Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[Andyrew]

Please tell me there was a drag race at some point?  

[dollywobbler]

57 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Awesome to see these two together.  They have Come along way from sitting in that field. 

Im fairly local to Milton Keynes in dunstable,I work in a motor factors aswell should you need anything. Shitters discount applied ?. 

 

Have you got any Invacar transmissions in stock? I fear TWC's is ever so far from healthy. Driving TPA was a bit of a revelation...

[Andyrew]

 

43 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Have you got any Invacar transmissions in stock? I fear TWC's is ever so far from healthy. Driving TPA was a bit of a revelation...

If we did you would have been the first person I'd call ?

We do have cable ties, duct tape and a kettle. 

Was the gearbox really That big of a difference? 

 

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, TWC's sounds like mechanical carnage. There's a bit of me hoping it's just some strange resonance being set off somewhere as I'm not prepared to think too much about what could be broken. We did check the diff oil earlier and it was rather silvery...

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Andyrew said:

 

If we did you would have been the first person I'd call ?

We do have cable ties, duct tape and a kettle. 

Was the gearbox really That big of a difference? 

 

 

 

My gut feeling following a brief shot of TWC is that the diff is quite unhappy.  Don't reckon it's the actual gearbox.

Think early 90s Transit back axle howl.

What I don't know is how long it's been like that...and what sounds like hell in as tiny and lacking in sound insulation car as an Invacar could well be very much background noise in a normal car...and diffs can often go on for a long while while making a heck of a racket.  That's my untrained in anything other than "messing about with cars and buses since I was old enough to hold a spanner."

 

Love those photos of them driving in convoy.  Was really interesting to drive TWC for comparison.  Aside from the obvious grumbling drive the obvious differences are that TPA feels generally more eager, the 10" wheels on TPA make her feel more stable in a straight line, engine wise TWC is a lot quieter, I really hadn't realised how flipping loud TPA's exhaust is.  Brakes feel very similar in terms of amount of braking force Vs pressure applied, so I reckon mine will be just fine once the new master cylinder is on there.  Throttle control is far lighter, though that's not a surprise as my twist grip is quite bodged just now.  Oh, and the straight indicator stalk is way less awkward than the cranked one I have.  It's surprising how different they feel in less easily quantified ways too... they're definitely two cars with very different characters.

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

yeah but which one is fasterer

[Angrydicky]

Real shame there's no 'proper' weekend Essex museum meet, similar to the Lakeland one. That looked GR8 but was prohibitively far for a lot of us. The same could have worked really well at the Castle Point transport museum.

But a midweek visit at 8pm at the Festival Leisure Park!? Sounds like just a token gesture.

Sorry.

 

[LightBulbFun]

11 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Have you got any Invacar transmissions in stock? I fear TWC's is ever so far from healthy. Driving TPA was a bit of a revelation...

do you know why TPAs transmission gear selector is sized?

if you can free that off then its worth throwing into TWC and see if anything improves?

(it would also get you a "new" Diff) granted the diff in these are just normally Fiat units, I wonder if you could fit some fancy LSD one or something

 

but otherwise very cool stuff! I hope theres some nice video action for me to ogle at

[dollywobbler]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

Real shame there's no 'proper' weekend Essex museum meet, similar to the Lakeland one. That looked GR8 but was prohibitively far for a lot of us. The same could have worked really well at the Castle Point transport museum.

But a midweek visit at 8pm at the Festival Leisure Park!? Sounds like just a token gesture.

Sorry.

 

Well the main problem is that I'm not going to be in Essex at a weekend. Terribly sorry to disappoint you...

[Angrydicky]

10 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Well the main problem is that I'm not going to be in Essex at a weekend. Terribly sorry to disappoint you...

That's quite obvious. Not having a go, I just think it seems a bit of a shame and a missed opportunity.

[dollywobbler]

Made it to Basildon last night, but by heck does the transmission sound awful! I'm wondering if the chain has become slack - it's that sort of a horrific noise, as if it's bouncing off the chain case. Hope to investigate later.

But first, we plan to visit the old Greeves factory sight, as that was the main point of this trip. I'll report back later.

I will say my buttock muscles are worn out, from the severe clenching on the A13 last night. Many miles of flyovers with no hard shoulder and a sick Invacar in heavy traffic!

[Floatylight]

Made it to Basildon last night, but by heck does the transmission sound awful! I'm wondering if the chain has become slack - it's that sort of a horrific noise, as if it's bouncing off the chain case. Hope to investigate later.
But first, we plan to visit the old Greeves factory sight, as that was the main point of this trip. I'll report back later.
I will say my buttock muscles are worn out, from the severe clenching on the A13 last night. Many miles of flyovers with no hard shoulder and a sick Invacar in heavy traffic!

Surprised you're not walking funny from carrying your balls of steel....

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Amishtat]

Also the traffic in that end of Essex was unusually bad last night.  Bad enough in a Sprinter so I can't imagine what your journey was like 

[LightBulbFun]

30 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Made it to Basildon last night, but by heck does the transmission sound awful! I'm wondering if the chain has become slack - it's that sort of a horrific noise, as if it's bouncing off the chain case. Hope to investigate later.

But first, we plan to visit the old Greeves factory sight, as that was the main point of this trip. I'll report back later.

I will say my buttock muscles are worn out, from the severe clenching on the A13 last night. Many miles of flyovers with no hard shoulder and a sick Invacar in heavy traffic!

and to think you have to do all again on the way back home, EEK!

Chod speed good sir! how fast have you gotten her up to yet?

 

(and have you been pulled over yet by a police man who thought Invacars are not allowed on motorways?  )

[dollywobbler]

I haven't been on a motorway yet...

I did go to the factory though! There are two locations. We started at what was the office and spares department before finding the old factory.

The chaps at Endsleigh Invacar are ex-factory and own the one LightbulbFan spotted on Google Earth. It's an AC ringer on a G plate, and painted the wrong shade of blue. Hasn't moved for a good 15 years.

Even better, they had spares on the shelf! I bought two new pulleys and a new drive belt and we fitted them this afternoon. 

Wow. That's how an Invacar should behave! Much more like TPA. Much quieter. The incorrect driven pulley I was using was over-extending and smashing itself to pieces, hence the terrible noise.

50mph is now easy, 60mph possible with time. She can now accelerate uphill! Happy times!

[Joey spud]

Essex does have a purpose after all shocker.

I call that a real result.

[Amishtat]

That's great news! Even better, hopefully you won't be dreading the drive home so much now 

[LightBulbFun]

epic awesome stuff! its amazing how they had parts still!

and im very happy to hear TWCs issues have been resolved

also very happy to see the Model 70 hiding out back has been papped  shame its a little derelict, I wonder what their plans are for it?  (also an AC Model 70 at the Invacar Factory!)

heres a picture of it in slightly happier times  

 

[egg]

Amazing! Do they have any MK12 bits?

[dollywobbler]

40 minutes ago, plasticvandan said:

staggered they have parts on the shelf! and even better they had the parts you needed. They will no doubt have been service agents long after production ceased,but to have hung onto the parts for so long after they went out of service,makes the trip worthwhile  Sometimes just having the right parts in good nick can make all the difference.I wonder if they still had any of the special tools?

He did show me the room for holding the driven pulley apart. We managed without.

[dollywobbler]

4 minutes ago, egg said:

Amazing! Do they have any MK12 bits?

I did ask for you. Sadly not.

[dozeydustman]

Great news you've managed to get hold of the correct NOS parts.

Good luck with your trip to my neck of the woods over the next couple of days, hopefully much more relaxing for you. M23 between M25 and Horsham is a nightmare at the moment.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 5/12/2019 at 5:12 PM, dollywobbler said:

Last time I went your way, the sky was blue due to the number of Police lights. There was a siege going on, so even more lively than usual! It's certainly possible if I decide to avoid Dartford. I hate Dartford, so it kind of makes sense to give it the swerve.

Having worked in Dartford for three years, I never plan on going back...

[dozeydustman]

39 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Having worked in Dartford for three years, I never plan on going back...

only nice things about Dartford are 1) I got married there and the registry office is a hidden thing of beauty in such a rat hole; and 2) the 480 bus to Gravesend.

[eifion]

It's great that you've got the right parts at last. If nothing else it must make you more relaxed at the prospect of the long trip home.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

5 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

only nice things about Dartford are 1) I got married there and the registry office is a hidden thing of beauty in such a rat hole; and 2) the 480 bus to Gravesend.

The Library is alright.  I used to work for the local Mind association there a few years ago.  Was interesting.  Swanley was my area as well...

Anyhow.  Back to Invacars!

[LightBulbFun]

Oh BTW just so people are properly credited, it was @greengartside who spotted WPD607G from space 

[Zelandeth]

Okay... definitely expect a PM shortly for contact details so I can get myself a spare pulley set ordered too.  While mine seem to be behaving so far, given I've still plans afoot for a somewhat epic voyage next year I think changing for actual known good examples seems wise.

[brownnova]

Amazing that you managed to get the parts from the original place of origin! That’s almost poetic! Something very satisfying about that... 

[LightBulbFun]

37 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Okay... definitely expect a PM shortly for contact details so I can get myself a spare pulley set ordered too.  While mine seem to be behaving so far, given I've still plans afoot for a somewhat epic voyage next year I think changing for actual known good examples seems wise.

I posted it in my thread today but incase you missed it, this is the website  http://www.elmsleigh-invacar.co.uk/