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Restoring a Top Hat
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07-05-2019, 10:13 PM
Nick wins the prize! I usually use it for dusting down tubes before fitting tyres.
Never used it as the actual fitting lubricant, maybe that's what the "professional" stuff is, talc in a water based soap...... It's time for a tidy up - too may concurrent projects 
Perhaps I was enthused by our recent visit to Scotland but I felt it was time to do something to the Top Hat project.
Before our holiday, I collected the wheels from the metal treatment place. The PO had re-spoked the wheels thirty five years ago but then skimped on the painting, and fitted them with remould 4.00 x 19 tyres! I stripped off the (by now rotten) rubber and had the wheels grit blasted and powder coated. I acquired 4 tyres on eBay a few months ago, the vendor had a Russian motor bike and chair outfit with 3.50 x 19 Triple Duty tyres. He'd decided to change them for something more robust and was selling the used tyres. One was unused, two were near unused and one was about 2/3 tread. I bought another new one to complete the set and put them in the attic. Fitted them this afternoon, boy that was a hard afternoon's work! Funny, I remember doing a full changeover of tyres years ago, 5 off, another 5 off, 5 on and another 5 on. All in an afternoon! Now I'm sitting here, nursing my back after just doing 1 set! Age huh? BTW, bought some professional "Tyre Cream" instead of using washing up liquid. Seems to work OK and provided easier fitting but it does make a mess and it's quite difficult to wash away. Best plan seems to be to remove most when the tyre has been fitted, then leave it to dry and then polish the residue off. 
18-07-2019, 09:03 PM
I hate changing tyres - removing the old (sometimes very old) tyres are the worst.
Putting new back on is much easier. You have my sympathy! P.s. the fire began to draw properly about 30 mins after you all left once the wind picked up! Still on a high from seeing you all - incredible coincidence! 
19-07-2019, 07:59 AM
the Avons sidecars are the worst to put on as the sidewalls are so stiff. You can put Mitas ones on with your thumbs.
Trick with all tyres is to have them warmed up first. I put them in the airing cupboard overnight and remove immediately before fitting.
Not a very productive summer so far but I have managed to fit the springs and rebuilt back axle, complete with hubs and brakes.
I was quite relieved to get this done as it proved that the spring pick-up points were in the right place and the axle fitted OK after the chassis repairs. I used new spring pins and bushes as the old ones were very worn, strange for a low usage, low mileage car? Brake cams were very worn as well so those got changed too. I'm working on the front axle right now, it's all dismantled and being painstakingly cleaned. The cosmetic restoration that occurred in the 'eighties had just painted over all the 'twenties road dirt and grease that was left after a sand blaster was employed underneath the car with the chassis still assembled! There's sand in everything I touch, another reason for a thorough strip and clean. Quelle horreur! Next job, order the bits and pieces to assemble the axle and fit it to the chassis. More when that happens....... P.S. I couldn't resist taking the Chummy out round the Wiltshire lanes for half an hour after this - delightful!
06-10-2019, 08:12 PM
Front Axle Shenanigans!
A spate of family illness has slowed work down this summer but I've finally grabbed a few days in the garage to do some work on the Top Hat. First job was to measure the axle and find out if it too, was bent. All looked good but the track rod was bent, as were the track rod end levers. I managed to straighten all of these cold by using the press and the vice but the steering lever from the O/S stub axle was a write off and couldn't be straightened. I used another, after crack testing and filing it smooth. Rebuild went well, as usual, I found that there was only a little wear in the king pin bushes and new pins took it out. The original wheel bearings were also smooth after washing out and repacking with grease. Now, the chassis is back on four wheels and rolling! Today was shock absorbers. The 1990's cosmetic restoration had left a lot of painted grease! It's interesting that the early shock absorber components are so different. On the right are the normal Box or Ruby link and pin, on the left are the 1926 versions, a lot smaller and lighter. A bit of time next week to complete these, then I need to "temporarily" refit the body so that the car can be stored away down the garden during the winter. I need the floor space to put my MGF away until April.
20-10-2019, 05:16 PM
Progress of a sort!
This weekend, I had some time to spend in the garage as the wife was away! First job was to make some packing pieces. As the chassis is now 1/8" deeper at the springs, the through bolt and U bolts were sinking down too far. So I fashioned a 1/8" packing piece and put it on top of the spring. All is now restored to the correct place. Next, the shock absorbers needed to be finished and fitted. These are now a mixture of pieces. The original (1926) links are a different size and the replacement rubber bushes don't fit so I used later links but with the original split pin securing. Today, I explored the shed in the garden. Look what I found! Time for a trial fitting and winter storage of the whole project But how to get the body on the chassis single-handed? (the wife was away remember!) Here's the answer: Rope the body up and hang it from the roof! Fortunately, it's not very heavy, I would estimate about 100lb (60kg). Then push the chassis underneath: Finally, a few bolts in to check the alignment. It actually lines up almost perfectly, some minor adjustment will be necessary but it's pretty good, considering what's been done to the chassis. Last job, car was pushed out of the garage and back down to the shed, where the it will lie until I get some floor space back next spring. I will be getting on with the engine on the mean time so more to report when that comes apart. Looks like a car again but mustn't get too excited as it's all got to come apart for floor repairs next year.
20-10-2019, 05:54 PM
Great progress and such a pretty car, my favourite of the saloons.
FYI - we got the chimney swept and (it really needed doing), pulls like a train now! |
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