The embarrassing Herald restoration thread - and some unexpected wrist action...

[Colin Lindsay]

Same as mine, Pete, slots to the front / top and crush tubes fitted. That's why the valence hasn't been fully and finally fitted, I get the impression it's all coming off again...

[Bordfunker]

Great progress there Colin!

Looking forward to seeing how you resolve that bonnet fit issue.

Karl

[Peter Truman]

On 30/05/2022 at 00:55, Colin Lindsay said:

Same as mine, Pete, slots to the front / top and crush tubes fitted. That's why the valence hasn't been fully and finally fitted, I get the impression it's all coming off again...

Progress, one step fwd two back ain't it fun!

I've got to re-align the Vitesse body tub so the rear wheels are equally spaced in the wheel arch's this is after I got the door gaps and bonnet/door set up the way I wanted, BU***R how did I miss that when rotating the rear tub to gap everything!!! 

[AlanT]

I’d no idea Herald’s are so much more tricky than Spitfire’s. Hope you get it sorted.

[Colin Lindsay]

42 minutes ago, AlanT said:

I’d no idea Herald’s are so much more tricky than Spitfire’s. Hope you get it sorted.

They usually aren't, Alan. Just this one. I've no idea of what I've done, or what I'm doing, to cause so much bother.

[Colin Lindsay]

Regardless of the bonnet gaps, I've just found out that a great local show is on tomorrow.

Can we make it? Approximately ten miles away, so with the tracking not set and the front valence to be attached... should we? I think so. The steering wheel is much too big and hits off my left leg, so I have to sit with my leg sideways which hits the gearlever... not ideal, cornering can be entertaining, but I'm just back from a 12 mile run during which the car ran very well. Cold, but well. I must remember to wear a high-collared coat and hat next time, a t-shirt is a bit Baltic. The Herald ran well, pulled amazingly well - up hills in 4th with no hesitations - and went over a series of fairly vicious ramps outside a school with no creaking or rattling. I must get a buzzer for the indicators, which usually self-cancel anyway if the corner is tight enough.

I arrived home in fine fettle, parked at the garage, opened the bonnet to check for smoke or steam and found....

No warning from the gauge, no visible steam, no prompting from the engine... brand new from a major supplier. I trust I have another one in the spares pile, but here there was no warning, no rise on the gauge (which sat about 1/3 along the gauge for the entire journey) and no other indication. Had that split been on the underside I may not have noticed, and I'd probably have written off the water traces in the engine bay as expansion overflow. By now it should have cooled down so I'll replace and hope.

And so: the breakdown kit grows already. Water, hose, socket for clamps... here we go. Better looking at it than looking for it, as they say.

[Chris A]

I bet the air was blue when you say the size of that split!

[Colin Lindsay]

23 minutes ago, Mathew said:

Its a sign

A sign of the cr#p rubber about.

 

Just replaced it with a used Kevlar-reinforced job. We seem to have lost very little coolant, maybe a pint filled it up again, but rest assured the roll of heavy black tape and a spare hose will be in the boot for tomorrow. That one was part of a full 13/60 kit I bought a while back when I first got the car, so about 60 miles driven and pop... 

[Pete Lewis]

thats a crap hose  there is no signs of any canvass reinforcing in the rubber mix 

Pete

[Josef]

The amount of junk parts that’re about is really getting on my nerves. This past week I’ve had new headlamp rims that don’t fit, a rechromed original bumper that must’ve been accident damaged, starter motor brushes (from Paddocks) that bear no resemblance to the originals, today brand new TRIUMPH letter badges that look like whoever designed them did it with their glasses off. Feels like it just goes on and on…

[daverclasper]

3 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

thats a crap hose  there is no signs of any canvass reinforcing in the rubber mix 

Pete, I think I read a while back that your 2000 is still on original coolent hoses?, though could it have been fuel hoses you mentioned?.

If so, then I assume the originals (dependent on their environmental history), maybe good for 1000's of miles/Years.

Also, great the cars going so well Colin.

[Colin Lindsay]

I have quite a few canvas reinforced hoses that are dry and crusty, but only because I removed them from long-gone cars. I have two Kevlar-reinforced top hoses, one split along the seam earlier when I tried to replace it but the other is (hopefully) still good despite a few years of use already. As Pete says, that one is rubber only, no reinforcing, but I had no reason to suspect that on a lowly Herald it would really need anything more. I'll have to source good hoses (not looking for silicone tho) but some sellers are having a bath:

Nearly £16 postage from mainland UK for one small hose but it would only cost £12 from USA? Rip-off... I've found a seller I usually buy from, he's only about £20 for a full set of hoses plus £4 postage for all four, so once I've confirmed they're reinforced he'll do. It's interesting that he's listing a 120mm hose for the short radiator and longer for the full-width; mine were 120mm but one of the sets had a 100mm top hose. That's probably why I never fitted it.

[Badwolf]

I have alway felt (yes, here we go again) that on the club website there should be a recommended suppliers pages for good parts, both used and new with some sort of feedback on the quality of parts, service etc. If there is one somewhere, my apologies. All that I can add, before one of the usual suspects rip into me is "dream on little rabbit!"

[Colin Lindsay]

26 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

I have alway felt (yes, here we go again) that on the club website there should be a recommended suppliers pages for good parts, both used and new with some sort of feedback on the quality of parts, service etc. If there is one somewhere, my apologies. All that I can add, before one of the usual suspects rip into me is "dream on little rabbit!"

We had that before, but it opened too many cans of wriggly guys, and in any case, it was one of my favourite suppliers who sold me that duff hose, so I like them for great service but they've just let me down for the first time. In the end, you just end up with a list of all the current suppliers and members' opinions as to why they like them.

However: breaking news is that I MAY - just may - have worked out why the bonnet is playing about, whilst I was finishing the front valence fitting. It will, however, be Monday before I can confirm so until then talk amongst yourselves.

[Badwolf]

Ok Colin, fair point.

[Pete Lewis]

Dave  it was orig fuel hose   ive replaced the coolant ones when i added powerstg.

i have some Gates ready but hey ho  one day , if it aint broke   etc  

Pete

[Badwolf]

PeteL. You have had that Gates since before I asked about the outer diameter. That was 12 months ago!

[NonMember]

While that definitely does look like a crap hose... you've also got one of the mis-aligned radiator pipes, which means the hose is being bent at that point. They last much better if kept mostly straight.

As to original hoses... one of the heater connections on my GT6 split at the start of the CT Warwickshire Winter Wander several years back. I didn't have a spare with me, so I cut the bad bit off and re-fitted with slightly less slack. The hose in question has never been replaced in the time I've owned the car, and probably never before that either. It's still on there because I figure it must be a decent quality one and will probably outlast a new replacement.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, NonMember said:

While that definitely does look like a crap hose... you've also got one of the mis-aligned radiator pipes, which means the hose is being bent at that point.

I did notice that, but that's the radiator which came off and was reconditioned, so unless I can get a thermostat housing with a different angle of takeoff, I'm stuck with that configuration as I don't want to bend the radiator pipe!

Any ideas?

Stop press: I've just checked and it's not the original but a spare that was reconditioned. I did notice the angle of the take-off, but also the angle of the radiator itself - it seems to slope backwards slightly... this may be due in some way to the side valences so I'm wondering if a few shim washers at the top will correct things, or if there's any adjustment at the valences themselves? Will check tomorrow...

[johny]

I wouldnt get too preoccupied with the set up as I think 99% of the problem was the hose which just wasnt fit for purpose. Look at the thickness of this one on eBay!

[Pete Lewis]

13 hours ago, Badwolf said:

That was 12 months ago!

well time flies when your having fun ...or covid lock down  you always need a to do list to keep you wanting  Ha 

Pete

[Peter Truman]

Colin is the rad mounted as high as practical without hitting the bonnet to aid the hose alignment, i know the daughters Spit is mounted on the top rad & frame holes and JUST clears the bonnet. 

[PeteH]

 

This is an O/E Stanpart one from my 13/60, (though it may have been recored, it has Serk-Marston tag on the top) the upper pipe IS parallel to the Rad line, not slightly upward?.

 

Pete

[Casper]

Quote

I had no reason to suspect that on a lowly Herald it would really need anything more

ISTR that JK stated that the increase in cap pressure from 7 to 13 was accompanied by a better spec for hoses.

C.

[Colin Lindsay]

There's a difference in the hose sets only in that some have a different type of heater, otherwise they're selling the same GRH533 hose for both. I've found one online supplier who sells a longer hose depending on whether or not the car has a full width radiator but I think these days unless you've got a very early hose set, they're all made from the same material depending on the supplier, regardless of 7lbs or 13lbs.

All of my 13/60 radiators are made by the Coventry Radiator & Pressings Company (If I'm remembering that correctly) and they all have the same upward angle of tube. What I've noticed with my 13/60 is that the angle of the radiator differs from that of the fan - the fan and so presumably the engine is slanted backwards slightly, but the radiator slants in the same direction only more pronounced, so the fan is closer at the top than the bottom. You may be able to see this in the photo:

                                                                           

Since the radiator is fitted to the engine side valences then any misalignment will be here, but there's no way to adjust the position of the valences unless it's possible to shim up the rear mounting on the turret, thereby tilting the front to a more vertical stance. At the bottom they're screwed to the chassis. My reckoning is that if the radiator is tilted to a more vertical angle relevant to the fan, the top will move outwards and so the outlet will move forwards relevant to the thermostat housing, and so become more in line. The hose will be straighter. That's the theory; the way to achieve this may not be so straightforward but it's worth trying. It's certainly better than bending the radiator pipe.

Incidentally the one I left into Brownlow Radiators for pressure testing in January is still not ready. My fault for telling them that I was in no hurry, I suppose.

Monday sees the start of the radiator work plus the front tracking; however in the meantime, Sunday being a day of rest around here and I don't like annoying the neighbours with garage-noises when they're all being quiet themselves, I'll maybe tackle the problem of the over-large steering wheel.

I've got two options; smaller or deeper. Now smaller might be easier, but it does make the steering heavy. This little wheel has graced my garage for almost thirty years and was trial-fitted to the estate way back in the day:

                                                                 

Very retro and shiny... so it might just do. Or at least it would have if I hadn't this contender:

                                                                   

                                                                  

This one is deeper dished than a Chicago pizza, 15 inch across but also wooden rimmed. That means I can get my legs in under it, it'll match the dashboard, and the steering will be a lot lighter. I'll experiment with a few centre bosses and see what it looks like. Could be the best fiver I ever spent, way back...