Zel's Motoring Adventures...Volvo, Renault, Rover, Trabant, Invacar & A Sinclair C5 - Updated 13/11.

[Zelandeth]

With everything going on just now I'm only getting the odd few minutes here and there to do anything relating to the cars.  Despite that the structural improvements to the nearside of the Invacar floor have been finished and I've started cutting the carpet to fit.

You can start to get a feel for how it's going to look now I think.

These are the new kick plates that might be going in.

I am still undecided... whether they get used or not will probably depend on whether I can get the originals back to a vaguely presentable state... currently they're awful.

I'm basically making the left carpet, right carpet (which is *mostly* just a mirror image) then will cut an infill to go in the middle.

Nothing is being glued in place yet.   Before that happens I need to rotate the car 180 degrees so I can do the same knackered rivet replacement on the offside, paint the seat base, find a rubber boot for the gear selector linkage where it passes through the bulkhead and thoroughly degrease the entire floor and front bulkhead.

As the seat can only be moved a few inches to either side I'm also doing away with the sliding capacity.  Two bolts will be going through the rear of the frame to secure it in place.  As the latch is at the front of the frame the rear of the seat tends to shift an inch or so every time you change direction, and it's quite annoying.  If someone wants to undo it in the future it will just require a couple of bolts to be removed.  Should make the driving experience a bit more pleasant.  Having a wobbly seat just never instills confidence!

[Zelandeth]

This is actually starting to look like I've got any idea what I'm doing...

The joins will be far less visible once things are actually glued down.  Plus the bar across the middle isn't bolted down at the offside yet hence the bump there.

[Zelandeth]

New offside outer "sill" made up from some ally sheet and bolted in place.

I tappedthe edge at the overlap flat with a hammer, though as this will be under both the carpet and sill kick plate I'm not really too bothered about how it looks.

I then went on a similar rivet replacement mission as I did on the nearside before giving everything a thorough wipe down then starting to get the carpet glued in.

After an hour or so getting distinctly high on carpet adhesive fumes we were three or four pieces away from the floor being done.

Closer look at where it's following the contour of the front bulkhead to show how well it's formed.

Yes I fouled up the bit by the steering yoke bracket...an infill will be cut to disguise that oops.

Will see if I can steal half an hour after dinner to go back out to stick the last three or four pieces in place... having to stop this close to done with this part of the job is really annoying!

[Zelandeth]

Think that's looking better!

Astonishing what a difference a bit of trim can make to the feel of the cabin.

Main thing left to do is reattach the offside kick plate, but after fighting with it for 15 minutes established that requires access to that side of the car.  So it will be done once it stops raining for more than five minutes.

[LightBulbFun]

3 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Think that's looking better!

Astonishing what a difference a bit of trim can make to the feel of the cabin.

 

 

looking very nice! I look forward to seeing or err hearing how much of a difference it makes to the noise levels in the cabin when out and about  

[beko1987]

That's going to transform it! Both looks and sound! 

You should have gone shag pile with stitched edging... 

[Zelandeth]

Trying to get the offside kick plate refitted today.  Having the slightly frustrating situation that any bolts long enough to actually catch and clamp everything together are then long enough that they foul on the door runner when you try to open/close the door.

I think I may well just go for attaching the new kick plate on this side (which will go over the top of the original one to retain the exterior section which stops you getting grease all over your trousers getting in/out) which will allow me to re-drill the mounting holes in positions which don't get in the way of the door mechanism.  This kick plate is in a royal mess anyway so I'd rather cover it up anyway.  The nearside one just needs a good paint really...this one however is a bit mangled and has a lot more corrosion on than the other one.

Might be a job for this weekend.

[Zelandeth]

After attending the funeral of a friend this morning I found myself with a couple of hours free this afternoon so I decided to try to crack on with getting the offside kick plate sorted.

After a couple of hours of hitting things with hammers and swearing at it we were done.

Then the seal was refitted.

Which meant I could finish putting the cabin back together.

Annoyingly I'm about 1/3 a tile short of being able to do the parcel shelf too...so that will need to be addressed in the near future.

There was one bit that was clearly not stuck down properly down by the windscreen washer bottle.

Two minutes to blast a bit of adhesive down the back and wedging a screwdriver behind the washer bottle for half an hour while the glue set sorted that out.

I noticed when starting up that I apparently had gunk in the idle jet of the carb again, though this did clear after a few minutes.  Think I may see where it's come from.

Yep...the metal internal cap has fallen off the paper element in the fuel filter...that will need changing then.  Why is getting decent consumables so hard these days?

After a quick run round the block I can definitely report that the noise levels in the cabin are very much reduced, as is the general amount of rattles.  I'll try to get a better test done tomorrow.

 

[Mrs6C]

That looks great. It's amazing what a difference something that simple makes to the cabin.

Along with the carpet on the parcel shelf, I reckon a piece inside each door (stuck to the inside of the outer doorskin, facing into the cabin) would look good too. Itwould echo the treatment on the lower panel of the door.

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Mrs6C said:

That looks great. It's amazing what a difference something that simple makes to the cabin.

Along with the carpet on the parcel shelf, I reckon a piece inside each door (stuck to the inside of the outer doorskin, facing into the cabin) would look good too. Itwould echo the treatment on the lower panel of the door.

Thanks!

Doing the inside of the door cavity is already on my list.  Just didn't have any tiles left.  I didn't quite make enough allowance for wastage, plus used a bit more on account of a couple of lines that I thought were straight not being straight which are into the stocks a little further.

The bits I'll be applying further material of this type to will be:

[] Parcel shelf, probably over the top of some actual Dynamat or similar.  Will also be adding a cargo net, someone over on UKSaabs suggested that top tip, and it will make it a far more usable space I think.

[] Door cavities.  Both for visual effect and to further reduce drumming from those large flat panels.

[] Sun visor surround.  This was the only surface in the car with a soft finish originally, so it would feel fitting to return it to that state.

[] Windscreen pillars.  I don't like the finish on them now and they're angled such that they are terrible for reflections if the sun is even vaguely low.

These can all be done without needing to take half the car apart once I've got some more stock in at least.

 

[bobdisk]

Its beginning to look like a proper luxurious limousine !

[Zelandeth]

5 hours ago, bobdisk said:

Its beginning to look like a proper luxurious limousine !

Well that might be a bit of an exaggeration...but I think it's starting to look a bit more like I think it might have if AC had made an effort to market it as a tiny car for personal transport (albeit probably in two seater form) rather than to just conform to a contract spec.

@LightBulbFun, do we know if there are any photos out there of the interiors of the prototype AC Town Cars which we've come to suspect consist of large portions of Model 70 under the skin?  Be curious to see what sort of level of finish and sorts of materials AC went with.  I'm guessing padded vinyl featured heavily.

[LightBulbFun]

15 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Well that might be a bit of an exaggeration...but I think it's starting to look a bit more like I think it might have if AC had made an effort to market it as a tiny car for personal transport (albeit probably in two seater form) rather than to just conform to a contract spec.

@LightBulbFun, do we know if there are any photos out there of the interiors of the prototype AC Town Cars which we've come to suspect consist of large portions of Model 70 under the skin?  Be curious to see what sort of level of finish and sorts of materials AC went with.  I'm guessing padded vinyl featured heavily.

it is worth noting that Model 70's Post March 1976, where fitted from the factory with a head liner  

 

sadly I do not on the town car front, it is something I am very curious about myself as well I think OPK110L and VPA167M have been exported to who knows where in the US,

but KPA185K is in the ps.speicher transport museum in Germany, and it also frequented Microcar shows in the UK in the 1980's so id like to think SOMEONE grabbed some pictures of her interior (so I have asked stuart if he has anything he can share)

and if not, its "only" in Germany and so im hopeful someone here will visit that museum and be able to grab shots of it for me

if I dont just end up visiting in person myself at some point  

(and I also do plan to contact the museum via email at some point in time if nothing else, so will ask shots for it then as well, they have a small gaggle of British invalid vehicles which I have been posting about in my thread recently as someone on flicker has been uploading pictures of them  )

 

 

TPA is looking very nice BTW, ill be honest I was not sure how well the carpet would be when I saw it in tile form, but in the car although it does remind me of an office building, does work very well, its nice and clean looking  

[Slowsilver]

24 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

...but I think it's starting to look a bit more like I think it might have if AC had made an effort to market it as a tiny car for personal transport (albeit probably in two seater form) rather than to just conform to a contract spec.

Is there any practical reason why you couldn't install another, or a larger, seat frame and another seat and seat belt? I think there would just about be enough width (think Austin 7) as long as your passengers were not too portly. The mods could be made reversible and a 2-seater Invacar would be a double hoot. You could then thrill / terrify people who have missed out on driving one for themselves. Not sure how well it would perform 2-up though. And you might end up smacking your passenger with the handlebars on tight turns.
 

[LightBulbFun]

26 minutes ago, Slowsilver said:

Is there any practical reason why you couldn't install another, or a larger, seat frame and another seat and seat belt? I think there would just about be enough width (think Austin 7) as long as your passengers were not too portly. The mods could be made reversible and a 2-seater Invacar would be a double hoot. You could then thrill / terrify people who have missed out on driving one for themselves. Not sure how well it would perform 2-up though. And you might end up smacking your passenger with the handlebars on tight turns.
 

no technical reason not, in fact Model 70 Prototype 5 in 1967 was a RHD 2 seater  

but with a regular Model 70, I can see a couple issues, in that its centre hand drive for lack of a better term, so the driver would have to sit in the middle, leaving less space either side, then if it was RHD

and you might have difficulty getting to the gear shifter, unless you can source an original Model 70 Mark A dash mounted gear changer (but all Model 70's where converted to floor change, I only know of 2 Model 70's that retain their dash changer)

which is an issue the owner of MPH759P mentioned with his which has a wider seat fitted from a 1990's Renault express I think...

but he still takes his girl friend out for a spin in it during the summer months   (as the heater is not currently working!)

[spartacus]

That looks really smart Zel, it's transformed the look of the interior, almost welcoming!

You may know but there's a building product called flashband which is basically a very sticky lead replacement, available in different widths, that is very similar in use and qualities to Dynamat, I've used it comprehensively in my camper and in audio builds and it does the job really well, B and Q stock it and it's cheaper!

[egg]

I don't particularly like the phrase, but the M70 has a real 'resto-mod' flavour to it now. I think it looks great and functional.

Without wishing to dig over old ground, I recognise there's been debate on here and elsewhere about whether Invalid cars should be used in this day and age, but I think if you're going to do it, making sensible modifications kind of moves the vehicle on from its original limitations, and maybe does create something new as Zel suggests - a kind of 'mass market' British micro car.

And given the prices of actual British micro-cars, this does make it a very accessible way in to that world, for now.

[bobdisk]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Is that Mini Pick Up rear lights?

[LightBulbFun]

12 minutes ago, bobdisk said:

Is that Mini Pick Up rear lights?

Nah, they are Mini Traveller rear lights, not standard fit (but I do know of one other Model 70 that has em fitted)

but the Model 70 was fitted with  later style Mini pickup rear lights in the 1990s and 2000's as a replacement for the original type of Model 70 rear lights (which although AFAIK not made specifically  for the Model 70, they first saw vehicular use on the Model 70, Reliant also then used em)

(which in turn replaced the Lucas L572 rear lights on the User trial Prototype Model 70's and where also found on the Model 67 and later Tippen Delta's )

[dollywobbler]

Loving this. Slam some wood on the dash next. INVAPLAH! 

I'd hesitate to put that much carpet in TWC because she leaks like a sieve and is often used in, um, inclement weather. TPA is looking mighty fine though, and I'm taking on board your comments about floor thrum. I really could do with toning down the noise levels.

[Zelandeth]

3 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Loving this. Slam some wood on the dash next. INVAPLAH! 

I'd hesitate to put that much carpet in TWC because she leaks like a sieve and is often used in, um, inclement weather. TPA is looking mighty fine though, and I'm taking on board your comments about floor thrum. I really could do with toning down the noise levels.

It's worth looking carefully...The nearside of mine was mostly fine aside from wanting a couple of extra fasteners...The offside however lacked any connection to the chassis or floor itself aside from one half rotten rivet at the front.  The pressure of the door against the kick plate was mostly what was holding the panel down!

Getting TPA (mostly) weather tight has taken quite a bit of work.  I really do need to replace the windscreen seal though as that's always going to be an issue I think until it's changed.

Moving the floor mounted gear selector in either direction wouldn't be too difficult, I did actually consider moving mine a few inches to the right as it's really close to the edge of the seat frame - however found I was able to bend the end of the lever sufficiently to get an inch or so of clearance.  The selector rod can be attached anywhere along the lever, so just a matter of removing the four bolts holding the brackets in and shifting them.  Biggest challenge would probably be *getting* those bolts out...Though I'd probably not bother to be honest and would just zip them off with the grinder.

Not a huge amount of things left planned for the interior, it's mostly getting towards where I want it to be now.  A lot of finer detail work, but getting the flooring etc sorted out was probably one of the biggest things.

[Zelandeth]

I think I can now say that Phase 1 of the Invacar retrim project is complete.

The fuel filter which had fallen apart internally...

...Has now been replaced.

I have a glass bodied filter which can be serviced on the way as I'm guessing all of these filters in the bag are likely as bad as each other.

Having been out to run a few errands today I can definitely vouch for the fact that the general noise levels have been vastly reduced.  By far the most annoying thing in that regard now is the nearside door which rattles quite a bit.  I think if we get some better seals in there I'm hoping that might improve things in that department, we'll see.  I suspect that there's a certain element of "they just do that" due to the design though.  As it is though the car is far more pleasant to travel in now than it was.

Phase 2 will be lining the roof and replacing the cracked dash moulding with my spare one...not sure when that will happen, but likely a job for either the depths of winter or early next year I think. 

I'm quite pleased with how this project has turned out, especially as I've never done anything like this before.

[brownnova]

That looks cracking to be fair! Great work! 

[bobdisk]

10 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Phase 2 will be lining the roof and replacing the cracked dash moulding with my spare one...not sure when that will happen, but likely a job for either the depths of winter or early next year I think. 

I think @dollywobbler put a proper headlining in. Perhaps he could say where he got it.

[beko1987]

Now I've driven one, their surprisingly perky from 0 to 30/40, for bumbling locally around MK I bet its 100% nicer just from the carpet on the floor, let alone everything else! 

Just not being a noisy banging tin box will have won half its battle! 

[Noel Tidybeard]

leather bench seat and walnut fablon on the dash for what Mr Wobbly said- Invaplah/Invaplas 😁

[Zelandeth]

5 hours ago, bobdisk said:

I think @dollywobbler put a proper headlining in. Perhaps he could say where he got it.

They were fitted to the later vehicles from the factory.  The one DW found I believe was just a NOS one that turned up in a shed with a stash of other spares as I recall.  I'm sure they will pop up now and then if I were to watch carefully enough.

It does rob a bit if headroom though and doesn't play 100% nicely with the sun visor panel, so I reckon just lining the inside of the roof directly will do just fine for me. 

[LightBulbFun]

6 hours ago, bobdisk said:

I think @dollywobbler put a proper headlining in. Perhaps he could say where he got it.

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

They were fitted to the later vehicles from the factory.  The one DW found I believe was just a NOS one that turned up in a shed with a stash of other spares as I recall.  I'm sure they will pop up now and then if I were to watch carefully enough.

It does rob a bit if headroom though and doesn't play 100% nicely with the sun visor panel, so I reckon just lining the inside of the roof directly will do just fine for me. 

I think Dollywobblers one was found on ebay? (I know the seller had mentioned he sold 3 other sets, not sure where the others ended up sadly)

and dates to 1997, and as such im pretty sure its a post production replacement type for the original  headliner (like how the Britax rear lights replaced the original  rear lights in the 1990s)

but  its interesting to note that no one had ever seen one like it until Dollywobbler found his, well until Dolly and REV showed up with the same head liners installed! but no ones seen one like it since in any other Model 70 AFAIK

most Post March 1976 Model 70's have a head liner that looks like this (I really wish they actually incremented the Mark letter would make talking about that revision of Model 70 easier LOL)

a big 1 piece fabric thing that I think was stuck directly to the roof at the factory, (which Is what I imagine your probably aiming for with TPA?)

where as the ones in TWC, Dolly and REV are separate fabric pieces glued to more typical headliner type plywood board then pushed/fitted into place

as a side note TWC, being a Model 70 Mark A was never meant to be fitted with a head liner hence why DW had to trim a bit off of it to clear the roof mounted heater/choke controls, as when the Model 70 was fitted with a Headliner from the factory the heater/choke controls had already been moved to the floor, and im little surprised its not fallen down yet given it has no rollover bar to support it at the rear! although I think the roof section on his is pretty well wedged in by the side panels and some heater hose clips

[Zelandeth]

Yeah, if there was an actual Mk A and Mk B it would save a lot of confusion talking to others!

I will probably go with a fabric directly on the roof for the main part, though I may make a chipboard trim piece for the sides to cover the heater pipe and the control cables.  Or just replace the heater pipe and all its fasteners so it doesn't look scruffy.  Doing it in four pieces will probably be far easier too (main roof, left, right and rear screen surround).

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Yeah, if there was an actual Mk A and Mk B it would save a lot of confusion talking to others!

well there was an actual denoted Model 70 Mark A and a Model 70 Mark B (Mark B being introduced in July 1974, starting with WPC751M for AC and RTW695M for Invacar)

(but for some reason the Mark Section on Chassis plates on the actual cars never got filled out, but it was there on official DHSS paperwork etc)

but there never was a Denoted Model 70 Mark C when there really should have been LOL 

the Model 70 Mark B had several chassis strengthening and crash safety improvements and a whole bunch of other changes,

but then  in Late March 1976 the finial revision of Model 70 was introduced, which included a bunch more changes like the addition of the rollover bar the headliner and the revised dash board /instrumentation but parts for these Model 70's are just marked Mark B but  with an asterisk mark  and a note saying "fitted to vehicles from AC MPD477P Chassis No xxxx, and Invacar NVW205P Chassis No xxxx" (when they really should have just made it Model 70 Mark C from that point onwards LOL)

 

there where also a bunch of smaller changes throughout production after the Mark B update which are also noted in the same fashion by Reg/Chassis number in the parts list

for example the Model 70 did not switch to 10 inch wheels until GPL351N/JAR185N respectively (so the Early Mark B's where still on 12 inch Dunlop LP 591 wheels)

(but MPD477P/NVW205P is the last time any difference in parts where noted in the parts manual)