mark powell Posted May 24, 2022 Report Share Posted May 24, 2022 What is this 90 mph, to which they refer? Lucky to venture over 70 in both my cars! Obviously don't need Mintex pads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark powell Posted May 24, 2022 Report Share Posted May 24, 2022 Ah, just noted the higher M numbers, so 70 would be good for 1144's 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 24, 2022 Report Share Posted May 24, 2022 dont take too much into the speeds and just use the top test for 1144's the idea is to get them hot enough to break down any resin forming on the disc but if you set them on fire you have been to ambitious just make them work hard for a number of applications do not stop let them cool down with some gentle driving really its just an Italian tune up !!!!! but it works Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted May 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2022 I was surprised by the 90mph idea! Even 70 around here is nigh on impossible but I'll give it a go! I can picture the scene, trying to explain to the cops just exactly why I was driving like that! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted May 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2022 Not a lot to report but I have fixed a few niggly things. The brake lights for one. They would only come on if you stomped on the pedal so I managed to squeeze myself into the footwell and adjust the lever thing. Now they come on when you just touch the pedal. Bonnet. I made some thicker gaskets for the lower clips out of rubber and now it closes securely. Off tomorrow to a local classic workshop for a thorough going over. Brakes being the priority. And the sodding handbrake. Hoping my Mintex pads arrive by then! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 I spent years fighting my Herald’s handbrake, it was my biggest source of MoT failures. Last September I replaced all the parts connecting the cable to the backplate/wheel cylinder, and welded up the wear in the brake backplates from the handbrake lever. The MoT tester got it to lock up on the handbrake test! I know a lot of people complain about the small chassis handbrakes, but I’m convinced most of that is down to all originally fitted parts being completely worn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 any tension in the cables holds the shoes open so optimum adjustment doesnt work the HB pivot wear in the back plate is a common undiscovered snag ,as no one looks . needs the cylinder popping off you must as an initial set up disconnect the cable wind up the adjuster hard to lock the drums check the relay lever is at 1 oclock and will pull throught to 11 oclock as the operation sweep of the leaver reconnect the cable to a nice fit , no tension and release the adjuster to just free the drum(best with wheel on ) dont set the cable with the axle hanging , lift it to a running height as hanging will make a slack setting Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said: dont set the cable with the axle hanging , lift it to a running height as hanging will make a slack setting I hadn't realised that. I am thinking of getting the little garage in the next village to adjust mine as there is way too much movement in the handbrake. So the car should be raised on a ramp where the car rests on the wheels not on one that lifts by the chassis? If so I could have a problem as I am certain that both his lifts use the chassis. Merde! And I've just done a translation into French for him and bought a pack of split pins suitable at the huge cost of 2€. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 22 minutes ago, Chris A said: I hadn't realised that. I am thinking of getting the little garage in the next village to adjust mine as there is way too much movement in the handbrake. So the car should be raised on a ramp where the car rests on the wheels not on one that lifts by the chassis? If so I could have a problem as I am certain that both his lifts use the chassis. Merde! And I've just done a translation into French for him and bought a pack of split pins suitable at the huge cost of 2€. No, you need the wheels (or at least hubs) free to spin. I don’t / can’t do mine with the wheels on. I put the rear of the car on stands, then put a jack under the vertical link and lift the axle as far as it’ll go while still keeping the weight of the car on the stands and not on the jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Josef said: No, you need the wheels (or at least hubs) free to spin. I don’t / can’t do mine with the wheels on. I put the rear of the car on stands, then put a jack under the vertical link and lift the axle as far as it’ll go while still keeping the weight of the car on the stands and not on the jack. That makes it a bit clearer, thanks Josef. So it is fine to raise the car by the chassis but would also need a prop, say under the diff, to raise the axle. Maybe I will pop round and book it in, I have 'warned' him I want it doing and made sure he is ok to work on old cars - He took over the garage at the beginning of May from a guy who I had 'trained' to work on something that didn't have a socket for a diagnostics computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 many ramps/lifts have a slidable beam jack and No not under the diff , its as Josef says under the rear vertical link to support the wheel/axle into something like its running position Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 9 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: No not under the diff My brain slowly thought about what I said and realised that under the diff wasn't any use, you beat me to it before I could edit my post. 😥 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 more vino required ha !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 2 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: more vino required ha !! As usual your recommendation will be strictly followed 🍷 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 Something Pete has mentioned in the past (I think), is to lock up up the shoes on the adjusters, before adjusting the HB cable tension? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted June 1, 2022 Report Share Posted June 1, 2022 Just to close this one. Took the car to the garage this afternoon, I took my set of imperial spanners, new split pins, translation of the 'procedure' and the manual. He did it while I waited and reset the rear brakes as well while he was at it. I also asked him to grease the guides while he was under the car. At the end he said he hadn't used the split pins as there weren't any on the car in the first place 😱. 2 seconds of panic! He explained that at some point in past the clevis pins have been replaced by nuts and bolts - with locking washers. DAMN! I spent 2€ on a sachet of split pins. He charged just 30€, which I am very happy with. Handbrake now needs FAR less travel to work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted June 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2022 Hopefully mine will take 30 minutes but I doubt it! Not actually been to the garage as yet because of the awful rain the last couple of days. However my pads finally turned up, only 6 days late... Not to be used on the public highway. Hmm. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted June 1, 2022 Report Share Posted June 1, 2022 thats just the box !!!!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted June 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2022 So inside are 4 Weetabix? lol Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted June 6, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2022 Bit of an update. The weather here (and everywhere) has been foul, but even so I have been out and about in the Spit. The brakes are improving, perhaps they needed a bit more bedding in but the pads will get swapped out. However I can't really do that outside at the moment (yes the car lives out in the open...my huge garage is full of antiques that need to be sold!) . I have ordered a carpet set. I spent ages looking for moulded ones but they are just too expensive for me, and looking at the ones on eBay they all are the same, just with wildly different prices. So, I went for the cheapest I could find and got some sound deadening as well. That should all be arriving this week so hopefully I'll get a sunny day when I'm not at work and get that all fitted. The final hurdle is to get the handbrake to work and then I will really have some confidence in the car. So far I'm limited to journeys with no hills, but I love driving the little beastie and she really does have some grunt. Lots of low down torque and happily sits at 70, although it is VERY loud inside! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted June 7, 2022 Report Share Posted June 7, 2022 7 hours ago, Piglet said: happily sits at 70, although it is VERY loud inside! Slow down to 50? and smell the roses, and give your ears a rest?. 👍 Mind, I am well retired and in no hurry to go anywhere fast, hence why my "resoration" is now some 7 years in the "doing". Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted June 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 Seeing we are meant to have a weeks worth of sun I took the roof off for the first time. And on my own I might add! It was fantastic driving her like that, I felt like I was 18 all over again, except without spots. Couple of queries. Is this windscreen frame an early or late MK3? And I appear to be missing a few studs for a soft top. The ones I have are riveted in and poorly done. I thought they were screwed in? Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 Since the hood fixes using pins and levers it's a late type - the early Mk3 had over-centre catches like the Herald and Vitesse. However, it's body colour rather than black, which makes it pre-facelift (which is correct as your badges and rear lights are pre-facelift too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 11, 2022 Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 late, twisty handle, type header rail/hoodframe. early ones used a very differnt catch, same as herald/vitesse. Studs often rivetted in place. And usually silver coloured on early spitfires, black plastic were used on 1500s I see NM has commented too. I wasn't aware that the hood frame change coincided with the very late mk3 changes, I assumed it was earlier. But it matters not a jot, you have what you have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted June 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2022 Thanks lads! I'm glad it's the later type as they are a lot easier to find. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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