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Humber Hawk Estate
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:49 am    Post subject: Humber Hawk Estate Reply with quote

This my 1966 Hawk Estate. Its in average condition and has been mildly customised with custom made grill, 59 caddy taillights, earlier Hawk bumpers, the engine is good, the gearbox is bad - so bad in fact that i am in the process of rebuilding it. My plan is to keep it on the road whilst slowly restoring / Mildly customising it. Ive fitted a stainless exhaust, got hold of all four replacement lower wings / wheel arches and a recon box which I've had to dismantle so that i can fit to my car (the recon box was for non-overdrive ... mine has overdrive.. longer mainshaft!).

Important things to do: king pin bushes, inner / outer sills (O/S), new distributor (if anyone has a dissy for a hawk the would like to offer me i would be very happy).

General body work jobs to be done: all four wheel arches - dig out the filler replace arches and re-fill with lead, bottoms of doors to replace.

Custom things to do: fabricate new dash, door cards, rebuild grill (maybe fit an early imperial grill surround then re-do the teeth), re upholster, respray... lower? (not sure with all the speed bumps) fabricate hood ornament, re chrome, door mirrors, fabricate external sunvisor, fit high level spot light, or appleton style on A post, radius the bonnet corners.

but the 1st thing im going to do is get the gearbox in and start enjoying it... fingers crossed





being towed back from Devon after the gearbox died.



just before we realised that the gearboxes were different and a major task of dismantling was now ahead of me.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Johnny,

What failed in the gearbox?

Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Peter, originally it was constantly jumping out of 2nd and 3rd. I've been told its pretty common with these cars. Then it kept getting stuck in 4th, then wouldn't go into 3rd. On dismantling the box i found that it had lost its oil - the front oil ring had been put in crooked! - 1 baulk ring had snapped in half and 1 was badly scored and worn. The nut inside fastening the 3rd gear wasn't even tight and the locking tab hadn't been knocked down. There was a spacer missing causing about 3 -4 mm of end float. This was a second hand box fitted by the previous owner. So i guess who ever sold them the box had been tinkering when they shouldn't have. I'm amazed it lasted as long as it did.

I'm fitting the box tomorrow so hopefully ive done a bit of a better job of rebuilding it... hopefully (this is my 1st gearbox rebuild)
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gearbox is in after a lot of grunting and swearing. rigged up, engine started, pulse racing... feeling nervous. Mmmm the clutch feels a bit weak but here goes... i can just about get it into gear then clutch gets weaker. Bleed the system again but no joy, cant get into any gear with engine running. I hope its just the slave cylinder and not my attempt at gearbox rebuilding. I had already replaced the seals in the slave but noticed that it was quite scored so bought a new one off eBay...fingers crossed (all this crossing of fingers is giving me arthritis).
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

just found out that the clutch master cylinder is leaking also... apparently im having fun!
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JR FLYWHEEL



Joined: 25 Mar 2008
Posts: 77
Location: Hornchurch Essex

PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:53 pm    Post subject: as posted Reply with quote

Hello Johnny,

Many thanks for posting. Please continue with your updates and photos.

Regards Flywheel
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

slave and master cylinders replace... wooohooo all four gears no weird noises.

Next is to replace the wobbly distributor and fit Electronic ignition and hopefully cure the intermittent misfiring / backfiring / wont go up hills problem.

Has anyone else noticed how badly made points are these days... the contacts on mine don't even contact fully.

Cheers flywheel. I'll keep updating.
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
Posts: 2148
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Jonny,

Nice rare Humber you have there, although not exactly to my taste. Well done with the gearbox, and hopefully electronic ignition should solve the problems, my dad's FB Victor used to eat condensors until he took the plunge and converted.

Do you live in Chelmsford as the car looks strangely familiar?
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Richard, i bought the car from Chelmsford a couple of months ago.
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Roger-hatchy



Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 2135
Location: Tiptree, Essex

PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Broomfield ?
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

somewhere around there.
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7113
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

flatfootjohnny wrote:

Has anyone else noticed how badly made points are these days... the contacts on mine don't even contact fully.



Hi Johnny,

Well done on the gearbox. It's not just points you have to beware of. See:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8225&highlight=humber+sceptre

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So got the box in, all fine so far... i notice a bit of a leak from beneath the gearbox. Turns out to be between the box and the O/D. Get the O/D/ of without having to remove box... not too dificult... Clean up gasket surfaces, replace gaskets and reseal... holy moley!! getin the O/D back on is incredibly tricky took me over three hours!!... then guess what... the box is still leaking Sad

All i can think is that the adapter plate between the gearbox and the O/D has a slight warp. Didnt think to check it on a straight edge... what a numpty!
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flatfootjohnny



Joined: 31 Aug 2010
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well it turns out, after three removals of the overdrive (third time much easier on a ramp than on the floor) and still a major oil leak, that there is a hole in the back of the box which isn't fully covered up by the overdrive casing. We checked my old Gearbox casing and the hole was in that too so we decided it must be a breather.

...It turns out that its an oil feed for the speedo drive on non O/D models. So three days of swearing and distress could have been very easily avoided by making a small alluminium bung and knocking it in from the inside after removing the selector cover (6 bolts).

With regards to the hole being open in the original box, not only leading me up the garden path and down the road, has pointed me to the reason why it dumped all its oil and buggered up i the first place.

Oh well, live and learn.
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