Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - Saying goodbye to a fleet member!

[Six-cylinder]

Andyrew has informed me that the outlet pipe on the VP1500 fuel sender unit is rotten.

I have looked around for a replacement without success. Somebody on the Allegro owners club Facebook page  says they are hard to find and there is a suggestion an MGB one can be converted.

Before I attempt the MGB conversion thing does anybody have a secret stash or know of any for sale?

[hairnet]

https://stevens-shop.de/shop/Jaguar-MINI-Rover-TR-etc/ROVER-and-others/TANK-SENDER-UNIT-Austin-Allegro-1500::5843.html?XTCsid=c52bba78b0f8d861cd03cba58ee49a62

[anonymous user]

I have put a link in your wanted, funnily enough the chap who bought my VP has asked the same question on the Vanden Plas Facebook group and the link is for someone who says he has them, including the seal and ring.

[Six-cylinder]

53 minutes ago, hairnet said:

https://stevens-shop.de/shop/Jaguar-MINI-Rover-TR-etc/ROVER-and-others/TANK-SENDER-UNIT-Austin-Allegro-1500::5843.html?XTCsid=c52bba78b0f8d861cd03cba58ee49a62

Seems very expensive, but I filled in my details to see how much the shipping is and  "Selected country not supported"  was the answer so I guess I would have to email to find out if they even send to the UK.

[hairnet]

German website - surprised if they didnt

[hairnet]

https://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=13811&affID=56654444&prodID=13811&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+|+Barware&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=3671107430&hsa_cam=869870540&hsa_grp=39305420530&hsa_ad=203872574043&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-614882918054&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppybuc9qt1pyeUZ4aLPf0un7mY3N9te58vLEQGbIlcEI7NrFZtYZOHNQaAqIeEALw_wcB#.X4LtyKDTXqA

 

[LightBulbFun]

5 minutes ago, hairnet said:

https://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=13811&affID=56654444&prodID=13811&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+|+Barware&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=3671107430&hsa_cam=869870540&hsa_grp=39305420530&hsa_ad=203872574043&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-614882918054&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppybuc9qt1pyeUZ4aLPf0un7mY3N9te58vLEQGbIlcEI7NrFZtYZOHNQaAqIeEALw_wcB#.X4LtyKDTXqA

 

Yeah thats what people recommended I do with regards to my fuel tank woes with REV LOL

[tooSavvy]

Gadbury seems to have an AllAggro in....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/gadburyautosalvage01942874144

???

[Andyrew]

I had a look around and im surprised the sender isnt shared with anything else like the maxi etc. 

[Six-cylinder]

5 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

I had a look around and im surprised the sender isnt shared with anything else like the maxi etc. 

There is a Allegro club member who says the easiest/cheapest to alter is the MGB one. a Maxi is a bit different again.

[Andyrew]

9 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

There is a Allegro club member who says the easiest/cheapest to alter is the MGB one. a Maxi is a bit different again.

Did they mention what modification they require?

Theres a definately leak around the sender. Its fairly damp but not dripping so id assume the seal has failed. I was going to drop the tank fpr welding but with the sender pipework looking a tad frilly i thought id open a whole new can of worms if i did. 

Ill have the car spun around and its arse in the air later on today ill try and nab a couple of pics. 

[Six-cylinder]

19 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Did they mention what modification they require?

Theres a definately leak around the sender. Its fairly damp but not dripping so id assume the seal has failed. I was going to drop the tank fpr welding but with the sender pipework looking a tad frilly i thought id open a whole new can of worms if i did. 

Ill have the car spun around and its arse in the air later on today ill try and nab a couple of pics. 

"Some of you already know other versions can be modified to fit our cars, the most popular seems to be the MGB variety. They are plentiful, fairly cheap and they've recently developed an updated version which is said to be more reliable, although it is plastic. Some might prefer the metal version. This is how I did it...

First remove the filter on the pick up arm and cut about 7cm (approx 2.75") off the end of the pipe and refit the filter.

That's it.

Well, ok, the float arm needs to be bent up slightly so the float is slightly above the pipe at it's lowest position and you need to make an earth connection. But yes, pretty easy. It fits in the same way as the original with the lugs lining up with the cutouts in the tank, to keep it upright. It is a bit fiddly to get into the tank but keep fiddling and it will go in. I found rotating it clockwise slightly (to about 1 o clock) and tipping the pipe up so that the float arm drops was the easiest way to do it."

The MGB part number seems to be ADU3218. There is different detail some metal, some plastic but they should all be basically the same.

Here's some pics...

[SiC]

You'll need a rubber bumper MGB sender by the looks of it. Chrome bumper cars have the fuel pickup built into the tank. Rubber bumper cars have the pickup built into the sender. 

[Six-cylinder]

3 minutes ago, SiC said:

You'll need a rubber bumper MGB sender by the looks of it. Chrome bumper cars have the fuel pickup built into the tank. Rubber bumper cars have the pickup built into the sender. 

pick up built into the sender is what I need.

 

[Andyrew]

2 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

pick up built into the sender is what I need.

 

Better get some Chicken wire, fibreglass and newspaper aswell.

 

[LightBulbFun]

18 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

is it just me or does that looks like a Horribly deformed Unicorn LOL

[wuvvum]

I thought it was a mummified kitten at first glance.

[Six-cylinder]

It looked like a baby Unicorn to me!

[Andyrew]

Tried to video it but it didnt work but i think the leak is from around the pipe where it goes through the flange on the sender. Theres a wee wiggle of play in there.  

 

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Tried to video it but it didnt work but i think the leak is from around the pipe where it goes through the flange on the sender. Theres a wee wiggle of play in there.  

 

Should I get the MGB one?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-MGB-MGB-GT-FUEL-TANK-SENDER-UNIT-LOCKING-RING-SEAL-SEPT-1976-ON-ADU3218/312959492963?hash=item48ddd6e363:g:mbcAAOSw55peKDwW

[Andyrew]

If thats the one people mod then might aswell.  One less thing to worry about. 

I will be dropping the tank out,  not a fan of welding near them and on something with a obvious leak may not end well. 

 

[Andyrew]

With the cover sill panel off i had hoped to be able to clean it up and re use it but it was beyond help and gone wafer thin in places. 

The original sill is fairly about 1.3 mm iv only got 0.9 or  1.5 ish in stock. So thicker stuff it was.  Curving this thickness is a bit tricky so i went for the gentle bends in stages approach.  Came out good enough and will be covered up anyway. 

[Andyrew]

With the VP fired up and spun round i got its bum up in the air on some axle stands.  

The main areas of grot are the rear floor pans and the O.S rear beam mount which was the concern of the garage and indeed its pretty shot but wasnt going to fail anytime soon. 

Some rather questionable welding has taken place over the years.  But most of the patches have rotted away themselves or what they was welded over/ tacked to has dissolved.

I decided ill start with the nearside which had Previously had sill panel welded over the top and some odd shaped wee patches elsewhere. Also the large blob of expanding foam. 

 

With the sill panel removed which was unfortunately unsalvagable , im left with the horrors that lurk beneath.  The outer sill will be fixed first along with the axle mount. 

[SiC]

I reckon that won't look half as bad once it's been over with a wire wheel and then lightly with a flap disc. Wouldn't be surprised if that inner membrane patch will just pull off though!

[Six-cylinder]

Something a bit more joyful, the BMW 323i coupe I bought from my friend in 2014 is back on the road. My son used it and then his friend and now it is back with me.

The photo is today.

 

[richardmorris]

Are those mirrors original?

[Six-cylinder]

Just now, richardmorris said:

Are those mirrors original?

No, it was dressed up to be an M3, but the wheels have been stolen and the rear spoiler is said to be wending its way to me.

[Zelandeth]

5 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Something a bit more joyful, the BMW 323i coupe I bought from my friend in 2014 is back on the road. My son used it and then his friend and now it is back with me.

The photo is today.

 

If my life ever calms down for five minutes, she need a clean, polish and wax any time?

I've never actually driven one of that generation as far as I can recall.  Remember the earlier ones having a lovely exhaust note, but that's about all I can remember of them!  Only BMW I can really remember clearly was the 635CSi Alpina I had care of for a week or so.  That was a comfy old rocket ship.  Reminds me a lot of the XJ-S now I've got that actually.

[Six-cylinder]

8 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

If my life ever calms down for five minutes, she need a clean, polish and wax any time?

It seems it had been in contact with a green chair which has left light marks that have become more visible while it has been sitting.

Also I am due to get the spoiler back tomorrow night and it would be nice to see that refitted.

So yes, you are most welcome to take it, enjoy it and improve it.

[Zelandeth]

12 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

It seems it had been in contact with a green chair which has left light marks that have become more visible while it has been sitting.

Also I am due to get the spoiler back tomorrow night and it would be nice to see that refitted.

So yes, you are most welcome to take it, enjoy it and improve it.

I'll definitely take you up on that.  This week isn't going to be worthwhile as beyond a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon between vet visits, looking after a bereaved friend, hospital appointments, visits from two specialists to look at killing the bamboo in our garden that is slowly trying to take over Milton Keynes (looks like the bill will be somewhere around £7K, lovely!) and trying to offer moral support to my nan who's having a bad month health wise, plus about half a dozen things I've probably forgotten, I'm all over the shop.

I'm hoping as we get into next week things might start to calm down at least a bit. 

I reckon with a careful bit of compound work at least most of that scuff should come out.  Assuming no bizzare unobtainable fittings were used putting the spoiler back where it belongs shouldn't be a problem.