Next project - ‘62 997 Austin Cooper

[Fanfaniracing]

That's exactly how it should be done. Dismantle the whole thing clean,check and then reassemble with the Parts that need replacing!

Bravo!

[AndyPen]

Thats a great reference shot too - thanks for that

[Dearg1275]

For the sake of completeness, the finished article. Just gasket paper and some rubber grease required.

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I just have to decide on which way to plumb it.

D

[Gary Schulz]

That is really nice work. Mine had a pitted pushrod so I wasn't quite so lucky.

[Dearg1275]

I’ve had grotty piston rods in the past. The best result I had was having it ground, hard chromed and micro ground to dimension. It was not cheap but gave a far better surface for the seals than a replacement stainless steel rod. SS is rather more abrasive, even with a finely polished surface. That’s fine with the likes of calliper pistons where the movement is more like distortion of the seal, but with the servo there is a fair travel on the rod so there is more catch and drag with SS. That in turn lends towards more wear on the seals and potentially earlier failure.

D

[Dearg1275]

After a fair bit of head scratching I have decided on the basic lay out for the engine bay.

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A few brackets needed to be made or modified and I have to decide on where the relays will go but I think it should work. The strange position of the servo was suggested by the way it was when I got the car. It does release a lot of space and removing the servo is made much easier. No excuses now to delay the wiring any longer.

D

[mk1]

A quick question re your plating tank. What Power supply are you using?

Second is more of a comment. In the pic above, it looks like the servo is mounted more or less horizontal. If this is the case it will be an absolute sod to bleed unless you have some sneaky trick up your sleeve.

[roymck]

Second is more of a comment. it will be an absolute sod to bleed unless you have some sneaky trick up your sleeve.

Jack the car up at the back as high as possible when bleeding the brakes

[mk1]

Fair point.

[JC T ONE]

Looking good, is that a Lucas voltage regulator ?

[Dearg1275]

A quick question re your plating tank. What Power supply are you using?

Second is more of a comment. In the pic above, it looks like the servo is mounted more or less horizontal. If this is the case it will be an absolute sod to bleed unless you have some sneaky trick up your sleeve.

Plating, this unit

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From www.gateroplating.co.uk

Bleeding. The car is rather nose up at the moment but even so the servo is inclined upwards to the rear. If I have problems it’s easy to drop the front (usually rear) bracket off and let the chamber end droop while bleeding the brakes.

D

[Dearg1275]

Looking good, is that a Lucas voltage regulator ?

Yes, genuine Lucas 4TR. I hope it still works. It did last time I tried it.

D

[mk1]

Looks like a robust little PSU. Always the most difficult thing to get right in any plating system.

[JC T ONE]

Yes, genuine Lucas 4TR. I hope it still works. It did last time I tried it.

D

Nice with correct "in period" parts

[Dearg1275]

Ah, but I have used a Durite solenoid. And the dizzy is a space marker and wrong for period.

D

[Dearg1275]

You may remember my trying to straighten the badly bent bonnet that was original to the car. I got so far and gave up as the front corner stuck out half a mile.

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It has been sitting in the corner of the workshop gathering dust and getting in the way. Finish it or scrap it was the sentiment this morning. I really needed a shrinker/ stretcher to tackle the stretched edges but failing that tried heat shrinking the flange. This didn’t work because the heated metal was not contained by cooler material as it was on an edge. That left cut and weld.

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A trial fit before solidly welding all the slots.

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Continued

[Dearg1275]

Welded up the cuts.

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The cross brace was pop riveted back in and with the bonnet now bolted to the hinges a final fitting before welding everything back together.

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Another original panel saved and with some filler should look OK.

D

[Charlynsane]

Fantastic work as usual


Why did you remove the front panel stiffener?? you plan to put an oil cooler?

[Dearg1275]

Fantastic work as usual


Why did you remove the front panel stiffener?? you plan to put an oil cooler?

I had to remove it to make the slam panel modifications for the 11AC alternator. It will go back but, as you guessed, it will be located to suit an oil cooler. As yet I haven’t decided on what style of cooler, 13 row, 10 row or a more compact unit.

D

[roger mcnab]

hi d thats exactly what i thought of when i saw the first pic well done what would we do with out our mig welders i guess it would be gaswelding but you are doing a great job of the mini i really need to get back to the clubman and get it under way well now the rover v8 is all dismantled i have no other distractions ha ha there are 3 yamahas sitting in the shed saying help me one day maybe
well soon be summer there so enjoy while it lasts
cheers roger mcnab