Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

I spent the morning (faffing about as Jean would say) trying to replace the ignition warning light. I removed the spring, retainer and horse shoe clip as I have done before but then a piece of solder fell off. It was the solder that ties the fine resistor wire to the earth terminal.

Having soldered it I attempted to refit the light to the dash. Unfortunately, the body of the replacement holder is marginally bigger than the original...so it wouldn't go in the hole.

I will persevere with a round file.

Rolling Eyes

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It has been a frustrating day. Having made the hole big enough and fitted the warning light to the dash I managed to snap off the hollow brass conductor. I was being pretty gentle with it too.

Fortunately I was able to swap over the middle of the old fitting but instead of 2 BA it had a 3/16" BSF thread and I only had the one nut. I spent a lot of valuable daylight looking for another one.

Long story short; the light now works O.K. Very Happy

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4105 Location: South Cheshire

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

Among other things that need connecting up, the main beam warning light is next on the "to do" list.

I have a wire coming from a relay to join to a wire that operates the switch. At that junction I am using a double combination bullet connector to connect another wire that goes to the warning light.

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 9:14 pm Post subject:

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

I have a feeling that one of my design changes is coming back to bite me. I thought that a leather trim finish to the car would be an improvement over vinyl. I should have made more of an allowance for the difference in the respective thickness between the two materials.

Where the leather is folded over the edge of the dashboard and stuck down behind it, is also where the leather piping flanges go. This triple thickness of leather has the effect of holding the dashboard away from the frame. It is more noticeable across the top because piping is absent from the bottom.

I may have to cut away one of the piping flanges across the top ...and perhaps add a layer of leather packing at the bottom, to get it looking right.

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

The wiring under the dash is now coming together. I keep wishing I had kept it simple ...but if everything works as intended, then it will have probably have been worth all the extra work.

(At least, that is what I tell myself! Shocked

)

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

It is only now that I am beginning to discover that (even allowing for the thickness of the leather ) the dashboard has been made about 1/4" too deep. The problem is trying to fit the piping around the ends so that it allows enough space for the doors to close.

I can see from photos of other cars that the same problem must have occurred frequently in the past. The only solution - as far as I can see - is to pare down the plywood at the ends of the dashboard. This will entail unsticking some of the leather and re forming the mitred ends of the chrome beading; a task which I should be quite good at by now!!!

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

One week on and I am not much closer to getting the dashboard in... despite a lot of chiselling and drum sanding with the Dremel! This is probably the most frustrating job I have ever attempted on a car but at least I know what I want it to look like.

Lack of experience, of course, is my downfall but I am now thinking I must first tack the piping to the frame (so it can't move about) and alter the dashboard to suit.

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4105 Location: South Cheshire

Could you not make some recesses with a wood router?

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

I seem to have cut off two brackets from the ends of the chassis rails Shocked

Actually, they are ugly, incorrect and do not work with my new registration number backing plate. I have ordered two new ones that will allow me to fit the D lamps and number plate. This time they will be bolted into the holes provided rather than welded.

These are made especially for the T series cars by the same guy who made (and delivered) the backing plate yesterday. They are exact replicas of the original and are very well made and powder coated.

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

As a new car in 1949, TC 10030 was supplied by
Peter Lloyd in Sydney. I have just found this:

https://collection.fletcherarchives.co.nz/objects/59626/fletcher-construction-co-ltd-australian-operations-1963-peter-lloyd-car-showroom-avoca-street-randwick-sydney-nsw-australia-exterior

Further research is needed but it would be good to know more about this apparently successful new car dealer.

An advertisement sourced via Google:

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 6318 Location: Derby

When I bought my new "spinner" for the spare wheel, I assumed it would be a faithful copy of the origin but when compared it becomes obvious that the new part does not have a taper.

This, I believe, is the cause of the floppy fit of the spare wheel.

What to do about it has left me scratching my head!

bjacko · Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 6:19 am Post subject: Spinner

Have you tried the tape plumbers use to tighten threads?
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1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP