AlanT Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 On 19/04/2022 at 17:17, Josef said: Well, hopefully I’ve put together the gearbox competently and the oil will stay where it’s supposed to! The box I’ve just switched out was as about as oil tight as a sieve that had been attacked with a hole punch. It had very little oil in it by the time I drained it… Though the lower bellhousing bolt is likely to blame there, it’s a bolt with a nut on it to shorten it, no copper washer in sight. In other news, I’ve just been out Dodo-matting the tunnel cover. Hi Josef, Can I ask how effective your tunnel is at keeping the heat out? Is it insulated underneath as well? I’m roasting in my car because the tunnel is a bit tired and am looking at upgrades. Thanks Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 31 minutes ago, AlanT said: Hi Josef, Can I ask how effective your tunnel is at keeping the heat out? Is it insulated underneath as well? I’m roasting in my car because the tunnel is a bit tired and am looking at upgrades. Thanks Alan Alan, the single most important thing for heat control is sealing. Any gaps/holes, however small, let a huge amount of heat into the cabin. Time spent with a bright light in the engine bay and head down in the footwells is uncomfortable, but worthwhile to find holes/gaps. I sealed about 20 or so unused screwholes and some that I have no idea what they are for. As to the tunnel, temporarily use gaffa tape to seal edges/damage, see how that works out. The original card tunnels are still my favorite, and would use in preference to fibreglass any day of the week, but I have yet to try a plastic version. The card ones are repairable with fibreglass matting and are thermally good, even the original insulation is ok if in good condition, although newer insulation will be better giving better coverage. Inside the cabin even the old traditional underfelt will act as a good insulator, but again, the latest stuff may have the edge. But until all air leaks are sealed, it is all just tinkering at the edges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanT Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 Thanks @clive I’ll get the torch and gaffer tape out! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 On 09/07/2022 at 21:42, Josef said: Would be interested in seeing your packing for nosiness reasons though! Josef - Here is the archaeological dig of my boot, going from as is to nearly empty... It starts off like this...then... Two folding chairs, tonneau cover, petrol can and box of other stuff removed, leaving,,, Then out with the vintage map, leaving the spare wheel, jack*, jack handle*, wheel brace* and tool rolls (*wrapped in old towels) Leaving just the spare and some rather old insulation.. .. the jump leads and another tool roll that I had lost!!! So there you go, my mobile Aladdin's cave of excess junk. Before you all say, "sort it all out"... I am doing!! Oh and by the way, the back board of the boot came out too... That needs painting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 7 hours ago, AlanT said: Hi Josef, Can I ask how effective your tunnel is at keeping the heat out? Is it insulated underneath as well? I’m roasting in my car because the tunnel is a bit tired and am looking at upgrades. Thanks Alan I have both Dodomatted (other insulation is available) my tunnel and bits of floor, and as Clive suggests sealed up everything I could find to seal up. My footwells are definitely noticeably cooler than they were pre restoration (they were uncomfortably hot). But I’ve not been on any particularly long trips given my continuing lack of hood. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 31 minutes ago, Badwolf said: the jump leads and another tool roll that I had lost!!! I see what you mean about the storage location. I don’t think there’s any more or less space in the Mk3 vs MkIV, I’ve just made myself a pretty chunky tool roll (it has a plastic box of sockets and another of spare bulbs in it among other things!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 As one MOT advisory was on steering column play I’ve been slowly refurbishing a spare steering column so I can fit new bushes and just swap it out. Today though I think I’ve found out why I’ve had occasional gear shifting problems. The clutch master cylinder is leaking, thankfully onto the rubber floor mats! I did fit a seal kit to it, but clearly that wasn’t up to the job. The brake cylinder has been professionally sleeved and I’d been meaning to send off a spare so I had one in… So in the interests of lead time I’m just going to get a new one. Will have to remove some interior though Hopefully having to take the car apart again will prompt the hood to arrive as this will be the least opportune moment for it to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 17, 2022 Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 Clutch, not as important as brakes on several club cars we’ve fitted new clutch masters but we’ve fitted cheap trailer masters at around $20 delivered never had one fail in 20 years at that price why re-seal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 Well, there’s the tunnel back out. I’ve stripped off the clutch cylinder and pedal, and cleaned up the mess left by the brake fluid (silicone fortunately so no paint damage). I managed to get the h-frame and tunnel out without having to touch the glove boxes, which I’m happy about as I didn’t want to have to remove them too! New cylinder ordered, so should be fairly easy to throw everything back together when it arrives. I thought I’d be able to give you some confirmation about fastener numbers on the tunnel to floorpan join @Badwolf. However, the ABS tunnel has three per side, the Steelcraft LH floor four and the NOS (from eBay, unknown age or manufacturer) RH floor three. So, err… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted July 17, 2022 Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 you can just about change the 4cyl slave from underneath ,not easy but saves taking the tunnel out have done a few over the years , when younger and more agile Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted July 17, 2022 Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 Four and three, exactly what I have!! I have tracked down some hex head self tappers (link below) which should do me nicely to add the two ali strips on top of the cover fastening thingie (web, flange, whatever it's called). I just need to draw one out to measure the length and gauge before I order some. In addition to Spalding Fasteners I have found these people quick and reasonably priced even for small orders... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161837981265?var=460811726116 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted July 17, 2022 Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 7 hours ago, Josef said: As one MOT advisory was on steering column play I’ve been slowly refurbishing a spare steering column so I can fit new bushes and just swap it out. Let me know what you reattach that column flange to the main tube with. I bonded mine but it's since come loose and moves about; quite annoying when you go to move one of the stalks and they've rotated round slightly. I'm debating one small rivet on the underside once I confirm that it won't hit anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 17, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2022 13 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Let me know what you reattach that column flange to the main tube with. I bonded mine but it's since come loose and moves about; quite annoying when you go to move one of the stalks and they've rotated round slightly. I'm debating one small rivet on the underside once I confirm that it won't hit anything. I was wondering about that. This one came to me loose and I could see when flatting it for paint that it must’ve been held originally by six dimples round the circumference. I’ll let you know how it goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2022 Back to the correct number of pedals again. The bite feels low though so I’ll be pulling the slave cylinder off and bleeding again with the nipple pointing up. Not immediately though as it’s rather hot and sticky working in the garage (though not the burning death of yesterday). @Colin Lindsay I put the two parts of the steering column together the other day, gave it a bash into place with my hands, and now it doesn’t want to come apart. I think I’ll still do what you were planning and put a short rivet into the bit that’s covered by the wiring shroud, I have some that are a touch shorter than the wall thickness of the bushes so shouldn’t interfere with the column. This after the bushes are fitted obviously! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Aaaand back together. Took me less than an hour to put the tunnel and all trim back in. I know as I was making tomato chutney at the same time which needed to cook for an hour! So the tunnel may be fiddly, but not all that time consuming to remove and replace. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted July 21, 2022 Report Share Posted July 21, 2022 Nice one Josef! Car looks her normal self again. Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Got the bushes fitted in to the repainted steering column. It all went fairly smoothly once I’d found a jubilee clip that didn’t have stripped threads! I used plenty of soap on the bush and column, compressed the nobbles on the bush with the jubilee clip, and then the bush pressed in very easily. Following Colin’s comments on the two parts of the column rotating relative to one another I also fitted a short 3mm pop rivet to hold them together. This will be hidden under the wiring shroud, and is short enough not to interfere with the column. Irritatingly I broke the horn ring when taking it apart (or it could’ve come to me like that as it definitely has been disassembled before). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 26, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2022 I was planning to leave this for the winter, but then decided it wasn’t actually going to take much time and didn’t really carry much risk of unforeseen circumstances. So off with the old column, on with the still old but freshly painted one. Seem to have got the column inner through the new bushes without breaking them, I did use grease on the inner as suggested somewhere on here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted September 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2022 Nipped down to see Tim at Willow Triumph this afternoon and took the opportunity for a phot with some of the other things he had in the yard. Still waiting on the hood and rather froze myself on the way home as the temperature dropped rather a bit a few miles from home! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted September 13, 2022 Report Share Posted September 13, 2022 Out of all of those cars I'd have yours. Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted September 14, 2022 Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 Beautifully upholstered Josef 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted September 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2022 15 hours ago, Piglet said: Out of all of those cars I'd have yours. Alex It’s definitely the prettiest of that selection to my mind Though I do like the side profile of a big Healey (which thinking about it definitely has similar elements to the Spit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted October 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2022 The hood has arrived! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffds1360 Posted October 27, 2022 Report Share Posted October 27, 2022 Big Healey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted October 27, 2022 Report Share Posted October 27, 2022 32 minutes ago, Jeffds1360 said: Big Healey Ah!!!!!, From the days when Sports Cars, LOOKED like Sports Cars. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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