Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[rdover]

I've got my Alldays and have started to play with it. It's a very interesting piece of motoring history and although complete, I've not had time to try and start it.

Now for my question.....

The gear change looks like a normal H pattern with a gate that looks like a Ferrari's. There is a gap that is outboard (right) and back and seems to lock the gearbox. Does the car have reverse? I've been told by a friend that cars did not have reverse until the 1920's but I'm not inclined to beilieve it.

Any ideas?

[Scotty]

Hi rd,

Your friend is mistaken I'm afraid, reverse gear was available almost as soon as the first "cars" took to the roads in the 1890's. Granted there were some that for whatever reason didn't have one, but they either got one or vanished from the scene completely.

You mention "a normal H pattern" - from experience I have found that 3-speeds forward and 1 reverse was the norm in early vehicles, and maybe you'll find your A&O will have at least that. However where reverse is is a whole different ball-game, early Argyll's for example were still using a separate lever for reverse right up until c1909!
My first thought is to jack up both back wheels and get somebody to hand turn the engine over (take the spark plug(s) out, it makes it so much easier) with the starting handle. Then, in turn select each gear in the gate and watch which way and at what speed the wheels go around - if my plan works you should be able to figure out which one is 1, 2, 3 & reverse.

And if it doesn't - then we've both learned something - for me to shut up and for you not to listen to me!

[Uncle Joe]

One thing that this could be, and I have seen it a couple of times on other vehicles, is that it could engage both first and reverse gear, providing a kind of parking brake.

I agree with Scotty, jack the back wheels and turn the engine over with the starting handle, just see what happens.

UJ

[rdover]

I did the obvious, put it gear and turned the starting handle and lo and behold it went backwards!

I managed to get it running though, which was quite an achievement as I was told that it was a non runner. After checking water, oil and spark I set the advance to 3/4, the hand throttle to something decent, filled the priming pots and swung like mad It took about 8 attempts before the first put-put but very soon I could get a 3 second firing from each fill of the pots. It has a vacuum system called and autovac which draws fuel through but this didn't seem to work at first so I bypassed it and away it went.

When I first swung it over to feel how healthy the engine was there was almost no compression but after 5 minutes of running there was loads so I thin all it needs is a bit of top end work eventually.

The radiator is now top of the list for refurbishment so if anyone knows of a godd place to end it I would gratefull.

The first step in the learning cliff has been cut!

[Scotty]

Fabulous!