Project “will it go again..?” 1961 Austin Seven Deluxe Restoration

[Andrew1967]

Has anyone got any tips on seperating the rubber cone from the strut? These are stuck solid after however long of being installed..

Some WD40, a block of wood (to support the strut), a thin, wide, cold chisel and a hammer.

Spray plenty of WD40 around the cone to strut joint and carefully tap the cold chisel around the joint and they will separate. Don't hit too hard as it could split the strut to cone flange.

[mk1]

Or you could also try holding the strut & doughnut like a medieval mace a whacking the ground with it repeatedly until it gives up. But if you do, make sure the donught doesn't bounce off the ground & nearly remove your nose.

I won't tell you how I know this

On second thoughts, use the WD40 & Cold Chisel method, it works much better.

[hanlminiman]

I saw a strut barbequed to loosen it at the IMM in 2009!

[gs.davies]

Or you could also try holding the strut & doughnut like a medieval mace a whacking the ground with it repeatedly until it gives up. But if you do, make sure the donught doesn't bounce off the ground & nearly remove your nose.

I won't tell you how I know this

On second thoughts, use the WD40 & Cold Chisel method, it works much better.

Hahahaha!

I am the person that nearly cold chiseled my thumb off trying to remove the radius arm bracket so I'm well versed in this sort of thing. I'll give a try and report back..

[gs.davies]

So, a bit more work today. Finally stripped the old subframe down, salvaging the trunnions and fuel pump bracket, new heritage frame arrived so after getting he components cleaned up and painted reassembly can start.

Also started stripping the engine down as I've obtained a spare engine from which I'll pull the crank and flywheel and primary gear set up. Got stuck at the cam nut, it's done up extremely tight and isn't giving up. Had a similar problem with the head studs, unfortunately one sheared off in the block so that'll need some attention.

[JC T ONE]

Nice work

Jens Christian

[gs.davies]

Another half an hour cursing at the camshaft pulley retaining nut. Stuck fast and heat and/or brute force (club mallet) won't shock it free. Am I able to undo the engine end cover and withdraw the camshaft complete with the nut and pulley? I'm not planning on reusing it and I'm swapping the crank for another 850 item.

Any thoughts? Apart from the useful advice hat his would have been a while lot easier with the engine still upright on the box with a flywheel on it!

Gary

[gs.davies]

Well, a cup of coffee, getting the 'MOVE YOU GIT' hammer out and some fresh resolution to get the damn thing done prevailed.

Whoever built this engine had no idea what a torque wrench is for!

[Chalkie]

I get help off somone I wedge the block under my work bench big bar and right size socket with 6 sides get my mate to push with there feet against the bar and socket then I pull it either cones undone or socket rounds or braker bar snaps

Normally rounding happens but out the lot I've done only used an angle grinder once.

[gs.davies]

Part of the problem is that the nut is quite shallow and there's not a lot to keep the socket on the nut while you heave/hammer away at it. I'd almost got to the point where I'd decided enough was enough and the grinder was coming out! Would have been a good candidate for a air impact driver.

Anyway, it's apart now.

Thoughts turn to what to do about the head stud that sheared in the block (yeah, they were all as tight as gnats whatsits as well) Has anyone managed to get a machine shop to drill these out without damaging the original threads?

[woodypup59]

Whoever built this engine had no idea what a torque wrench is for!

Probably worked for Rolls-Royce, F-tight is an official torque setting.

[gs.davies]

Whoever built this engine had no idea what a torque wrench is for!

Probably worked for Rolls-Royce, F-tight is an official torque setting.

There could actually be some truth in that; when I bought the car it had a service label in the door jamb from Overton Motors of Leigh-On-Sea. They were/are Bentley and Roller specialists. They remembered the car when I took it down there years ago and said that they'd done some work on the engine for a previous owner. The innards actually look like a fresh build, lovely and clean and I'm hopeful that it'll go again with little messing about. Hone and shells with luck. Just this question of the donor crank and the broken head stud in the block to deal with.

[1071 S]

".....and the broken head stud in the block to deal with....."

One of our local engineering shops has a device called a "Destructo"

Pretty scary but apparently the device is more technically known as a "spark eroder". I broke off a heater stud in my brand new Manx head.

Head came back drowned in WD40 but the stud was gone and the threads were 'as new'. Didn't cost much either...

Cheers, Ian

[gs.davies]

Thanks for the tip on spark erosion. Seems that there's a few engineers in my town that can do this so I've asked for some quotes on getting it done.

Later tonight when I have the engine(s) completely in bit and ready to pack up for machining I think it'll finally feel like we're getting somewhere with this.

I'm hopeful to get the bodyshop started up again but I'm still debating over doors. At the moment, I'm thinking of using Mini Door to repair mine..

[minimans]

Whoever built this engine had no idea what a torque wrench is for!

Probably worked for Rolls-Royce, F-tight is an official torque setting.

I resemble that remark!! Rolls-Royce trained mechanic (Technicians they call us) and I have five torque wrenches in my box! Mind you I do need to dust them off occasionally..................................

[Chalkie]

Thoughts turn to what to do about the head stud that sheared in the block (yeah, they were all as tight as gnats whatsits as well) Has anyone managed to get a machine shop to drill these out without damaging the original threads?

Atf and paraffin mix 50/50 ratio then drill a guide hole down the middle then get bigger so you can get an easy out down the centre then use that easyeasy outs are good

[gs.davies]

I did think about an easy out but I suspect these are so well jammed in the easy out won't shift it and I'm fearful of damaging the threads in the block.

[Chalkie]

I did think about an easy out but I suspect these are so well jammed in the easy out won't shift it and I'm fearful of damaging the threads in the block.

What the atf parafin mix is for it works well

[gs.davies]

Had a nice run out this morning. First stop Mini Spares to pick these up ....



And then to drop them off at the body shop along with the new rubbers so they can get cracking again.

Hoping they finish the front end off and get the car ready for paint by the end of spring.



While I was there I noticed that the m-machine full floor doesn't have any fixing points for the radius arm covers. What would be correct for a November '61 built Austin? Seems like a good opportunity to fix this while it's all still open.



Can't wait to get it unwelded from its frame.





That's all for now. Back to be garage to get cleaning all the suspension parts up prior to sending them for powdercoating.

Gary.

[gs.davies]

So, whilst Classic and Sports Cars Essex undertakes a workshop move I've been getting busy with engine matters.

The 850 has been stripped down, another later 850 obtained and the plan was to raid that for its crank and dry primary gear and standard flywheel. Initially we'd thought that the engine would be good to go as it hadn't long had a rebuild before I took it on in 1994. Sadly however, closer inspection revealed that every piston had a hairline fracture under the gudgeon pin. Given also that the original plan involved cam bearings, hotter cam etc etc this would have meant at the least another replacement set of Pistons. It seems that even the standard ones are expensive by comparison and presumably equally as weak.

Further thought about how the car is likely to be used also led me to start thinking that a more leggy engine would be much more suitable and so the search for an a-series 998 began. Lo and behold, eBay turned up an 1100 though the seller was unsure if it was a 1098.

Last weekend we collected engine and stripped it down to find it in largely good shape and some enquiries here revealed a nice camshaft fit for reuse. A two ring...



There really wasn't much wear in the engine at all, save for a little bit of surface corrosion in one of the bores where it's been left standing in a field and so eBay delivered up these New old stock Pistons; shallower dish, +10 thou.






Plan next is to get this lot off t the machine shop and then built up. Any tips on painting the block?

Next job is to strip the gearbox down and replace the synchros..