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Post by dave1800 on Aug 6, 2013 0:55:52 GMT
Has anyone here ever completely rewired a Landcrab? I have found a car here that has the fuse box and feed through connectors unit completely removed and the large hole it left covered by a piece of plywood. I understand this unit is no longer available.
From what I can see in the poor under bonnet photo the wiring that remains is a complete nightmare with the battery in the boot and relays scattered seemingly at random. I have no idea about the dashboard and steering column but can imagine it is the same.
Can anyone please tell me how the wires from the rear of the car, ie fuel tank sensor, brake, side and indicator lights are routed and also the interior and boot lights so I can start planning what I will have to do. Not my idea of fun but I think this will be my only chance to own a Crab here.
Many thanks
David
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Post by tommydp on Aug 6, 2013 6:37:11 GMT
Sounds like fun, Dave! Anyway, there are not that many wires, so shouldn't be too hard to make a look alike original wiring loom. Perhaps you can make a connector/ fuse plate to go in the original place, using modern fuses?
Wires to the rear of the car go up through the RH A-pillar. There is a connector block below the parcel shelf. The wires run along the rh roof, feeding the interior light on the way, ending up in the RH rear wing, where the wires are spread to the boot light, rear light dim relay (blue box). Wires to fuel tank sender and lh light go through the hollow rear panel and number plate lights though the boot lid, from the RH wing.
I will be happy to measure the wires etc, as I have complete wiring looms removed from a scrap car.
Get the car Dave! Sounds exciting! Otherwise more or less original? Engine etc?
Regards, Tommy
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Post by dave1800 on Aug 6, 2013 8:38:36 GMT
Hi Tommy Hope you are enjoying, have enjoyed your holiday! Thank for the offer to measure the wires, I expect I will need to take you up on that. The car is a 600 mile round trip to view and then to transport to where I live. For a number of reasons I won't be able to see it until October, which is the end of the rainy (monsoon) weather. Original? It was described as original, then 90% now we're down to 70%. The engine / gearbox is mercifully not a Nissan and there are one or two other parts, perhaps, I recognise in the photos! It looks as though I have no other choice here as there is now a complete ban on the import of second hand cars so I will have to be brave and foolish I think! I have been thinking along your lines or replacing the connector/fuse box with something modern. I know I won't be able to make a full restoration but won't have a better idea until I become the proud  owner. Here is the under bonnet photo I have been sent from a Samsung phone so you will understand my predicament! The owner doesn't have a computer or digital camera so a family member sent this on. HERERegards David Sounds like fun, Dave! Anyway, there are not that many wires, so shouldn't be too hard to make a look alike original wiring loom. Perhaps you can make a connector/ fuse plate to go in the original place, using modern fuses? Wires to the rear of the car go up through the RH A-pillar. There is a connector block below the parcel shelf. The wires run along the rh roof, feeding the interior light on the way, ending up in the RH rear wing, where the wires are spread to the boot light, rear light dim relay (blue box). Wires to fuel tank sender and lh light go through the hollow rear panel and number plate lights though the boot lid, from the RH wing. I will be happy to measure the wires etc, as I have complete wiring looms removed from a scrap car. Get the car Dave! Sounds exciting! Otherwise more or less original? Engine etc? Regards, Tommy |
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Post by Penguin45 on Aug 6, 2013 19:39:40 GMT
Agree with Tommy, a more modern fusing arrangement would be sensible and probably safer. The real problem is not the fusing, more that the original fuse box acted as a distribution board as well. Auto Electrical Suppliers have some interesting fuse boxes - HERE. VEHICLE WIRING PRODUCTS also offer an interesting selection. I can see the monthly supply parcels being sent from around Europe...... Chris. |
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Post by tommydp on Aug 6, 2013 20:29:38 GMT
I'm still enjoying the holiday and just returned from Spain. Back to teaching again in a week. Time flies:-)
Get the car, Dave, if importing one is impossible! I mean, how many could there be in Thailand? It is amazing though, how crabs still survive all around the world. Speaking of, I spotted one classic car in Spain, a 1300 GT! Compared to other cars, I don't think the overall survival rate of BMC cars are that low after all.
Look at the bright side, Dave. It has the original engine! You can get other missing things. The carb solution looks like a master piece!
The wiring is rather simple, so shouldn't be too difficult to copy, using a wiring diagram and measures. In the end, the connector plate is only 3 fuses and 3 blocks of 6, or 8?, male/ female flat connectors. I'm sure one could make a neat modern installation here, even including 3 modern fuses/ fuse holders hidden behind the AMP fuse cover.
I wouldn't be too concerned about other original things missing. Most things can be found. I'm planning a major clearout among my parts, and have numerous stuff I will never need. I would be happy to contribute to a Thai crab with these, at very reasonable prices.
Any other pics, Dave? It's a mk 1, judging by the single speed wiper motor?
Looking forward to updates!
Regards, Tommy
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Post by Penguin45 on Aug 6, 2013 23:56:07 GMT
*Off topic - sorry*. Authi used to make 1100s in Spain, and even made their own version, the Victoria. Austin at the front, Triumph at the back. Looked quite good. Anyway. In a country which appears to have a choice of two 'Crabs IIRC, buying the one that isn't a hotrod makes sense. I assume that David has other working wheels, so a nice and steady project could be fun. "Team Europe" ought to be able to round up enough bits between us to keep David busy. Chris. |
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Post by dave1800 on Aug 7, 2013 3:44:40 GMT
Thanks Chris and Tommy for the support, information and offers. As you may have gathered I will need to add an aircon and so there will be additional wiring and plumbing so maybe starting from scratch isn't such a bad idea. I should be able to figure out a relay / fuse box and connector block that will fit in the hole left by the missing AMP block. The rear wiring may just still be intact but I am working on the basis of a full re-wire. I have no idea why the first thing to go over here is the SU carb, possibly the simplest and most forgiving in the car world. As you can see from the previous photo there is no fan blade, no radiator cowl, an oil cooler apparently hanging lose, no battery under the bonnet, no air filter and lots of odd wiring. Apparently it did work! Here are some more low quality photos. As you can see it is a Mk1 but with Mk11 door handles I believe, holes in the floor on the driver's side front. I can't work out if the dash has been attacked by a dog or it is from the Samsung phone aberrations in poor light. The side view shows chrome wheel arch fittings probably covering up lots of rust and the sills appear "non original". I am assured the car can be jacked on them so I can only guess at what has been done. The paint job has been to change from the original maroon to white and no doubt covers lots of nasties. However, it does appear reasonably straight but my request to have side photos with the doors open have not yet been answered. The seats have clearly been replaced, it looks like an abandoned project. More pics HEREHEREHEREHEREComments and observations very welcome! Regards David |
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Post by tommydp on Aug 7, 2013 8:07:05 GMT
Not a bad project at all, in my opinion! Looks straight and nice. Of course, there may be filler etc but so will most others have, which haven't been proffesionally rebuilt. I suppose the climate could have been harmful to the body, but perhaps the wheel arches are only meant to brighten it up:-) I have never come across a rusted wheelarch on an 1800. Perhaps due to luck or BL Norways additional rustproofing when the cars arrived here..
I wonder if the sill appears original after all. The reflection and angle makes it different. Zooming on the Iphone it seems to have the correct shape to my eye. Door cards are mk 3 or Maxi I believe. Some trim bits, switch etc missing, no big deal. Seats look nice. I mean, the important thing is that big, heavy stuff is still there and functional. Of course, you want as little welding as possible too.
I would have bought it if I were you, Dave! No doubt!
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Post by Nick RS on Aug 7, 2013 11:31:19 GMT
David,
I am with Chris. If this is the only Landcrab that's going to be available then you should take it on as a project. If all the big bits are present and the body isn't too awful then it should be a green light for go. Are you allowed to import parts into Thailand? that might be important.
I know that photos can be flattering to a vehicle but it looks OK in the pictures. I suppose the question to ask is, if someone else bought it how would you feel?
wishing you luck
Nick
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Post by dave1800 on Aug 7, 2013 12:02:55 GMT
Thanks guys. I have made up my mind to buy it. It isn't actually for sale but the owner has many classic cars and has decided reluctantly that he is getting too old to keep and maintain them all. He will only part with it on the understanding that the car will be brought back to as near original as possible and not end up as a home for a 1000 watt stereo system as befalls too many classics here that people do not understand. I only found out about this car by accident.
He is away now until the end of September and I have arranged to fly down the first week of October. I have already got a car transporter lined up once the extensive transfer and complex paperwork is sorted out. Here, there is no SORN, all back road tax must be paid even if a car has been off the road for 30 years! The road tax on my car here is around £185 per year so not that cheap. That is why many drive 2 door pickups as the road tax costs only around £20.
Regards
David
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Post by Nick RS on Aug 8, 2013 6:59:34 GMT
David,
Your seller does sound genuine so here's hoping to smiles all round come October.
Looks like there's a load of red tape and tax to get through. We may complain about our Governments here, interefence from EU legislation and worries over fuel; compared to what you have to go through we are more or less left alone to carry on with our car tinkering in peace.
Nick
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Post by dave1800 on Aug 8, 2013 8:48:12 GMT
Nick, Thanks. Yes, I need to do everything 100% right or could risk losing it or not being able to drive the car on the road. Not so easy in a foreign language which I am unable to read. As I understand the legislation there is no problem importing parts, just pay duty and VAT but body panels are not allowed. Another of my contacts knows of an Austin 1800 shell so I may go and see that with a view to keeping it stored locally for spares if it is in any half reasonable condition. Hopefully it is just missing the engine which will have been used for a MGB that attract big money here. Regards David David, Your seller does sound genuine so here's hoping to smiles all round come October. Looks like there's a load of red tape and tax to get through. We may complain about our Governments here, interefence from EU legislation and worries over fuel; compared to what you have to go through we are more or less left alone to carry on with our car tinkering in peace. Nick |
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Post by dave1800 on Aug 8, 2013 8:56:12 GMT
Tommy The climate here is much kinder to cars than in the UK. Even though it is hot and humid which supposedly promotes rust, there is no salt on the roads and that seems to be the real killer especially on the older cars with numerous mud traps and limited rust protection. I am interested in what additional rust proofing BL Norway used. Is there much salt spread on your roads or would the extremely low temperatures make it ineffective? regards David . I suppose the climate could have been harmful to the body, but perhaps the wheel arches are only meant to brighten it up:-) I have never come across a rusted wheelarch on an 1800. Perhaps due to luck or BL Norways additional rustproofing when the cars arrived here.. |
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Post by tommydp on Aug 14, 2013 20:46:36 GMT
I'm sorry about my late reply, Dave..
First of all, I'm so happy you've decided to buy the 1800! I'm really looking forward to updates on this. I must admit I'm unsure about the additional rust proofing, but believe I've read somewhere (in a Norwegian brochure I think) that they were rust proofed by the "ML- method". No idea what this means, but I know there is a rust proof product called Tectyl ML. I'll investigate this further.
Nowadays, large amounts of salt are used up here too. It's been used for the last 15 yrs or so and is related to the fact that authorities want people to use non studded winter tyres, due to environment issues. It's amazing how the salt kills cars, and it's very interesting to compare the underside of my white 1800, which has never seen salt, to a modern car which has driven a few winters on salt. The Swedes use heated sand in some regions, instead of salt. Far better imo, as the sand will eventually freeze and stick to the ice/ snow rather than the salt which makes a slippery mess.
I prefer studded tyres and good, old winter roads. Unfortunately winters are not what they used to be. There are long periods of mild weather and lots of changes between snow/ cold weather and rain/ warmer weather. Most of the time the temperature is around 0 degrees, which is when salt mainly is used.
Regards, Tommy
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