Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Whitegoatie]

Thought I would tackle a simple job tonight. I'm putting back together the car I recently inherited from my Father. The car is a good 80% (???) done. It is a 1935 Riley Nine Special, the saloon body has gone, and it now sports a Lynx body.

This evening I thought I would fit the hub that carries the Advance/Retard, Head/Side Light, Indicators and Horn push. I dont know if this was a common feature on pre-war cars, 60's and later are more my domain.

Anyway, steering wheel, column, box etc are all ready fitted to the car. I managed to get the wire and control sleeves down the column and through the light switch located at the end of the column. The hub stuck out too far from the steering wheel boss and the system of 3 tubes did not stick out of the end of the column far enough to connect with the switch gear. After a bit of playing about, removing a brass bush from under the hub, I managed to get the hub sitting in the steering wheel boss, looking like I think it should, but the 3 tubes, still do not protrude far enough from the end of the column to A: connect the advance and retard and B: fit the clamp that stops the switch hub rotating...

Either I have the wrong switch hub, a different steering column has been fitted, or the column has been taken apart and reassembled in a way that makes it 10-15mm longer than it was before. I can only imagine its the latter.

Any ideas on whether I'm right, or possible fixes to get round this problem?

[Whitegoatie]

I realise you are all waiting with baited breath,

Apparently, 'Stator Tubes', as they are known to those in the know, came in lots of different lengths. Amazingly I managed, after a few red herrings, to source a set of the correct length for my steering column. Unfortunately the 'light switch' tube was seized in the 'clamping' tube, 1/2 an hour with a blow torch and the gentle application of the mallet soon resolved this issue. More difficult to sort is the wiring which runs down the central 'advance and retard' tube, the wires have been cut off flush at each end of the tube and some 70 years in situ mean they are not too happy to leave it. Heating the tube and pulling on the tails has proved fruitless. I have had to cut holes in the tube wall at several intervals along its length and pull out short sections
of wire, yet to complete this task.

I will get there.

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

I always find that "simple jobs" take at least a week to execute whereas those that you know are going to be a nightmare are usually accomplished over a tea break!!

[peter scott]

You need to pass a pilot wire down the tube first then attach the pilot to the thicker multi-way cable and pull it through. It helps to bind the junction of the pilot with tape so that loose ends don't catch on the point where the manette tube connects the the lower part.

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

[Whitegoatie]

[Whitegoatie]

Eventually cleared it, took a bit of doing but got there in the end.

Now I just have to wire it up...

[Whitegoatie]

This is the wiring in the too short stator tubes.


it was another ball ache, but after cleaning out debris from the A&R tube, cutting the webbing off the wiring from the short tube, I managed to pull the wires through and build up the switch gear.

This is where its going:



Being pushed home.



Almost there...



All three tubes clearing the steering box.



Light switch installed.



Do videos work on here? Lets find out...

[IMG]http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr150/whitegoatie/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-03/th_8D99719B-3F80-4259-8AE3-A38662CBD5F6_zpsfaicblda.mp4[/IMG]

After a fashion...

[peter scott]

Well done!

Good photos too.

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

[Whitegoatie]

Thanks. Just snaps on the iphone.