Bordfunker

Could you use some steel box section to replace the sloping verticals, and similarly for the horizontal portion below the rear window? Given that it’s not structural would be a good candidate for bonding as I can’t imagine that the roof would take much heat to distort if welded. Karl

Crusty! That looks very Triumph! Karl

That sounds like a good outcome, particularly on a non-structural element like bonnet, where the risk of heat distortion from welding is high. No thanks required though, as Chris’ posts on Retrorides are a master class in how to do the job properly. Karl

I’m facing something similar on my Herald at some point in the future, and was looking to go down the replacement wing route, as although more expensive, it will be a much faster and easier exercise than letting in repair panels, especially as I know my wings are full of filler. Karl

Pretty sure that the chrome strip is common to both Heralds and Vitesses, as I have one in exactly same condition on the passenger side door on my Herald. Karl

After yet another lengthy gap between updates, I'm back with proof that I haven't been completely idle. Remember last time I was working on the steering column shroud and stalk binnacle? Well it's almost finished! Not the easiest thing to photograph being long and skinny, figured this was the more interesting end! The reason I say almost finished, despite also cleaning up the column itself, including giving it a lick of paint, is that some joker has at some point removed the indicator cancelling clip, so another item for the shopping list! So although the column is now installed in the column shroud, it's missing the cancelling clip for now. With that largely complete, I switched my attention to the steering wheel itself. Now I had been anticipating just replacing the wheel with a Mota-Lita item, but decided that even if I did go down that route as anticipated, I still fancied the idea the of trying to restore the original. Did I mention that I was a glutton for punishment? The wheel itself was looking everyone of it's 52 years.... So after watching a number of You Tube 'tutorials' I set to grinding out the areas around the cracks with a dental burr in a Dremel. Not very pretty, but very necessary. These were then filled with White Milliput, not once but 5 times! The first 3 times were as a result of me using an old packet of Milliput which had been sitting in my modelling supplies for at least the last 5 years, and which had gone off and refused to set, not matter how careful I was mixing it. The 4th time was a fresh pack, but still didn't set fully. OK, nothing for it but to actually read the instructions. Apparently you do really need to mix this stuff for at least 7 minutes if you ever want it to set! Who knew? So 5th time works a charm, and left me with rock hard Milliput, which I could then sand down with wet and dry paper, and copious amounts of water. Once I was fairly comfortable with the finish, everything got several coats of filler primer, one because it fills any minor imperfections, and two because it leaves you with a unified finish, which makes spotting problems easier. And there were problems which required rectification, not that I expected anything different. So this afternoon was spent sanding everything back to a smooth finish ahead of the next round of filler. I need to go over the little dings with some fine filler, which will then get sanded back, before more filler primer is applied. I'm not aiming for perfection, just not scruffy. Karl

Mine is attached directly to the bulkhead via a metal strap type thing. j I’ll see if a I can’t find a from on pic which might be clearer. Karl

Colin, see if these are any help. Karl

Colin, I know the feeling as I had to order two new steering bushes from Paddocks, and again the postage was over 50% of the purchase cost. Hopefully late this year, or early next the big car shows restart, as Woollies typically have a stand at these. Karl

Colin I bought the felt pre-cut from Paddocks, however Woollies do a range of felts, see link below. https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/category/126/felt Karl

Simon are you missing the clamp or clamp and nut? Drop me a PM with what you are missing and your address as I have some spares that I found in my ashtray, which I’m more than happy to share, Colin having done the same for me when I originally found mine were missing, and not looked in the ashtray! Karl

While I haven't posted an update in a while, I have still been busy finishing the last few items on the dashboard and loom refurbishment, including the steering column shroud. The two plastic covers which sit around the indicator and light levers on the column were looking very battered. No amount of polishing was going to improve those, and the surface of one of the covers was breaking down, therefore there was nothing for it but to break out the filler primer and sandpaper. This restored the surface finish ahead of a coat of satin black, which then allowed me apply the decals for the lights and indicators. These are normal water slide decals, like we all grew up with on Airfix kits as kids when we called them 'transfers', but just like those childhood transfers, these need a little help to conform to more complex surfaces. Luckily being a modeller I have setting and softening solutions designed for model decals, for just this purpose. The decals were allowed to harden off overnight, as the solutions render them very soft until fully dry, and then a coat of clear gloss was applied to protect both the decals and the underlying paint. Happy with those, they have now been set aside, while I finish off the rest of the column components, including the lower column clamp, which was looking every one of it's 52 years. Especially the very tattered felt. Like the column covers these got a thorough clean up, followed by a coat of primer and satin black, along with a new piece of felt for the horizontal portion of the clamp, that in the arched section still being in pristine condition, and set for another 52 years of service. With the column bushes now in the column shroud, the rest of the column can go back together, but that's a update for another day. Karl

I wish hand pressure would have worked with mine, but mine required serious persuasion. Maybe I’ve just got weak thumbs! Karl

Bushes are in! Combination of jubilee clip, lube and a Birmingham screwdriver. Lugs are a little ragged, but still there and in the right place. I can now get on with rebuilding the rest of the column. Thanks all Karl

Thanks guys. Tried heat, tried lube (fnarr, fnarr!), but couldn’t get it it. Went through the garage looking for a jubilee clip, but appears I have everything but. If the local factor isn’t open tomorrow, I’ll pay a visit to Wickes, as I don’t want to strip another set of lugs. Karl

Before I go and trash another set of steering column bushes, is there a knack to fitting these without ripping the lugs off? Thanks in advance. Karl

Conor it’s just a basic seam sealant, same as you would apply to any welded seam, but obviously even more important here given the role of the rain gutter. Karl

Conor, is that filler or sealant in the rain channel as there is supposed to be a generous bead of it to stop water getting between the windscreen frame and the rain channel? Your progress looks amazing, and the chassis looks very impressive with just engine and suspension in place! Karl

I was test fitting my rebuilt loom at the weekend to make everything fitted where it should, and can confirm that thick portion of the forward loom goes around the top of the passenger side engine splash panel. The skinny portion for the horns goes along the top of the chassis rail, through the suspension turret, and then onto the horn support bar. Karl

That’s exactly what it did on the underside of my Herald. Reminds me that I need to do the same to my bonnet as some idiot has also under dealer that! Must have been a trend back in the day. Karl

Result! Must admit I was tempted, but Mrs B would not have been amused. Karl

I found that white spirit or brush cleaner is very good at dissolving old underseal. It is very messy but usually takes you back to the original paint underneath. Failing that, a hot air gun and scraper will shift anything not touched by the white spirit. Karl

Thanks Colin. I did take a look at that post, but that looks way too complex for me! I was thinking something a little more old skool, such as the 2 fuse box with glass fuses, that US Heralds got. Thanks Karl

I am in the midst of rebuilding the loom on my Herald, which has already been converted by a previous owner from dynamo to alternator, and given that the control box is now effectively redundant, I was considering fitting a fuse box in its place. The way the PO configured the alternator set up was to run two new leads from the output terminal on the alternator to the battery connection terminal on the starter solenoid, with an extra cable running from the smaller spade terminal on the alternator to the ignition wiring lead. They then plugged a cable from the 3/8 spade connector on the back of the starter solenoid to the A terminal on the control box, with the other brown feeds, for lights and horns going to the A1 terminal. Still with me? Am I making sense? Now apart from the fact that I completely missed the live feed from the starter solenoid to the A1 terminal when I re-wrapped the loom, I am assuming that once reinstated I could fit a simple fusebox between the brown live feed from the back of the starter solenoid, and the horn and light feeds. Is this worthwhile, and if so is my approach sound? All comments gratefully received as I know bugger all about electrics, amongst many other topics! Thanks Karl

Not a great deal of progress this week, just a bit more done on the loom and a start made on the steering column itself. First job was to understand where the various wires needed to be routed, and therefore where I could or could not bind the loom, consequently a bit of trial fitting was on the cards. It looks a bit of a rat's nest but everything went in as it should and allowed me to ensure that as I bound the loom up, I wasn't binding myself into a corner so to speak. It also highlighted the fact that I needed a piggy back terminal on the back of the new voltage regulator, which I hadn't appreciated previously. All of which allowed me to bind up the central section of the loom which runs behind the choke & heater controls, as well as the long skinny run that goes to the wiper motor, and which was looking a little the worse for wear after over 50 years. At this point I ran out of the non-adhesive binding tape, so another order has been placed with Autosparks for more tape, as we as some new 3/8 female spade connectors and covers, and bulkhead grommets which are easier to fit to the loom at this stage. With work on the loom temporarily halted, I turned my attention to the steering column, which needs two things: a fresh coat of paint, as its currently heavily scratched, new steering column bushes, as the column was emitting an ominous rattle. First job was the bushes, which I know have a reputation for being a pain in the arse to remove, so thinking hat on. First idea, drill out the rubber bumps which locate the bush in the column housing. That didn't work. Thinking cap back on. Heat! Lots of heat! Out with the heat gun, and turned up to the maximum setting, which caused the rubber to start bubbling and gently smoking. Definitely a task better tackled away from other humans. Once I felt the bush was hot enough, I inserted a length of studding with a nut and washers on, hooked the washers behind the bush, and pulled, having first secured the column in the vice. Several more applications of heat saw both bushes removed, and interestingly, despite the hot air gun being on max, it didn't affect the paint, so something that you could potentially do with the column shroud in situ should you feel the need. Source of the rattling revealed. Two new bushes will be going on order shortly, along with new felts and probably new decals for the indicators and light stalks as mine are scratched and faded. The column shroud itself just needs a coat of paint. With a bit of luck next week's long weekend may allow me to get the column and the loom completed. Karl