Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[dozeydustman]

@Six-cylinder from my (limited) knowledge of tractors I think the motors only vary in sweep angle and spindle depth; the one fitted to your JCB looks very similar to the one on the little Kubota I used to mow a rugby pitch with.

Some come with a second dummy spindle for the pantograph arm, and some pantograph arms are fixed to the cab structure.

https://www.agrilineproducts.com/parts-by-category/cab-parts/wiper-system/wiper-motors

Might be something similar on there, but you would probably need to remove it from the cab to get your dimensions.

Is your JCB a 3C?

[hairnet]

ax or visa wiper motor?

[Six-cylinder]

14 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

@Six-cylinder from my (limited) knowledge of tractors I think the motors only vary in sweep angle and spindle depth; the one fitted to your JCB looks very similar to the one on the little Kubota I used to mow a rugby pitch with.

Some come with a second dummy spindle for the pantograph arm, and some pantograph arms are fixed to the cab structure.

https://www.agrilineproducts.com/parts-by-category/cab-parts/wiper-system/wiper-motors

Might be something similar on there, but you would probably need to remove it from the cab to get your dimensions.

Is your JCB a 3C?

Yes a 1978 3C

I think the plan is to wait until spring and first check it is getting power. If it is, then remove the motor and open it up to see if it can be fixed. If it can't be fixed then I will be looking for a cheap replacement, original or other wiper motor adapted.

 

[wuvvum]

19 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

was just thinking if you replace the XUD with a Commer knocker TS3 then bam MicroDeltic! 

(disappointed I did not think of that for my original  comment LOL)

Why go for half measures?  I'm sure you could fit an 18-pot Napier onto that flatbed with only a little* bit of overhang.

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Why go for half measures?  I'm sure you could fit an 18-pot Napier onto that flatbed with only a little* bit of overhang.

I have been lusting after a Detroit two stroke diesel and this seems an ideal application!

[dozeydustman]

Those tractor wiper motors are very simple things, hopefully a bit of penetrating oil, a strip down and reassembly with new brushes and a clean of the commutator should get it back into life if power is present. 

Agriline is who I used for the tractor service & repair parts when I did the grass cutting as they're one of the few places that catered for the Ford x600 series and Kubota L245 at a decent price. They also cater for your Massey 35 as well.

[Six-cylinder]

Today I pulled up outside @Zelandeth house as he was going to follow me over to the Alfa specialist in Northampton to give me a lift back.

Sitting outside his house were his Motor Caravan, Xantia Activa and XJS, which one would he use! I was routing for the XJS and my luck was in, I have been out in a chauffeur driven XJS today, thanks Zel.

The black  156 saloon was dropped off as it is due an MOT, front shocker, CV boots, engine check light sorting and bulb failure in spite of all lights working.

I got a call yesterday to say the silver 156 Sportswagon was ready to pick up with a fresh MOT and gear linkage freed up so I could find all the gears again easily. Different garage in case you are wondering why I was having Zel chauffeur me around.

Miffed I failed to take a picture of my chauffeur driven XJS.

So here is a more general view of the Spice hut where I like to snap cars and got the silver 156 on the way home.

[Andyrew]

Finally, VP progress. 

Unfortunately at work we had a covid problem, so some isolating was required.  Anyway, today i dropped the tank out ready for the leaking sender replacement and for me to crack on with welding near the tank.  Amazingly all the bolts came out lovely.

Hmmmmm its very very crusty, but whilst its heavily pitted all over, the only leak was from the sender itself andd with the Fuel drained out into cans and a quick inspection inside suggests its nice and clean in there. 

I knocked the sender retaining ring out and removed the old sender.  I then cut the top part off a spray can lid and made a blank to lob in the hole with the retaining ring to hold it in place,  with that and the filler neck taped up i whipped over it with some 60 grit paper to knock the loose rust off, it was then brushed off and wiped down with brake cleaner 

Out with brush and the bonda primer. One light coat, once touch dry i gave it a heavier coat. 

Ill leave it to dry for few days as its rather cold in the workshop and once thats dry ill give it a quick key and slap on a couple of coats of some tractor enamel paint.

With the tank's first coat drying i modded the MGB sender to match the VP one.  As advised by the allegro club. 

An inch or so off the end and a slight bend on the float rod sorted.  

 

[LightBulbFun]

28 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

I was routing for the XJS and my luck was in, I have been out in a chauffeur driven XJS today, thanks Zel.

yeah count yourself lucky!

maybe next time you pull up outside Zel's for a lift you will find him sitting in TPA, applying a strip of electrical tape diagonally across the "Passenger carrying is forbidden" plaque!

[Zelandeth]

Just a shame the traffic and road conditions didn't allow the loud pedal to be applied at any point.  I made the mistake of using about 60% throttle leaving the garage when I dropped you off and found myself going slightly sideways when 2nd gear arrived.  Yep...very sensible winter car...

The question does spring to mind (as you're the first person I've ever taken anywhere and dropped off with it) is how far away you could hear it from?  I do worry that the exhaust is a little antisocial sometimes.

If the MOT goes well I may well order another two Nankang tyres to match those on the front as the things on the back just now have about as much grip as industrial grade teflon unless the road is perfectly dry.

Assuming the MOT tomorrow isn't a total disaster there'll be another chance I'm sure and given the amount of your cars I've driven you're due a chance at a shot of some of mine I think!

[Andyrew]

Another quick job before leaving was to get the rather sorry looking and wobbly fibreglass wing off. Originally bolted and spot welded on, the glass wing was bolted and the occasional rivet.

There was 4 crusty bolts that tied it to the front panel. I popped the lens off to look how the light retained.  With the light unable to be removed due to crusty bolts the wing bolts were not easily accessed. So i opted to pry the wing away at the bottom  and just  cut them with a hacksaw blade. 

Of course it was a well worn blade just add to the joy! 

Wing off and the "new" wing was test fitted.  Some hammer and dolly action is needed on joining faces and some minor repairs but should be fine. 

With the old wing off , i had a nosey at the side light.  Im guessing the housing is some form of alloy as the bulb holder is single wire.  I assume the steel of the bulb holder resulting in a disimilar metals corrosion.  

Having an ebay browse didnt bring any light units up except one thats was almost as bad so im guessing its a fairly common issue. 

 

[Andyrew]

@rusty998 any chance the indicator units on your new parts donor are any better? 

[Six-cylinder]

12 hours ago, Andyrew said:

Finally, VP progress. 

Unfortunately at work we had a covid problem, so some isolating was required.  Anyway, today i dropped the tank out ready for the leaking sender replacement and for me to crack on with welding near the tank.  Amazingly all the bolts came out lovely.

Hmmmmm its very very crusty, but whilst its heavily pitted all over, the only leak was from the sender itself andd with the Fuel drained out into cans and a quick inspection inside suggests its nice and clean in there. 

I knocked the sender retaining ring out and removed the old sender.  I then cut the top part off a spray can lid and made a blank to lob in the hole with the retaining ring to hold it in place,  with that and the filler neck taped up i whipped over it with some 60 grit paper to knock the loose rust off, it was then brushed off and wiped down with brake cleaner 

Out with brush and the bonda primer. One light coat, once touch dry i gave it a heavier coat. 

Ill leave it to dry for few days as its rather cold in the workshop and once thats dry ill give it a quick key and slap on a couple of coats of some tractor enamel paint.

With the tank's first coat drying i modded the MGB sender to match the VP one.  As advised by the allegro club. 

An inch or so off the end and a slight bend on the float rod sorted.  

I can't help thinking you have bought on all this extra work yourself by your sissy attitude to welding by a leaking petrol tank!

Thank you so much for just getting on with the VP what ever obstacles it presents you and now eliminating a future problem with minimal cost. 

 

[rusty998]

11 hours ago, Andyrew said:

@rusty998 any chance the indicator units on your new parts donor are any better? 

No spare lights at all on the spares car as they were stolen years ago, they do come up on eBay but make sure you get the earlier type as on the series 3 they front side light and indicator unit has three wire's,  sorry I couldn't be any help 

[barrett]

Available for £35 from the club, apparently

[Six-cylinder]

5 minutes ago, barrett said:

Available for £35 from the club, apparently

I am told the club shop is not taking fresh orders until they have caught up. 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I remember 25 years ago trying to buy those in scrapyards and finding that they were all made of some weird white 'metal' that just turns to dust in your fingers!!!

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, Mr_Bo11ox said:

I remember 25 years ago trying to buy those in scrapyards and finding that they were all made of some weird white 'metal' that just turns to dust in your fingers!!!

The light unit or the car?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The light unit!!! (The cars were made of brown stuff that turned to dust in your fingers)

[Andyrew]

Righto, lets have a day to just crack on with that rear welding then. 

*phone rings* one stressed sister in a fluster.

 Change of plans then, Good job its raining aswell. 

Handily being a vauxhall, the ability to self diagnose with the pedal test helped and a code for a misfire on cylinder 4 so coilpacks gone. A call to work for a new pack and plugs, sorted.

Finally at the workshop, lets get that wing mounted. 

But first, a quick coat of enamel. 

With that done, its wing time. Top sections certainly a bit battered from numerous drilling over the years. 

I straightend it out a bit, wire wheeled it and splashed some hydrate 80 on, there is some grot that will need addressing at in the future. Much wing jiggling happend and i opted to fit nutserts in to hold the wing on. It was a bit of a faff but got there in the end. 

Before doing the final test fit, i straightened this bend in the lower of the front door whilst it is accessible. 

Bolted on, i only had cap heads to hand!

The door gap is very wee , it doesnt touch but its mighty close. The wing is already slightly protruding at the front in comparison to the valance so theres no room to tweak it. 

There is however some epic door gap between the front and rear door tho! As the top of the door appears to have rubbed on the A pillar im thinking that some shims on the door hinge have been lost at some point in its life maybe?

Either way, one sturdy wing! 

 

 

[Andyrew]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

I am told the club shop is not taking fresh orders until they have caught up. 

I reckon ill be able to come up with a repair. 

[AnthonyG]

I imagine the back of the light units is some sort of crappy die cast alloy - the ‘corrosion’ looks similar to how very sickly Dinky toys could get.

The word ‘mazak’ comes to mind, not sure if that was a company or the actual name of the alloy.

[wuvvum]

I have a feeling it was the name of the alloy, as the French call it Zamak.

[PhilA]

Lead impurities start it off, then it'll either turn like flaky pastry, or go the other way and turn into powdery white dust.

Either way it's down to the battery being connected and the exposed area the things sit in. Little wonder they went to chromed plastic later on.

Phil

[dollywobbler]

The door gaps remind me of a tale from a friend who worked at Longbridge in the 1970s. Apparently every Allegro bodyshell had to be 'dressed' (with Brummie screwdrivers) to make the doors fit properly...

[beko1987]

Get one 3d printed? 

[Six-cylinder]

 

2 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

The door gaps remind me of a tale from a friend who worked at Longbridge in the 1970s. Apparently every Allegro bodyshell had to be 'dressed' (with Brummie screwdrivers) to make the doors fit properly...

Back when I worked for a Vauxhall dealer a customer came back with a new Cavalier hatch to complain the tailgate did not fit properly. The service manager took the car into the workshop slammed the tailgate with a piece of wood in one side, problem solved and the customer went away happy. I asked the service manager why he had not adjusted the tailgate properly on the hinges and he pointed out they were fixed welded hinges. 

[Andyrew]

2 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

The door gaps remind me of a tale from a friend who worked at Longbridge in the 1970s. Apparently every Allegro bodyshell had to be 'dressed' (with Brummie screwdrivers) to make the doors fit properly...

This could very well be how it left the factory, given the numerous coats of paint and overspray in the door shuts i honestly dont think the doors have been off before. With the hinges welded to the shell, the only room for adjustment would be a shim between the hinge mount to the door. 

I cant see any signs of a front end bump. My only other thinking is that the replacement wing is from a later era and maybe tooling wear or changes caused it to be fractionally larger. 

The Colour match is way off aswell .  .  . 

[Six-cylinder]

3 hours ago, Andyrew said:

The Colour match is way off aswell .  .  . 

No, it matches the passenger rear door precisely!

[Heidel_Kakao]

@Six-cylinderFound this, it's yours next time I am at the FOD if you want it!