Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[Christine]

All the signs are there to show those brakes have been very well maintained indeed. Fastidiously so, in fact.

If they'd been on a Ford 105e , they'd have rusted away to dust

[Zelandeth]

Even bearing in mind the heat exchanger components, I'm baffled by the complexity of that exhaust system.  I'd really expected just a 2/3 scale equivalent of what was on my T25 (very early 1.6 - slow as a wet week, but gorgeous raspy exhaust note).

 

I'd be very tempted to get something made up in stainless...sure a far simpler but equally effective setup could be made and help free up space.

 

...am I just strange, or is it okay that I'm finding these little cars utterly fascinating?  Also am willing this little thing to live far more than I should really care.

 

That said, same is true of the V8 LDV 400 in another thread.  

[Eddie Honda]

Yes, they are 7" girling brakes.

The only question you need to ask then is how many 1/16th of a inch the bores of the wheel cylinders are.

 

The knack with those slide cylinders is getting the bastard interlocking springy U clips off that hold them onto the backplate.

[Sheefag]

One of the weirdest facts about Invacars, is how they attract Nuns. I bet dolly's gaff is crawling with the fuckers by now. Like zombie Penguins.

 

[timolloyd]

He'll have to get in the habit of stopping for photos with them.

[Sheefag]

It's a look he could convincingly carry off, I reckon.

[Datsuncog]

Yup, G1 is the badger! Thanks.

 

So I had a good rummage in my assorted boxes of car-junk last night, and the bad news is the wiper blade adaptors (G1, or whatever other code they may have had) appear to have been tossed... I must have felt that storing them for nearly twenty years without finding a need for them was just a bit too long. Dammit! Sorry about that...

 

There is one for sale on eBay, but £5.50 + £4.00 p&p (from Latvia) does sound a bit rich for a tiny bit of plastic... equally, they're available on Alibaba.com - but I don't think you need 1,000 of them.

 

 

Might be a motor factor job, I'm afraid... they really aren't impossible to find, but they usually just come along with the blade. IIRC, Series Land Rovers (and quite a few other older cars) use these same adaptors?

 

Alternatively, Rimmer Bros has wiper blades with built-in steel connectors, avoiding further breakages.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Gave the spares car a wash for no reason at all. Neighbours can consider it a Christmas treat.

[coalnotdole]

The wheel cylinders all look very clean for a car thats been off the road so long...

 

If / when you have them apart its well worth checking the bore size of the pistions. There are several different sizes in very similar looking girling bodies and its easy for online sellers using old parts lists to mix them up. 5/8" and 3/4 were the most common sizes. Some sellers refer to the more in decimal increments just to further mix things up. The bodies are generally all look very similar so its worth checking any replacment. 

 

Also watch out for really cheap wheel cylinders some have an alternative design of lip seal which means that service kits designed for geninuine Girling cylinders won't fit.

 

After a few bad experiences buying for Scimitars and Rebels I've now got a strong preference for NOS parts or TRW. (TRW Girling wheel cylinders seem to be made at factories that were formerly part of Lucas - Girling. They went independent after a management buy out in the late 1990's they then went on to me eaten by the American TRW, Who I think have been bought by German ZF, But who still relase parts with TRW branding.

 

So theres a reasonable chance a TRW branded Griling wheel cylinder will be made on the proper tooling in Pontypool!

[dollywobbler]

Thanks! That's worth knowing. I've dropped Angry Dicky a message for now. 

[Zelandeth]

Think a lot of wiper makers have stopped putting multiple fittings in the boxes now.  Last five or so sets I've bought I've had to reuse the old clips because they only came with one in the box.

[SiC]

I need some wipers for the MGB that have that clip. Rummaging through the boxes in Halfords I found that Bosch only had one clip. Wasn't sure if it was universal. Didn't look like it.

 

However own brand Halfords wipers did have a whole assortment of attachments. One of which looks like it'd fit wipers without a hook. I just couldn't bring myself to buy wipers with Halfords branding on them. Even though they would never have been made by them.

[DeeJay]

Poundland wipers had loads of different fittings (bought for rear window wiper).

[Junkman]

So theres a reasonable chance a TRW branded Griling wheel cylinder will be made on the worn out tooling in Guangzhou!

EFA

[greengartside]

I'll have a look for one in my dad's shed, I remember buying wiper blades with those adaptors years back and I may have kept them in a drawer somewhere. Will check tomorrow.

[mat_the_cat]

Even bearing in mind the heat exchanger components, I'm baffled by the complexity of that exhaust system.  I'd really expected just a 2/3 scale equivalent of what was on my T25 (very early 1.6 - slow as a wet week, but gorgeous raspy exhaust note).

 

I'd be very tempted to get something made up in stainless...sure a far simpler but equally effective setup could be made and help free up space.

 

If you do decide to go down this route, I can recommend HIB over on Anglesey. Not sure if they would need the car to work from though, or whether the original would be enough of a pattern.

[Junkman]

Even bearing in mind the heat exchanger components, I'm baffled by the complexity of that exhaust system.

 

It can be simplified. A lot.

 

[Timewaster]

Gave the spares car a wash for no reason at all. Neighbours can consider it a Christmas treat.

Let me get this right.......

 

You hand washed a scrap spares car that sits on pallets.....

 

In December.....

 

In Wales.....

 

Bravo!

[dollywobbler]

It is surprisingly mild at the moment. Mrs DW didn't even notice. Sigh.

[richardmorris]

Yup, G1 is the badger! Thanks.

Aren’t they like the 2cv ones?

[dollywobbler]

Aren’t they like the 2cv ones?

 

No, I don't think so. I did try. 

[greengartside]

Success! I had a look in dad's shed and unbelievably I have found one. Never used.

 

 

 

Is this the one you're after?

[dollywobbler]

That'll do nicely! I shall PM.

[dollywobbler]

This wiper joy only slightly makes up for the fact that the package of service items has got delayed, and won't be here until the 27th. Annoying. I'd really like to chuck fresh filters and oil at the engine.

[dollywobbler]

In exhaust news, the one on the spares car doesn't seem too bad, so some swappage will occur. There may well be roof swappage at some point too, as they just bolt on.

 

Trying to unlock the code of the rear lights is a tricky one. Word on the street is that they started off with what looks suspiciously like caravan lights. 

 

Both mine have Mini pick-up lights. Speaking to those who know a bit about these, it seems the change to Mini pick-up lights came later, but was retro-fitted to earlier cars. That makes sense, because the spares AC Model 70 has holes beneath the current lamps, because the earlier lamp style was longer. TWC doesn't have those though, which makes me wonder if all Invacar Model 70s used Mini lamps from the off. Who knows? Yes, I do actually think about this sort of thing. Far too much of the time.

[chaseracer]

They're all standard generic items (Lucas...?) anyway.

[Asimo]

Engine has plenty of performance potential!

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dOJXBxd9-1o

[plasticvandan]

Anal lamp knowledge time! The original style fitted in Dolly's pic is the same as Reliant used on the mk1 Robin and Kitten,made by CEP.However much later on as said the (still available) trailer (mini pickup)lamps were used and retro fitted once they broke or needed replacing.Though the Robin lamps look a bit more in proportion,they are pants and can't be bought new.

[dollywobbler]

I think that Puch is cheating Asimo. Here's one still with its flat twin.

[Sheefag]

Anal lamp

Love to see the options list