trigolf

Nick, If you can wait until tomorrow - I'll post a pic, as I'm halfway through the CV shaft fit, so the car's up on stands. I do recall replacing the pipe, years ago, with the diff in situ. It's a squeeze ,but possible. Gav

If I recall correctly , John Kipping used to recommend putting a small smear of sealant around the oil feed hole from block to head, when replacing the head gasket. Gav

Hi Ian, Yes, one side done. I 've now started the other side. Whilst doing it, I'm also swapping the rear shocks for the new ones - another part that's been sat on the shelf for 3 years! Yesterday it took me the best part of two hours to remove the old shock top mounting bolt .The nut came undone easily and the bolt turned in the bush and the bush turned in the shock eye. But could I get the bolt out of the polybush - no chance ! I couldn't believe that the bolt had 'seized' to the polybush somehow. There's not much room in the spring tunnel to try and push the bolt out of the top shock bracket. So after dousing it in WD40/Plus gas, and going out for a walk to allow my temper level to return to normal, it finally came out after much heaving and hauling on pry bars etc to push it out. The bolt was in good condition, as was the bush, so I'm puzzled why it was such a bugger to get out ! Grrrrr !😠

Well, I bit the bullet and loosened the spring clamp and that gave just enough clearance to fiddle the CV driveshaft into place. The spring went back down ok too. That completes the first side, now I have to repeat it all again for the other side. Working on Rotoflex supension reminds me that it is just a collection of large opposing forces designed to knacker you ! I hope this CV conversion is worth the slog ! Gav

Pete, The spring is jacked as high as it will go - any more and it's lifting the car off the stands and the vert link is already disconnected. Nick , What worries me is that if I loosen the spring clamp nuts, I'll still have to put the spring lifter on to get the height to fit the vert link to the spring eye and the spring will probably 'pop' out of the central locating hole on top of the diff and it could be a right sod to get it located again with the opposite wheel still attached ! Gav

Afternoon all. Well I thought the job was progressing well, until I went to fit the first Rimmers CV driveshaft onto the car. Hopefully, you can see in the pic (with my homemade Dexion Spring lifter in place) that the inner coupling end is fouling on the leafspring 'clip', which is stopping me getting it in. It does'nt make any difference which way I angle the coupling, it still fouls on the spring clip. The problem is accentuated by the fact that the CV driveshaft coupling is much deeper than the original UJ flange, which leaves you with very liitle 'wriggle' space. I can't take the spring out, as I'm working in a very narrow garage and the car is hard over to one side to give me working room, so that's the easy option gone ! I also don't see how it would be possible to fit a couple of bits of longer studding to the diff and remove the other studs to allow the spring to rise slightly, as I have to attach a spring lifter to it, to refit the vert link? My thoughts are to somehow clamp the spring leaves with something strong to hold the leaves in their current posn and temp remove the original 'clip', whilst I wriggle the driveshaft past. There's not enough room to fit a G clamp, unfortunately. How about something like an exhaust clamp, or a large jubilee clip, suitably shaped ? Sensible ideas please ?☹️ Gav

Graham, For what it's worth, I found the same problem on my Vitesse when replacing the the D type o/drive with a J type. The speedo angle drive fouled on the top chassis lip, but only just. I cut a small 'v'shaped nick out of the top lip on the chassis. From memory it's only about an inch long and doesnt project into the chassis vertical face, so I'm happy it won't affect integrity. I think it's an insignificant 'modification', but worth it to get a J type fitted. Gav

Doug They are called Jerry cans because that's who designed them. During WW2 our Desert Rats came across them during battles with the Afrika Corps and found that they were a far superior design to the crappy square petrol cans that our poor guys were using. The Brit one's were very prone to splitting too and no where near as strong the Jerry Can. So our guys used them whenever they could. Gav

Correct - they don't have a gasket fitted. I use a thin smear of Blue Hylomar to avoid leaks. Gav

Hi Colin, It's a common problem. Many years ago I had the same problem with removing the head on my Vitesse to do a decoke. Probably, one or more, of the head studs have rusted to the cylinder head. you'll need to remove the studs, either with a stud remover or using the double nut technique. It's the only thing that worked for me. Gav

I seem to recall that John Griffiths had one fitted to his MK2 Vitesse years ago when he used to hillclimb it. Gav

Thanks Richard. Gav

Hi all, Bit of thread drift, but I want to remove my thermostat housing and flush the block coolant passages before replacing the coolant. When I put the thermostat housing on - many years ago - I used Red Hermatite, as recommended by local car factors. What sealant do people recommend now ? Gav

Hi all, Looks like I've started a full debate over round hole or slotted ! I think I'll slot the holes as per original fit. Pete, thanks for tip about Club stocking exact item, but as Clive says they are a quite a bit more expensive compared to 'tinternet and I have to watch the pennies ! Gav

Hi all, I'm about to replace the brake pads in my Vit, so have just bought some 1144 pads fitted with original Imperial Calipers ( 16P, I think). I understand that the Mintex pad backplate retaining pin hole is sized for the later 16PB pins which are smaller diameter and so need drilling out to suit the larger pin. Question - is it worth drilling out the hole at both ends, and fettling the slot with a file, to preserve the slotted hole, or just drill out the centre of the slot larger ? My thoughts are that retaining the slot shape would allow a small amount of movement, as per the original fit ?

Slight thread drift - but I've always wondered why the standard air filter box has a cutout in the bottom edge, under the rear air filter, which then gets dirty twice as quick and also must suck in warm air from the engine compartment ? Someone please explain ! Gav

Many years ago I re-coloured a pair of Vitesse tan vinyl seats to red to fit and match to my Herald. I used Vinylkote sprayed with a Humbrol model kit spray gun. I was very dubious at first, but the finish was excellent, as was the colur match. It seems to soak right into the grain of the vinyl and doesn't flake or crack, providing you do the prep properly to start with.

Thanks Clive. I'll check it out. Gav

Hi all. Seeing this post reminds me that I'm going to be replacing the pads in my Vit soon. I've read good things about Mintex 1144 pads. With so much fake rubbish around, I'm wary of buying 'copies' of the genuine article - particularly as it's safety critical ! Can someone give me the exact product code please, so that I can compare prices and suppliers etc. Thanks. Gav

Glad it's sorted Joel Now, where's my passport.......😊 Gav

Hi Joel, I'm sure your clutch is stuck .I've had this problem on my Vit more than once down the years. Depends how long the car is stored and how cold/moist your garage gets, I've found. The first method I 've tried is to start the car and let it get fully warmed up - leave it running for a an hour. The heatsoak from the engine may travel enough to the clutch/flywheel to free it off. With the clutch pedal depressed, try selecting a gear - if it crunches - it's still stuck. The second method is securely chock the front wheels and place the rear up on axle stands securely. Leave the wheels on and with neutral selected and the clutch depressed ,start the engine. The wheels will turn whilst the clutch is stuck. Now try the putting the brakes on/off gently. If the clutch frees off you'll feel a bit of a thump and the wheels should stop turning with the g'box in neutral and the clutch depressed. The third method, as previously mentioned - you'll need a long drive or plenty of space in front of the car - is with the car on the ground, g'box in neutral and the clutch depressed, try starting the engine. The car will lurch forward on the starter motor. Which might free the clutch. Don't try this for too long. I personally don't like method three as it's a bit brutal on the starter motor and it will get hot. Fourth and final method - pull the g'box out and free the clutch off the flywheel with a big plastic hammer/or metal one and block of wood. Good luck ! Gav

We used to use the opposite device in Air Traffic Engineering - a Bulk Eraser ( or very large and very heavy demagnetiser) to erase 12 and 14" x 1" tape reels, for re-use in recording all of the Ground to Air /Air to Ground Voice communications for ATC. To use it you had to push the tape fully into a slot in the front of the machine - this involved your fingers going inside the machine during the process ! It was slightly disconserting because the large AC field made the tape reel vibrate loudly. Needless to say if you valued your watch you removed it first.☺️

The Spanish licence built ME109 's after the war, indeed fitted with Merlin engines - a bit ironic ! If you watch the Battle of Britain Film closely, you'll see all the ME109's have two bumps on the top engine cowling. These are covering the Merlin cylinder heads and the exhaust stubs are at the top - the original German ME 109's Daimler Benz was fitted upside down. All the Heinkel 111's in the film were also fitted with Merlins. Gav

Probably daft idea - but the Tacho is driven off the dizzy via a gear. Something wrong in the dizzy maybe ? Gav

He should be wearing a mask and a stripey jumper !😁