EricWS said:
I wish that you could just get the castings from Timm's kit and source the other parts yourself.
That's the way Timm sells them when you buy direct. Just the castings. The hard part is getting Timm's current phone number as he doesn't do email. He just moved again.
EricWS said:
Pedal assemblies for the series servo brakes as well. You spend 3k on the conversion but I would need to source the pedal box which are becoming rarer and rarer.
That's likely never to happen. But people are still occasionally parting out late IIA & III's. If you are willing to order from the UK, I'm sure there are a lot of SIII's that get parted out over there.
EricWS said:
Exmoor's new stuff look much better than the silvery stuff from years past. Actually looks pretty good except it's missing the all important black in the texture. And RN is currently importing so the price is higher than it probably should be.
Exmoor doesn't give much of a wholesale price break which helps keep prices high. However British Pacific also is an Exmoor retailer. It never hurts to shop between BP & RN for the best price delivered to your door step.
EricWS said:
A US source for rebuilt engines that has the same quality and characteristics of a Turner engine would be great as well. 4k + for motor is silly.
There is nothing magic about the quality of a Turner rebuild. And if they get it wrong a warranty replacement can be VERY expensive once you pay shipping both ways.
British Pacific remanufactures 2.25L petrol engines to your specification. They do a quality rebuild with new pistons & cam.
They can also build performance engines with hotter cam, oversize bore & higher compression. Just tell them what you want up to 9.25:1 compression.
For replacement body panels, used factory Series panels are by far and away your best bet. The factory stopped using Bermabrite alloy several years back. The alloy they currently use bends easier and oxidizes easier. Aftermarket panels are also a low cost aluminum alloy and is thinner than factory panels. They bend and stress crack MUCH easier.