+- Austinsevenfriends (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum)
+-- Forum: Austin Seven Friends Forum (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Forum chat... (https://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+--- Thread: Petrol dip stick material (/showthread.php?tid=4826)
Pages:
1
2
Petrol dip stick material - Howard Wright - 20-08-2020
Hi All
I have a reproduction “prima” fuel dip stick which I use with the RK. I’d like to make something similar for the special, preferably one that shows the level a bit more clearly. Does anyone have recommendations for the best material to use?
Cheers
Howard
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Chris KC - 20-08-2020
Usually fibreboard I think, though it's not always easy to buy the stuff in suitable size / qty.
Made mine from wood.
It's definitely worth calibrating it yourself if you plan to use in earnest as most repros are a wild approximation.
RE: Petrol dip stick material - bob46320 - 20-08-2020
I have a piece of teak (wood) in the form of a crucifix, marked off in 5 litre steps. The back of it has a magnetic strip and it attaches to the side of the steel fuel tank. Seems to have worked ok for the last 25 years or so.
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Reckless Rat - 20-08-2020
For the RP I use a length of 3/16ths brazing rod, with grooves machined corresponding to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 gallons. I then painted the markings with some red enamel. It has a ring bent into one end and it sits unobtrusively in the driver's door pocket. Works every time.
For calibration start with an empty tank and add a gallon at a time to obtain an accurate gauge.
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Malcolm Parker - 20-08-2020
I made a brass top same as the original and attached a length of 4mm thick MDF by small copper rivets. I made the graduations by a small saw cut across the MDF. The MDF darkens when dipped in the petrol which makes reading it easier. The dipstick lives behind the N/S scuttle vent in my RL saloon.
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Dave Mann - 21-08-2020
It is red fiber, so get a rear spring red fiber packing piece and cut it down the middle as I did decades ago.
RE: Petrol dip stick material - JohnD - 21-08-2020
i tend to just shove a bit of what ever i can find in to see what the depth is, tends to be a bit of tree branch etc.. providing its clean enough ive never had any problems!!
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Malcolm Parker - 21-08-2020
The benefit of having a fibre dipstick is that it imparts an 'old car' smell of petrol into the car when it is not in use!
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Steve Jones - 21-08-2020
I've seen Malcolm's petrol dip stick and it looks the part as well as doing the job. Never been that clever myself and all mine are lengths of 10mm dowel with the graduations marked on in pencil. As I tend to lose them regularly I have the measurements written down in my Austin 'book' so making another is straight forward.
Steve
RE: Petrol dip stick material - Chris KC - 21-08-2020
Good thought Dave but I tried to do exactly this & found nobody selling fibre spring packing pieces any more...