Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22791 Location: UK

Have you ever uncovered interesting and/or one-off modifications, made to your car by a previous enthusiastic owner?

RJ
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mikeC · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 8:02 pm Post subject:

The crankshaft main bearings on an Austin Seven are ball/roller bearings; I bought a car which was in running order, and as the engine seemed to be reasonably quiet and smooth, I continued running it for two or three years. When I eventually took the engine out for a rebuild, I found the rear main bearing was, in fact, a nicely turned block of wood!

Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4866 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Hi Mike
My father built his own wood lathe and the head stock was a block of oak with a steel spindle powered by a flat belt system, the fixed and free wheel discs were also wood; he drilled a couple of oilways down through the headstock and the oil seemed to have enough of a swelling effect on the oak that he didn't need to replace the headstock in all the years he used it and applied oil to the spindle kept the free wheel disc running smoothly.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7145 Location: Derby

The wings of my Austin Swallow are screwed to the timber body with wood screws and washers but when I came to remove them, I was amused to find that a previous owner had drilled holes in 2 pence coins instead of using washers!

I have kept them all but I'm not sure why Laughing

PAUL BEAUMONT · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 1281 Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

There you go Ray, Inflation!!! They used to be "penny" washers! On a more serious note, I bet they didn't rust - despite being magnetic!

Paul

Rootes75 · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 11:26 am Post subject:

On my Ford 7W, when the engine was stripped we found a lot of smaller gaskets made cut from a 50's ish corn flakes box. They were in surprisingly good condition!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

Peter_L · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 11:31 am Post subject:

Pre- decimila - descimalis - decimilisati ... Before 1971, he could have got 240 washer to the £, instead of 50.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7215 Location: Edinburgh

Wood seems to be a popular repair medium.

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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Brian M · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 2:19 pm Post subject:

My recommissioning of a Rover P4 60 after 25 years in a garage was coming along nicely until the core plug on the rear of the block started to leak. My local P4 expert said it was an engine-out job as there was less than 1 inch between the bulkhead and the block.
I had a final look at the gap before getting out the engine hoist, and noticed a ragged cut on the bulkhead above the bell housing, so I dived inside the car and removed the gearbox cover (four screws) and found a previous owner had made two vertical cuts in the bulkhead. The "flap" could be bent up, giving perfect access to the core plug. 15 minutes later the job was complete and the water was staying where it should!
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Brian
1970 Volvo Amazon and 1978 Safari 15-4 Caravan
Classic Safari Forum: www.classicsafaris.co.uk

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7145 Location: Derby

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7145 Location: Derby

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7145 Location: Derby

I have come across a Morris Eight E with a floor repaired with paper mache'. Quite an extensive area had been replaced presumably in attempt to save weight!

Another floor; this time in a Vauxhall Cresta which failed the M.O.T.
It hade been replaced in large part with a concrete screed!
Actually, someone had made quite a good job of it using chicken wire as reinforcement. Nice and smooth, no sign of rust and really quite strong... Laughing

Pity I don't have any photos.

Peter_L · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:32 pm Post subject:

Minxy · Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 273 Location: West Northants

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7145 Location: Derby

When I worked at a garage belonging to a guy who wore a Stetson I picked up some bad ideas. One day an elderly Colonel (complete with ruddy cheeks and handlebar moustache) brought in his Mk10 Jaguar for a "cheap" gearbox change.

The way to remove said gearbox is to pull back the carpet and cut off the tunnel. The gearbox can then be dragged out of the car, replaced with one from a scrapper, the floor welded and the carpet stuck back down.

Charge the old duffer for a proper job and hope he doesn't come back.

Is it any wonder I don't trust garages. Shocked