Introduction from a New Owner!

[Charles P]

Thanks
Having seen your photo of the bearing surface the side play and shims are now irrelevant.

Charles

[dickie65]

I have a set of Nippy Rods with similar shims fitted.

[Tony Griffiths]

Slightly off the point, but I recall an article in (I think) a "Car mechanics" magazine of the 1950s where a chap had spent the weekend under his A7 attempting to get the oval crankshaft bearings back to something a little rounder. His technique was to use strips of emery cloth, finishing off with a super-fine grade. To my astonishment, I met a club member the other day (no name, no pack drill) who had just done something similar - not getting them round again, but cleaning up some slight scoring and then fitting new shells. And all while laying on his back under the car. What a hero!

[Leisureking]

Well that gives me some hope! The other three look to be in far better fettle, and the crank appears smooth and unscored. I have yet to measure it as I do not have an accurate micrometer down here. That will have to wait for the next visit!

I have instead made a start on cleaning the head and crankcase, and also turned my attention back to that chassis damage…

I have cleaned up the combustion chambers and lightly polished the surface using a large piece of polished marble and grinding paste, but only enough to see what I am dealing with and how out or true it is. So far it doesn’t look too bad. Famous last words…

The exterior of the head appears quite pitted, would they originally have had a painted finish?

Thank you again for all the help and advice!

Tom

[Ian Williams]

My suggestion if the crank journals appear smooth is mic them for ovality and if the are round....which is probably unlikely looking at the overall condition but you may get lucky. But if they are actually round then crankshaft out and have it crack tested. If that's good then remove the shims and see if that allows the bearing metal to be skimmed to fit the journals...which again is unlikely. BUT you could source a used set of rods inexpensively which could actually be resized, I know Ruiaridh can do this work for you but there are probably others in the UK. If all the above is a bust then it will get expensive with new crank rods etc required.

[Leisureking]

It very much sounds like I will need to find out if Easyjet allows passengers to bring crankshafts and rods on board their planes!

I have been slowly buying bits and pieces that I think I am likely to need, and the attached came with a bunch of other bits and pieces. Does anyone know what it is for? The studs fit a zenith carb. Is it to atop icing up?

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In the meantime I have continued stripping the block and started to remove the clutch in preparation for removing the flywheel, which looks pretty mangled!

The last bolt was real s0d to get out for some reason. Heat, WD40 and a good thwack with a lump of oak sorted it though!

[Ivor Hawkins]

Love the steampunk inlet manifold!

[John Cornforth]

Hi

My best guess at that weird manifold device is that it was intended to intercept liquid fuel at the edge of the mixture stream and re-introduce it (hopefully in atomised form) via the pipes to further down the manifold. The idea was to improve fuel economy. Other versions had serrated teeth or gauze screens. I doubt if any of these aftermarket devices actually did very much.

Alternative suggestions welcomed !

[Leisureking]

It is rather interesting, and appears quite well made, even if it does resemble a camping stove! I had a similar device on an Alfa Giulietta which enabled it to run with great efficiency at higher altitudes in the Alps. I think though, for now, it will be assigned to the “maybe later” shelf!

[Leisureking]

I am continuing to clean out the water ways in the cylinder block. I suppose if nothing else, I am “adding lightness!”