Vintage Minor Register

I need to change the front brake cables on UF7090. At present there is a rather non-standard and, I think, inefficient bowden cable set-up that I wish to replace.
Now the question is: do I buy the 'standard' Bowdenex conversion from Ian Harris, or a set of pulleys and new kingpins to revert to the original configuration?

It seems that the reason for the use of Bowden cables was to replace the pulleys that were prone to gathering road dirt and therefore jamming up. This might well have been an issue when these cars were relatively young and used extensively as ordinary transport, but as a cosseted vintage vehicle covering relatively few miles and regularly cleaned and serviced, this would not seem to me to be such a problem, although I could be wrong. I have not read that the Bowden version actually improves the braking performance over and above a well regulated original set-up, but perhaps I am wrong here too.

I have read on the forum various threads about the different versions of Bowdenex cables and the possible need to drill back plates, provide additional brackets to simplify the cable run etc. This all seems a bit tiresome, when I seem to remember, from the old days with my 1931 SV, that the original setup was so straightforward.
Which way should I jump?

Martin

Martin,

It' a matter of choice really. My personal choice is to keep my Minor brakes original. Hydraulics were better, but I don't believe the Bowdens are significantly better than the pulley gear when they are set up correctly. What is fairly certain is that the pulley brakes need more periodic adjustment and greasing, etc. But when they are set up right, you can lock the wheels under braking.

The biggest problem at the moment with converting back to pulley brakes is obtaining the correct kingpins. Talk to Ian Harris. You need the later type arrangement - not the 180 degree arrangement of the earlier OHC cars. (The switch was at chassis M29528 and your chassis is M31579.)

Do you have the original pulley brackets that attach to the chassis?

Ian, you confirm my thoughts and of course the replacement of original brakes is dependent on items being available.
Ian Harris has the correct kingpin sets, front cables and the chassis pulley listed on his price list (from PWMN 'Technical Bits' page), but the kingpin pulleys and the pulley brackets are listed but it looks as though he has no stock.
I will e-mail him to see what the situation is.
Martin

Martin,

I think you will find that Ian Harris has nil stock of the kingpins right now - hope I am wrong!

Ian's list is also on the VMR website. See his latest list on the home page (5/11/13).

Ian

Hi Ian, you are right Ian Harris doesn't have any of the extended king-pins and tells me it is likely to be at least six months before he can get any.
I have also talked to Mike Dowley of Sports and Vintage about my front brake arrangement. He tells me that the brackets on the hubs look like MG ones but "fitted back to front", the rest of the system is not recognisable. So I still need to make this decision, but I'll get the rear hub done first then take stock.
Martin