Vintage Minor Register

AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Its slow but needs to be quicker. As soon as i get going it's time to stop, have had much else to do, we're putting our house up for sale and I have a new house project to start 70 miles away while trying to finish up work in Reading, organise stuff etc! Hoping to have a weekend on it, the engines in, the gearbox too, front brakes overhauled and repiped, just need to adjust rad and fix bonnet then start on the rear brakes and still have a couple of uninjured fingers to hit/scrape etc!!!! May even get to post a photo or two by Monday.

Hi Toby,
Just checking that the other priorities in life were not getting in the way of what is really important!
Chris

Finger thumped with hammer during progress, 1 to go! Started on rear brakes, interior out! Picture shows how the backplates were bodged to take wrong size cylinders, having to replace backplates.

Slow progress is being made. Before you put it on stands and strip out the brakes, always check you have enough clearance between the car and the garage wall, doh! New copper brake lines and flexi from Eddie at Wyvern have been fitted, along with salvaged splitters and brackets. Had to drop out the fuel tank to bolt in the bracket and it took all morning to clean and overhaul the bracket and splitter etc. No return springs in the shoes and it looks like you need a degree to reassemble the shoes etc! Also managed to repair the handbrake ratchet and reassemble. bare metal painted so I'll be able to reinstall the interior and floor pan next

Toby,
Are they the Smiths shock absorbers fitted to your car?
Chris

Hello Toby,

Looks like your car is nearly finished.
When you take a car apart there is always more work than expected.
Are the rear shock absorbers Smiths and the front Armstrong ?

Regards Halbe

Halbe, yes they appear to be, don't know why. The car is a bit odd like that!

Work progressing slowly, as usual! Decided to touch up underseal round wheel arches at the same time, have rear backplates in place complete with the new stainless pegs to locate the shoes. Have been struggling as wheel bearings loose or worn, plus springs were missing, when I got the new springs i discovered that the tags they clip onto are missing too! more rummaging in the pile of 8 bits should produce the necessary bearings, hubs and spring clips!!! Looking doubtful for the 20th April but it'll have toi be rolling or I can't get PJ out

After what has turned out to be prolonged fettling, including an engine rebuild and bills for more than the car cost to buy, YG (Algie as it's now known) is just about in one piece again! I have replaced most of the brakes, including backplates and making parts with little knowledge! and they are yet to be bled (with a promise of new wheel bearings in the winter) It's not perfect but I've overcome the bodgery that was someone elses attempt at improvement, the engine is in with just a bit of this and that to do before starting up, despite losing a a nut into the bellhousing (try lowering a magnet past all that metal to retrieve stuff from the bottom!), the interior is all refitted, the rear wheel arches have been reundersealed and even the doors are back on, I have had the freshly charged battery in to try and prime the oil pump but everything was dead so just a little further to go, fingers crossed.... I doubt He'll be on the spring meet but it looks good for the summer rally I'm left with a feeling that a complete restoration of a n original car would have been easier than trying to sort a non original one to get into a usable condition, it all started with an email to Ian asking why it overheated and didn't stop very well and without the support of the vmr I expect i would have just sidelined it with a promise to get it roadworthy one day!

it all started with an email to Ian asking why it overheated and didn't stop very well and without the support of the vmr I expect i would have just sidelined it with a promise to get it roadworthy one day!

But isn't that what the VMR is all about? Some times its just a spark we need to 'kick start' an ambitous project! Come on Algy!

Agreed

This forum was and is for me a big part of the fun I'm having with my car and a great way to get help and information should i need it in the future.

Halbe

Well, despite the fact that I'm absolutely rushed off my feet, I've got the brake system filled but i'm £** poorer having had to buy a new master cylinder! Couldn't get the oil primed either but finally sorted that, new battery ordered. I've said it many times in the last few years but I'm on the home straight

Hoorah! brakes bled and engine started for first time as soon as button was pushed No charge, dip beam or brake lights Will run her up to hot tomorrow in open and maybe investigate electrics, not my favourite car problem!

Still not got to the bottom of the lights! "They only had dipped in the '30s" so got my mot today hope to tax him tomorrow, slight weep from the block crack repair think I need some better shocks and brake shoes too but at least he's going at last, seems to be a lot of vibration in the brake pedal when the clutch is depressed, hmmmmmm. This minor stuff can drive you mad!

Tell the clutch a couple of jokes - it will soon cheer up!