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Mal, I don't recall if I ever posted this before, but it's for you Morris Minor lovers with yours truly crammed into the front seat. RHD of course, and badged as a Riley.

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Wednesday 29th August 2012

When I arrived Wade was tightening up the upper radiator hose on Noel's chassis. Had trimmed about 1/2" off the hose then ensured both ends were as far as they could go on. Tightened up and vertical now. Then turned to Noel's steering box and removed the pitman arm. During this process LesF arrived, bearing gifts in the form of bolts and nuts to mount the steering box to the chassis. Except they wouldn't, being too big in diameter, so Les set off to exchange them for some that would fit. Noel also arrived and he too was bearing gifts in the form of a new Optima battery for the '33 and the engine compartment decals for his 356 together with a book explaining which goes where. However some of the placement descriptions are a little confusing, well they are to me! So.....if anyone has pic's of decals on '41 160's for aircleaners, oil filters, oil fillers, etc, or can point me in the right direction of same, I'd be most appreciative. On Les's return one of the conundrums Wade had been facing was addressed, the routing of the fuel line from the tank to the fuel pump. Wade had tried to assembled the cut pieces but nothing seemed to work. Les was able to demonstrate, with a piece of the original line, where it had run behind the crossmember in front of the tank and down the outside of the right frame rail. After this there was an inspection of the '33 outside, Les having 2 Standard Eight Sedans so has a particular interest in that year.

However after both Les and Noel had departed there was an inspection of my Coupe, which I'd brought down today, of the routing of my fuel line. And surprise, surprise! It runs across, in front of the crossmember and down the outside of the LEFT frame rail. Maybe Les's memory was reversed, like a photo negative? But in his defence I think the car was disassembled about 4 years ago so it wasn't exactly yesterday! Wade took some pic's for reference purposes as well as spotting an oil leak at my fuel pump, something more to fix. Back inside, after sorting through the cut pieces of fuel line, found the piece that runs alongside the left front frame rail then across behind the front of the front crossmember. And it fits! Next the rear piece, when transferred to the left from the right side, also fits! The other 2 pieces on the outside of the left frame rail were then the easy part. Orientation and location of fuel line finally established ran a tape over it's route and determined 6 metres was required but will err on the side of caution and order/buy 7 metres. While under the front of my Coupe Wade also established that the stays for my 120 radiator collar mount differently than those on Noel's 160 radiator collar so that wasn't now a factor.

Just before Noel left Wade had turned to the 2 care packages from Max which arrived while Les and Noel were there. Wade had had a quick look at the invoices enclosed and informed Noel there wasn't anything included for his 160, wrong! The fuel filter with ceramic element was there! That was besides new pistons and valves for Big Red among other things. Then after attending to that turned to Noel's steering box which is now on the to do list. Disassembled it and thanks to the fact it still had oil in it, which you wouldn't know from it's external appearance, the internals look in pretty good shape. As Wade was disassembling I was cleaning, removing excess dirt, excess gunk, washing, cleaning, wire brushing where required and blasting also where required. But further cleaning will be required before paint gets near it as this was to get it to an acceptable handling state. Looks like we'll be making a run to ABC bearings in the near future to determine whether they have suitable seals. Next was Noel's snubber. Ahhhh, a subject dear to my heart, but for such an upmarket car the 160 has a rubber bushed rod instead of the tie-rod type ends my 120 does. Wade had been struggling for a solution for the rubbers on Noel's snubber because he hadn't been able to source any replacements. Then he remembered he had a box of assorted rubber bushes at the back of a drawer and lo-and-behold found some bushes that fitted, albeit with a bit of a struggle but fit they did. Next I was deputised to make some rubber washers as part of the solution. Then assembling it all on the chassis. But to do so had to remove both brackets, install the snubber on them, loosely, and reinstall the brackets. Upshot? Noel, you now have a snubber!

Quote:Dave,

You did, but it seems Morris Minors have become one of the sub-themes of the Blog, so it fits right in!

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Mal, I have a similar clutch anti-chatter rod (read: snubber) on my 47 Custom Clipper. I replaced the rubber bushings from my parts department stock. Not only did the re-bushed snubber eliminate most of the clutch chatter (especially in reverse) it made for a much smoother shifting transmission. I was always getting a syncro crunch going from 2nd to High and High to 2nd, but that has all been eliminated. Bonus fix, I like that. Too bad you will not be in Texas on your Grand Tour of the U.S. Travel safely.

(o[]o)

Quote:John,

Actually I will be visiting Texas, Houston airport to be precise, as I fly from Orlando to Los Angeles as I start my trip home. I'm there for all of 48 minutes!

Mal, maybe you can stay longer next time. A layover time of 48 minutes is cutting it close to get to your connecting flight. Good luck on that. Take care.

(o[]o)

Thursday 30th August 2012

Found the '33 in the Workshop when I arrived. Last night Antoine, the owner, had come over together with the bloke who's going to do the body. The '33 had been pushed into the workshop because there's little light outside at night, whether it be moonlight or artificial, so it could be inspected for an assessment of what's required bodywise. Now that it's inside, currently in front of a car that John is working on in his area, it was time to drop the fuel tank. The diff was jacked up and jackstands placed under each side of the diff housing and the fuel tank removed. It's not held in by straps but by 3 bolts, 2 at the front and 1 at the centre rear with captive nuts in little brackets mounted on the tank body. After the '33 was on the jackstands first thing was to drain the tank. All Wade got for his trouble was a face full of dust when the bung was removed! Then the sending unit wire was disconnected, the fuel line fitting released and the retaining nuts removed. The jack had been placed under the centre of the tank and once all attachments removed it was lowered and transported to Packard Corner. There, the sending unit was removed and the extent of the interior deterioration became evident.

Then Wade called Harvey who advised that Hills District Radiators at Pendle Hill would be able to clean it out. So the fuel tank, as well as Big Red's radiator were put into the Ute and off we went. Reason for Big Red's radiator going too? Because it's out and, although it had been through a clean, rebuild and testing about 2 years ago, now was the time to have it cleaned again, checked and tested, so all's ready when the engine returns. Called into ABC Bearings on the way there and picked up a couple of Bearings for Rick for a 2008 Audi S3 he's currently working on. At Hills Radiator learnt they couldn't clean the tank because WorkCover NSW the government regulatory authority won't allow them to. This followed an industrial accident where one of their workers was badly injured cleaning a fuel tank. Instead, they recommended the tank be taken to Redi-strip who would be able to soak in their caustic tank and clean it. Leaving Big Red's radiator at Hills Radiator then set off for Redi-strip, well known to us having cleaned many Packard blocks, heads crankcases over the years. We went by a route, trusting the Navman to guide us, which turned out to be very circuitious adding quite a distance to the trip. On the trip back to the workshop Wade used his tried and proven route instead of relying on modern technology.

Quote:John,

Don't know if I actually set foot in Texas. It might just be a connection being made. If the opportunity does present itself, I'd certainly be looking to spend more time in Texas on my next trip to the US. Whenever that might be.

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Mal, you should be okay if you have a direct flight from Orlando to Los Angeles. Fly safely, and have a great trip.

(o[]o)

Friday 31st August 2012

Returning home after donating blood plasma this morning made a pitstop at the workshop. After feeding Misty a bone found Wade working on the '33's distributor in which he described the points as "fritzed", they are also unobtainium. Thought he had a used plate and points on the shelf but couldn't locate them so now contemplating buying, from a Vendor, a replacement kit which uses modern points sets.

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Mal, those points are probably "unobtainium" down under, they are hard to come by here though I have managed over the years to get an ample supply for myself.

The little kit that's around using modern Chrysler points is based on a design I did many years ago and offered up for others - glad to see it caught on. Oft times with the 33/34 NorthEast system and using the dual point conversion kit you can't get the ignition properly timed because one of the distributor cap clamps jams against one of the twin coils before you get enough distributor rotation to get it in time. If this occurs to Wade, the solution is relatively simply - the breaker plate is held in place by 2 machine screws and if you slot the holes in the breaker plate, you can then offset the breaker plate enough to achieve proper timing. I'd be curious to know if this will be the case with Wade's conversion, it was the case with a 33 Super 8 I worked on earlier this spring.

Monday 3rd September 2012

Following from my drop in on Friday, Wade has ordered the plate kit with modern points from Max as well as some seals for Noel's steering Box. But....in the meantime put a lot of work into getting what he still had working by much filing of the points and tweaking of the original plate. Advised the rest of the distributor is good with the bushes not requiring replacement. So the job this morning was to get the '33 running. Hooked up the temporary fuel source and this time primed the fuel pump using compressed air and a rag to fill the gaps around the fuel can's mouth. That worked, but provided a problem straight away with fuel leaking from the sediment bowl! Nevertheless pushed on with trying to start the '33, a shot or three of start-u-ba$tard down the carb throat so the motor would at least kick and started cranking. Motor did want to start with little kicks from the start-u-ba$tard but no continuous running. OK, are we getting fuel? Answer was no! This after disconnecting the fuel line at the carburettor inlet and cranking again, nothing. Then disconnecting the fuel line at the fuel pump outlet, almost nothing. Checked the fuel line between the pump and carb was clear with a blow through, it was. So it was obvious, the pump wasn't pumping!

Then, like Marie Antionette, it was off with the pump! Pump off, disassembled the upper(fuel) section checked the valves were in the right way, they were, everything else looked OK and reassembled it. Also disassembled the lower(vacuum) section from the main pump body. Then to the leaking sediment bowl. Inspection revealed there was a slight dent in the channel of the housing where the bowl seats on the gasket. Not much, just enough to cause a leak, Wade said when initially disassembling the pump, besides the gasket, there was also plenty of sealing gunk. Now we know why. Then a couple of light taps using a small drift and hammer and, voila, fixed! A bench test revealed the fuel pump was sucking and blowing as expected so, instead of reassembling the vacuum section, bolted the partly assembled pump back on the '33. Cranking test, after priming, revealed plenty of fuel now being pushed through the pump. Next cranking test, after reconnecting the fuel line to the fuel pump outlet revealed plenty of fuel now reaching the carb. Final cranking test, after fuel line reconnected to the carb, and Boris, there was life after about 6 years of lying dormant! But was idling very fast, running roughly and has a fuel leak at the carb. Then, after a timing light test, was found to be running on only 4 cylinders, the points for #1 to #4 aren't working. The idle was cut back to something more acceptable but will require more work and Wade thinks the float level needs adjusting maybe because the needle valve supplied with the carb kit is unlike any he's seen for a 33/34? Pulled the pump off again reassembled the vacuum section and reinstalled the now complete pump again priming the pump using compressed air to push fuel through, no leak now at sediment bowl.

The '33 is now at least mobile under it's own power, albeit dependent on a mudguard(fender) mounted fuel source and dodgy points! Before moving onto something else Wade gave the '33 a moving test, well it ran under it's own power about 20' back and then forward again. Will be moved back out to under the carpark ramp on Wednesday, under it's own power, because the Subaru on the hoist it's in front of now should be ready to go then. And a little fix to the front door windows. Antoine had said to Wade the push out front door windows had been put on the wrong sides. Wade didn't agree, instead finding the pull knobs had been installed on the outside of the glass instead of the insides! Easy to open but very difficult to close. Unfastened and removed the knobs and reinstalled them on the insides where they are supposed to be!

Next it was off to see JohnM and, hopefully, the final installment in the long running headlight bulb saga. Today brought a successful conclusion to this following our previous visits on 16th, 23rd and 27th August! First Wade checked the generator wasn't overcharging, it wasn't! But the two bulbs blowing simultaneously had raised questions, seems like it might just be one of those million to one shots. Installed left bulb and tested, it works! Installed right bulb, they both work! Bezels and lenses back on, right on right side and left on left side where they should be. Finally John, at the ripe old age of 87, will be able to resume nocturnal travels in his Packard if he so desires.

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