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So today's job was to remove the endurance racing dual quick fillers, and show the removed filler plate to a local engineering firm who say they can make up a plain plate to mount on the tank, so I can fit a conventional flush-fit fuel cap that locks. Should be no problem that say . I'll sell on the dual quick fillers - John at The Tank Shop said they were worth about £400. Fuel tap is going to be a Z1R one which fits onto the screw fitting on the tank base, and has a single outlet for the Bandit carbs. I had one lying about fortunately. I've sourced new filters for it from an Eblag dealer "Madmopeds" who was very helpful.

I had tried a Z1000M ( air-cooled ) engine in it that I had lying about but the rear edges of the cylinder head fins were hitting the frame rails so that was moved on. I knew I would need a carb'd engine as I didn't want to cut a hole in that nice tank to fit a fuel pump for fuel injection. Had to be side draft carbs not down draft, and that's how I arrived at the next part of the jigsaw - a donor Mk 1 Bandit , picked up complete and running, and ridden home 4 hrs before the MOT ran out. The engine fits but there are marks on the bores where the rings have sat a long time. The motor is stripped and a hollow shell engine bolted together so its easier to move about , ready to be taken to get brackets made up to fit it in the frame. the Triumph forks weren't slid fully up the yokes to it looks too high at the front on this photo. .

frame and swingarm set up on the bench with a piece of wood that I calculate will give me a clean chain run, once sag has occurred.

As you can see, the fibreglass tailpiece I have is the same as the Jota's. I've been in email contact with him ( Initially he was Grant Saunders, but now goes by Jacob) and he thinks he only did 3 frames. I sent him a photo of my frame number ( which has a 7 on the end) and he said he definitely didn't do 7. Which was odd. The swingarm was damaged - looks like the chain jumped the sprocket, and got jammed between sprocket and arm and bent / dented it and cracked the braze. I had made a list of what I wanted from a donor bike, and picked one up - the Triumph Daytona 900 would give me good wheels for modern rubber, discs, 4 pot Nissans, multi adjustable forks, yokes would fit and swingarm was the right width ( so no issues making up spacers ) and the Saunders swingarm pivot bolt was the same diameter as the Triumph one. But the Saunders swingarm mounts its shock like an LC350 so I needed to get a mounting made - I chopped a GSX-R 750 K3 up to get its brace and a local fit that does race bike stuff welded it up for me. I'll try and add a photo. The Triumph engine wouldn't fit ( clutch cover sticks out too much) so I sold all the Triumph stuff I didn't need and started looking for an engine/ carbs/ loom/ electrics etc .

came with a bespoke tank from the Tank Shop in Dumfries and it came with the Saunders side panel/ tail unit and a nose fairing

About 2.5 years I bought a frame advertised on Fleabay. Tubular steel, bit like a Harris magnum 2 (?) Am making slow progress with it. Story was that Grant Saunders was a New Zealander , came over here to learn frame building at Harris then branched out on his own with a shop in the Durham area. He then found God , went back to NZ and was involved with the Britten WSB team. He made 3 frame kits apparently - 1 was for a Jota and was tested by Bike magazine about 1983 . Mine apparently had a GSX1100 motor in it and the frame was then modified for fitting a turbocharger. Other than that I know little. Apparently it was riding about the Borders with a GSX750 engine in it latterly. I'll add more info and some photos tomorrow. Any further info gratefully received Gray