Colin

So, clearly I need to see the underside of a heater box (having now seen Colin's rearside shot). Found this online, showing a cabin entry point that would be under the matrix box and, I think Colin, the location of the mentioned rectangular gasket ?? But why? Surely all generated heat is thrown into the cabin frim the fan outlet? I don't get this aperture - its purpose . . .

Hi folks - thanks. Just trying to make sense of all that . . . Colin, the rear of heater photo helps a lot. After my original posting, I gave the entire system a good flushing in both directions and more heat was evident afterwards and a lot of red muck came out. So I 'assume' (oh, no!) it's not matrix cloggage. I just wondered about how much heat loss there is through the porous, crispy foam gasket. Ididn't know about foam seals within the matrix box . . . OR, a 'rectangular' seal under the matrix box (did I understand that correctly?) What's that made of - and what's its purpose?!? You have a sealed matrix box with the only box-to-cabin outlet being behind the matrix and fan box. Surely, in situ, said box is only 'sitting' on the bulkhead top?? And is closed? Why would a gasket under it be required?? Sorry to be theoretical about it but it has not been a car part I've ever needed to undo/remove! Best, C.

Long long ago, in a universe far far away, Colin Lindsay gave me some advice about the heater matrix-to-cabin foam gasket that went along these lines:- "The bulkhead foam seal seals round the heater outlet, but that sits into the bulkhead so you'll need to take the heater off to fit a new seal. If you seal the foam to the bulkhead aperture before refitting the heater you can ensure that there are no leaks round it. Just be careful not to tear it when refitting the heater. Any other method, you can't reach the whole way round." That all sounds very sensible. and of course, because of renovations and what seemed like a reasonably successful engine/heater cleansing session, I have still never (in 35 years) had the heater box off the car. So, after recently running the car with heater on and noticing that more heat appears to be emanating from one side than the other, I was thinking:- I should look at the exploded diagrams, thinking heat from the heater is as Colin said just instantly percolating into the engine bay, not the cabin (and for the miniscual job of replacing the very original and very crispy gasket). And have. What I notice from the diagrams is that in situ, the heater appears to ONLY be connected to the cabin through this foam. IS this correct? IS this 'foam' piping essentially the only conduit into the cabin? IS there not a stub pipe on the rear of the heater onto which the foam gasket would fit and that a stub pipe and the foam gasket would then fit snugly into (through) the cabin entry hole?? I was thinking to merely wrap my cars' crispy foam with either silvered adhesive tape, or some similar product to prevent heater-to-cabin leaks, but am guessing a foam replacement gasket is the 'proper' solution???!!?? For my car, the first two pics are the relevant ones:- but do not show the heater rear as to if there is an output stub onto which the gasket fits - the third, a Spitfire heater, makes it look as if the gasket is merely flush-fit with sealastic or similar to the facer of the heater to the rear of the blower outlet. Seems very basic to me if this is the case . . . ????? Is that what happens at the rear of the Herald heater, too? Just flush mounted foam gasket between heater and cabin bulkhead?? Cheers, folks! Best, C. PS Best supplier for new quality foam gasket please!

Ah . . . but who says I'm not a prisoner, too! 🤣🤣

Josef, Colin - many thanks. Joseph - I'm guessing you're a young fella. I've never been keen on things burning/heat since I backed onto Dad's soldering iron as a kid, melting the plastic shirts of the time onto my back . . . but yes, now I'm a 'pensioner' and although I love fabricating things, I know the lack of flat drive/space in garage would not make for a great working environment. Now, had I been able to stay in France, different story! 😀😉 Best, C.

Hi Colin, Just realised those pics were not terribly helpful:- here with measurements . . . Best, C

Hi Colin, Earlier in my post, I'm pretty sure I posted the 'B' post - and the front of the rear seat kick plate corrosion pics. I asked Chic to make these repair plates. I'm not sure they make complete sense and maybe that's why they weren't used, but if they could be useful to somebody else, that'd be great. Pics attached. I've Hammerite red oxide primed and black smooth hammeritetop coated. About 3 coats of each. Best, Colin

June 2024 Update & Final (Ha!) Entry, the 'Body-On' renewal and repair of Front Body Mounts and 'B' Post repairs. As previously described, going on holiday and leaving your car with these 'specialists' and, what you think has been a comprehensive understanding of the works needed - especially when the owner is in the midst of changing premises - is NOT a good idea. And so, said 'specialist' having only welded in the prepped and supplied outrigger set was duly dropped, for not having repaired the front body mounts (agreed needed doing on free hydraulic ramp inspection me, by all and sundry of his staff and he, the owner himself). For leaving the brake and fuel pipes in a spaghetti-like format at the rear n/s. HIs pitch being he was going to make good all the other issues in 'phase two' of works (ha!). Spent ages seeking A.N. Other who could do the front body mounts and 'B' Post repairs - my '20/'21 renovator was not offering to undertake the work (worst luck; I liked the way he did the main renovation). Found another not a million miles away, having ruled out the Thanet Jaguar repair specialists quoting £90 hr welding charges. Provided the Chic Doig constructed and prepped front Body mounts and another body fitting kit. A long delay saw Chic eventually supply me with 'B' post panel repair sections (see the above saga). Those I prepped and duly supplied. On pick-up, on first appearances the work was complete, but certainly not pretty. following cutting away the recently installed front outriggers, sills, separated where they had been top welded in renovation 20/21 were re-affixed with some fixing bolt heads painted, some not; others tightened until they pulled themselves through the metal available to them. Sharp exterior base-of-bulkhead footwell-front seam just above the front outrigger, not seam welded correctly. I was then told they had been unable to use Chic Doig's 'B' post panels as having been too solid and not manipulable enough (so I now have £200's worth of Chic's panel beaters' creation sitting in the garage I can't use). Pinholes were left in their own repairing of said sections and they allowed me to drive away without the lower driver's side seat belt fixing having been made. I immediately drove back to rectify that one of course - and on discovering the above descriptive faults on close inspection at home where the light was better, listed them, returning the car toute-suite for further reparation! A fair slice of carefully prepped n/s front body mount panel had been ground to bare metal, but not re-sealed in any way at all. Again, from folk who do this because they love classic cars and have made a business out of it, very disappointing. They cited workers' sickness as the cause of the haphazard nature of the work! Admittedly, all the above works had been agreed to be done by both parties involved within the parameters of my budgetary requirements and let me say, that although a good 12 months passed, researching how (with your own fine help), finding those who will, and messing about and complaining about sub-optimal results to the original company and then the further suppliers of works getting them corrected as far as I dare push them, I am still glad I did not put the car in the queue with those other 'specialists' I previously approached stating costs of £10,000 or so for doing the body-off job(s) I have had done with it on. If, after all shenanigans you are wondering what the cost was, with parts supplied & prepped by me, I can say it was achieved at 50% of the above figure - albeit with the described hassle and attendant disappointments. And of course I understand that for many, that hassle and/or time to negotiate, visit & research premises etc., is worth paying a premium for. I can't, however, imagine I would have done it any other way. I am absolutely sure that that even at the most costly of premises, asking for the body-off option, all the bagging and tagging of the elements of the car that I know so well, would have been put back together within my satisfaction tolerances. Clips & fixings here and there would have been missing, wiring butchered and reconstruction rushed with 'modern' items used as replacements. Whilst still stripped out, I have taken the opportunity to apply bitumen tile sound-proofing in boot and cabin. from the boot forward, I used Dodo foam sound insulation on top of the Bitumen in the spare wheel-well (where the twin exhaust pipes are secured into) and under the boot rubber matting. I have constructed two sheets of ply cabin/boot separation, sandwiched with bitumen and foam insulation. I stuffed the rear seat squab with underfelt and laid it also over the cabin bitumen tiling. The other under-dash soundproofing I wrapped with dodo foam and re-sealed and affixed, same with the footwell verticals. The top newish (from 20/21 renovation) carpet has been laid over the top and Club mats finish the cabin off. Lastly, thanks to All for their very helpful and informative suggestions during this grinding process which wouldn't have been necessary, had I; a) had taught myself to weld b) been made of money. Best, Colin (Herne Bay). P.S. (the doors STILL don't shut nicely!)

Cheers, Iain 🙂 Noted. Best, C

I agree - I do find peeps hold further back and give one a wide berth on R/A's etc., when driving the Herald. They don't cut-up/in as they would in t'other car!

Wah! I used to use the B'wall Tunnel. Horrible route to use !!! 😱😱

Love a bit of Lydden! Used to go with my bro'. Are you SE based, then? The other thought I had about original sump plugs perhaps leaking is wrap them with ptfe tape. I have the solid fuel feed pipe at the carb wrapped with ptfe after have the entire carb off years ago and finding re-connection of that solid pipe to carb either cross threaded or stripped inside the carb node. This was in the days when it was our only car and had to be working asap. So I wrapped the feed pipe round with ptfe and it's absolutely fine!

That's a monster add-on, Colin! Not sure it would fit on the existing pipes - the diameter is pretty large to begin with! I would definitely reverse into simething and cause damage to self or others with those on!! I too, think my recent stick-on bitumen sound-proofing, the underfelt over it and carpet set on top must have significantly reduced cabin intake of heavy-carbon fumes. I doin't really want to change rocker cover for a breather unit and as I mentioned, yesterday's run - a combination of static in Whitstable, and then 50-60mph motoring on the dual carriageway was noticeably absent of in-cabin fumage. Very different to being suffocating with everything stripped out. So I'm wondering if I'm NOT actually getting 'suck-around and re-entry' fumes into the cabin but maybe that was just entering the cabin when she was stripped out. All complete supposition, isn't it - BUT I can only report my findings under the different circumstances . . . Best, C.

Iain:- all I can tell you is that whilst stripped out (6 months or so) barring driver's seat (must update the 'body-on' outrigger renewal thread I started), I drove numerous miles, mostly motorway or dual carriageway. I found myself with head-out-of-window for fear of asphyxiation on the motorway drives. (I acknowledge I'd over-filled the engine oil a bit, last service - thought it might burn off). Spoke at length with Southern Triumph about the semi-cock up of chassis replacement works. Whilst on this subject, he said heavy carbons are often alleviated by the rocker covers with output pipes fitted (mine is not). You could, then, run a flexible hose down the length of the car underside and lose any unbreathable stuff there . . . !! Best, C.

It was lots of decades ago when I bought & fitted that Bell system. I cannot recall if I had the opportunity to allow the silencers to poke out further backwards than they do - but I know I was conscious of not wanting them to protrude the body back because of potential nasty reversing incidents! Ironically, after having finally had 2 'specialists' "finish" all outrigger, front body mount & B plate repairs, I've been re-fitting the car cabin (and straightening fuel & brake pipes) - putting in LOADS of sound-proofing, underlay and new carpeting . . . then took her for 17miles today. Hot day, windows open. Hardly any encroaching fumes to detect . . . Could be SO many things, couldn't it!!! 😁🤣🤣

Hi folks:- I measured an approx distance of 7cms from the exhaust ends to the rear bumper. In other words, the rear bumper is 7cms prouder of the exhaust. Pic attached! Best, C.

Oooh! Interesting. I'm going to take a side-on photo and post for comment!

I too, get heavy fumes into the cockpit, with the windows inevitably open. But with Bell twin s/steel exhausts I have been told that at most speeds the wrap-around exhaust pulls round the car (& hence into the cabin). I don't know whether tobelieve this or not . . Soz, a bit off topic! Best, C.

I've just been advised the nut, rear if cylinder head is the same part number . . . opens a new line of sourcing; some dealers have told me they'd rather leave sump nuts in to save their storage leakages!!

And I don't suppose there are any out there with specs issued on their heat performance!! Best, C.

So . . . Chaps. Theoretically, as an exercise; how far into the body of the plug should I drill for magnet insertion?!? I know, y'all gonna say depends which magnet type you're using! Roger says, 'not at all if using a hard drive magnet'! But I'm minded of the exercise I put jnto action with my green indicator jewel plastic lens. In bright sun I couldn't see if it was on, even with led bulb. So I drilled down into the body of the lens as wide as I dared and it let light into the plastic & I could then see the unit operating even in bright sun. Should I drill way into the plug, inserting a rod magnet - as I'm thinking the small 'neodisc' (??) type might not be magnetic enough if only flush mounted to the nut head surface. Closer to the oil is better, right?!? 101 to skin a cat etc..... Cheers, chaps! Best, C.

Good thought . . .

Johny:- 'rounded off' . . . I've had the darn things too tight before now and round the square nut off. Once out/off, I just coarse filed the flats for the next spanner down-sized. Eventually of course, if that continued there'd be nothing left eventually, but I've endeavoured to avoid that by not over-tightening, since! 🤣

Good point. Unless your pump is working in Superman mode! 😉

Cool! Cheers, Best, C.