Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3825 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Just been down the yard for an hour. Had a look at how to take apart the front grill of my Ford 7W. My plan now that my Commer is finished is to take it easy and have a little dabble with lots of things in the shed.
The list so far is, in no particular order:
Rebuild the 1956 Minx engine, already stripped and cleaned and all parts ready to re-assemble.
Continue to clean up and free the Gardner 5LW engine from my ERF.
Repair, rub down and prime the Ford 7W grill, front wings and inner front wings.
To run up the Commer engine properly to try to sort out her overheating. We think now it may be an airlock and the timing still slightly out.
Lots of plans but there is no rush to get them done, no shows till next year and we tend to show the 37 Hillman 80 at the moment. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Changed the brake master cylinder but it was a b****er to get it off. One of the bolts I had to soak overnight. fluid black but I had bought a new Wilwood cylinder and fitted it because of advice from a number of people over the problems with the Girling seals. Rebuilt the Girling anyway as a spare with the seals I found in the cupboard. Got the car out of the garage and touched the brakes. Fronts immediately locked on again. Forced it back in the garage and will start again tomorrow. Maybe the tandem slave on the front brakes. I have spare braided flexibles if needed too. But no slave seals or slave itself.
Last edited by lowdrag on Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1130 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 10:12 am Post subject: |
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With cold rainy weather with us now, I decided that the Austin Seven could do with some TLC. (much overdue.) The car is so reliable that I do tend to neglect servicing which, of course, I shouldn't.
First job was to loosen all the bolts in the front of the car and re-align the bonnets which have been annoying me for the last ten years. It took a number of hours, but they sit much better now.
Water has been weeping out of the top hose onto the head and has caused a lot of scaling rust on the head. So I've pulled the head off and wire brushed it right back to repaint. I also gave it a decoke, although it hardly needed it.
I also made up a pair of rubber cradles to support the radiator better.
With restrictions easing, I hope to be out using her again soon.
Keith _________________ 1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22453 Location: UK
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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New master cylinder (front) now in place. Wheels turn free, so back out of the garage and brake. Wheels lock and stay locked. Forced the car back in the garage. Serious thinking time. On this car there is no slave, so after the servo the brake line splits to front left and right, so then it is a question of removing the breather catch tank and getting at the servo. The smell was, to say the least enough to make rotting eggs appetising, and inside the shaft was corroded and jammed solid. Horrible white powder, presumably zinc, was everywhere. Then the fun begins; where to get a new Lockheed? First few tries abortive, so have another think and take the second server (rear) out. Not dead but dying in the same fashion. The current problem is in these times either finding spares to rebuild, reconditioned units, or in extremis new ones. It might be a year, might be less. In the end I spoke to J & L spares and they went beyond the call of duty to help me. They didn't have anything in stock and with the current situation had no idea when, but gave me the name of another company and contact. They had two in stock. In such a situation what does one do? Wait for months for reconditioned ones or rebuild kits or bite the bullet? Not an easy choice, but since, the virus permitting, I have things planned for charities later this year I bit the bullet. Two new Lockheed servos will be here Monday. |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3825 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2020 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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My 47 Minx doors have always swung open fully as it has no door stays fitted, well today I took the passenger doors apart an lo and behold found the said door stay assemblies not fitted but dropped right down in the skin of each door.
It was quite a fiddle to get them out as you cant get your hand in but after an hour or so they are now both fitted and fully working on the front and rear passenger doors.
I have to get the car fully out the garage to access the drivers side so that might be a job for next weekend. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3825 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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As the fuel in Glastonbury is now below £1 a litre I took the opportunity to blow some cobwebs out the Hillman 80 and fill her up. Its about 3 miles, straight road from the village. A nice little trip out in the sunshine. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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alanb
Joined: 10 Sep 2012 Posts: 516 Location: Berkshire.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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Not today but Friday, took the Morris 8 for a run to Henley-on-Thames and back via country lanes and back roads, totalling about 15 miles, then when the engine had cooled a little I changed the oil. _________________ old tourer
Morris 8 two seater |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2020 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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Awoke to a glorious dawn, 14C outside, the sun just about to peep out from behind the hill. Put on a cardigan, quietly opened the garage, started and crept away before Memsahib woke up. Not a car in sight, the cool wind in my nonexistent hair, flat cap well planted, and away we went. What a joyful ride through the forest, through villages, and a different route home. About 40 miles in all, a mere hour's ride, and the car tucked away before she woke up. I still haven't told her. |
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 1391 Location: Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:33 am Post subject: |
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When I bought the TR4 bonnet I also took home a spare steering wheel. It was a bit battered round the circumference. The steering wheel in my car has a cover, on it when I bought it in 1994 - see pic.
So I lightly sanded the spare steering wheel, sprayed it with primer and two coats of black, two coats of clearcoat. Not exactly showroom perfect but excellent for the car. I had a drive, very strange to feel a different steering wheel in the car. But I quite like it.
Shall I take off the cover of the original wheel? What will be underneath? A shiny as new wheel meaning the cover have been on it since new? Or like the other wheel, paint worn off?
_________________ a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7121 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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Go on! You can always lace it up again.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Rootes75
Joined: 30 Apr 2013 Posts: 3825 Location: The Somerset Levels
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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My ERF is supposed to have a ash frame cab clad with aluminium panels, I have virtually nothing left even for patterns.
I do though have the front steel panel, often referred to as the apron. I was going to use it for a template as it is quite rough but today I found it out from under its sheet and after inpection thought to myself why not at least try to repair it, I have tackled worse.
So, its now safely tucked away inside the shed and next Sunday I will start rubbing it down.
It needs plenty of welding, new sections fabricating and worst of all is it is very pitted. _________________ Various Rootes Vehicles. |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 1585 Location: Le Mans
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:38 am Post subject: |
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I think my cars have caught the virus. After replacing the servos and having a lightweight car that will stand on its nose, satisfaction all round. So, obviously not feeling right in the head, I got out the E-type to do a bit of tidying and cleaning where necessary. Engine started, and drive the car out of the garage. Whaaaat? No oil pressure! Immediately turn off engine, open bonnet, take off filler cap to see that there is plenty of oil reaching the cams. Big relief. So it is wiring, the oil pressure sender (usual suspect) or wiring. Get out the multimeter to find the battery is dead, so car is back in the garage until I buy a new battery. If I had £1 for every oil pressure sender I've bought over the years........... |
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emmerson
Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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I had that problem on my Range Rover. The oil light came on in the middle of the M6 at 70mph! Panic doesn't describe it, as I had just paid a lot of money to have the engine rebuilt. I simply switched the engine off, then put the ignition back on once the motor had stopped and pulled off the road, but of course had no power steering and virtually no braking!
As there was no leak, and the engine didn't rattle, I suspected it was electrical, but nevertheless had the car recovered.
I now know that there are two types of pressure sender on the V8. One is £2.80, the other is £26.00. Guess which one I fitted? No more problems. |
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MikeEdwards
Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2475 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2020 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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Got my plating kit set up again, so I managed to plate some parts I had to make for my forthcoming brake disc swap on the Firenza. Now I'm busy plating everything that isn't moving, before I put it away again - the various buckets take up quite a bit of space. |
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