Project Dollywobbler's Invacar - Ongoing

[plasticvandan]

[Zelandeth]

Not something daft like imperial original fastener, and metric replacement cylinder is it?

 

Have played that game on BMC stuff before.  Had a Metro once which had half metric and half imperial brakes...

[John F]

 

Fit a motorbike front mudguard & drive it like it is

[dollywobbler]

What is there in the way of electrics in these DW? Obviously lights, horn, and instruments - but what else do they have? Is there a radio? Heater? Touchscreen nav and infotainment centre?

 

Er, sod all! Heater is just warm air blasted in by the engine fan, no radio, no thrills, just a few buttons for wiper, lights, indicator and I think that really is about it. 

 

New 50 amp fuse fitted, voltage regulator back in, but that's about as much of anything as I can do at the moment. I could start trying to replace the other wheel cylinders and the master, but I think I'd like to get the corner I've started on finished first. Also, I feel man flu coming on, so sod standing around in a freezing cold garage today.

[johngarty]

Dan you need to 'borrow' the front end of DW's spares car.

[Stanky]

Er, sod all! Heater is just warm air blasted in by the engine fan, no radio, no thrills, just a few buttons for wiper, lights, indicator and I think that really is about it.

 

Is it possible, and do you have any desire to fit a radio? Can you control the speed at which exhaust fumes hot air gets blasted in, or does it just get faster the faster the engine is running?

[Louise2cv]

Its a proper heater is that. As fitted to all the best cars. 

 

I was just wondering what happened to the little pile of invacars that used to sit in that compound visible from the A55/A470 junction at Llandudno. Had a look on google maps but there's no sign, guess they are long gone.

[dollywobbler]

Is it possible, and do you have any desire to fit a radio? Can you control the speed at which exhaust fumes hot air gets blasted in, or does it just get faster the faster the engine is running?

 

You can fit a radio to any car!

 

Aircooled heating is very dependent on engine load and speed. A 2CV in a traffic jam is a nightmare. Heater works best on the motorway. In the summer.

[plasticvandan]

Its a proper heater is that. As fitted to all the best cars. 

 

I was just wondering what happened to the little pile of invacars that used to sit in that compound visible from the A55/A470 junction at Llandudno. Had a look on google maps but there's no sign, guess they are long gone.

believe those were pulled out and saved a few years ago.

[DeeJay]

How are you going to power your webcam?

[PhilA]

You can fit a radio to any car!

Wonder how much electrical noise the Dynastart system makes. Probably less than an alternator.

 

The requirement for high wattage speakers to overcome engine and road noise may exceed the generating capability when you have extra fancy things on, like headlights for instance

 

Phil

[dollywobbler]

How are you going to power your webcam?

 

I have battery packs.

[brownnova]

Its a proper heater is that. As fitted to all the best cars.

 

I was just wondering what happened to the little pile of invacars that used to sit in that compound visible from the A55/A470 junction at Llandudno. Had a look on google maps but there's no sign, guess they are long gone.

That site appears to have been cleared of most of the interesting stuff now and replaced with more modern scrappers. I used to love going to Llandudno (with the express purpose of) and having a nosey at what was there... haven't seen an invacar there for a good few years now!

[Zelandeth]

Dynastart is rated for 230W max output.  So provided you're using something with reasonably efficient speakers and/or them close to your head you should be fine I reckon. 

 

I suspect it's going to be very much typical dynamo behaviour of floating around 12V at anything below "on the move" engine rev levels.

[dollywobbler]

Serious man flu (or possibly even Aussie flu) has left me pretty much broken this week, so precious little progress. I've been dousing the spares car's dizzy with penetrating oil and ATF, but mostly, I needed more bits.

 

Which have now arrived.

 

I have a brake pipe flaring tool too, so need to chop the old flare off, fit a new nut and then re-flare. As I buggered up the thread on the old nut, I'll first be checking the wheel cylinder in the hope I haven't ruined it...

[dollywobbler]

And the news is good. Forced myself into the garage for a bit, pulled the wheel cylinder off again and the new pipe nut screws in nicely. MAJOR RELIEF.

 

Unfortunately, I can't get it far along enough the pipe to leave space to flare the end, due to a couple of kinks. Any suggestions? I guess heat could help, but I'm a little wary about residual brake fluid - the pipe is still plumbed in at the moment (because the other end is an absolute sod to get at - just can't get a spanner on it).

 

Have decided that more sofa time and the snooker is a better plan for now.

[richardthestag]

good news about the thread

 

how long is this section of pipe up until the next union?

 

the reason I ask I have offcuts of kunifer 3/8 pipe that is piss easy to flare using your tool, why not replace the section that is damaged, it will certainly go into a t or even 3 way union somewhere

 

If you need 2-3 feet of the stuff I will probably have a length in my "might come in useful one day" stash that would fit into a jiffy bag

[dollywobbler]

It's not very long at all, but the next connection is impossible to get at. I just can't see any way to get a spanner on it without removing either the body or the suspension arm. I suspect it was fitted before the body was...

[drum]

Unfortunately, I can't get it far along enough the pipe to leave space to flare the end, due to a couple of kinks. Any suggestions?

You must have a hand held flaring tool, like I do, which I have used to straighten out a bend in the pipe. Carefully tighten the block up on the kink.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I'd be tempted to take a deep breath and replace all the existing lines with nice new copper lines.

 

Yes it'll be a pain in the arse but I reckon you'll keep this one for a while.

 

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[beko1987]

I'd be tempted to take a deep breath and replace all the existing lines with nice new copper lines.

 

Yes it'll be a pain in the arse but I reckon you'll keep this one until october.

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[Zelandeth]

To be fair, there's only a single brake pipe front to rear, a T piece just in front of the rear wheels then a single pipe heading off to the flexi to each semi trailing arm - I imagine it's the fiddly bit at the far end of that Flexi that's causing trouble.  Of course the one bit I don't have a photo of from when mine was on its side.

 

Had a poke through the manual but didn't see a clear diagram showing the routing clearly.

 

What state are the flexi hoses in?  If that needs changing anyway and the other end is utterly inaccessible with the body in place, maybe it makes sense to see if it can be re-routed in a more service-friendly manner?

[dollywobbler]

Flexis seem ok, and the hard line is already cupro-nickel by the look if it. All in good condition, as you'd expect. These things really were designed for a long service life - 30 years in the case of this one!

[twosmoke300]

If you need copper or cupro nickel pipe then I'm sure I could sort that for you on wed

[dollywobbler]

Thanks. I think I should be able to sort this. Might even go and have a go now, because I'm seriously struggling with cabin fever.

[dollywobbler]

All done.

 

Unfortunately, my toes were frozen by this point, so putting the shoes back on will have to wait. Took a couple of goes to flare the pipe, as I've not done it before, but thankfully only had to cut off one error. Didn't have enough spare pipe for another fail!

[Skizzer]

No wonder your toes are frozen if you’ve got your shoes off (ba-dum tish).

[plasticvandan]

Went to see my grandad today who wanted to give me some of his old tools,amongst which was a gorgeous steel toolbox which he was issued with by the Ministry for Invacar repair

[richardthestag]

All done.

 

Unfortunately, my toes were frozen by this point, so putting the shoes back on will have to wait. Took a couple of goes to flare the pipe, as I've not done it before, but thankfully only had to cut off one error. Didn't have enough spare pipe for another fail!

 

brilliant 

 

one job almost done

[dollywobbler]

If any tools are going begging Dan, I'm woefully short of imperial spanners. A proper one for the brake adjuster would be handy too.