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Post by 1800heap on Jan 10, 2023 21:20:23 GMT
Hi Chris I am honoured you called making your part doing a Nick. Why buy a part when you can spend hours making one. Well because we can, Im with you! Glad to see your workbench is as cluttered as mine Chris. The cup of tea is obligatory but Tottenham Hotspurs what!  The miss alignment of the drive shaft may have damaged your diff washers, depending on how long it has been like it. Have you got any difference in the gap between the front of the sill and the wheel when you check between sides? Sometimes its bad enough for the wheel to rub on full lock. The Oz crab was bad. A front end prang I think caused it. Actually the chassis was bent where the driveshaft goes through the body. Not easy to straighten either, but was fixed with a jack, heat and big hammer. Hopefully just the engine mounts and bottom stabliser adjustment causing it. Nick |
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Post by Penguin45 on Jan 19, 2023 21:07:06 GMT
Not had time to investigate further as the weather has been appalling. I haven't had to use the car until this morning. An interesting experience. I had to jump start two of the neighbours cars, then mine. Finished up shovelling sand under the front wheels of another neighbour who had parked pointing up the hill, foolish female.
To get the jump start out, I had to open the boot. The lock was frozen, sorted with the kettle, then the mechanism was frozen. A solid thump opened the boot. Started car, put jump start back in boot and it wouldn't close... Slammed the boot a couple of times until it decided to shut. Thirty seconds later, the engine cut out. No ticking from the fuel pump. Who fitted an inertia switch for the fuel pump? Muggins here did. Re-set it and she restarted. Meanwhile, the wipers had re-frozen to the screen. I had forgotten that I'd turned them on and drove to work. The sun thawed everything out over the course of the day. Jumped in to come home, wipers come on and won't turn off! That'll be a cooked park switch then.
Interesting day.
C.
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Post by dave1800 on Jan 20, 2023 0:35:31 GMT
It sounds as though either your inertia switch is too sensitive or you are too strong. It's been cold here too going as low as 20C in the morning.  David |
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Post by Penguin45 on May 21, 2023 11:24:01 GMT
Having made the steady bars, I thought that I ought to fit one. Nice quiet job for a Sunday morning.  Lower stabiliser bar by Penguin 45, on Flickr That's the emergency, temporary one I made three and a half years ago. Immensely strong, very ugly and lacks adjustment, hence the drive shaft being cockled.  Lower stabiliser bar by Penguin 45, on Flickr  Lower stabiliser bar by Penguin 45, on Flickr Bit of winding under the car has pulled the shaft straight, so job jobbed. Chris. |
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Post by 1800heap on May 21, 2023 20:07:08 GMT
Hi Chris Sorry to be a Debby downer, but is it just a trick of the photo or is the bolt very offset relative to the (RHS in photo) stabiliser bush. If it is I would not be very happy with how much pressure there is on the stabiliser bar. You may want to check the mounts at the front of the engine. It seems you may be fighting one or both of them to bring the engine straight. Nick |
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Post by Penguin45 on May 22, 2023 17:31:53 GMT
I think that's fair comment, Nick. I was wondering if a little bit of driving might settle it, but that won't be happening for a while yet, so a quick inspection has taken place.
1/ Cross bar mounting has the dumb bell stability bar, the big flat rubber and the damper. The rubber has definitely sagged, but shows no sign of delaminating.
2/ Rear n/s mount is one of LOCI's modified ones with the bolt through. Bit grubby, but shows no sign of delaminating.
3/ Front n/s mount is definitely on its way out; delaminating from the top at the front and the bottom from the rear. I will replace it and see how things look then.
Chris.
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Post by 1800heap on May 23, 2023 21:24:07 GMT
It is interesting that the engineers put an adjustable tie bar on the bottom. By doing that to me they are accepting that the postion of the engine has considerable tolerance. Not something you would expect to see on a modern vehicle!
Did you add the top 'S' tie bar like I did Chris?
Nick
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Post by dave1800 on May 24, 2023 0:41:28 GMT
Maybe it is because of the way the engine is hung with the rubber mountings more in shear which along with the cable gear change was designed to reduce vibration transmitted to the shell? David It is interesting that the engineers put an adjustable tie bar on the bottom. By doing that to me they are accepting that the postion of the engine has considerable tolerance. Not something you would expect to see on a modern vehicle! Did you add the top 'S' tie bar like I did Chris? Nick |
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Post by Penguin45 on May 25, 2023 19:22:37 GMT
I didn't add the dumbbell, it was on the car when rescued, as was the modified rear mount. I suspect that the front one which is delaminating might date back to then as well. The original steady bar was destroyed by a catastrophic rubber joint failure, hence the ugly looking thing pictured above. If I assume that I made it to an incorrect length, the resultant twist over three years and a bit may have strained the engine mount into its current state.  Front engine mount by Penguin 45, on Flickr Currently looks like this. I will change it, then I can conduct an experiment for Tony Wood.... Anyway, the cryptic comments about not going anywhere need an explanation. Early in the new year, the window cleaner reversed into the car. To be fair to the man, he came and told me what had happened and was most apologetic. At first glance, there was a dent in the driver side rear door. A closer investigation revealed a split along the line of the centre membrane in the sill. With my history, you can safely assume that the CHISEL OF DOOM put in an appearance...  VOF707J by Penguin 45, on Flickr Oh dear (That's not quite what I actually said).  VOF707J by Penguin 45, on Flickr  VOF707J by Penguin 45, on Flickr In for a penny, in for a pound. I had no idea, until it got bumped. It's been topped up with cavity wax every year, so I've assumed that everything was fine.  VOF707J by Penguin 45, on Flickr After the ANGLEGRINDER OF REGULARISATION. Looks better as a nice neat hole, anyway. So, I've got a chunk of work to do. What I find especially disturbing is that with the grot removed, it's in exactly the same state as in 2013/14. It's the new metal fitted at that time which has disappeared and what is left is what was left last time! I'm not sure how that works. I've got a four day weekend, so hopefully I'll break the back of this. Chris. |
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Post by 1800heap on May 26, 2023 7:26:56 GMT
Damn Chris that's quite a bit of rust! I am glad OKR did not have that rust in it again. I am probably lucky is was mostly in the garage while it waited for me!
Nick
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Post by Penguin45 on May 27, 2023 23:26:35 GMT
Yes, got some work to do. I've made a good start on the inner sill/floor area and started making panels for the centre membrane. I have also swapped out the front engine mounting.  Austin 1800 engine mount. by Penguin 45, on Flickr Old one from above with the grill removed. The new one has raised the engine by perhaps 3/ 4". Given that this is a triangulated mounting system, raising the front corner will pivot the other end slightly forwards and allowed me to re-set the steady bar with rather less load on it. I'll try and bag a pic of it tomorrow. Chris. |
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Post by wayne962 on Jun 6, 2023 17:58:57 GMT
Wow, good timing! I've got some mounts that need replacing too. Does anyone know of a good spot to get them? Been Googling for hours, and only found a few random spots that don't look too promising.
Thanks,
Wayne
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Post by Penguin45 on Jun 6, 2023 18:02:47 GMT
Tony Wood does uprated ones which are supposed to be virtually indestructible. spareathought[AT]landcrab[DOT]net.
C.
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Post by wayne962 on Jun 8, 2023 19:45:35 GMT
Great! I know Tony and have bought some stuff from him recently. I'm not sure why I didn't think to reach out to him?
Thanks!
-Wayne
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Post by Penguin45 on Jun 27, 2024 22:59:03 GMT
A year since an update. Why? Basically, nothing has happened and things have deteriorated. Since my last writings, the car had the nearside wing stove in by a recovery truck. Shortly afterwards, the nearside suspension subsided. Finally, the drivers side lock failed to unlock the car. After that, I simply couldn't be bothered. It took a little while and a stiff talking-to from MrsP to make me realise that depression is a very real thing and that help can be found. It isn't a case of being "A bit off it" for a day or so; it is an illness and it needs to be treated. I made some progress. Julia booked this current week off from work, with no obvious purpose - usually we head off to Cornwall or the Cotswolds and announced that I would be having 11 days to work on the car. I rather railed at this, but then fate took a hand. Old Billy in the yard opposite the house has bought an ex-Parcel Force Mercedes Sprinter with the intention of making it into a camper van. He appeared last Friday, wanting the door step and sill welding up. I had a look, said "Yes" and Saturday morning his lads appeared and lugged the welder and other tools up to the van. You know what? I thoroughly enjoyed myself and made a few bob. Apologies for talking about myself. I felt that it was important to emphasise that depression can be at least helped; even cured if it can be recognised. To that end I hope this may help others in a similar situation. So, Monday morning, let's break myself back into this gently...! First job. Get her running. Checked all the fluids, hooked up the jump pack (Battery not very happy) and she was off third turn of the key. Clutch and handbrake seized. Left her to warm through, gave the drums a good solid whack with the copper mallet. Tried the clutch again and with a bit of a "grrrch" 1st engaged. We drove 10 yards across the road and parked on the apron of the garage. Then: Repair drivers lock mechanism. Linkages, lock, latch all freed up and lubricated. Black interior lock lever repaired. This had broken on one side of the pivot, so drilled it clean through, added a 4mm brass rod right through, with a nut at each end and job jobbed. Next: Wipers. It transpired that the replacement wiper park switch was faulty. Lucas in a green box. Don't get me started. Called in at work and picked up another. Removed wiper motor completely for access, which made fitting pretty straightforward. Re-fitted it, hooked everything up and.... it didn't work. Eventually worked out that the switch switch (as opposed to the parking switch) was faulty as well. Who'd have thought. A rummage in the spares drawers produced another one. The terminals had different numbers! I worked it out in the end and proper function is restored. New "hockey stick" bit of trim made up for the drivers door. Inflated n/s suspension. Side project: Strip and clean hydrolastic connector on pump due to having blocked itself solid. Source of leak identified at last.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr That union is weeping between the end of the hose and the Schraeder valve block. Side project 2: Order up a set of larger UNF spanners. I never did replace them after THAT burglary. When they turn up, nip up the union. Or get a large chum to do it... Nearside wing. Front end above and below the swage line bashed in. No piccy, sorry.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr State of the trim ring will give you some idea. Took the headlamp assembly out, to find the mounting bowl pretty much smashed to bits. Chopped it out to allow me to get in with the hammers and ease the wing back roughly into shape. Got pretty close - quite pleased.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr Ironically enough, that enormous weld I did all those years ago when I grafted on the new front section of the wing probably prevented the wing from losing its shape completely.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr Reinforcing ring about to be welded in.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr £12 well spent. Headlamp mounting ring from a Mini acquired from work and adapted to form the back of the headlamp orifice. Well, a Lucas headlamp is a Lucas headlamp, regardless of what you fit it to.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr Some time later. Side panels made and welded home, ground back, seam sealered and etch primed. Not too bad.  Austin 1800 wing repairs by Penguin 45, on Flickr Filler. Less than I thought, so must have got fairly close. That's where I've got to after four days. Rain stopped play. Chris. |
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