Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rootes75]

Lovely sunny day down here yesterday so spent the afternoon down the yard. Managed to measure up, cut and shape the biggest and worse repair section on the passenger side of the body cross members.

Thats now 3 of the cross members repair sections cut and ready to refit, only a couple more to do before I move on to replacing both main side members.

These are more difficult again, around 3m long but with a mulitude of fixing holes to be maked and drilled in them.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[lowdrag]

A friend gave me a bottle of Water Wetter, a product I have never tried. The E-type regularly dumps water when hot so I'm giving it a try.

[Rick]

Fired up big Dodge for the first time in a while, with the points cleaned up and a drop of fuel straight into the pump to enable it to fire and pull the fuel up from the tank (saves churning away on the starter) it fired up promptly enough. I suspect the 12v battery that it's had for the last 11 years or so is beginning to wilt, so I'll look out for a replacement.

RJ
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Rick - Admin
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[MikeEdwards]

I like the idea of a 3D printer, but I don't like how long it takes to produce stuff and I can't think that I'd be happy leaving it going while I'm out, or overnight. I'm also unimpressed that pretty much the first few things that people have to print are things to make the 3D printer work properly, though maybe that's only on the entry-level models.

I did an oil and filter change on the Firenza today, it hasn't done many miles since the last time but it was pretty dirty. It might have had some little bits of metal in it, but I didn't clean the drain tray completely before I used it, so they might not be too bad news. I also managed to forget how much oil comes out when the filter is removed, fortunately I'm near to a carpenter so there's always some sawdust around the place.
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1976 Vauxhall HP Firenza, 1976 Vauxhall Sportshatch (x2), 1986 Audi coupe quattro, 2000 Audi TT

[ukdave2002]

I know that I have an air leak in the CA induction, prior to taking the manifold’s off I thought it would be prudent to do a cylinder leak down test in case of a valve or head gasket issue (I could more easily whip the head off, as the manifold would be off)
I ran the engine for about 15 mins to warm it up, then got distracted on a gardening issue! So the leak down test indicated all cylinders were ok, I could hear hiss from the dip stick on all of them, given that the engine was not at operating temp, I’m happy with this.
Yesterday I collected a Victor engine (basically same as my CA engine) that had been advertised locally on eBay, got it home and found its on standard bearings and pistons, so well pleased.

Dave

[Rootes75]

We have a military show next weekend so as it was such a hot day today I took the Hillman up to town to get the fuel, £25 of petrol and it only went up to half full!!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[MikeEdwards]

Before I took the Firenza to a local show I popped the front end up and discovered a bit of play in the offside front wheel bearing. I took the wheel off to sort it out, and while checking the rest out noticed that the nyloc nut on the lower ball joint had about 3mm of free space between it and the suspension arm. Either it's undone itself since I had the arm off to swap the bushes in 2019, or I didn't tighten it up properly at that point, and I can't think how either of those could have happened. It does remind me that I need to check these things more often, and perhaps get it in for an optional MOT.

So the job for later this week is to turn the car and check the other side. I still need to swap the bush in the lower arm, but I have it out again on Saturday so that can wait for a bit.
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1976 Vauxhall HP Firenza, 1976 Vauxhall Sportshatch (x2), 1986 Audi coupe quattro, 2000 Audi TT

[Ray White]

[Rootes75]

We have a show at the weekend, taking the big Hillman along so each night after work I am down the shed polishing. Its now I realise the work involved in owning such a big car!!

My 10 year old has volunteered to come down with me tonight...
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[MikeEdwards]

Checked the other side of the front suspension before I take the car out again at the weekend, all was fine.
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1976 Vauxhall HP Firenza, 1976 Vauxhall Sportshatch (x2), 1986 Audi coupe quattro, 2000 Audi TT

[Rootes75]

Spent a great weekend at Westonzoyland down here in Somerset. Its an annual event we call WARAG and its a mix of military and agricultural theme from wartime Britain. Its based on part of the old wartime airfield so there are lots of pillboxes and runway still about.

We took the Hillman and were parked outside the restored dispersal hut. It was very hot, the crowds were huge which is great for a small independent show.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Crashbox]

I have done anything to it, but I have done something with it. Today I drove my 90-year-old Morris Minor 180+miles across country, from Worcester to the Norfolk/Suffolk border. I'm here to take part in the Pre-War (Morris) Minor Network's Summer rally and tours. By the time I get back to Worcester on Monday afternoon the little car will have done close on 500 miles. The Minor is absolutely fine after today's endeavour. I'm wrecked, so I'm off to bed
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1989 2CV

1932 Morris Minor S.V. Two-Seater

[MikeEdwards]

I've still got a nagging fault with the alternator on the hatch, which manifested itself on the trip to Tatton Park the other day, but instead of fixing it I've been working on the tops of the inner wings on the project. I've repaired them once, but it was clear from the bonnet and outer wing test fit that they weren't in the right place. They're pretty good now, but I've got to break off and make a few bits for someone else.
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1976 Vauxhall HP Firenza, 1976 Vauxhall Sportshatch (x2), 1986 Audi coupe quattro, 2000 Audi TT

[MikeEdwards]

A bit more fiddling with the alternator today. I swapped the big connector as that looked a bit dodgy, but that didn't help, so I fitted another alternator that I've cleaned out. Output is a little lower, but I don't have a warning light so far.

While I had the Crypton out, I thought I'd check the dwell angle because the car felt a bit "fluffy" last time I drove it, it had dropped to 28 degrees, so I adjusted it and got it to 33 (it should be 35-37). That's nowhere near the points gap that the Haynes book suggests, but I only get about 20 degrees when I set it to that.

The puzzle, though, is why it keeps dropping. To decrease the dwell angle means increasing the points gap, so it can't be that the little plastic thing is wearing out.
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1976 Vauxhall HP Firenza, 1976 Vauxhall Sportshatch (x2), 1986 Audi coupe quattro, 2000 Audi TT

[Crashbox]