I mentioned that the foam model of the coupé was no longer an accurate 1/5th scale representation now that I'd got an RME chassis. The TA14 was wider and a few inches shorter. This flagged up a problem with the model's cockpit width in relation to the track.

The red line indicates where I'll have to cut the model longitudinally, then add material to the righthand side to keep the interior dimensions. At the same time, 22mm needed to be added to the length.

And while I was at it, I decided to reshape the scuttle and bonnet, and pull the radiator position back to the centre line of the front wheels. I refilled the door, windows and boot in readiness for widening the body. Once I'm happy with the overall shape, an application of some sort of modelling clay and a final smoothing out will help with the second scan and subsequent production of a buck.

There was a window for a quick trip to Lincoln to see the chairman of the 6/80 club, Neville Holmes. I needed a few bits and pieces that I would be short of in the rebuild of the MS engine and Neville had always managed to pull something out of the hat when I had occasion to call in. He is also the club's technical adviser and I had some questions about starter motors and engine mounts.

I didn't know that a Wolseley 4/50 starter motor fitted the Morris Six block and might well help with the scarcity of the original item. I'll have to check the number of teeth on the Bendix and if the Bendix is shot - there's a bonded rubber shock absorber in the case which can perish - I know now that TR2's and the like share the same component. Similarly, the TR3's share an almost identical engine mount which can be easily adapted for the MS and 6/80 and is a quarter the cost of the replacement pattern part.

We talked about supercharging and Neville produced a crankshaft pulley with a modern poly-v pulley attached. My problem is going to be the positioning of the supercharger and it seems my only option is to mount it on the exhaust side of the engine to keep the inlet tract as short as possible. I'll have to think how to tackle the heat problem once everything's in place.

Neville also produced an oil filter cover so that I can experiment with a remote spin-on filter system as the nearside torque tube on the Riley chassis prevents the present filter's removal. The cover contains the pressure relief valve which is activated by a build-up of pressure in the filter plenum - some careful thought will be required here.

A pair of windscreen demister vents was also part of the haul.

And I was finally persuaded (I declined the offer on my last visit) to take away this Bentley manifold. The idea was that it might somehow be useful in my supercharging experiments. Hmm, a red herring perhaps.