Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[admin]

I thought in this thread I'll pop updates in on other stuff, as and when I get things done.

I bought a 107E Prefect yesterday, it was cheap, and MOTd. Chances are I'll pass it on (although I had thought about running it for the winter, we'll have to see!).

Spent today checking it over (its been fitted in the recent past with a Weber carb and K&N filter - very racy!). The heater matrix had been refurb'd too by a previous owner, but not re-fitted, so I did that this afternoon. It was a bit of a bugger to fit under the dash, and it took a fair bit of jiggling, but its in place now. All I need to do is wire up the period dash switch, and heat will be there for the taking. There are no leaks, so thats good

Overall its tidy, but I suspect it'll need a little weldy weldy before the next MOT. Trim is nice, and mechanically it seems great (no whiney axle, or clonks from anywhere). I drove it back yesterday evening, and it went like a train. They only made this model for 2 years, basically a 100E but the sidevalve lump was replaced with the OHV Anglia 105E engine, coupled to a 4spd box.

Rick

[Uncle Joe]

The 107E is another motor that I had for a short while, but fitted with a pre-crossflow 1500GT... talk about fun...especially when the brakes faded!

[admin]

Cleaned it up today and finished the wiring to the heater motor, am still tempted to run it as a daily classic over the winter, but with one or three other vehicles bobbling their way over the Pacific right now, I shouldn't get anything else to use myself, even if it is already MOTd!!!!

The body has been bulled up and poorly painted by someone a while back, but overall its a solid old thing, bar some work that'll be required underneath (inner sills) for the next ticket mid 2007. Main floors, outer sills, boot floor etc are good, as are the Mcpherson strut mountings. It'll make a great everyday user car though, plus the interior is really good too.

Rick

[admin]

Decided to give the Devon a good clean and polish today, and turned my attentions to the Dodge. Thought I'd make a start on freeing up some of the many screws that attach the strips between the roof panels, starting with the side gutter on the drivers' (ns) gutter, which runs the entire length of the main body



Many were fairly easy to free up, others required a combination of heat, gentle tapping, and patience. Plan will be to remove a panel or two at a time, exposing the composite wood/steel frame behind for cleaning and painting. The roof panels will be re-usable for the most part, once the flakey layers of paint are removed, they are de-rusted, and new metal let in here and there along the lower edge. Despite impressons, beneath the flaking paint the metal is 99% solid!!

Rick.

[buzzy bee]

Glad to see work comencing on the Dodge. Does it run, and drive or is rebuilding needed?

[admin]

Yeah it runs, after a bit of heath-robinson wiring to the coil, and a tin of fuel propped somewhere level. It drove into the garage, and the engine last ran Christmas 2005. Everything will need going through, although I suspect the mileage is actually quite low (especially for a lorry) which will hopefully mean that most of the mechanical side is barely run in, and just needs checking, adjusting, cleaning, re-lubing and so on. Also helps that the guy who ran it up til '55, when it came off the road, was pretty well off and wouldn't have scrimped on much I bet.

Rick.

[admin]

Decided to have a bit of a tidy-up in the garage today. Sorted through several boxes of goodies, the idea was to categorise the stuff a bit, so that I'd have half a chance of finding things in future (I hate knowing that I've got something, but not knowing where to find it when I need it!!!)

Also dug out some old manufacturer toolkit items, mostly old spanners that would have been in the toolkits supplied with new cars (this should really be in the tools forum), then cleaned and oiled them up. Found an old-style metal toolbox that was doing nothing, and pressed it into service to hold all the vintage spanners. They are mostly marked up Austin or Ford, but there a few oddballs such as BSA, New Hudson (bike I think), Indian (motorcycle adjustable wrench), USAF crimpers, Rolls-Royce, Jag, Daimler and a few others. Needless to say my hands still smell of oil

Rick

[Old-Nail]

Any news on the 107e that you mentioned Rick?
Is it in use?

[admin]

The 107E went to a new home last year and now lives in a carpeted garage I believe!!

Rick

[admin]

Took the black Devon out for a spin yesterday, nice sunny day, not much salt around etc. Curiously it refused to turn the starter over when I went to re-start it after a drive of 5/6 miles, bridging the solenoid terminals didn't do it either yet there seemed to be some life in the battery. The starter wasn't stuck, and no clicking etc. In the end I fired it up on the handle and carried on. Subsequent startups using the starter were no problem, so quite what was going on there I'm not sure. Some dodgy wiring in the starter? or just the battery being a little low? I've put the latter on charge, and will see how it goes!!!

Rick

[Brian M]

Rick

What a great invention the starting handle was.

When I ran a Rover P4, I had to use mine in Sainsbury's car park and a small crowd gathered to watch me use it! The older part of the audience reminisced about using them and the younger part were just fascinated by how easy it was to start the car.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I think it must be the season for starter motors, my friends mini has a problem wit it and my estate has a starter problem! Hoping mine is earthing issues!

Cheers

Dave

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