Project The Austin 2dr 1100 story - Part IV - Now in sharleys hands

[PhilA]

Horses for courses.

 

Prepare for there never being a correct gear for the speed you're doing if you put 1275 gears on it.

 

Phil

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It'll be fine. 1100's are under geared anyway and they have a fair bit of torque.

[Noel Tidybeard]

this is true my gf many years ago had a 1100 allegro which was much more eager to lighy up the front tyres tha i ever remember on our family 1500!

[Squire_Dawson]

Could you send the speedometer away for repairs? I didn't catch what the fault was, but there are a few firms advertising service and repairs in the classic car mags.

[Tickman]

Could you send the speedometer away for repairs? I didn't catch what the fault was, but there are a few firms advertising service and repairs in the classic car mags.

I think Simon is not really the send it away to be fixed kind unless I'm reading things very wrong.

[DodgeRover]

It needs tyres doesn't it? Just fit larger ones to get the correct ratios.

[SiC]

I think Simon is not really the send it away to be fixed kind unless I'm reading things very wrong.

This is true. My general rule is that if someone else can do it and they don't need specialist tools, then I should be able to do it.

[Tickman]

This is true. My general rule is that if someone else can do it and they need specialist tools, then I should be able get the specialist tools to do it.

Fixed that for you

[SiC]

Sad face.

 

 

 

I suspect the valve seat is worn out. I'll try buying a new valve core and replacing that next. Also taking the valve out completely and flushing the system a couple of times with water to try and remove any other crap still in there.

 

As the car has not moved, I suspect it's just not sealing properly rather than crap getting to the valve again.

[Mally]

This is a stupid suggestion, but you can get a metal extension as used on the inside wheel of some truck wheels.

It may be possible to remove your valve core, locktite a valve extension on.

Voila new valve seal.

 

 

Something like this, but there are shorter, metal ones available, or were in 1980

[SiC]

Would this do the trick and sort my Speedo woes?

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192393063188

 

Or is it because the diff ratio is different that causes the trouble?

[warninglight]

It's a while since I did the same but I don't think that will help you...

 

It put the 3.65 gearing into my 1100 years ago and it was a big improvement for a daily driver. Everyone claims that their entire extended family went for a 3 month holiday to Australia in the family 1100 in the 60s. With a 4.1 diff that's almost believable. For travelling solo or with a couple of passengers, a single carb 1100 can happily pull a 3.65.

 

Our twin carb Riley Kestrel 1300 shat its pinion a few years back so we threw on a spare gearbox I had. Didn't realise it was an 1100 diff on it.

 

Lots of wheelspin, all the time.

 

You could work out the difference in drive speeds etc. And have the Speedo face repainted or stickered?

[BeEP]

Would this do the trick and sort my Speedo woes?

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192393063188

 

Or is it because the diff ratio is different that causes the trouble?

 

Because all mini and ado16 speedo gearing was taken care of with the speedo drive (half of which you have pictured in your ebay link), and they used different size wheels/tyres, and mini 1275 used a 3.444 diff then um no, they're all different.

 

As per my earlier post, I've looked into this quite a bit in the past and concluded that no off the shelf speedo drive will compensate 1100 diff for 1300 diff for vice versa.

 

Regarding larger tyres, ado16 should have 155/80/12.  Wheels are 4" wide, so won't comfortably take a wider tyre, and you can't go bigger on a 155 profile (unless you go back to crossplies!).  13" Allegro/Maxi wheels could be used but there really isn't a huge amount of clearance between the fronr of the rear tyre and subframe/radius arm to go much bigger.

[SiC]

Alternative diffs don't seem in a massive supply either, so swapping them around doesn't seem like it'll be an easy endeavour due to trying to find them.

 

Keeping the same diff & drivetrain setup, the Speedo is half way there though. At least the speed will read correctly. Just the odometer will be incorrect. When I next go to a show, I'll just have to keep an eye out for an MG Midget odometer. They look the right size for a swap in the dash and will count correctly too. Just the trip counter won't be easily possible to reset unless hand up the dash (not the end of the world).

[DodgeRover]

I'm sure you used to be able to buy speedo re calibration units that fitted in the drive cable to give the desired gear up or down. I would speak to a speedo specialist as it may be possible to buy one off the shelf.

Otherwise there is a watch maker/ repairer on here could something be cobbled together from vintage watch parts?

[SiC]

All the speedometer places want £80+ to look at them. I did find somewhere with conversion gearboxes but they wanted £115 for the unit. Those sort of prices will buy me new carpets for inside!

 

The only problem I have left in making this all work is that odometer cog being the wrong one and going the wrong way. So close but so far.

[SiC]

The easy option of course would be to remake the old dash and use the poverty spec big single Speedo clock.

[BeEP]

The only problem I have left in making this all work is that odometer cog being the wrong one and going the wrong way.

 

You need to do what BMC did with the A-series engine (in transverse form); turn it round and fit an idler gear

[SiC]

You need to do what BMC did with the A-series engine (in transverse form); turn it round and fit an idler gear

Oh wait. Does that mean the MG Midget Speedo is likely to have its Speedo input shaft spin the opposite way? Thus a MG Midget Speedo won't work.

[SiC]

I suppose if that's the case, this could be an option: https://www.europaspares.com/angle-drive-for-smiths.html

 

*Gulps at the price*

[purplebargeken]

Never mind the speedo man, get a sat nav fitted. Get on with that bloody welding!

[SiC]

I was hoping I could finish scraping off the underseal and start cleaning up the metal today. Unfortunately the weather isn't co-operating and its raining & blowing a gale.

[BeEP]

Oh wait. Does that mean the MG Midget Speedo is likely to have its Speedo input shaft spin the opposite way? Thus a MG Midget Speedo won't work.

 

I hadn't thought of that, it was just a jocular remark!  I have no idea re Midget speedos (or anything Midget related).

[Noel Tidybeard]

you could always check the speedo in your mg spares car

 

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<runs and hides>

[SiC]

you could always check the speedo in your mg spares car

 

I did! Wrong TPM though.

[SiC]

My God has this car got some grot. Removing the last bits of interior yesterday and found some more rust around the back window. Looks like the seal leaks. Or its rotten around the frame somewhere letting it in. It was wet in these areas, so likely water is getting through for a while.

 

 

Looking around has reminded how much needs to be welded. Pretty sure that I'm going to have to take the rear subframe off and clean up & weld the front mounting area on the body.

 

I got a bit down about it to be honest. Next project is going to be one that is a bit more solid.

 

However I also reminded myself that I don't need to make this perfect and it's fine not to. It just needs to be safe and solid. The fact that the wheel arches are a bit more square and less curved compared to what Issigonis originally drew is perfectly ok.

 

Anyway spent most of yesterday evening on by back and upside down scraping underseal off the bottom of the footwell area that needs to be welded next. Pretty horrible job. Managed to get it all over me and in my hair. Despite wearing goggles I managed to get the damn stuff in my eyes.

 

I'm probably going to try making the Mini panel that Vulgalour supplied fit rather than buying a proper ado16 replacement. Mostly because I never got around to ordering a replacement but also I'm trying to keep expenditure low. Especially as the Jag, being a fifth car, stretching finance a little bit.

 

Current to-do list status:

 

Need to find some suitable card to make a template for the footwell. Most of the stuff I can find or easy access to tends to be thick brown packaging which does not shape easily.

[captain_70s]

Cereal/pizza boxes ftw when it comes to templates!

[SiC]

Cereal/pizza boxes ftw when it comes to templates!

They're not big enough for this hole!

[captain_70s]

Tape a few together

[SiC]

I literally don't have that much spare!

 

I'll probably just nip down to The Range/Hobbycraft and see if I can pick a thin piece of card. Won't be cheap (i.e. not free), but I guess I can reuse it to make it into ever smaller templates. Can also get a piece a bit thicker and less likely to flap about when trying to measure it up.