"The ox is slow, but the earth is patient", is a phrase that comes to mind when I think that a project isn't getting along fast enough.

The business of insulating and lining the new shed, made tedious by dint of every gap being a different size, is almost over - I was 2 boards short in order to complete the job. Nevertheless, it was certainly a job worth doing. When I began, the sun was full on and it was 5000°C in there. With the insulation, the temperature dropped to a pleasant 24°C or so.

Between panels, I slipped along to see George who obliged by remodelling the lug I broke off when removing the thermostat housing on the seized 6/80 engine. It was the only thing I managed to break, and I was keen to preserve it as it was in almost perfect condition. Drilling the hole for the bolt shouldn't be too taxing despite the housing being an awkward shape to hold.

A magneto for The Great Collector's Peugeot is still proving elusive - pictured here is the dynamo and tray on which the mag sits. Depanoto, a company in France, may be able to help though my correspondence with them has so far gone unanswered.

I haven't had time to sort out the Hillman's water pump; something I hope to get around to this week. At least the expansion tank is complete. I may have made a small omission in not cutting back at an angle the end of the pick-up tube, though there is probably just enough room to get a mini grinding wheel in through the tank cap.

The new route for the camshaft lubrication has been successful. I didn't break through into the water jacket and the block tapped for the fittings easily enough. On the day, right-angled fittings would make a neater job and avoid the sticky-outy bit of pipe that would doubtless interfere with some other vital component yet to be added.

In the rear main bearing housing, there's provision (arrowed) for oil to be introduced to the journal through a hole in the shell. The leakage of oil onto the clutch is caused by the drilling (above the arrow) that is never properly sealed despite the machined fit of the cap. By tapping the drilling to accept a thin brass plug, the oil will still be able to get to the bearing through the opening arrowed, but not able to capillary along the faces of the cap and block. A brass plug at the top of the block will seal off the old route altogether.

I'm still going to try and recover this block - it'll need to be skimmed as after trying to clean up the unsuccessful weld repair, I measured a .020" dip in the top surface. The work is loosening the rusty bits in the water jacket - no bad thing.

The buck has been re-jigged using less pieces, making it more convenient for clamping panels.

Industrial castors on the buck trolley. Going forward, they're a handy addition.