Spring Has Sprung At Last

The Week before last I took the 68 over to my sisters.  My nieces asked for a trip out in the car - I was more than happy to oblige.

When I got home, there was a fair amount of oil leaking from the rear crank seal again, but otherwise the car behaved OK.  Mileage 42548.

So this long weekend I determined to do battle with the '68 on a number of fronts.  Of course nothing I planned worked out how I thought.

What I have managed to do (and it was a lot more difficult than I expected) is to replace the front seats from the '68 with those from the '67.  The original '68 ones are full width items whereas the '67 has "bucket" seats and a centre console with the gear lever in it.

The reason for changing is simply that the driver's seat on the '68 is getting really threadbare and the switch over is cheaper than having it reupholstered.  In fact, finding £2.34 under the seats meant I was slightly up on the day, although I'm sure I spent more than that on spray grease and freeze and release.

Whilst I was at it I decided to check the screenwash and the parking brake for the forthcoming MOT.  The brake I've done by adjusting it - further than I should really have done perhaps, but at least I stand a chance of it passing this year.

The screenwash worked but then gave up almost immediately.  The reservoir turned out to have a huge blob of something very organic looking in it.  No idea what it was but it looked unpleasant.

First trip of 2013

Sunday I had a few hours to myself so I took the '68 out for a blast.  It behaved fine - even though it rattles and shakes due to the mishapen tyres.  Kickdown is a riot of sound and vibration, and it shifts a bit, too.

I really ought to try and check the seatbelts against the fixed ones in the '67 at some point.

Mileage might be 42529 but this is subject to correction as I didn't write it down.

Looking back over the blog I thought I should add that I did fit a new water pump and I did rebuild the rear brakes with parts from the '67 last year.

and another step back

As predicted (see last post) I did live to regret trying to recycle the water pump from the '67.  Although it seemed fine, once fitted it clanks whirs and moans at least as badly as the one I removed - it's also nearly as wobbly.

The good news is that (touch wood) I seem to have made a successful transplant of the old Motorola Alternator and control unit (also removed from the '67).  This makes the car a bit more authentic (not that I care about that) but also has got a straight running alternator at no cost.  I expect I will regret this too, but not yet.  I need to source a short alternator really, as the Lucas ACR units are just too long - aside from the bracketry issues.  I have scored a working alternator warning light too, having "modified" the wiring back to its original state.

I did what I should have done in the first place and got in touch with US Automotive.  The pump's neither cheap nor a stock item, but at least I should have a new one in round about 2 weeks.

One Step Forward....

Having swapped the brakes, (and, I almost forgot, fitted 8 new spark plugs), I went for a blast to my Aunt's summer garden get-together.

I was enjoying the car so much that I took a long route home on a lot of minor roads.  I noticed two things - one of the rear brakes was squeaky, and there was an unidentified noise coming from the front.

Upon arrival at home I discovered that one of the springs that was supposed to be holding down the brake shoes had worked loose and was rattling around in the drum.

I also found that the fan (and therefore the water pump) had such a wobble it was a miracle that it didn't fly off.

Trying to track down a new water pump cost me plenty in time and effort.  Rockauto had one but after ordering and paying, they helpfully told me they didn't - but I could have one at twice the price.

No thanks was my response - so I took the one off the '67.  I expect I'll live to regret that, but as I speak it's all back together.  Nearly.  The alternator has never fitted properly - it's a real lash-up based on a Lucas Alternator attached to the original bracket for the OEM Motorola one.  I'm going to have a go at revising this based on an old Lucas bracket I have in the Garage - because what I have doesn't line the alternator up properly.

MOT again

My Local Mot station is an excellent place - they won't overlook really safety-critical items, but they are staffed by people old enough to remember that old cars just weren't as good as current ones.

They failed the car (correctly) on rear brake efficiency.  I asked them if they could sort the problem out, and they coaxed the brakes to the required level (just).  The car either fails or is borderline most years on this - and we have concluded that the troublesome auto adjusters are to blame.

AMC only fitted these for a couple of years, then changed the design.  A reto-fit of a later version is possible, but costly and time-consuming and the parts aren't easy to find this side of the Atlantic.

Fortunately, my '67 is fitted with the same rear brakes.  I 've removed them and the adjusters look in much better shape.  Just need to fit them now.

We're not alone

Came across this in idle web search - considering how few there were made, there seem to be plenty still around.

Cruise for the final time this year

Off to Charnwood Cruisers get together. Another great day on Saturday - bright sunshine and a good turnout - some fabulous cars too.

I'd fitted the new breakerless distributor I obtained from another member the previous week (2/10/2011) and gained an instant improvement in starting and running.

Current mileage 42396.