Hi Guys, I have just noticed this thread. There are all kinds of personalities involved in car prep and racing. Personally the driving gives me the buzz, and whilst I understand how all the widgets work, it is a chore spending hours in the evenings preparing my Ace to go racing. The engines which Steve Stanton builds normally get a check halfway through the season (after about 6 x 40 min races) and then again at the end of the season. If anything sounds wrong, or the lap times deteriorate, then I will take the car round to his workshop for a twiddle. Unless anything goes wrong, they get rebuilt every 2 or maybe 3 seasons. I don't check the valve clearances, but they are 5 thou as far as I know. Other people love tinkering, and may check clearances after every outing, but I haven't found it necessary, and the results speak for themselves. Bigger problems are brakes, tyres, fuel supply, spark plugs and points (as we can't run electronic). As far as the rest of the engine goes, it's pretty much fit and forget. Anyone not busy this Easter Sunday, there are four of us in Aces, racing at Donington in the Fiscar race at the MGCC Meeting. I will be in David Emmans' Ace, up against Healeys, MGs, Astons, Jaguars, Lotus', a Sunbeam, a Fairthorpe and a Cunningham! Should be fun, so please come and say hello. Andy.