598 replies to this topic

[colinf1]

Got a few hours at it today, decided it was time to get it out into the daylight...cue the Austin powers music...



WHY DIDN'T I GET A BIGGER SHED!!!!!



Lots of pulling and pushing to get it in and out, gonna need dolly's to be able to swing the rear around.

Got last hose connected to heater matrix, then attempted a start. Ran really rough for a few seconds then cut out. Went through the timing sequence in Haynes manual 3 times, the pipe for the oil pressure gauge was stopping me from getting the points set to just opening, but kept at it, double checking it all. Popped lid off float chamber and added more fuel, choke on, cranked and fired up, high idle speed but it's running.

Knocked it off and then noticed some smoke coming from clutch side of engine, quickly disconnect the battery, but its coming from inside the flywheel housing itself. No breather on this side, but 2 threaded holes on front side of it.

Not sure if this is normal for an initial start up?

Torqued up the front hub bearings then pushed it back into shed. An extra 50mm width and I could have parked it in straight and closes doors!!

[colinf1]

Got a fuel filter fitted just after the tank. Then got the rear seatbelts put in, pretty straight forward, just cutting the C-pillar covers in the right spot was tricky. 

 

 

3D printed a holder for the tachometer, 2 M6 bolts pinching the inside of the lower dash rail, then the pod housing will be glued to this holder. Its a RVI tacho, so just need to sort the wiring and get a bulb holder.

 

 

The heater pipe is kinda in the way at the moment, have to cut an opening in the small dash liner panel I made, try get it as tidy as I can.

[stuart bowes]

how do those seatbelts work, they're not retractable are they, presumably you just adjust them to fit each time ?

 

to be honest that might work for me as well that's what Im thinking instead of the faff of trying to fit the reel mount brackets now the rear quarters are already on

[colinf1]

how do those seatbelts work, they're not retractable are they, presumably you just adjust them to fit each time ?

 

to be honest that might work for me as well that's what Im thinking instead of the faff of trying to fit the reel mount brackets now the rear quarters are already on

 

Yes, adjust to each person/car seat etc....at the minute we will have 1 car seat in the back, so for this summer that should be fine.

Edited by colinf1, 24 May 2023 - 12:13 PM.

[stuart bowes]

makes sense, yeah to be fair if it's the same person every time anyway it's not much of a hindrance

 

obviously even better for a car seat it's just one fitting and done

[70K1100]

I like your garden art in the back ground.

[colinf1]

A few jobs done over the last few evenings, bonnet put on and adjusted, it's nearly there just need a bit more length in the slots for hinge in drivers side, think I can eek out another 2mm that should pull the bonnet in at the front panel to almost where it needs to be.

Pop riveted the bonnet chrome molding on.

I also reprinted the engine bay decals, this time I added a clear vinyl layer over them as the laser toner on the first lot had started to flake off, they look much better now.

Heater switch and panel reinstalled, replaced the standard switch with a toggle switch, decal also printed at same time as engine decals.

I'm hoping to get it started this weekend, then hopefully running for a while to check for leaks once it's up to temperature and hopefully the fuel pump is working OK.

[colinf1]

Picked up a chrome grille cheap on one of the Facebook pages, as I wasnt set on the original type grille, but after testing both I think I prefer the original type...



or



Chrome grille seems to sit better, bonnet still needs tweaking, get round to that tomorrow....

[stuart bowes]

it's all just personal preference I suppose but the black looks better to me

 

must be getting exciting now nearly done? 

[colinf1]

Yes, got a jerry can of petrol this evening, insurance quote sorted yesterday and will sort tax next week! Let's hope it runs, drives and stops!

[colinf1]

Well turns out the fuel pump wasn't working at all, filled the bowl again with a capfull of petrol, ran and then cut out once the bowl had emptied. Swapped it out with a spare I bench tested, then struggled to get the rubber pipe onto the front to rear fuel line, think I lost about half a litre. Got everything back on and started it, it ran for a good while but then the smoking from clutch housing started again. Accompanied by a squealing when operating the clutch - I'm thinking the release bearing???

Bled it a few more times, the pedal felt better but the squeal returned after a few more pedal operations, clutch housing was also hot. Took it for a few spins up and down the estate road, brakes definitely need bleeding more, alignment is way out and it's very very noisy.

It won't start with the airbox on, it has a brand new K&N filter so not sure what's going on there.

Then noticed a nice oil puddle forming, looks like it's from timing chain cover, dried it off and left it for an hour on some cardboard, but not a drop on it, so must be when it's running and hot.

On the positive side, my speedo, fuel gauge and water temp gauge all work and we got it up and back down the side of the house with tremendous difficulty. Once it's running, it definitely won't be living in the shed.

[Viktor]

Looking good Colin, I personally like more the chrome grille...

 

Sure you will be sorting those little issues and will be driving out soon!

[sonscar]

Looks very nice,well done.The number plate letters look huge,must be Irish size?,Steve..

[colinf1]

The clutch that I put in it at the time of rebuilding was a NOS Valeo, dated 1993, so could the release bearing grease have dried up?

 

Ordered new clutch kit this morning, along with a few gaskets for timing cover side, plan is to borrow engine crane and get it out over the next few evenings, then hopefully I can get it all back in and driving in time for its 1st show on the 17th June. 

 

Looks very nice,well done.The number plate letters look huge,must be Irish size?,Steve..

 

Yes, Irish reg, (Rep. of Ireland) so trying to match what I could find on old pictures from that era on facebook etc

[colinf1]

Not exactly how I wanted to be spending my evenings...



Felt it would be easier to lift the engine out to inspect clutch and the oil leak on rad side than to struggle for access in the engine bay...

Just the driveshafts and ball joints to disconnect then it's lift out time!