Online Revs!
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Our 2025 AGM
5th – 7th September 2025
Our 2025 AGM was originally centred on the racing exploits of Tony Sighe who was due to take part in the HSCC race at Mallory Park. Such are the pitfalls of motor racing that the car wasn’t ready for this event having developed a misfire.
This meant our organisers had to scramble for some alternative entertainment for the weekend, and as a result we ended up with an AGM more akin to previous years with the formal AGM being on Saturday morning followed by a visit to a local venue of interest. On Sunday we headed off for some ‘crazy golf’ close to the motorway network meaning an easy run home for most.
Members started to arrive on Friday afternoon. Duncan was first to check in at the hotel having arrived virtually at lunch time. Tony Lowe arrived in the wrong car again with some excuse about getting his Alfa serviced near Cambridge. Sue and Norman arrived all the way from the south coast, whilst Stewart headed down from a much more Northerly direction. All agreed that the central location worked well for most members.
Friday evening allowed everyone to catch up face to face with others who we hadn’t seen since probably the last AGM! Lots to talk about then, but crucially for those less interested in cars, not too much nattering about technical matters.
After breakfast on Saturday we held our formal AGM in the Octagon room which was ideal for our purposes. There was a lot of discussion about club business and the formal minutes from the meeting will be published soon.
Then it was time to head off to our afternoon of cultural enlightenment at the Battle of Bosworth exhibition as well as an excuse to give the Hondas a blast down some country roads. We were lucky with the weather allowing some top down driving and scenic views across the open countryside. The UK never fails to amaze me; our venue was close to the huge metropolis of Birmingham but we could have been driving through the remote countryside of the south west or the Cotswolds given how little traffic or housing we saw.
Once at the venue it was time for bonnets up and the informal judging of the best car. Sorry Mark but when you arrived I had already cast my vote! I will have words with the organisers though about there not being an option to vote for the best Alfa on the forms...
After a tea and a cake there was time to wander around the venue which was the scene of some horrific battles back in the day. All too soon it was time for another jaunt back to the hotel. Various routes were used on the return suggesting it’s not always a good ploy to follow the car in front!
A relaxing brush up at the hotel and it was nearly time for the annual dinner. This year we had four tables of participants – good numbers given how small our club is. This meant four eager (?) teams for the annual quiz which centred on identifying celebrities and their ages as well as putting names to Japanese cars. A close and very competitive battle for the honours ensued with the winners being treated to goody bags prepared by Sue. She must know her club members very well as the contents included drinks, sweets, chocolate and an air freshener..!!
Before the prize-giving we had a surprise presentation to our Treasurer Duncan who was celebrating a BIG birthday on the Saturday. Every big birthday deserves cake so we presented Duncan with a cake and a trophy cup to mark the occasion.
Then it was time for the prize giving. Furthest travelled were Sue and Norman Truran closely followed by Robert and Dominica Fourt. Onto the best car and our winner by quite a margin was Stewart Hutchinson. We don’t have runners up – so highly commended this year was Robert and Dominica’s yellow left hand drive coupe. Having said that, the standard of the cars was very close with only a handful of votes separating many of the cars.
The final part of the night was the prize raffle. It seems that several members had spotted the newly released Hot Wheels racing Honda S800 in yellow when on their travels this year and thought that would make an ideal and possibly unique raffle prize. We inadvertently ended up with eight yellow S800 models on the raffle prize table proving that members do think alike!
Barry donated a number of spares which were either bought or raffled proving a boost to club funds – many thanks Barry! Barry’s vintage battery charger failed to find a taker and was photographed back in its usual spot in the garage a couple of days later. Likewise Stewart’s concours trophy returned to his sideboard occupying the same ring of dust evident when he moved it a couple of days earlier!
As the evening drew to a close members drifted back to their rooms carrying trophies, raffle prizes and spares. In some cases getting the stuff home would become a problem!
Sunday morning was much more relaxed. A leisurely breakfast and chat followed by another run out – this time to the Stonebridge Golf Centre for 18 holes of ‘crazy golf’. Rain stopped play for a little while but when the scores were in it was discovered that our Chairman had beat known low handicappers and multi prizewinning putters from the North West. One of the latter had a 19 on the outward 9 holes but the least said about the back 9 the better! We can only assume that Chairman John, who originates from Blackpool, must have spent a great deal of his youth on the tourist mini golf attractions of the resort...
Sue and Norman headed back to the hotel for a leisurely further night before heading home on Monday whereas everyone else said their goodbyes at the Golf Club and headed home. The weather had just turned at this point but everyone got home safe and sound.
Since the AGM there has been a lot of chat on the WhatsApp group and swapping of photographs. It seems the weekend was a great success so many thanks go to John Tetley, Tony Sighe, Lawton Chen and Sue Truran for their organisation of the event. If you missed it this year we really hope you can come along next year for more fun.
In the meantime we have a number of other events looming up of which the biggest is probably the NEC Classic Car Show at Birmingham although before that we are at Classic JapFest at Goodwood Circuit AND the Mimms Honda Day at the Three Sisters Circuit, Wigan. Full details are on the website and on WhatsApp.
New Website Software
14th September 2025
Just a quick message to say our website hosts have completely updated our website software. This means some slight changes to the layout and look of our website. We feel the changes are positive but if you find anything that doesn't look right or needs tweaking please let us know. We are aware that the 'Revs' page does not appear on a mobile device! A fix is being sought..
Part of the upgrade is the return of the ability to change your own password! No more bothering of Tony Lowe for a reset – woohoo!! There will be a further tweak during October when the website is moved onto a series of faster servers. That should mean that pages load faster at your end. All this for no increase in their fees – remarkable...
New WhatsApp Community
1st September 2025
After some sterling work by Lawton we are proud to announce we have launched a WhatsApp community for club members. Use of this is entirely your choice but there are many advantages especially the immediacy of being able to ask other club members about something. Imagine being stuck as to how to do something... just WhatsApp the S800 community and all being well the answer will come flying back!
For full details about this new innovation please click here and all will be explained.
Helmingham Hall Festival
4th August 2025
Duncan Martin
On Sunday, 3th August your club had a presence at the Helmingham Festival of Classic and Sports Cars. This event, held annually in the gardens of Helmingham Hall near Stowmarket in Suffolk, brings together over 1,000 classic cars and raises tens of thousands of pounds each year for the charity East Anglia Childrens' Hospices (EACH).
The weather forecast for the day was for heavy rain, which was somewhat ironic considering that we had been enjoying an unbroken heatwave for weeks beforehand! But at 5am on the day itself, with possible rain forecast only for later in the day, I decided to take the chance and set off at 6am for Colchester where I met up with Lawton Chen for the last leg of the journey to Helmingham Hall, a stately home which dates back to 1480. Almost as old as our cars, then!
The S2000 club had two cars on show, one owned by Phil as above and the other by ur very own Lawton. On the day we were also joined by a Honda NSX owned by Bob Holmes, which was booked to display in front of the Hall but whose owner spotted our display and asked if he could join us!
As you can imagine, our cars attracted a lot of attention and we spent the day happily chatting to our visitors. We were delighted to welcome several S800 club members including James Cowell and Rob Williams. Great to see you, guys!
Don't forget, everyone – if you're planning on showing at, or even just attending an event – let us know so that we can publicise it for you and give you the chance to meet up with fellow members.
And what of the weather? Well, the rain held off until I left for my journey home whereupon theheavens opened and a storm of biblical proportions forced me to stop for a while in a layby on the A14 as I literally couldn't see where I was going.
By the way, did you know that an S800 convertible with the roof and windows up still has a gap at the top of the window which in monsoon like conditions allows the driver to be soaked when overtaken by a juggernaut? Thankfully though the old girl didn't miss a beat and we got home safely.
All in all – a great day out. Thanks for organising, Lawton, and here's looking forward to next year's event!
Home Made Evaporust!
12th August 2025
Following Sues trials and tribulations trying to separate liners from an engine block, club member David Barnes in Australia has been in touch:
Hi Tony,
In today's WhatsApp trail regarding Susan's problem in removing liners from the block I posted a links to a homemade rust remover which outperforms "Evaporust" at a fraction of the cost.
The video is very comprehensive.I suggest that you watch it and if OK I would post it on the club website.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVYZmeReKKY
If anyone tries this can they feedback if its any good. Please be aware we haven't tested this process or formula so its very much at your risk!
More Events!
August 2025
It seems as though club members have been making the most of the summer by taking their cars to various events up and down the country.
At Saxbys Cider Farm Show we had an excellent turn out of four cars with more promised for next year.
The following week Tony Sighe was at Castle Combe for the Dick Mayo sprint and Sue and Norman Truran added their support. all the way from Sussex.
Alan Stanyon seems to be spotted at just about every show in the South East – and even managed to get TWO Z600s at one event. Is that about 20% of all these cars that are left on the road?
Remember, if you are planning on going to a show we would love to hear about it. Better still we can let members in your area know – such that you might find a friend when you get there.
Carburettor Update
11th August 2025
As you will read later my car decided that 3 cylinders was plenty having driven several hundred miles since the carburettors were rebuilt!
Luckily at Oulton Park I had on hand several renowned club experts who were able to give their opinion. We checked for a fouled plug initially but this is an unusual occurrence in my car. Swapping the plugs for another set made no difference so we had a look at the carburettors. Limited tools on hand meant it was easier to swap them for a spare set I 'happened' to have (see earlier articles on ultrasonic cleaning...)
Nevertheless, we still had a look at the old set. Despite the floats being set at bang on 19mm this was considered to be merely a guide by most present. There are several crucial elements: -
- Firstly. the tang on the float MUST sit parallel to the end of the needle valve. If it doesn't, then there is the risk of a sideways force pushing on the plunger and jamming the needle from moving smoothly. Mine were fine in this respect.
- Secondly, the floats MUST switch the fuel off properly. Sounds obvious but I had installed washers under the needle seats. These were only 0.5mm thick but are sufficient to make the floats foul slightly on the carb body before fully switching the fuel flow off. Interestingly Barry doesn't use any washers and doesn't have an issue. I didn't either until I installed the washers...(!)
Given the use of washers is considered to be a 'good thing' the float height needs to be adjusted to suit. It seems the standard 19mm is just a starting point – what you ideally want is the floats to bounce on the spring in the needle valves when laid horizontal. This is a system I have never used before – but it seems to work. There is a logic to it as by using this approach you can be sure the floats don't foul on the top of the float housing before switching off the fuel.
I had another issue as well! The Taiwan sourced float chamber gaskets must contain too much rubber – and expand in petrol. Once the float chamber was opened these gaskets pinged out to a size some 20% bigger! – hence the replacement carb set being used. I have now bought yet another set of the right gaskets from Ortmanns. (John – be assured I used the cheap kit on mine only!)
I think my problem was exacerbated by using old floats where bending of the main support tangs had also occurred. Replacing the floats with new ones is another good idea.
The car is running well on the spare set of carbs. I still need to set the floats on the old carb set properly now the new gaskets have arrived but I will try to achieve a 19mm float height AND at the same time make sure the floats do shut off the fuel fully.
I hope the above helps some others. Remember we will be back at the Gold Cup next year – so if you have an ailing S800 please feel free to come and park alongside mine!
Oulton Park Gold Cup 2025
25th – 27th July 2025
This years Gold Cup was probably the best in years. Oulton Park had decided to celebrate 75 years of BRM and courtesy of Hall and Hall an impressive display of machinery was mustered. The display of cars on the track on Friday and Saturday was a highlight of the weekend, particularly the V16 thundering around the pretty parkland circuit.
BRM V16 laps Oulton – turn up the sound!
The club had an impressive turnout with no less than five members cars on display over the weekend. Tony's car had behaved impeccably taking part in the Weaver Wander classic car tour and venturing south to Leamington Spa as well as Gawsworth Hall. On Friday it was running perfectly.... On Saturday it decided that three cylinders was enough! Tony carried on to Oulton thinking it was simply a fouled plug but it didn't clear. The decision was made to leave the car at Oulton and bring spares on Sunday. Four new plugs was a must – but Tony brought along a set of rebuilt carburetors looking factory fresh for good measure! Why tinker with your carbs when you can just swap them completely?
With the 'new' carbs in place it was back to running on four cylinders and the AA recovery team were stood down.
As ever with these events its the company that matters and it was great to catch up with Barry Fernaly, John Tetley, Stewart Hutchinson and Andy Thompson. We also had Steve Sykes come along all the way from Yorkshire in his immaculate red coupe. Great to see you Steve!
John Tetleys coupe still needs a bit of fettling, but he did negotiate a fantastic sponsorship deal with the British Hamper Company who kept us supplied with a mountain of quality biscuits all weekend long.
Our cars always attract interest and in recognition, Oulton always seem to get us a front row position for our stand and gazebo. We also welcomed club member Roger Ibootson onto the stand who advises his renovation is getting ever closer.
With Tony Sighe looking to attend next year could we potentially end up with eight cars on show? Watch this space!
2025 AGM
31st July 2025
Please book YOUR accommodation today to get the best price! The price increases after 1st August.
For full details of what to do – simply click here .
Recent Restorations
16th July 2025
During our last Show and Tell online meeting club member Nick Camilleri from Malta was able to show us his exceptional Honda S800 convertible which has been restored recently. The standard achieved is magnificent and reflects extremely well on the restoration company Buges Garage within the island. This particular car has been in the family for years and it was decided that after its lengthy ownership that it now deserved some proper TLC.
Meanwhile, club member Tony Sighes's latest project gathers pace. He is building a replica of the RSC race car campaigned in the 1960s. The car will be yellow to match the original and as many racing tweaks as can be sourced will be added.
At the moment the car is undergoing bodywork fabrication within the UK. Tony hopes to complete the project by next year – although can it be done for the NEC Show..??
2025 AGM is Go!
Our 2025 AGM is now sorted. We are staying at the Lea Marston Hotel, Lea Marston, Sutton Coldfield, B76 0BY.
On Saturday we will be heading to Mallory Park where Tony Sighe is racing. On Saturday night we will have our annual dinner, then on Sunday morning we will have our formal AGM.
For full details please visit the AGM events page by clicking here .
Cars At The Spa 2025
or The Treasurers Grand Day Out
Duncan Martin
On Sunday 1st June our Club attended the annual "Cars At The Spa" event held at the Pump Room Gardens in Leamington Spa. This event is organised by the local Rotary Club and raises £000's for good causes in the area. We were represented by 3 cars owned by Andrew Dunnell, Tony Lowe and myself, and were also joined by former club stalwart Tony Oakes who brought along his 1966 Honda CB72 motorcycle.
As a matter of fact, right up until 6.30pm the previous evening there was some doubt that I would be able to attend at all in my S800 due to a fault with my indicators.
It's a long story! – but the "short" version (literally) is that a short circuit had caused a great deal of head scratching and fuse blowing before being traced and solved. Furthermore, my flasher unit had been burned out in the process.
Fortunately, however, the flasher unit is a generic item and not an obsolete Honda specific part, so I had managed to replace it having cured the underlying fault. I was also happy to recommend a new unit to your President. He is currently an infrequent flasher, and I felt that it would benefit him and those around him if he could improve his flashing rate.
This year, for the first time, the assembled cars were categorised according to era, and prizes were awarded for the best example in each category.
The local Mayor, who had only recently been elected, would also be nominating the car he would like to go home in. Incidentally, the reason I found out about the Mayor's recent appointment was that your President spotted him at 100 paces and immediately descended on him at Warp Speed 9 to shake him by the hand and proffer congratulations on his new post.
We are sure that the fact that this conversation took place next to Andrew's white coupe was entirely coincidental!
While we were all giving our steeds a final clean and polish, I was approached by one of the traders (a pizza vendor) who wondered whether I had any oil he could use? He was having trouble starting his generator and thought that a low oil level might be the problem.
When he returned a few minutes later and offered payment for the half pint or so that he had used, I told him not to worry about it – in which case, he responded, make sure you come over and claim some pizza. Result – a free, freshly cooked peperoni pizza which we all munched on at lunch time. A favour returned!
The show was held in the Pump Room Gardens in the centre of the town, a delightful location with a bandstand at its centre, from which we were entertained by a brass band, a 50's/60's group and a Rock Choir.
Lest we grew faint from lack of nourishment, at various points throughout the day there was a constant stream of coffees, cakes and (in my case) pizza to sustain us. Thanks again guys!
As usual the cars attracted a lot of interest from our visitors. Propping the bonnet open is always a sure fire way of pulling in the punters – most visitors were amazed to see and hear about the jewels on display under the bonnet.
And did I mention that there were prizes being awarded..?
Well, not only did Tony's immaculate S800 pick up the award for the best 1960's car, but he managed to trump even this achievement by winning the coveted Best In Show award.
Congratulations Tony! You're going to have to sell the car now, mate – there's no more room in your trophy cabinet!
All in all – a great day out, and thanks go to Andrew, Tony (L) and Tony (O) for your company, hospitality and banter on the day. I'm already looking forward to CATS 2026!
(Details of next years event will be published soon but the anticpated date is 14th June 2026.)
More Show Activity
2nd June 2025
A full report on the Car at the Spa is to follow but activity seems to be happening all over the country! One of the organisers at Leamington Spa mentioned he had seen a pair of S800s at a show at Stratford.
Meanwhile Alan Stanyon flies the orange flag nearly every weekend showing one of his fleet of Z600s.
Sue on the South Coast seems to be entering every known local show. For more details have a look at our Events page...
She has just had her cars photo taken again – this time at the Burgesss Hill Car Meet at The Plough at Plumpton. This was another of the Cars and Coffee type meets which usually occupy a morning. That seems ideal given our busy lives, freeing up time to cut the grass, watch the grand prix or just snooze in the afternoon!
Valve Movement Notes
Ron Royle (Member 687) – 10th April 2025
Firstly, our apologies to Ron for the delay in publishing his technical article. Combined illness (and a degree of brain fade!) with two committee members meant this item got overlooked!
Over to Ron...
At our last zoom meeting the subject of cam and valve operation was discussed, something that has intrigued me, given the rather lively performance of our S800's. Some time ago, I made the effort to plot the valve movement of the standard set up, given that I could not find any information regarding valve movement,and I thought it could be of interest to examinewhat was actually going on.
So, given that I have a spare fully assembled head with standard cams I set to and measured the movement of both the inlet and exhaust cams. I set up a dial gauge with a large flat follower to the cams so as to measure the movement of the bucket and valve, including the initial clearanceof the various components. To measure the angles a large diameter protractor was fitted to the camshafts for accurate angle measurement.
The initial position of the protractor was set with an overlap of 40 degrees between the valves when the total valve clearance was 1 mm or 40 thou, as stated in the S800 Shop Manual, page 5. Previous reading indicated that European practice is that offsets are measured from 1mm (39 thou) clearance and thatAmerican practice seems to be 5o thou, as apparently it is accepted that there is no gas flow until this approximate opening is reached.
I did the measured set-up with no initial clearance, as I wanted to track the cam movement during the period of initial clearance take up, as well as the actual valve movement.
A further factor to be take into consideration with valve timing, is the relationship between the length of the con rod compared to the length of the stroke. In the case of the Honda the relationship is quite low compared to most engines, at 1.75. This causes the piston to accelerate downwards much faster initially than it decelerates to the end of the stroke, resulting in the maximum velocity of the piston being toward the top of the cylinder,in fact at 74 degrees,by calculation, from the top, not 90 degrees, as might be expected.
Therefore any conclusions drawn must be regarded as a first approximation only, a final result can only be ascertained by experiment and actual operation, which Honda undoubtably did.
Results.
1. There is an initial slow opening and closing of both cams, during the valve clearance from zero to 0.2 mms or 8 thou. This idea of initial slow opening and closing seems to have been introduced by Harry Ricardo, way back, his reasoning being that it would quieten the valve operation. You would think hardly a factor in engines designed for tanks, lorries and aeroplanes of the period. A more likely reason for its inclusion now, would be to lessen the impact of the various components on each other during clearance take up. This slope of this initial take up is, in fact, about ¼ the rate of the full opening rate. This can be seen in the diagrams.
2. The standard openings quoted at 1 mm lift are accurate at 20, 40, 40, 20 degrees.
3. Maximum valve opening heights seem to be often quoted, but rarely is the height quoted when curtain area equals throat area. For the standard Honda valve and throat, the figures are;
Inlet valve Exhaust valve
Maximum valve opening 7 mm 6.5 mm
Opening when
curtain area = throat area 5.6 mm 4.7 mm
In other words, if the valve opens further than these dimensions, (5.6 and 4.7 mm,) the gas flow will be controlled by the fixed throat area and not the increasing curtain area. However, significant advantage is gained by this further opening of the valve past the throat limiting point. A little difficult to explain, but hopefully this is shown in the attached roughdetail sketch of the valve movement.
Note regarding regrinding of standard cams.
In discussion at the last meeting, consideration was given to increasing the total valve opening, and we concluded that this can only be done by reducing the base circle diameter.
I have checked with a local cam grinding guy, speedway engines, who informs me that it is common for them to increase the maximum diameter, that is cam height, by adding weld to the cam peak, and then form grinding.
A suitable special rod is used, however, given that these are competition engines he could not vouch for the longevity of the cam peak.They possibly only survive as long as the mains and big ends, but possibly a solution worth exploring for competition purposes.
Goodwood Retro Rides 2025
Sue and Norman Truran – 23 May 2025
Set in the glorious Sussex countryside Goodwood motor racing circuit is a wonderful venue to stage this show. Iconic early 1900's buildings (and the fabulous Rolex clock on the tower) have been meticulously maintained. Goodwood aerodrome runs inside the circuit and was busy with small planes and helicopter all day, highlight being the resident Spitfires flying regularly through out the day. The official entry requirement to the show is that vehicles must be prior to year 2000. (however we were able to get special authorization to include an S2000 and a type R civic).
We were welcomed as part of the Super Hondas group, including Accords and Preludes. Later an aerodeck tacked along at the end of our stand. Weather was fabulous. Track action starts at 9am and finishes at 5pm on both days of the weekend, with a short break for lunch. The official car count was 'thousands'. So much to see. Certainly something for everyone. A very worthwhile visit. Another highlight was meeting new friends in their S800 coupe from the Isle of Wight. Looking forward to Japfest in October, but Retro Rides will definitely be in the diary for next year.
Passwords
21st May 2025
As you may be aware our website providers had turned off the ability to reset our password. This was to close a possible, albeit remote, loophole which might in extreme circumstances have lead to your details being compromised.
Please be assured that our appointed website company take security extremely seriously and have advised banks in the past how to improve their systems. Their security conscious stance meant they took immediate action to ensure all stored information remained fully secure.
As a result of this, some of you may have the default password and feel somewhat compromised by not being able to choose your own. As an interim measure we can now manually reset your password. If you email the website secretary on website@s800scc.com then I can reset your password to a randomly generated series of letters and symbols. Shortly you will be able to do this yourself.
Given the new random password will not be readily memorable (!) you might want to make a secure way of keeping a record of it.
Finally, if you do request a password reset please be aware I might not be able to do this instantly.
What A Difference a Year Makes!
17th May 2025
My S800 needed a bit of fettling to avoid another non start like 2024! The clutch problem had continued but having decided it must be air in the system it was fixed quite easily (details below).
This meant that this year a casual cup of tea and an air of confidence was all that was needed to take the start line alongside some 110 various cars.
The Weaver Wander is held annually in May and comprises a scenic run for classics as well as some modern interesting cars with the aim of having fun whilst raising funds for charity.
There were so many entries this year that various routes were used to avoid overloading local lanes.
Our route headed across Cheshire towards the edge of Wales and back where the assembled mass of vehicles converged on a sunny Royal Oak at Worleston for the finish where we were joined by Chairman John Tetley. The crowds were treated to some live music with various food options provided by the recently revamped and expanded pub.
All in all another great day out driving some remote and interesting lanes with fellow enthusiasts. Last years disaster is long forgotten... roll on next year when perhaps we can persuade our Chairman to enter his coupe?
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
19th May 2025
Reports are coming in from all over the UK of members being out and about with their cars. On the South Coast our Membership Secretary Sue and other half Norman have been out showing their white coupe at various local shows including the Retro Rides show at Goodwood.
They met a new club member from the Isle of Wight who had bought a silver coupe at an auction last year. The seller was a young owner who sold it as he didn't have the expertise to set it up properly. He didn't know help was available and as a result of chatting to Sue and Norm he is now looking for another coupe...
In April and May he was at the scenic Heskin Hall for their monthly classic car meets but also visited Barton airfield in the week on a rare day off.
Alan Stanyon took 'one' of his fleet of Z600s to Chislehurst car show. This car is called 'Lucky' – is that because it's lucky to get taken out with some many options?
Alan then went to the Kent Food Festival and won yet another award. We are reliably informed the award was for his car and not for any sausage...
Meanwhile, somewhere south of the north (or north of the south depending on your viewpoint!), Tony Lowe took his red convertible to the Gawsworth Hall Classic Car Show. Well who could refuse an invite to display a car on the revered front lawn?
The car created loads of interest from the visiting public and in the afternoon Tony was surprised with an award for best sports car which included a bottle of something expensive and two tickets to the Gawsworth summer theatre series. If you are interested on what's to be shown this year please click here .
The May Day Bank Holiday show is the first of two car shows at Gawsworth Hall. The earlier classic car show has been running for years and was described by Classic and Sportscar magazine as -"One of the best events, and best-kept secrets, in the UK classic car scene."
I love this event for the sheer variety of cars that turn up from rare exotic Italian machinery to Model T Fords and the more recent 'traditional' classics. The visitors seem knowledgeable and respectful so long may this gem of an event continue. If you are considering entering in the future remember you have to pre-book by contacting the Hall – no entries are allowed on the day. The later event, known as the Youngtimers Show, caters for more recent cars. Its a great initiative, as these cars and owners are essentially the future of the classic car movement.
Bleeding Clutch!!
2nd May 2025
Following last years trials and tribulations with the clutch master cylinder, and then the slave cylinder, I was still not getting a 'clean' release of the clutch on changing gear. The pedal only started to move the clutch release arm when halfway depressed – so clearly, more bleeding of the clutch slave cylinder was required.
I decided to follow my tried and trusted method of an oil can and pipe to pump new fluid 'uphill' from the bleed nipple which, given air rises, should force the bubbles of air up and out through the master cylinder. Yet again though this wouldn't work. With only days until the cars next outing I didn't have time to investigate why this no longer worked and instead, followed both Barrys and Michael (Ortmanns) advice to raise the slave above the master. Firstly though I removed the slave from the top of the gearbox (2 bolts but don't lose the spacers underneath!). Then I doused the inside of the slave body with WD40 (other releasing fluids are available). I then pumped the pedal to get the piston to the end of the body – it is stopped in place by the circlip. I then connected my bleed tube and positioned the slave cyinder above the master so that air could more easily escape.
Then my glamourous assistant pressed the clutch pedal whilst I opened and closed the bleed nipple to bleed it like you would bleed brakes. Remember there is no one-way valve in the clutch master cylinder so you need to work as a team – Up, Down, Up, Down etc closing and opening the bleed nipple to ensure a one way flow of new fluid. In case you dont know its bleed nipple open, pedal goes down, bleed nipple closed, pedal goes up. Quite a few bubbles came out and after a few pumps the pedal was solid after a short press indicating no air.
Make sure the master cylinder is always topped up a bit to avoid running dry – otherwise you will need to start all over again..! When done make sure the master cylinder is about half full.
Next, refit the push rod, dust cover and slave cylinder onto the gearbox. You have to apply pressure to slowly push the piston back into the slave cyinder housing. This is why you need a bit of space in the master cylinder for the returning fluid. I used the clutch fork to hold the rod as I pushed the slave cylinder back in. You should then be able to mount the slave cylinder to the gearbox. Remember the spacers – these ensure proper alignment and help stop heat transfer.
Adjust the release arm using the two 'back to back' nuts to give a bit of freeplay to the clutch fork arm. That's essential to stop the release bearing rubbing constanty against the finger diaphragm of the clutch and wearing both.
Sit back and admire you handiwork with a brew.
(Apologies if the above seems blindingly obvious to some of you – but this advice is intended for those with less mechanical knowledge.)
More Oil Recommendations – Plus Brake Fluid Options
21st April 2025
At the most recent Show and Tell the subject of engine oil was raised again. Club member Alan Stanyon (A.K.A. Spanners) is renowned within the club for his expertise. He told us about his own recommendation. He uses a 20w/50 oil from Rye Oils which can be bought online. The crucial bit about this oil is its one of the recommended multigrades for our classic Hondas but it has a high zinc content of 1500ppm which suits our more vintage engine construction.
The discussion then went on to brake fluid. Those who race or drive their cars hard talked about using brake fluid with a high boiling point (H.B.P.). Quite a number of members reported getting crystalisation of the fluid around the master cylinder cap and around the opening where the plunger/shaft enters. Apparently new caps are available from Ortmanns and clearly a good idea. Re-sleeving the master cylinder and fitting new seals should remove any further weeping from main shaft inlet but Alan went on to mention the benefits of silicone brake fluid – which can also be used in the clutch. The product is DOT 5.0 (note not 5.1). Alan has used this product for many years without any issues. The advantage is this stuff doesnt attack your paint. Many S800s have damaged paint around the master cylinders due to leaks. In fact some members have even fabricated trays to try and collect any spills. The silicone stuff also doesnt absorb water – so helping to keep your brake and clutch hydraulics rust free and lubricated. Seems the perfect fit to me as a lay person! DOT 5.0 seems to be readily available from many outlets. Remember – you CANNOT add this stuff to traditional brake and clutch fluid – all the existing fluid must be replaced. There are concerns that replacement seals are also needed so at this pointfurther investigation is needed. We welcome feedback from members about this, especially from members with specialist knowledge who can confirm the extent of replacement parts that is required.
The Season Starts...
2nd April 2025
Club member Stewart has taken his car out twice to local events in the last few weeks. The first run out was to Rivington Barn where due to the sunny weather the place was packed. The Honda attracted lots of interest from the biker contingent there – after all there isn't a huge disparity between our engines and an in-line 4 cylinder Honda bike such as a 750.
Last weekend Stewart managed to escape on Mothers Day and attend the aptly named Mothers Day Classic Car Show at Leigh. Lancashire. There is some video footage from the event on YouTube and the first car picked out by the cameraman was Stewarts immaculate convertible!
Click on this link to see the footage – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hla_WQev-H4
Free Motorsports Licence
17th March 2025
If you intend taking part in low key motorsports events such as a local car club 12 car rally, a navigation event or even some treasure hunts, you may find you need a competition licence. I now need one to attend a car show at Prescott Hillclimb. That is if I want to have a non competitive run up the hill!
To obtain what is known as a Clubmans licence you will need to be a member of a Motorsports UK affiliated club. These include Lotus Drivers Club, Alfa Romeo Owners Club, HRCR, HSCC plus a myriad of other clubs – even the Civil Service Motoring Association. There are numerous local motorsports clubs you can join – and the advantage is you can then take part in local car runs and events.
The link for your free licence is – https://www.motorsportuk.org/competitors/rs-clubman-licence/
Its a bit complicated compared to earlier years (!) and the process is now paperless meaning the licence appears on your phone – almost like a concert ticket or buss pass might. It is free though unless you choose to pay for any upgrades – good luck.
FBHVC Survey
12th March 2025
As you are probably aware we are, we are members of the FBHVC (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs). Note – thats an organising body that represents British Clubs – not Clubs for British Cars.
From time to time they carry out a survey of its members. Getting accurate information about our interest and use of older cars is crucial for them to carry out their work. You may not be aware of how much they do, but they regularly speak to the UK Governemt and campaign to protect our right to use our cars in the face of opposition from environmental and safety lobbies.
We think they do a sterling job, so we are encouraging all of you to complete the following survey. It takes about 20 minutes.
The link to the survey is here – https://survey.websurveycreator.com/s/fbhvcenthusiast
We know a man that can!
5h March 2025
If you are struggling to get your S800 to work properly well we might have just the solution. Club member Tony Sighe is offering his services to club members to help get their S800 cars on the road.
He is based near Swindon, but has dealt with cars from much further afield.
If you need help its worth getting in touch via email – tsighe@aol.com – and discuss what you need help with and agree a price.
Service Charts
7th January 2025
A bit of free nostalgia for you! Sue and Norman Truran love to rummage around autojumbles for anything Honda related. Well they have unearthed some Texaco and Esso Service Charts relating to the Honda S800!
Back in the day these were produced by Texaco and Esso and distributed to garages to assist them with servicing a myriad of makes and models of vehicles. Of course the service recommendations heavily push the use of Texaco and Esso products – some of which are no longer available! We suggest caution in using the information. More recent advice on oil products has to take precedence for instance. However, as an aid to carrying out an annual checkover before your car comes out of hibernation – they may be just the thing.
Sue reckons a local printer could print and laminate these for you for a few pounds. Ideal automobilia for your garage wall...
Rebuilt Master Cylinders
7th January 2025
Longstanding club members will already be aware of a company called Contract Auto Engineering in Stourport on Severn. They can refurbish almost any brake and clutch cylinders. Club member Steve Sykes picked up his newly rebuilt cylinders on the way to the Club Christmas Dinner. With new caps supplied by Ortmanns they now look like brand new – but more importantly, they work as they should!
What the company does is strip down your existing cylinder, cleans the body then overbores the cylinder. This then allows a stainless steel sleeve to be inserted with the inside dimension matching the original Honda specification. Being harder than the original alloy the stainless sleeves last – well almost indefinitely. I just rebuilt mine after some 15 years and the stainless sleeve was still like new.
New pistons and seals can sometimes be supplied by Contract Auto Engineering but if not Ortmanns have seals and pistons in stock.
For more information just follow this link .
Remember, known suppliers and services are listed under 'Spares/Offers' at the head of the website.