IIRC, mine had a garage door opener mounted in that location (maybe an NAS thing?). I couldn't make it sync to my garage door, so I put something useful in its place.

I did exactly that to mine, fitted a grab handle from a parts P38 that I had for a while. I like it, I sometimes grab it to enter or exit the vehicle.

If it was me, before tearing everything apart again, with your spark plugs removed, I would crank it over with the starter for a couple of minutes if needed, and then try it again (still with plugs removed). You shouldn't do any harm to the engine, as it is only turning any not building any pressure. Also, your starter motor won't be worked too hard as it isn't fighting any compression. I would be very surprised if the woodruff key failed.

Very nice design. I'll be watching your progress.

And resetting the windows and radio code takes about 2 minutes

30 seconds is probably enough. I wrote 45 to make sure.

It's not a bad idea, with your plugs out, to spin the engine with the starter until your oil pressure builds up, maybe 45 seconds or so. A sort of poor man's pre-oiler.

Sorry, not gauge but light

As you've been doing, keep a close eye on the gauge. On a new build, I think it will take longer than 15 seconds to get oil pressure.

A cm below the seam is about right. The trouble with filling too high is that as the coolant expands with heat, the excess will blow out the overflow. If you continue to top to a level that is too high you will think you have a leak when you don't. The seam might be okay, but may be marginally too high.

I haven't done that particular job, but a heat gun usually works wonders at removing glued on bits.

ok, at least I wasn't completely out to lunch. What do we do if we ever need to replace a hose? Like David, I was hoping I would be able to use heat if I need to get the hoses off the cooler another time. Do we need to buy a new cooler at the same time as a pair of hoses?

Are the threads at the cooler LH? I tried removing the gearbox and engine coolers from a parts P38 and destroyed them. I thought they were badly seized, but maybe I was turning the wrong way?

The aerodynamics of my P38 are considerably better than my D2. Also my D2 only has a 4.0 and my P38 a 4.6, which goes a lot better. I quite like both vehicles though.

I live in a fairly mountainous area and I quite routinely have mine to the floor, or close to it for several minutes at a time. I suspect the Italian Tune-up was more of a thing with carburetors though. The fuel injected engines run pretty clean, probably no need to for the "tune-up" on our vehicles.

I agree Pierre, thanks Richard and Gordon, (and I think others?).

Interesting. I've never had a vehicle that was designed to allow you to remove the key unless it was in park. I have had 3 GM vehicles where the ignition key slot was so worn that you could remove the key anytime. My last Suburban's was so worn out that you didn't even need the key in it to turn it on. To it's credit, I had 425,000km on it (Richard, I know for you this is barely broken in!).

I think he's probably right about not needing the valve lapping compound, but quite a number of years ago I worked in a shop that overhauled aircraft piston engines. We did 3 angle grinds, and then still lapped the valves in.

I think when the car was newer you were not able to remove the key until it was in park...but this is 20 years later.

I've done that!