Vintage Minor Register

as far as I can see there is no longer any bush in the actuating post hence wobliness! Yes, they are that loose!!!

And it has an MoT?!

yes but then you can't tell they're loose till the drums are off!

Actually I have had a look and they are bushed (not in the Australian way, although actually, yes!)





So, any ideas what theyre off?

Yeah - they are off your car.

No actually - none! They are absolutely fascinating!

Have talked to several experts, dynamo man was most helpful although talked in electrickese! Don't test your dynamo with a digital meter-too sensitive- hence my wild test readings! Dynamo appears to be nonfunctioning when checked with 12 volt bulb and regular test meter, replacing with recon unit and hope that the cutout is ok as the timescale for replacing cutout is beyond rally date! Can't use saloon as it is still not running right when hot. But that's for another question once tourer is sorted...

Saloon had too close tappet clearance-sorted! Dynamo- look out for a wire bridging the terminals, on the sv type, this is an old bodge to bypass the resistor wire and provide top output, works for a while but ruins the dynamo eventually. It had been done to all the old dynamos i examined! Lastly brake graunch, renewing backplates has not cured it and some wise men have suggested it's axle vibration, king pins aren't worn but bushes/thrust washers are giving up and down play so... new pulleys, kingpins, cables and shoes this winter, then sell it if it's not cured!

still getting graunching from cable brakes. So far... different shoes, skimmed. new return springs. King pins. steering overhauled and adjusted. new pulleys etc and brass nuts on cable adjusters filed to locate on adjuster trunnion. different back plates. different shoes, relined (bonded ) with new old linings. I'm flummoxed!
There appears to be a lot of adjustment needed to get shoes to bite so it's spacers to take up wear on shoe feet next.... and then if i can get it to do the noise i shall slacken off one cable at a time to try and isolate problem but sounds like the front. Seems worse when damp, 1st thing in the morning/ at night from rest, then goes away. If you let off the foot brake slowly you can feel a tapping through the pedal as if something spinning is catching a fixed point.

Try fitting hydraulics, Toby?

Could it possibly be the cross-shaft bearings? Have you re-bushed them at any time? They should be quite loose to accommodate chassis flexing.

Just a thought Toby. Have you checked that the brake pedal is free on the clutch shaft and that the bearing is in good condition.

No play in cross shaft, pedal is a consideration but would have expected one of you seasoned minorists to have experienced it before As fo hydraulics.... the saloons hydraulics have never impressed me, even after spending 2 years replacing the entire system, besides, you reckoned the cables were as good or better than hydraulics ian.....

The point about the cross-shafts is there should be some play. If not, then the shaft can snatch as the chassis flexes slightly - or at least I was told this many years ago. I was told that this is why the M Type has relatively crude bent steel plates as cross-shaft bearings, but I suspect this is an old wives tale, since Kimber would not have gone to the expense of having revised castings made. However, there may be some truth in this.

I don't think I have ever claimed that cables are as good as hydraulics, just that cables can work well provided they are set up correctly. Incidentally, I am still in need of pulley gear as patterns before I can get the batch production in work.

assumed you would pick up at rally, can post if you wish?

That works for me Toby, I'll pick them up at Prescott, thanks. I won't have time between now and then to do much anyway - totally snowed at work and have the rest of the rally stuff to organize, plus daughter's Wedding at the end of August. Also, the adjuster is viewing my Sable this morning - it will probably be a write-off.

Just saw England go thru on my PC and the USA go thru with a goal in injury time.