Royale Coupe - Brakes fixed!

[Royale80]

Evening all,
Got the dash back together and all instrument lights working today-all bulbs were blown and the rheostat was not working (bypassed it).

 

Also put an LED into the dash which illuminates the towbar sign-will use this as a warning when I engage 4th on the flick switch.

 

Ran out of time to get some LED's into the gearbox selector to illuminate the selection.

 

 

 

Got the carpets and seats back in and took it for a spin. Brakes seem much, much better after bleeding them the other week-but will change the master cylinder next weekend. Got the correct one new for £30.

 

 

 

Another problem has reared it's head-seems I have  a partially seized drivers front strut. It's hard to push the front corner down and it makes a groaning sound-the passenger side is fine.

 

Exhaust is knocking-will sort this out when I put the new front pipes on (Thanks Keith ABS!).

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards!

 

 

[Royale80]

^{Afternoon all,
More progress-I now have 4th gear working-thanks to advice fromLeon and Craig on ABS forum -makes a massive difference when driving! Put a spare switch in the dash to enable 4th (the box is out of a later Senator with an electronic speedo-mines mechanical so will not switch in 4th) it's the LH heated rear switch.}

 

 

<sup>I've also wired in a warning LED to let me know it's on-it's the towing symbol below.

 Now have to replace the sticking front strut!</sup>

 

^Steve

 

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Good to hear of some progress with this lovely old car.

[Royale80]

Thanks Nyphur,

The later model the gearbox came out of had a 3/4 switch next to the gear selector. It was connected to the gearbox control unit which also took info on speed from the speedo. I don't really understand why there was a control unit-one of the fellas on the ABS forum said it was to stop the box changing down into 3rd above 90mph. I've bypassed this control box - my switch just allows the box to behave as a four speed (I could have permanently wired it on-but decided to have a switch). If the switch is off it behaves as a 3 speed with the switch on a 4 speed-it changes down and up normally-if I turn the switch off it will immediately drop into 3rd.

 

Steve

[Royale80]

Changed one of the strut inserts over the last week-it was jamming. Took the car for a long drive this morning and what a revelation! It feels like a totally different car-the banging crashing and pulls through the steering have gone. Took my wife and she was impressed with the car (a first for her-she's not interested in anything unless it bars bark and has four legs-we have 3 dogs).

Well worth me smashing my lips with a pair of pliers trying to open up a spilt pin.

 

Next jobs are to source Monza GSE struts(complete with brakes) and to try and fix a blowing manifold(I think).

 

Onwards and upwards!

 

Steve

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Good work. Please can we have more pics?

This.

Well done on winning the wife round, btw.

[Royale80]

^{Thanks-these are the photos that the seller put up-I’ll have to take more as the interior is a lot better now and the front valance has been painted. The engine bay has been tidied and it is now running on the original alloys.}

^{The only recent photo I have is it hiding behind my Sierra. Will take a few more.}

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Royale80]

Hello,

Using the Royale a few days a week back and forth to work. Put some petrol in yesterday and dropped off brother. He phoned me to say there was a trail of petrol on the floor. I had a look underneath and couldn't see anything.

Took it for a spin  this afternoon and parked on a hill. There was petrol pouring from the back. Had a look underneath and it was leaking from a perished pipe coming from the tank. It looked like a breather pipe-but only 5 mm diam. It only leaked on a hill because it was perished a few inches up and normally above the tank level. Took it back home with thoughts of a flame following and found a piece of pipe in the garage. Put this pipe on and left placed the other end way above the tank.

 

Then went to start it and nothing. Gave the starter a bang with a piece of wood and all was well again!

 

Got to fix the blowing manifold next!

 

Goes like a rocket though even with the exhaust blowing.

 

Steve

[Bren]

The fuel goes like a rocket as well.

Good to see it is being used.

[Royale80]

Thanks Bren,

Is a bit juicy (even more with the leak) but I've always believed a car is to be used. It's used a few days a week back and for to work- about 12 miles each way and at weekends. Always get waves and smiles from people.

[vulgalour]

Marvellous to read some positive updates on this one, especially that you're getting use and enjoyment out of it.

[Royale80]

Quick update.
Have been using the car quite a bit so decided to change the engine oil-it's done a few hundred miles since the last change. Oil was very black so will change it again with the filter in a few months. I don't think the oil had been changed for a while until I changed it initially when I bought the car.
Have also put in a 90's Kenwood 6 cd changer and head unit I bought off ebay for £30. The 6cd changer sits in the glovebox. I like decent sounds and the original Philips (which I have safely stored) is not very good-and the cassette player did not work.

Have also freed off the sunroof so I can enjoy the rays!

Also put a bottle of Wynns Hydraulic Valve Lifter in-this quietened down the engine no end last time.

Car is really driving well-the only issue is a blow on the exhaust manifold (ticking)-but once up to cruising speed with my 80's CD blasting away-it
cannot be heard.

Steve

[Royale80]

Hello all,

An update on the Royale.

.Recently it has started to "die". What I mean by this is you are driving along and you lose all power. The engine is running-but it will not rev. It then picks back up after 10 secs or so. Today it did it and when I tried to rev it it "popped"-sounded exactly like petrol starvation. I am assuming the pump may be failing-any other advice, as always greatly, appreciated.

I see there are pumps on the bay for around £40 so may give it a go.

Regards

Steve

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Pulling up shiz from the fuel tank?

[Royale80]

Could be-I'll get a new filter and have a look.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Bren]

Rusty tank full of sediment?

[Royale80]

Tank could be rusty.

 

I'll try a new pump and filter on the weekend.

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[Royale80]

Had a look at another Royale this morning-one that was mentioned in the ebay thread.
 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C798772

Bodywork not bad-all door and sills were good. It would have needed welding on the back chassis. Paintwork was 5/10.

The main sticking point was that the seller omitted to tell me by phone that the car would only idle (I was slightly upset at this after driving for 2.5 hours!) The slightest pressure on the accelerator would cause the engine to cut out. Seller said one of the butterflies was loose on the carb-I was getting a little despondent by then! Carbs on these are ultra rare and make the insides of a computer seem simple.

So couldn't check if the gearbox or brakes had any life in them. Electric windows did not work-neither did the central locking.

Would have bought at £400 but no way at £1200.

 

Good thing is the wife is happy!

Steve

[Bren]

Solex 4A1 carb can be a nightmare - also fitted to contemporary BMW's.

[Royale80]

You're right there Bren-looks more complicated than a jet engine.

[Bren]

I remember getting hometune out to mine in 1990 - 1500 rpm idle, black smoke and single figure mpg meant I had to do something.

 

I remember the look on the guy's face when he removed the air cleaner - you would have thought there was a turd there, not a carb.

 

Suffice to say he was out of his comfort zone - no charge and no rectification.

[Bren]

 

The bastard child of beelzebub

[Mr_Bo11ox]

What kind of utter cock jockey 'forgets to mention' that the car he's selling is completely undriveable? It's flippin ridiculous. I would have been fucking livid.

[Rocket88]

Wonder if you could fashion an intake manifold and stick a 38 DGAS on there...............if you could find one for less than eleventy million quid

[Bren]

Electric windows are also a PITA - they use cables.

[Royale80]

What kind of utter cock jockey 'forgets to mention' that the car he's selling is completely undriveable? It's flippin ridiculous. I would have been fucking livid.

I was not amused!

It was a typical "back street" garage-but on a farm!

 

Couldn't even be bothered to pump up one tyre before I got there.

 

This was the Royale that was up for sale for £1000 last November when I bought my coupe. I was going to look at this instead of the coupe-glad I bought the coupe! The bloke said he got the car 2 to 3 weeks ago.

One electric window went down but wouldn't come up.

 

My brother heard the bloke mumbling something about "they put the window down" as we left. He was last seen trying to push the window up.

If it had been honest about the running issue and the price was £400  might have bought it!

 

Steve

[Royale80]

Update on running issues.

The car would be fine for weeks then it would lose all power-it would not rev above 2000rpm. It would eventually after a lot of swearing clear. It seemed like petrol starvation.

The hesitancy became more regular.
I have had the pump and filter for about 6 or 7 weeks so thought it about time!

Took off the filter pump assembly (petrol everywhere!).
Both looked from the mid 80's.

Petrol hose onto low pressure end of pump had been forced on and was cracked/split. I ordered a new bigger diameter pipe.

This was the pipe that went from the tank to the pump. I wonder if the splits caused it to act as a one way valve-allowing air to be sucked I?

Anyway I've ordered new pipe and clips and will put it back together on the weekend.

 

As mentioned in my other post I used my new carport as there was petrol everywhere!

 

 

Steve

 

[Skizzer]

Light blue 1970s Vauxhalls with running issues are for WINNERS. Good work getting to grips with this, hope the reassembly goes well.

 

Your carport just needs a couple of floral displays for the full "I'm getting married to my Vauxhall" experience.

[Elstro1988]

Epic car, thread had me thinking you're a hero. I'd love an old barge like this but I'm way too incompetent to fiddle with all the nitty gritty internals the way you are.

[Royale80]

I was thinking of getting some hanging baskets but I think the first strong wind will take the bloody lot away. I've screwed the guide ropes to the floor and the fence so time will ell!

 

Steve