1933 Maddox Fixed head Coupe EN 5810

[Ian Grace]

Hi Paul,

Here's the component parts of the offside front brake pipe. You can see the section of pipe that I managed to twist. I have cut off the two end fittings and you can see the flared ends of the old pipe. The larger union is brass and connects to a union on the chassis inboard of the wheel. The smaller steel union fits into a multi-way junction fitting mounted on the chassis close to the master cylinder.

I now need to source some copper brake pipe and avail myself of a flaring tool.

[maddpuk]

Thanks Ian. Good to see that both unions have remained serviceable. It's scary how easy it is to twist a brake line like that.
The flares look like 'simple' single type, rather than double or bubble that may be seen today?

[Ian Grace]

Here we are - the new pipe ready to fit. I managed to source some 1/4" copper pipe and a neat flaring tool yesterday - yes our hardware stores are still open here.

Next job will be to reinstall it, together with all five new cylinders and three new flexible hoses. Plus the re-lined brake shoes. Hopefully that little lot will improve the efficiency from the approximately 10% when it arrived!

[maddpuk]

Continuing the brake union thread, these can become seized. I've recently had great success with this handy tool (see picture) which clamps securely around a Flare Nut, even better than a conventional flare nut spanner. A standard spanner, even a full ring type, can struggle on a seized nut as by definition its surfaces may be coroded to a point that it is over-size and thus the correct spanner doesn't fit.

802A24CF-74D8-49FB-8A0F-3F5BCEB3CA6B.jpeg (153.98 KiB) Viewed 8182 times

[maddpuk]

Weights & Dims?
Ian, do you have the approx. weight and outer dimensions of the 'Maddox', from a trailering perpsective?
Thanks, Paul.

[Ian Grace]

Interesting tool Paul, haven't seen one of these before.

The Maddox is 10' 4" long, 4' 2" wide and weighs about 12 cwt. But don't forget the ground clearance which means you need fairly long ramps so the car doesn't ground when putting the car on or off the trailer. Can be mitigated by cranking up the front jockey wheel of course.

[maddpuk]

Thanks Ian. I probably should also have asked for the inside spacing of the wheels/tyres, as that's important if the trailer's not a flatbed.

[Ian Grace]

Just measured up. Looks like you need a maximum gap between the trailer runners of 38 inches.

Edited to add - I'd be interested in what you find Paul, as I will be needing a trailer when we return from the States in a couple of years.

[Ian Grace]

Update 2023!

The Maddox is still here at VMR HQ Seattle but the plan is to ship it back to the UK next spring and get it to Paul Maddox.

One complication just sorted is the title for the car. It was sold from the Ellingson Motor Museum, Minnesota to Ian Samuel in Ontario, Canada in 2011 but he never registered the car in Canada. I need to have a title (think American V5c) for the car in order to ship it back to the UK. I have a scan of the original Ellingson title, but not the original. So I contacted the Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles who confirmed that the car is still registered to the museum. So I then contacted the museum and they are going to apply for a replacement for the lost title and then they will sign the car over to me and I will then be able to obtain a Washington state title in my name, enabling me to ship the car.

Once it is the UK, I will be applying through Margaret Goding of the Bullnose Morris Club (DVLA rep. for Morrrises) to recover the original UK registration number.

It will be super to see this unique car finally repatriated to the UK after decades in the New World.

Paul Maddox is planning to collect the car at the Ludlow Rally in July.

[Ian Grace]

As reported on the home page, it was a big day yesterday when Paul Maddox collected the Maddox. Here's a few more photos of the collection. It will be good to follow the recommissioning of the car and seeing it out and about on English roads before long.

[maddpuk]

Work on the Maddox has been slow due to a multitude of distractions. However, I figure there are 4 key tasks:
1. Get UK registration sorted - in theory, initiated with help of the Bullnose Morris Club, but ...
2. Re-fit brakes
3. Sort wiring, as what is left of original looks decidedly unreliable and I'm loathed to add even more replacement wiring in parallel
4. Fluids etc. prior to recommission/start engine.

I've decided to start with #3, removing all existing wiring, labelling ends as I go and referencing the 1934 wiring diagram to produce an Excel file of all link lengths, wire colour and function, i.e. a shopping list. My current thinking is to maintain functionality as original, so keep the frankly bonkers solenoid dipping headlights, and hoping I don't come to regret that too much.

Observations so far:
Rear lights are twin filament, presumably to support a brake light function, so additional wiring will be required there compared to standard.
Which terminal is which on the Lucas C45E Dynamo - what I would describe as 'top' is wired to +D, while the 'lower' terminal to F2. Sound right?
All wires appear to be 28/0.30, which is surely over-rated for many functions (Dip switch, horn, rear lights etc.), whereas arguably under-rated for the battery feed to Ammeter +B, feed to Accessories Fuse etc., and possibly the Dynamo connections? Though I cannot image wiring some of those latter wires with the heftier 44/0.30 cable. Thoughts?

IMG_4387.jpeg (548.21 KiB) Viewed 1308 times

IMG_4393.jpeg (405.78 KiB) Viewed 1308 times

[Ian Grace]

Hi Paul,

Good to read the update, and I agree that a re-wire will transform it for the better.

I can't really advise on specifics as all my cars (except the McEvoy which is still in bits) are OHC with the vertical dynamo.

Keep up the good work and keep us posted here.

[maddpuk]

Fuses - where to start?

The two non-standard fuses, by today’s physical sizing, in the Lucas fuse box are well documented as 6A (dynamo) and 25A (accessories), though in the Maddox the latter is currently 35A. Perhaps this is to also accommodate the wiper motor and additional rear lighting?

For the dynamo fuse, Eaton/Bussmann AGW series look to be a good fit (~7/8" x 1/4"), but should an AGW-3 (3A) be used, having learned that old Lucas fuses are rated at their blow current, rather than the modern approach of their continuous rating. Helpfully, early Lucas fuses displayed both values.

For the Accessory fuse, the closest size generally available looks to be 30mm x 6mm, if longer than the ideal 25.4~28mm, and being careful to avoid the more common 32mm lengths.

However, it seems crazy to have no fuse in the main Ignition feed (Black/Yellow to Ammeter +B), which in turn feeds all the lights via the PLC switchbox. I am loathed to add individual fuses to each of the outputs (H, T & L) so wonder why not add a single inline fuse at the battery Black/Yellow, despite it needing to be a relatively high rating (20A continuous?). Given the wire is likely to be 28/0.30 with ~17A rating, this should provide a good level of safety margin.

As an aside, I was given a box of car electrical parts back in c. 1989 when a friend emigrated to Canada. It's one of many items clogging up my garage that 'you never know when that will come in handy'. Looking in there today, I found a number of old Lucas fuses, not all in the best condition, but a suitable fit for the Accessory fuse.

Lucas fuses

IMG_4428.jpeg (620.55 KiB) Viewed 395 times

[maddpuk]

Some progress to report on the hydraulic brakes.

After excellent guidance from Ian Harris Morris Spares, the new Master cylinder is now installed. I don't know whether I was doing something wrong, but I ended up removing the pedal to get it in. No major hardship as I could then replace the broken piece of wire holding the brake pedal in place with a suitable split pin. No return spring fitted yet - does it go to the small hole in the pedal, or is it intended to attach to that small plate?

Master cylinder.jpeg (378.27 KiB) Viewed 251 times

NSR slave cylinder installed and connected - I found new copper sealing washer with 14mm ID & 18mm OD to be about the right fit, along with new handbrake cable. The latter needed some 'modification' to the bush that fits to the bracket/cover on the brake backing plate.

NSR slave cylinder.jpeg (427.09 KiB) Viewed 251 times

OSR slave cylinder installed and also connected to its brake pipe, but OS handbrake cable is WiP.

NSR slave cylinder.jpeg (427.09 KiB) Viewed 251 times

I bought some 2mm / 16mm split pins to use on various parts of the rear brakes - castle nut on handbrake lever, front adjuster etc., but found them a little on the large side so now awaiting some 1.6mm to try instead.

[maddpuk]

Although it isn't the official part, I have found what appears to be a suitable return spring for the brake pedal, or at least as an interim solution.
Specifications are: 70mm x 10mm, 1.6mm wire dia.

Brake pedal return spring.jpeg (2.46 MiB) Viewed 196 times