Well things are advanciing. It looks likely that I've found the remains of the original chassis which is great news for VCC dating. We have pretty much decided on body style and who's going to do it but in the interim I stared on essential oil changes in the gearbox and engine.
I had to cut a hole in the floor to access the top of the gearbox and when I took out the drain plug I was worried to find a lot of swarf. In fact the gears are very very worn and may explain the poor gearchanging.
Information has been received that alters my plans. It may be 90% the one car and therefore dateable and worth lots and lots, It would then justify a 'proper' rebuild.
Hi
Looking at the gears in those photos, you can tell that someone has failed to get their double de-clutching right over a period of time.
Was there a lot of swarf in the bottom of the box?
The guy who built it used a door blank as a floor plate and left no removable panel for gearbox access so I suspect the oil had not been changed in almost 15 years and certainly not in the last 10. I cut a hole with a jigsaw, opened up the panel to find the damaged gears and EP90 oil. The worst gear is 3rd but with the correct lubricant (Penrite semi-fluid grease) and a steady foot the gearchange is OK.
TBH, having spoken to other veteran car owners, the damage is not too bad and so long as I am careful I shouldn't have too many problems.
The Penrite engine MHT oil is great. Better compression, smoother and quieter running.
I had a look at the pictures earlier, but only got as far as the general page, never saw the link to your A&O page, so will have agood look now.
The gaers don't look overley worn, just how the driver has changed gear has effected them. If you can drive it get all the gears, then there must be some life left in them, sure you could get them remade, but why no get the most out off the old ones first!
What is the back end oil like? Does that sugest any wear?
I've done touched the rear axle yet but it feels good enough. there's an inspection plate but no drain although I've not looked hard. Once the body is off I'll be able to do a proper job.
The car was a bucket of rusty parts in the late 1980's and was reassembled by 1990 all nice and shiny so there is no real patina of age. I will be repainting everything that needs is especially the engine top plates (water jacket covers) as they are getting badly corroded. The car will be stripped to nuts and bolts to be repainted and the chassis/running gear will be black so that we can choose whatever body colour we like.
The discussion to hand is paint/powdercoat for the chassis? Paint is authentic but very expensive (should be coach painted) and hard to keep looking good whilst powdercoat is not authentic but cheap adn easy to do and maintain. I expect to use the car regularly as, I believe, all such cars should so a nod to modernity is okay. The car is not an untouched example so I can ignore the rivet counters!
The history of the car is important as well so things like the wheels (1920's) and the autovac ( a much later addition) are staying but from the scuttle back there will be a new coachbuilt 4 seat body copied from an original 1909 4 cylinder Alldays.
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brilliant! sounds like its running well now!
