Bopchop rides again

It's looking unlikely that the new frame will be ready in time for the first race of the year at Easter, I've not totally given up but a few setbacks and lack of funds is tempting me to just chill out a little and take my time to make sure it's right.
The upper engine case is at Roger Upperton's and has been bored ready for the big block, which is in itself receiving Rogers attention to remove some of the cooling fins to allow the nitrous nozzles to go in from the underside. In a few weeks i'll collect them and reassemble the engine and likely fit it to the old frame, which is just sat pretty much ready to go anyway. It could be a good opportunity to get the engine running right without also worrying about setting up a new chassis.

I managed to lay my hands on a secondhand Top end oiler kit from the states. It's a Vortex one and is an essential purchase rather than an optional one for the Orient Express big Block. It's not here yet but here's a piccy anyway.

The setbacks i mentioned are - other than lack of funds, problems with the frame. The front section is mostly ok, but the back half (which bolts on) has moved around a fair bit and is out of alignment. The plates that hold the axle blocks have warped all over the place and as yet i'm not sure they're recoverable. I might cut them off and replace with thicker section stuff.