invacar LightBulbFun's Invacar & general ramble thread, index on page 1, survivors lists on Pages 24/134 & AdgeCutler's Invacar Mk12 Restoration from Page 186 onwards, still harping on...

[Andyrew]

The gearbox mounts while hadn't failed they were tired and showing a wee bit of delamination, with some NOS in the parts stash It makes sense to fit them.  Interestingly both gearbox mount brackets were a little distorted. The nearside mount bracket has been rubbing against the bolt for the suspension with had worn a groove in the mount bracket. I cleaned the burring back and ground a little clearance in. Straightened the distortion out and gave them a quick splash or black just to make me feel better. 

Driveshafts were heavily corroded so a knock back with some 40 grit and a spray of some hammerite makes them marginally nicer.  

[Zelandeth]

I barely recognise that gearbox!  They do seem to like to attract an impressive case of greasy crap.  Attacking TPAs one with detergent and the pressure washer has been on my to do list for ages - especially as every one I've seen weeps to at least some extent from around the driveshafts.  50+ year old congealed EP90 is such fun to deal with isn't it!

I wouldn't worry too much about the scoring on the flywheel - TPA's looked way worse than that as I recall (not surprising given the drivetrain had apparently been getting used as a caravan park tug) but aside from a bit of judder when taking up drive which I reckon is actually on the belt side of things it's been absolutely fine.  Afraid I don't have a good photo of that it seems.

While you're in there check the driveshaft to hub bolts are tight!  All of TPAs had worked loose during the first 2000 or so miles - if you've got good access adding some locking washers would be a good shout.  There's nothing aside from the bolts holding the shaft to the hub, so if they come loose it's going to be Bad News.  There aren't many things on these cars which I would say is an outright bad design - but those rear hubs are one of them.  Between there being no proper coupling to the driveshafts and the utterly unobtanium wheel studs made of cheese they are just an utter pain.  Oh, and the wheel bearings which according to the manual that you need a dynamometer to set up properly, because yes everyone has one of those in the garage.  I sure don't - and so far "that feels about right" seems to have been okay at least!

I guess there *could* originally have been locking tabs/washers/thread lock on the driveshaft bolts - I was transferring secondhand parts over from one car to another so they could just have already been missing.  That's always the slight lottery when using secondhand parts.

[richardmorris]

Congrats. I actively avoid the m1.

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Andyrew said:

I didn't take any before photo but the gearbox was absolutely covered in shite, the engine bay itself was pretty grubby so let's start with making it a bit nicer to work in. Some engine degreaser,, some tar  Remover and a bit of scrubbing later and we are looking better.

 

2 hours ago, Andyrew said:

The gearbox mounts while hadn't failed they were tired and showing a wee bit of delamination, with some NOS in the parts stash It makes sense to fit them.  Interestingly both gearbox mount brackets were a little distorted. The nearside mount bracket has been rubbing against the bolt for the suspension with had worn a groove in the mount bracket. I cleaned the burring back and ground a little clearance in. Straightened the distortion out and gave them a quick splash or black just to make me feel better. 

Driveshafts were heavily corroded so a knock back with some 40 grit and a spray of some hammerite makes them marginally nicer.  

Awesome stuff! as Zel says its strange seeing the gearbox so clean! I can actually see the drive-belt-adjuster mechanism clearly now, when I popped the drive the belt on the M25, and then replaced it and the pulley, I was most thankful I did not have to touch the adjuster in the end, because of how much sludge everything was covered in otherwise LOL

[Andyrew]

#stance yo

[Andyrew]

Little bit of time spent on REV today, I wanted to drop the shocks and springs out. Thankfully with a bit of oil and a wire brush the nuts didn't put up a fight.

I also wanted to have a nosey regarding straightening the gear selector rod. Both of these jobs would be made easier with the gearbox out the way so I dropped that out. Much heavier than I expected, unwieldy with the driveshafts. @Zelandeth was completely correct about half the drive flange bolts were indeed loose! 

This little shit put up way more fuss than it should. The R clip was rusted solid and broke the the clevis pin was stuck too.

Quite a bend it must be said, appears to have worn a slot into the body were it was pressed into it.

gearbox out, springs and shocks out.

Parts pile 

The engine covers hinges have basically ripped through the body, one side has previously had a large penny washer from breaking through.  I Think it's because the engine cover doesnt hinge up as high as you expect so gets lifted too far, I'd guess alot of them are damaged around this area. I have a solution in mind so should be an easy fix.

 

 

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, Andyrew said:

I also wanted to have a nosey regarding straightening the gear selector rod. Both of these jobs would be made easier with the gearbox out the way so I dropped that out. Much heavier than I expected, unwieldy with the driveshafts. @Zelandeth was completely correct about half the drive flange bolts were indeed loose! 

Eeep! glad thats been caught, makes me wonder about other Model 70's on here, @dollywobbler and @AdgeCutler's etc

3 hours ago, Andyrew said:

 

Quite a bend it must be said, appears to have worn a slot into the body were it was pressed into it.

Blimey thats a bit more bent then I realised! I am pretty sure thats suppose to be just a straight linkage to the gearbox!  

 

 

as a general aside, I noticed in one of the pictures some stickers on the chassis below the ignition coil bracket, that I had never otherwise seen before!

and what they are is most interesting from my whole research into the history and development of the Model 70 perspective, they are ECE approval markings for fuel consumption/exhaust emissions (ECE R15) and electromagnetic emissions (ECE R10) I wonder what the "242" and "176.01" numbers mean?

all throughout the Model 70's production life, it was constantly being iterated on and improved, and I had read about the ECE compliance stuff, so its really cool to see actual physical evidence of it,

also for those wondering about the Crash pads, it turned out that those where not really required and actually made things worse when fitted

[lesapandre]

Absolutely fascinating detail. Not many more - if any cars - got that kind of Parliamentary scrutiny. 

[Zelandeth]

Those pins in the gear linkage were an utter menace to get apart on KPL as well - pretty sure there's a bolt and pair of lock nuts in place of one of the pins there.  The gear linkage rod should indeed just be completely straight.

[Andyrew]

New springs and shocks fitted, way more fiddly than I expected 

Gear linkage straightening also happened 

 

[LightBulbFun]

15 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

New springs and shocks fitted, way more fiddly than I expected 

Oooh shiny! and is she sitting level now?  I notice interestingly the 2 silver spacers(?) above the coil springs seem to be different thicknesses? 

 

the presence of such silver thingies, makes me think of this note from the DHSS Parts list, but REV is a pretty late Model 70, so I wonder if the 'distance piece' is something else entirely?

[Andyrew]

The (now quickly sprayed) silver things are metal spring cups that go over the rubber springs mounts.

Won't find out if it's level until there's an engine back in there. 

Without any weight  each time I jacked up one side the other lifted so I will double check everything is sitting correctly when it's a little heavier. 

[SiC]

On display at M-Shed Bristol

[Andyrew]

Some surface knocked back and some hydrate 80 splashed on, Gearbox back in,  belt guard and mounting bracket given a very light clean up and spritz of paint. Some bolts are being replaced if they put up a fight /mismatch/rusty mess.

Not aiming for perfection here but if it can be made nicer to Maintain in the future then while I have good access it makes sense to free off that rusty clamp or bolt etc etc.

[High Jetter]

Top work.

[Andyrew]

While the gearbox was still out i removed the heater ducting that goes to the floor vent. The ducting is pretty shagged, Internal coiling is rusting away and the fabric degrading. The hose clamps were rusted solid and would have been an absolute bastard to get off with the engine in the way. The P clips holding the hose were also rusted out. I'll make some new ones out of a strip of Ali sheet.

I turn my attention quickly to the heater control unit. It was looking scabby, the cables are seized too.

Pretty scabby inside, this will be rust treated, painted and re assembled. 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, Andyrew said:

Some surface knocked back and some hydrate 80 splashed on, Gearbox back in,  belt guard and mounting bracket given a very light clean up and spritz of paint. Some bolts are being replaced if they put up a fight /mismatch/rusty mess.

Not aiming for perfection here but if it can be made nicer to Maintain in the future then while I have good access it makes sense to free off that rusty clamp or bolt etc etc.

Awesome! I really appreciate all the little touch up jobs you have been doing while your in there

50 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

While the gearbox was still out i removed the heater ducting that goes to the floor vent. The ducting is pretty shagged, Internal coiling is rusting away and the fabric degrading. The hose clamps were rusted solid and would have been an absolute bastard to get off with the engine in the way. The P clips holding the hose were also rusted out. I'll make some new ones out of a strip of Ali sheet.

I turn my attention quickly to the heater control unit. It was looking scabby, the cables are seized too.

Pretty scabby inside, this will be rust treated, painted and re assembled. 

which reminds me  here is the details on the heater ducting, extracted from the depths of @Zelandeth's own thread    rather fortuitously it looks like the same eBay listing is still going all these years later! (note on the length drawing however that TPA, Zel's car is a Mark A, REV is a later Mark B so there might be some fine detail differences)

On 18/12/2018 at 18:17, Zelandeth said:

Busy couple of days so I've not had a chance to get into the garage.

 

Have just ordered some heater ducting Linky to eBay over here so should be able to get the missing bits on TP replaced.  Everything downstream of the heat exchanger is there, it's just the bit between the engine cowling and heat exhanger that's missing.  I did see if I could convince some metal stuff I had here to fit, but it's just too big.

 

On 19/12/2018 at 16:50, Zelandeth said:

Here's a highly technical diagram showing the rough length of each hose in centimetres.

 

 

If my math is right that's a total of 4.6 metres.

 

The bit between the rear bulkhead and the trim panel above the windscreen is exactly a metre, though I've no idea how far behind there the duct has to go before it gets to the actual vent assembly.

 

On 22/12/2018 at 13:26, Zelandeth said:

Look what just arrived...

 

 

So long as my measurements are correct it looks like a pretty much perfect match for the original ducting.

 

They only had a metre in stock, with another to follow in the new year when their new stock turns up.  I think what I've got should be sufficient for my needs though with a bit of luck. 

 

Hopefully will have a chance to get it fitted this afternoon.  I'm really curious to see how effective the heater is (or not!) to be honest.

 

[Zelandeth]

Also note that the ducting I got was actually a touch on the large side - I'd take accurate measurements before actually ordering anything!

It does work just fine, but it looks a bit messy with how the ends have to be squished a bit to fit onto the fittings.

[LightBulbFun]

36 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Also note that the ducting I got was actually a touch on the large side - I'd take accurate measurements before actually ordering anything!

It does work just fine, but it looks a bit messy with how the ends have to be squished a bit to fit onto the fittings.

sounds like what the Model 70 uses is 2 inch ducting then, if the 55mm (2.17 inch) stuff you used was slight too large? thankfully the same seller does do a 2 inch varient  

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192217278662

although as you say always worth measuring up to double check! (also I note its rated for up to 150c, is that good enough? with some of it being in the engine bay/attached to the exhaust etc)

[Andyrew]

I was roughly measuring yesterday for the length needed and noticed that they all vary in internal diameter. 

 

[Christine]

Beko ...hoover hose ! 

[Mrs6C]

48 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

I was roughly measuring yesterday for the length needed and noticed that they all vary in internal diameter.

A mixture of 2” and 1 ¾” according to the Parts Manual...

 

[Snake Charmer]

1 hour ago, Mrs6C said:

 

 

A mixture of 2” and 1 ¾” according to the Parts Manual...

 

Possibly supplied by Smiths Industries originally, they supplied AC at Thames Ditton with ducts and flaps etc.

[Dyslexic Viking]

Vehicles for disabled in the Soviet Union. And the model 70 gets a mention with photo of the one @Zelandeth has.