Well that was a short summer!

The sun hasn't shone quite as often as most of us would like this year, in Sweden at least. It's been a case of "make the most of it" which I must say I have when it comes to getting out in the car. 

Joined motorcycles in this years Mälaren Runt which takes place every year in August. Thousands of bikes take part in a 300km tour around Lake Mälaren to the west of Stockholm. 

The start in Solna ("borrowed" picture!). Most of the towns along the way were lined with waving pic-nickers.

Everyone a die hard motorcyclist but luckily they didn't mind Neil and I in a kit car!

Over the past few weeks there has been quite a bit of rain so I've been very careful to pick the right days to go out. I therefore thought it was time to lengthen the season and attempt the soft top. I fixed the doors on some time ago:

This shows the first time I put the doors on but Peter soon told me that I had the hinges and doors on wrong. You may also notice that the mirror in this position can't be seen from the driver's side so will have to be moved.

Hinges now on correctly but there's a gap in the upper hinge that shouldn't be there, apart from that the doors are great.

The mirror is now moved further up the window bracket. The bolt fits nicely between the bracket and scuttle.

 Now it was time for the soft top. I couldn't use the bracket included in the kit (the one to the left) as there was no space for it between the roll bar and side panel.

This is my first prototype bracket I cut from 2mm sheet that's fixed to the roll bar with a M6 bolt. The centre of the circle mirrors where the pivot point is for the frame that support the soft top. I noticed a problem straight away, it's actually better to fix the bracket on with two bolts otherwise it may rotate with the force of the soft top. That's easily fixed - I'll make another with place for two vertical bolts.

Checking to see how it all goes together. It's okay I know the frame goes on the inside!

I had to remove the glass from the frame to be able to drill and rivet the pop fasteners in place. They are shorter rivets which fit between the frame and glass. 

It'll look something like this. I need to get the frame in place first before riveting the rear panel and then finally  putting pop fasteners in the rear of the soft top.

That's as far as I got with the soft top as I talked with Peter Friday about the rev limiter problem. I mentioned that when BMW gave me a free diagnostic they had told me the cam sensor was reporting an error. I bought one on e-bay a few months ago but never replaced it. Well he persuaded me to change it which I did today.  

Removing the old sensor was much easier than I thought, took about an hour. Removed air filter, the 5 upper inlet manifold nuts and bolts to get to the old sensor plug. Once off it was a case of re-routed the new sensor,  plugging it back on and replacing everything in reverse order.

Take care not to break the plastic cable holder. 

Thought I'd fixed it as it ran beautifully up to 6500 but then it was back to 5500. But ... 

I checked the diagnostics and the cam sensor warning had gone and it now showed P0500 "Vehicle Speed sensor A". I'll replace it next week and hope the error goes as well as the rev limiter problem!