JOIN TOGETHER WITH THE BAND

New from Merlin Motorsport are these aluminium hose-joiners specially created for marrying-up silicone hoses.

A wide range of aluminium tubes with a bead on each end to join lengths of silicone radiator or turbo hose are available with no fewer than seventeen outside diameters and five standard lengths available.

Merlin has an on-site pipe-bending room and are equipped to bend and bead hoses into elbows or whatever angles you require. Tube can also be supplied in one-metre lengths and if you cut and return them to Merlin with details on faces and beads required they’ll do the job for you. Very helpful More >

PETROL PEP-UP

The American-made and highly regarded Rislone products are now available in the UK via Alton-based distributor’s, E-Teck Ltd.

There are plenty of octane and cetane boosters on the market, as there are oils boosters and engine tonics, many of them amounting to nothing more exciting than Doc Holliday’s Snake Oil, but my American friends reckon this stuff is different and are particularly good.

The Rislone range includes a diesel treatment, engine treatment (known as a ‘tune-up in a bottle’), engine oil supplement and a fuel injector cleaner.

The first one we’ll be trying however, is their petrol treatment, and it’ll be tried in More >

BEDTIME READING FROM GUNSON

Summer is supposedly here (got soaked in downpours three times in one day this week – ed)  and as the better weather approaches it’s time to think about cracking on with maintenance and enhancements taking full advantage of warmer days and lighter evenings. The new 2016 edition of the Gunson catalogue is out now and showcases many new products and adds to their already comprehensive range. The brand is very familiar and historically has been renowned for its innovative products that make life easy for automotive enthusiasts who seek high performance and trouble-free motoring.

This all-new catalogue includes Gunson’s dependable old More >

BRIDGE BUILDING

Bridgestone’s revolutionary DriveGuard tyre has received the ultimate endorsement after being crowned as the Auto Express Product of the Year for 2016 – just two months since its UK launch.

DriveGuard, the touring tyre, which allows drivers to continue their journey for 50-miles at up to 50mph, has been recognised for its ability to allow ‘more drivers the enjoyment of tyres that don’t need to be changed immediately when punctured.’

With its reinforced sidewalls and proprietary cooling fin technology, Bridgestone DriveGuard tyres give drivers additional peace of mind by reducing the risk of an accident caused by a puncture.

It is not restricted More >

MEV TALK OF NEW BLADES AND ROCKETS…

It’s about time, I reckon, that we look at a very important UK kitcar manufacturer, Mills Extreme Vehicles and bring you up to date with their current model range…

Actually there’s a bit of a stop press as Stuart was in touch just as I was writing this piece to say that he’s soon to be unveiling the all-new ROCKET 2, and although he was being pretty coy about full details he did send me this sneak peek at the car under build in MEV’s Mansfield workshop. What I do know is that power will come from a Lotus Elise-spec Toyota More >

NEED PAINT OR GRP REPAIRS ON YOUR KITCAR? THERE MIGHT BE JUST ONE OPTION

As a pretty enthusiastic classic Lotus fan of many years standing I keep a very keen eye on that scene, which although belonging within the specialist car sector is a niche within a niche. For example, I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s never good to use the words ‘kit’ and ‘car’ in the earshot of a historic Lotus owner (well, up until 1973 and the introduction of VAT, which stopped Lotus ‘kit’ production, almost overnight).

A fine reputation with Lotus and TVRs has seen Option 1 turn their attention to the kitcar industry. They have a lot to offer…

Fact is More >

YOU TOO CAN HAVE A NEW BODY!

A project I’ve always liked it is the HSR, which has had a few false starts but remains full of potential.

A potentially brilliant project, the HSR

Our old mate, Pat Jackson, came up with the concept back in 2006 and developed it in conjunction with MK Sportscars basing it on the company’s proven, Indy spaceframe chassis. Although MK displayed the car a couple of times at shows it ultimately didn’t go much further.

It then lay dormant for a while although Pat always felt it had mileage in it and about two-years ago began marketing it himself, which is when I drove it More >

THE HUB

 

One of the lines that Merlin Motorsport sells is cast, heat-treated aluminium hubs, which are ideal for any kit or specialist car that uses Triumph uprights.

They can be supplied with three alternate wheel-stud hole pitchings and there are two types of stub axle used – small size for Herald; large size for Vitesse.

If in any doubt cal Merlin Motorsport and they will be happy to help identify the type you need for your application.  They do point out though that these hubs are more fragile than the production steel items and care needs to be taken when fitting the studs. More >

YOU MIGHT LIKE SUMMIT RACING’S BLUEPRINTS

GM’s new LS3 427ci V8 engine is quickly earning the same reputation for performance as its late-1960s 427 big block namesake. BluePrint Engine’s new line of Pro Series Chevy LS 427 Crate Engines aims to enhance that reputation.

There are four engines in BluePrint’s Pro Series:

The Pro Series Chevy LS 427ci 625bhp EFI Retrofit Dressed Crate Engine is a virtually ‘drop-in and go’ solution. It comes with everything required for installation, including an ECU that’s already calibrated. The 427 LS3-based stroker uses cylinder heads of BluePrint’s own design and cranks out an awesome 625bhp.

BluePrint Engine’s Pro Series Chevy LS 427ci 625bhp More >

QUIET!

Trackday-goers to Castle Combe circuit can often find that their anticipated fun and frolics can get curtailed before they’ve even begun thanks to the Wiltshire circuit’s ‘noise police’.

However, Merlin Motorsport, located in the paddock, manufacturer a saviour with their bolt-on exhaust noise muffler. It is an additional silencer used on trackdays where the car’s existing system fails the mandatory noise test.

The Merlin Muffler, unlike some other decibel reducers, which effectively block the end of your exhaust causing an increase in back pressure, is a straight through device that allows noise-waves to be dissipated within the can thus reducing noise levels More >

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