We had previously connected up the dash and wiring looms as well as mechanical gauge connections, water temperature, oil pressure, oil temperature. These all run directly from the gauges through the bulkhead onto the engine.

We also had to consider where to run the battery feed cables. As battery shelf is located on the near side of in the engine bay between the foot well and front wheel arch, we drilled a hole through the bulkhead behind the wiper motor unit and fed the battery cables through to connect onto the starter.

We added some fuel to the tank and we were now, in theory at least, ready to start up. Mark tried and turned the key but realised that something wasn’t quiet right as the engine started but cut out straight away. Knowing that we had fuel pressure, Mark rechecked the wiring to the coil and ballast resistor finding the positive feed to the coil was being pulled down to ground by the wire from the starter. This then killed the coil and the spark. Upon rechecking the wiring on the starter Mark realised the wire for the coil was connected to the incorrect terminal on the starter for the ballest resistor bypass.

Once this was rectified, the engine started perfectly. We haven’t got any exhaust fitted at the moment so I think we got the attention of most of the neighbourhood. What a noise!