Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[alastairq]

I cannot immediately find appropriate thread....Sorry Rick.

I believe {Rick?} recently had an issue with a brass carb float leaking [via?] a soldered joint?
I also believe some put this down to the ethanol issue?

Well, from an expert engineer, it is more probably down to the petrol itself [not ethanol!] degrading solder [especially lead solder?]...

Reading through the specific posts below, mention is made of that fact [blame petrol, not ethanol?}

https://classicenginesmodernfuel.org.uk/Clubs/ModernFuel/BulletinBoard/Default.aspx?dyn_menu_useclub=1000001&dyn_menu_mainmenu=5
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.

[Miken]

During the last year i have worked on 2 carbs that had leaking floats. A Zenith on my A40 and an SU. Neither were leaking from soldered joints. Both had several very fine vertical splits in the wall of the brass cyliinder.
I'm not sure what caused these splits and just put it down to age.
I know that the SU hadn't been used for several decades so it wasn't modern fuel that caused the problem.
There were so many splits i judged them to be beyond repair. I was able to buy a NOS item for the Zenith and a new plastic replacement for the SU from Burien fuel.

[lowdrag]

My Webers have double brass floats, but I learned that they have been using plastic ones for many years without problems it seems. My E-type still has brass ones and from memory I've only had two fail in over thirty years. Is the problem just age perhaps?

[Ray White]

[alastairq]

[lowdrag]

I have updated my car over the nearly forty years of ownership by fitting four pot Zeus brakes, adding a 123 dizzy, and as anno domini takes its toll no doubt electric power steering will make an appearance too. Brake pads have no asbestos, and the new type of pads are so effective that frankly a servo isn't really needed anyway. And radial tyres make the car handle better and hold the road better too.

We don't have ABS, active suspension, et al, but I am eagerly awaiting this year the new LED lighting kit that will enable me to drive my car at night and also be able to see the instruments. All I am doing is making it possible to drive my car when I want and be able to cope with current road conditions. Externally, no difference, but, ageing as I am, I would not like to drive my car 400 miles at night as I once used to do, since my reactions aren't what they were, nor my night vision. If you use your car, upgrading is essential.

[Ray White]

I had a visitor the other day who has restored an MG TC to standard spec. He was actually quite 'off' about my build because I have set out to turn what was basically a pile of scrap into a usable sports car with unobtrusive upgrades.

I would not criticise anyone for maintaining a car as "original" yet I am expected to take all sorts of brickbats for getting my car to steer, brake, handle and perform better than it did when new. Even my attempts to avoid a fire risk by improving frankly inadequate fusing came in for ridicule.

Just as well, then, that I don't take criticism to heart.

[badhuis]

No offence Ray but if I wanted to "getting my car to steer, brake, handle and perform better than it did when new" I think I would start searching for another car. The next generation maybe.
_________________
a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[Ray White]

[alastairq]

I agree with Ray on this one.

Often we are left with either playing with the hand we are dealt, or abandoning ship?

Sadly, everything seems to boil down to money, or value.
Fine if these were Van Gogg paintings...but they are not [and never have been?]

A car really only begins to show its true character once it is moving. But we as drivers can only adapt so far...especially in today's environment.

Why not take advantage of what technology has given us?

Especially if that technology proves to be a cheaper option when trying to overcome an existing issue?

Persevering with what we've got will likely lead to heartache and misery, but in the end, contentment with the fact one has produced something with one's own hands [or brain?]


If we think back to when our old bangers were new.....the first few owners would have dealt with breakages in much the same way as we today deal with similar on a car 10 or 15 [maybe 25?] years old? {Still made this century...blimey!!!] By using cheap parts, or whatever will fit?

That was easier to do 60 or 70 years ago, as stuff was meandable, or something similar could be used to replace it?
So gauges that ceased working, would be replaced by whatever the local go-faster shop had on the shelves?

Engines, brakes, gearboxes, etc could be swapped for something newer, & better?

Or the thing was just dumped?

Then we came along!

Much tearing out of hair to be witnessed as originality was sought and promoted.....[a good idea?? Perhaps not? When the original broke quickly enough n the first place?}

I am reminded of a project I was very tempted by when I first retired.....a local guy had a passion for AC cars....and had[or wanted?] an AC Buckland.
He had a saloon from which he had removed the [damaged?] roof, to make a 4 seat convertible.....all alloy body, etc...but he replaced the very ancenti design of AC engine with that from a Ford Zodiac...still inline six, but infinitely more reliable and , more power to boot.
Heck, even AC themselves offered the inline Ford six as an option, eventually?....[But not, I think,on their 2 litre saloons?]

Whilst it was probably nce to boast one had a 2 litre Bristol six, or an AC 2 litre six under the bonnet......an AC would be far more useable as a daily if it had the Ford Zodiac engine ...which was probably more powerful than either of the two others?

Qudos aside, that is?

Yet the guy bemoaned the fact that his use of a decent engine int he car was frowned upon by the cognoscenti.....thus it remained in its shed...
_________________
Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
----------------------------------------------
Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.

[Ray White]

Thank you for your support, Alastair. If I might add one point. For my project in particular, there is a range of upgrades that have been around for many years; some of which date from when the cars were new, so it is not as if I am breaking new ground (well, not much anyway!).

One popular modification is the VW steering box conversion which itself has replaced a previously popular Datsun box conversion.

Abingdon replaced the original Marles Weller steering box, I believe, with the inferior 'Bishop Cam' box, presumably, to save money. In the 1940s one of the features of the TC which became apparent to the new buyer was that the very direct steering caused the car to not steer in a straight line. Today this is regarded by some as the "charm" of the TC.

If that was the only fault it would not be of much concern but there is a flaw in the peg and cam design that means the car MUST be moving before turning the steering wheel or cracks will develop. Also wear in use is rapid.

For those who are wedded to the Bishop Cam system improved parts are now available but the worm and wheel design of the VW box is better from an engineering perspective. There is a choice. I have decided on the latter and to compensate for the lower (normal) gearing I have also invested in a new 15 1/2" Blumels 'Brooklands' steering wheel and boss. The original wheel is 17" (which can be a problem for the more stout driver!)

Here is a (possibly biased) explanation from someone who has made some 50 VW conversions.

https://mwthemachineshop.com/vw-vs-bc-steering

[MVPeters]

[badhuis]

Of course you do what you want to do with your car, Ray. I respect that and also read your improvements with interest.

There is the never ending discussion of what modernisation is acceptable for a classic car. Please let us not go there, there have been many topics about this. I believe everyone has a different opinion.
The point of replacing original with better is in the same league. How far do you go? If you are fed up with a crap design of the steering box, please mount something different.

Maybe having more modern and wider radial tyres speed up the wear in the steering box? And are the original boxes, and all linkages, lubricated as often as was the case originally? It used to be normal to have your car greased every three months or so. That said it might well be that the box just was not sturdy enough for the application. The MG was not known as an over engineered expensive car back in the days.

Where we do differ is your remark: "People also seem to forget what MG was all about. Improving the cars is at the heart of MG ownership."
While that may be the case for owners of the older T-series, it surely is not the case for the more modern 60s MGs. I have a friend who owns an A and a B, both very original. He has owned them for over 40 years now and use them as much as possible, while also keeping them as original as possible. Maybe these newer generations were just a bit more developed overall but he proved that an original MG can be kept original and be dependendable / reliable.

As always with these cases / arguments, each to their own. I hope you get much pleasure out of your TC - a very fine car. I would love to be able to have a drive in one.
_________________
a car stops being fun when it becomes an investment

[Ray White]

Just for the record; I am not changing the aesthetics of the car and to that end I shall have have 5 new original size spoked wheels, tyres and tubes.

I have also fitted all new traditional spring loaded track rod and drop arm ends which will require regular grease. The leaf springs, likewise are all new but I have dismantled and greased and re profiled them.

The king pins and bushes are new but I have added "Torrington" roller bearings (like MGB) in place of thrust washers.

The only fundamental improvement over the original design is the addition of a professionally made Panhard Rod to better locate the front axle.

I think as time went by, the typical MG became "softer."

[alastairq]