just disintegrated into 2 pieces.
15 - Complete new exhaust system fitted. 2" diameter adaptor pipe, expansion type 27" long muffler and 2" diameter tail pipe fitted, welded and reinforced.
16 - Mikuni carburettor with idle compensator fitted.
17 - Radiator and degassing tank fitted and connected temporarily.
18 - Starter motor fitted to the bell housing.
17 - Lynch pin type bonnet lock pins fitted. Cannot fit the stainless steel top plates as it's hole diameter does not match this application.
18 - Seats and trim work is in progress with my seatwallah. He shook his head in disbelief when I told him to prepare the roll cage cover and "handstitch" it, one stitch at a time with perfectly pitched threads. He must be thinking that I am absolutely crazy.
THE ENGINE WAS CRANKED. IT FIRED INSTANTLY. IDLING QUALITY IS EXCELLENT. THE EXHAUST NOTE IS JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED ("SMOOTH - SILENT - SURGE OF POWER") (Gogibhai will want an audio now). A LOT OF WATER CAME OUT OF THE TAILPIPE.
Work remaining - adaptation of Maruti Van accelerator cable for this ratio application. Need to obtain an old Bajaj Pulsar clutch cable adjuster for this, to set the free travel.
Next steps - now, finally my painter breathes a little easily. I have finally given him the go-ahead to start the final painting process, which he says should take around 20 days from yesterday. Let's see.
Whew !
Best regards,
Behram Dhabhar | 
26th April 2008, 18:15
. Look at the detailing... the engine, the endcan, the sexy rims. I am speechless.
