Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[Inspector Morose]

80+ achieved in K2CEN, an Expressliner Plaxton B10M whilst on test one day on the M6.

 

No, not road test. My PSV driving test. (the joys of knowing the Ministry tester of old)

 

He did make me work before on a previous test with full gear exercise on a semi auto National (for which you got an auto licence hence why the second test on the Expressliner) including crawler.

[Inspector Morose]

I digress. I came here to reply - Buy electric forklift, transfer electrical gubbins to Invacar. Job jobbed.

[dollywobbler]

Mostly what I'm doing today is trying to get the Invacar indoors. That means tidying up.

 

I also have lots of spare wheels. Left is a Morris Minor I think. No idea why I have it. Middle is an XM steelie with a reasonable (but old) tyre. To the right, I have some horrible off roader tyre that's scrap, and a pair of 14" tyres for a car I don't think I own anymore. They're scrap too. 2CV wheels aren't bad, so they've gone into storage.

 

 

I also found an XM strut top purchased from Chaseracer, but which turned out to be the wrong size - it's a big one, so I think fitted to the 2.5 and V6. If anyone wants it, £100 is a lot cheaper than a specialist will charge. It's brand new, never fitted.

[tooSavvy]

https://youtu.be/MYz8S3U7kp0

 

.... Cometh the Day!

 

 

TS

[Ben_O]

I'm not condoning the title of this video but the kid seems to be getting quite a turn of speed out of this one

 

 

Looks exciting 

[dollywobbler]

Phew! That was hard work. Nippa started the dragging process, but myself and Mrs DW had to pull/push her in. We had to use sodden planks as skids for the seized rear wheel, which worked really well! It'll be a lot easier to sort out that brake in the garage.

 

It's still a shameful mess, but it's a shameful mess with two cars in it!

[richardmorris]

Bit more judicious tidying would get a couple more in there! Perhaps whithout room to work on them though. You do appear to have boxed the poor 2cv into a corner though. Sorned for winter?

[dollywobbler]

Bit more judicious tidying would get a couple more in there! Perhaps whithout room to work on them though. You do appear to have boxed the poor 2cv into a corner though. Sorned for winter?

 

Photos are deceptive. There's a nice amount of room to work on TWC, but no room for another motor. But yes, Elly is boxed in for the winter. I need to pull off some of her panels and get them painted, plus fit the hatchback kit I've had since January. The state of the Honda at the moment has convinced me that SORNing the 2CV for the winter was the right move. It's seriously mucky, and they've been chucking loads of salt down recently.

[richardmorris]

Salt is the problem isn’t it. Mine has only lasted so long as it’s not used that much in all weathers any more. Are you sure about the hatchback kit? They’re not too kind on original roofs, or do you have a matt’s?

[dollywobbler]

Salt is the problem isn’t it. Mine has only lasted so long as it’s not used that much in all weathers any more. Are you sure about the hatchback kit? They’re not too kind on original roofs, or do you have a matt’s?

 

Have a Matt's, so should be ok. The tag at the bottom of the window has actually broken off, so I'm halfway there already!

[dollywobbler]

Anyway, back to the Invacars. Extreme heat has very nearly freed off the offside rear wheel now. It moved for a bit, but is now stuck again. I'm trying to undo the adjuster, but it may be seized and I also don't seem to have anything to fit it - quarter inch I think? I did try putting a 1/4 socket in my molegrips, but I think that's just slowly destroying the socket...

[plasticvandan]

Generally a mallet on the face of the drum between the studs,alternating top to bottom,side to side will get it off pretty quickly

[dollywobbler]

Thanks. That, plus gentle levering against the backplate with a flat bar (I know, you shouldn't ever do that) did the trick in the end. No pics, because it was getting dark (even in that corner of my garage) and I'm a bit rubbish, but unsurprisingly, the shoes have plenty of meat on them. The adjuster freed off nicely in the end, with judicious use of penetrating oil.

 

Thing is, the wheels are STILL not easy to turn. I had a brainwave at this point, and jacked up the other side. Sure enough, while still not exactly easy, both sides now turn fairly freely. I find this a bit odd, but then I don't fully understand how the vario belt system works. I am wondering whether it is actually in neutral - the selector doesn't seem to move a great deal - a couple of inches each way. Not having a handbook or any instructions, it's hard to know, but I'd appreciate some input from the DAF brigade.

 

I then got thinking and wondered if my partially-seized engine was actually it just not being able to turn the wheels. However, even with the car lifted, it's still stopping rather firmly at one point. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get the rocker covers off tomorrow and check the valves. If they're all where they should be, I might get really brave and take a head off.

[Eddie Honda]

Wheels aren'y going to spin-spin with the drag of the belt(s).

 

MOAR PICS NEEDED.

[Christine]

[DodgeRover]

While the engine is out you should just test fit something like a V8 outboard engine. Just in case...

[plasticvandan]

From memory there is indeed a neutral,in fact I'm sure there is,as the standard recovery dolly for these left the rear wheels on the ground,which is usually a no no for CVT systems.There are copies of the owners handbook available (I've got some for older models) but information is limited as users weren't expected to do anything other than check the oil and put fuel in.

Interestingly the prototype Model 70 used the Fiat 500 engine, but by the time it was production ready Fiat were due to launch the 126 and couldn't supply them,so they went to Puch instead.The Salisbury transmission cost a lot to develop iirc.Amazing that prior to this they were 4 speed manuals,brake,clutch and throttle all with one hand!

[plasticvandan]

And I shall trump my photo post with this gem,in colour!

[dollywobbler]

Great stuff folks, especially Christine. Love it.

 

Suspicion by those who know is that the centrifugal clutch has probably gone awry. They don't like not being used apparently. So, it might be engine out time tomorrow...

[Ben_O]

In this video, the man demonstrates the function of the 'gear lever' which may help you determine on yours?

 

[barrett]

Phwoar. Brief but tantalising glimpses of a Vernon there. What a treat.

 

Great bit of film, thanks for sharing

[plasticvandan]

And a Harper:-) my dad still remembers the different colour the Harper came in when he was an 8 year old travelling with my grandad in a Bedford HA going round Herefordshire and Worcestershire servicing and repairing them,only this week my grandad told me about one he had to go and sweep up after it had been hit up the back

[dollywobbler]

In this video, the man demonstrates the function of the 'gear lever' which may help you determine on yours?

 

 

Thanks. Mine is moving about as much as it should then. I've not got choke controls like that on either of mine. 

[eddyramrod]

,only this week my grandad told me about one he had to go and sweep up after it had been hit up the back

I hit one up the backside in about 1981, with my brown Toledo.  I'd just changed the clutch and it was awfully sharp.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Asimo]

Always been irritated that cars had seperate electrical machines to start and generate. Needless duplication, Dynastarts were available right from the beginning of electric starting.

So civilised to start one's engine without uncouth screams from Bendix or (worse) all of those tiny gears in modern starters!

[barrett]

Yeah, it's just a shame Dynastarts are totally shit otherwise they'd be a really good idea

[Zelandeth]

Skoda Estelle probably gets the award from cars I've owned as having the most agricultural sounding starter.

 

As for things I've driven, Tatra T-613 - that thing sounds like some industrial scale torture device and could give small children nightmares when you turn the key - not a problem though as after a couple of seconds any pesky onlookers have been sucked into the cooling fan anyway...

[Yoss]

I'm just jealous you've driven a T613.

[dollywobbler]

Ok, folk don't seem to think a stuck valve is likely, and nor do I if I'm honest. So, could it be chunks of carbon as can happen on 2CVs? I'm starting to wish I had a borescope now.

[Noel Tidybeard]

for the money these aint bad

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-10mm-Android-Phone-IP67-Snake-Inspection-USB-Endoscope-Wifi-Tube-LED-Camera/222669373744?hash=item33d8210130:m:m_vorSltAZ8FSAlzGyM0K3g