Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

Thanks Peter. I will try to get a spiral into the tube if I can but I think it might be difficult.

I also have a tube going to the oil pressure gauge and that does have a series of loops.

My next head scratcher is how to fit the vacuum tube from the inlet manifold to the boost gauge.

On my dashboard, I have the boost gauge where others would have a water temperature gauge - which as I have said was never original equipment - and again there is no provision for a gauge of any kind...

[Ray White]

I had something of an unexpected set back today when I discovered that the two (green with brown fleck) wires at the back of the car - that I thought were separate - proved to be joined.

I will try to explain....

As I had originally intended to have reversing lights, the new loom was wired for them. That plan was ditched some time ago but I had an idea that I could utilise those wires for the petrol gauge.

I had always thought that the two wires in question were the same two that appeared under the dash... but when I tested them I found they were both connected to just ONE of the two under the dash.

This has meant that in addition to ONE green/brown wire from the gauge, I had to run a NEW, external wire to the hydrostatic sender unit sensor at the back of the car.

No big issue but crawling about on the floor is an activity that I am finding ever more difficult, so I have routed the wire from the dashboard; down through the top of the gearbox cover (along with the speedo cable) and out by the side of the prop shaft tunnel; disappearing through a small gap next to the diff ramp. From there it is but a short distance under the car to the petrol tank sender unit and it's electronic sensor.

I hope it will be O.K., but in a digression from the instructions, I plan to omit the long black wire and earth the gauge and the sensor with other wires grounded locally.
.

[peter scott]

For the added wires to my fog lamps to use them as flashing indicators I used PTFE covered wire. It's very tough and also doesn't melt or burn.

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ray White]

[Ray White]

MY LUCK!

I have just realised that the petrol gauge sender fitting - which should go in place the drain plug - will not go on without removing the spare wheel mounting. One of the clamps gets in the way.

Even with the mount removed it will be a close thing. I just hope the tank will not have to be removed as well!
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Fortunately, the tank is safe where it is... but there is not actually enough room for the outlet tap, the filter and the electronic control unit where they all need to go; under the tank. The black box is also out of alignment with the fuel hoses that connect everything together.

The control unit is stuck to the underside of the tank by a heavy duty type of hook and loop pad.

The outlet tap is, however, screwed into the tank in place of the drain plug and is, unfortunately, at a lower level than the control unit and filter. The difference is too much for the short flexible hoses to cope with so I shall have to devise a way of making them all align.

I don't want to stick a distance piece directly onto the control unit just in case it needs to be returned, if faulty. I am therefore looking at sticking a small block to the underside of the tank; one half of the self adhesive "chunky velcro" patch will need to be stuck to that; the other half will stick to the back of the control unit as intended.
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Change of plan!
Thinking it over, I decided to bolt a length of steel strip 9" x 1" x 1/16" to the 3" deep floor of the side screen box and stick the control box to where the strip extends by 6" under the tank. The surface needs to be flat and clean to allow the self adhesive pad to stick to it.

All a bit of a faff; what with having to remove the tail pipe before measuring and cutting the 1" strip steel, then drilling and countersinking two 3/8" holes to take flush fitting BSF machine screws with nuts and spring washers, then marking and drilling two holes in the bottom of the side screen box to take the screws; one longer than the other as it passes through timber, but the job is slowly getting done...

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The hydrostatic sender unit (which is a self contained entity; i.e. it does not touch the fuel line itself) is now in place. What I need to do now is wire it up. Because the electronics are polarity sensitive, Declan Burns has made me a +12 V isolated floating power supply for this positive earth car...


(Strange how it has posted)

[Ray White]

Other areas still need attention. This was someone's idea of how to paint the inside of the front wings. Slather some undersea over the rust and add a splash of red paint.


No one will notice...

[bjacko]

This is typical of how some people "restore" things. Then they sell it before the rust comes through.
I found it best to strip all the paint, remove what rust that could be removed, then treated it with a rust preventer, primed it, then top coated with an anti-rust black paint then an undersealer.
_________________
1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

[Ray White]

Yes, that sounds like a good plan. For these front wings, however, there is so much of the underside visible that it really needs to be painted.

Before I can get any paint on, however, I need to attend to a few splits.

My poor old welder will be pressed into service again.!!

The silly thing is that by and large there is only surface rust which could have been easily treated. The Australian climate has been kind to this car but even so, I am finding a slightly rusty surface beneath the original factory blue paint.

I will strip it all back to bare metal and use phosphoric acid to neutralise any corrosion.

What I am tempted to do is restore the underside then take both front wings to a professional for the top finish.

Expensive, maybe, but hopefully a better outcome than I could achieve.

Having said that, however, I expect I would get a pretty good finish... given time.

[Ray White]

Getting back to the dashboard; I have struggled. For example, with all the cables and pipework attached, the dash would not go back in. I found various places where the plywood backing board needed to be relieved. That is easier said than done sometimes with limited space. A consequence is that I have worn out all my Dremel sanding drums.!

The latest niggle has been unable to get a spanner on the nut that secures the choke cable at the back of the instrument cluster. It is my own fault because I have added extra back lighting that now gets in the way.

I am nearly there. Just the starter cable to go.

I will need some longer fixing screws, however. These are chrome plated raised head slotted type that sit in cup washers. The ones I have are 1" which is too short...or 1 1/2" which is a bit too long. I will need to order some 1 1/4" to make a nice job of it. No point in spoiling the ship etc...

One thing I am rather pleased with is the new flashing indicators. I even have a hazard warning system that uses the same tell tale light on the dash. It is my first attempt at using diodes but I have found they are invaluable.

[Ray White]

I had forgotten that my replacement choke cable knob had not been properly secured.

The first thing was to tap a 4BA thread in the plastic hole then file a rebate in the core that I had previously shaped to a hexagon.
This needs to be a tight fit in the knob (matching hexagon ) - the rebate aligning with the tapped hole.



I then mixed up some JB weld and assembled the core in the knob and tightly screwed in a 4 BA screw. Then with my Dremel cutting disc
I cut off the screw flush with the knob.


When cured, it should be a permanent repair but one that is not readily visible as it faces downwards when in position on the dash.