Meet the real Dearg 1275 high backed recliner challenge

[Dearg1275]

Back to the metal. The making good is done, cleaned back to bare metal and two good coats of epoxy primer should keep things happy for a while. There is some surface rust busting to do in the engine bay but I have decided not to respray the lot as I like the patina it’s developed over the last 15 years, apart from the authentic rust that is.

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D

[roger mcnab]

hi well for a good while i have been looking at the front of the clubman because it looked odd so while fiddling with the steel bonnet i felt some thing was wrong so out with the level and the windscreen opening was level so checked the guards at the scuttle point and 3mm out so raised right guard and level moved to front and 15 mm out on rh side
front off checked the bolts that hold the front and found the problem as the front sub frame is heavily modified the bolt was welded in the wrong place so cut out and weld new plate in and weld new bolt in the right place and now all good
so the bonnet will probably sit properly
keep up the good work roger mcnab

[Dearg1275]

In the search for a serviceable 3synchro gear box case Fellow forumer Gordon came up trumps again (he let me have a roof section to fix the shell). Thanks Gordon. A derelict box that had been sitting for sometime but lacking a diff cover. It arrived yesterday and is a 22A1522 case. I had a few diff covers from dead boxes and the cover on the case that is to be replaced. I was hopeful that one might mate up nicely.

The cleanest one I had hopes for failed miserably. There was a step of at least 25 thou between the two halves. A truly greased up horror that I had wanted to avoid did however match perfectly. Once torque up with gaskets in place any diameter I took was within 1 thou. Lady Luck was certainly feeling benevolent today.

The acid test was to check that the double roller bearing housing was not worn. With an old bearing as a check, this was drifted in and it was nice and tight. A result ! Thanks Gordon.

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Having had a third motion shaft bearing spin before I think this time it might get a dab of bearing Loctite.

D

[roger mcnab]

hi d
what is the thing bolted to the bulk head just wondering
cheers roger mcnab

[Dearg1275]

hi d
what is the thing bolted to the bulk head just wondering
cheers roger mcnab

It’s a hear shield. The “works” cars used them to stop the interior frying. Back then it was a sheet of asbestos covered in aluminium. Mine uses a cement based board. Abingdon also uses an under carpet later of asbestos matting as they had experienced smouldering carpets. Their cars were going full tilt for hours on end. The exhaust and exhaust tunnel got more than warm!

D

[Dearg1275]

hi d
what is the thing bolted to the bulk head just wondering
cheers roger mcnab

It’s a heat shield. The “works” cars used them to stop the interior frying. Back then it was a sheet of asbestos covered in aluminium. Mine uses a cement based board. Abingdon also used an under carpet later of asbestos matting as they had experienced smouldering carpets. Their cars were going full tilt for hours on end. The exhaust and exhaust tunnel got more than warm!

D

[gogsymac]

Happy to assist !

[Dearg1275]

The rotary abrasive “bog brush” arrived in the post a few days ago. Today it saw action.

Before

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Balls on stick applied

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After

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And back together with new bearing shells and new rings.

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The ring gaps were OK too with a little selective fitting to get the best result. Time and miles will tell.

D

[roger mcnab]

hi d
that is an interesting device i have not seen one like it before
cheers roger mcnab

[Dearg1275]

It was a lovely day here in the Highlands with a steady gentle breeze to carry the paint fumes away. Perfect for a bit of patching up on Dearg the Mk2.

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It should keep the rust at bay a while longer.

D

[Dearg1275]

A bit more excitement arrived in the post this morning. A set of NOS ST. Straight cut close ratio gears. Nice, thanks S. The repro ones that I had fitted fifteen years and 35,000 miles ago had in fairness seen better days. They probably have a little more life in them but there are only so many times you want to pull an engine out. There here if anyone wants them.

After a pleasant hour of playing press the plunger turn the collar, oops try again, I had this for my pains.

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There’s not a lot stopping the car going back together again now.

D

[Andrew1967]

I've just acquired a NOS set of SCCR gears as well David. Looking forward to using them in a fast road engine / SC gearbox build for my 998 Mk2 Cooper one day .

[Dearg1275]

I’m told the original stuff is not made of chocolate. I’m not sure they will out last our cars but they should out last me.

D

[Dearg1275]

Back to the engine today. The head hadn’t been strip down in a while and as thing were apart it seemed stupid not to take a look. It’s an Oselli Engineering head I have had since the 80s. They did a nice job although some of the features are not quite current thinking, sharp divides on the Siamese inlet ports for example. It doesn’t have triple angle valve seats either, but there again they have been ground in so often now that they would have disappeared anyway. This is probably the last go at it before it needs some action on the seats as the exhaust valves are disappearing into the head by degrees. Still it looks quite nice.

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A head gasket and some gearbox bits should tip up tomorrow. I might get it all back together in a day or so.

D

[Dearg1275]

Diff disaster time. I’ve put off looking at the diff assembly. I don’t know why but I have an aversion to diffs. Perhaps that’s because they are alway rubbish when you pull them apart. This one did not disappoint. All went well until it came to drifting out the diff pin. I wouldn’t drift. Successes larger hammers and stouter punches eventually go it to move and once past the planet gears it shot out. Here’s the pin.

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I tried refitting the planet gears but they would not go back on the shaft. They must have been virtually solid on the pin. That said to me that the diff cage would be rubbish too. Sure enough, the planet gear seats were worn to bits. I had one OK diff cage left so that was pressed into service. Happily the bush on it is good too.

I’m swapping back to a Jack Knight 4.2 :1 final drive from a 3.44 : 1. Not motorway friendly but it does give you a kick in the pants when you need it.

Then there were the Hardy spicer flanges. Flopping about in their diff covers like a pea in a drum. I phoned my local engineering works to see if they could face up the bearing surfaces but they are still only accepting essential work. I was about to plea desperation but thought better of it. With bushes ordered it how on earth to retrieve these flanges.

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.

I still don’t have a lathe. Well, need is the mother of invention. Health and Safety conscious folk and true engineers look away.

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With the crown wheel held in the vice and well greased and diff output turned by the drill an Arkansas stone and WD40 got a result. Not perfect but within 1/2 thou all round. There should be enough meat in the replacement bushes to accommodate any reduction in diameter when they are reamed in.

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Just waiting for the postie again.

D

[roger mcnab]

hi d
that is a sneaky way around a sticky problem if they are under size may be a stainless sleeve like the ones for grooved crankshaft oil seals may help
cheers roger mcnab

[Dearg1275]

hi d
that is a sneaky way around a sticky problem if they are under size may be a stainless sleeve like the ones for grooved crankshaft oil seals may help
cheers roger mcnab

They are not undersize by much so I should get away with it as the bushes they run in need reaming to size anyway. Fingers crossed. I’ve lost nothing by the exercise as what ever happens those drive flanges needed some attention.

D

[AndyPen]

Just laughing that's all - ingenious work around there

[Dearg1275]

More gearbox. The nightmare of installing 3 synchro close ratio straight cut gears. I’ve done this a few times and always forget how to do it. The problem is that the first motion shaft will not pass through the bore for the bearing. It all has to be done arse about. I tried with all the selector forks in before twigging that you have to leave the 1st/2nd one out to start with. After that it was a reasonable easy puzzle.

I closed up the synchro hubs to maximise room. The 1-2 hub will fit in the main bearing bore.

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Then the first motion shaft went in loose for the inside. The forward gear detents are out too allow them to jiggle into place.

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Keeping everything tightly together the mainshaft assembly was dropped through the main bearing bore.

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And tussled until it would align with the first motion shaft. Finally checking that the pilot bearing was still in place and the synchro ring had not gone walk about they were brought together, with the 3-4 synchro hub now sitting in its selector.

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Continued.

[Dearg1275]

Not much use without some bearings. The first motion bearing was drifted in first with the rest of the gear set pushed as far away as possible.

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The gear was pulled into the bearing using the fastening nut and holding the input gear with a padded wrench.

The main bearing was drifted home in the usual way.

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Then it was just a matter of fitting the 1-2 selector fork through the diff housing aperture and securing it to the rod. No photos here as I was loosing my rag trying to find the hole in the shaft!

I hope this might help anyone foolish enough to want to build a 3 SYNCHRO SC CR BOX.

D