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...

[uk_senator]

8 hours ago, Harriytait said:

So after cleaning up the Earths I’m now getting some life out of the rear light units, the rear indicators aren’t flashing but instead lighting the brake light on the left or right side “depending on the position of the indicator switch” and the rear lights and brake lights aren’t working at all, I’ve had a prod with the multimeter and everything is receiving voltage and checked the inline fuse next to the voltage regulator and 5 amp fuse under the dash which both seem fine and checking with the multimeter proves this. Looking at the fuse box under the dash shows no wires connected to it but since I’m receiving voltage to the rear light units I don’t think it’s my problem, obviously electrical issues aren’t my strong point and I’m honestly stumped right now. Any suggestions?

Could be an actual earth lead, rather than just the connections, could try bypassing various earths (as well as feeds) with a test lead, also, could be stalk or ignition switch issues, again, try bypassing. 

[AdgeCutler]

[skoda_fan]

On 12/26/2022 at 9:56 PM, LightBulbFun said:

Little late Christmas gift for those who follow this thread! 

but I noticed just now that https://www.freecarcheck.co.uk/

now spits out previous registration marks if a vehicle has previous plate history  

Many thanks for sharing that, it's invaluable (albeit it seems to limit to five look-ups a day). A Christmas gift indeed. I've now discovered that my Merc has had no less than six previous plate transfers. It may soon get a seventh cos I'm a nerd and this info makes me feel less guilty about changing originality.

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, AdgeCutler said:

100 miles in Brian already! Awesome

now get a photo of the speedo needle pointing the other way  (always forget that Mk12 speedo's do technically clock up to 60 even if its not marked in a number like it is on an Acedes or Tippen Delta) 

[AdgeCutler]

6 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

now get a photo of the speedo needle pointing the other way

Sod that for a game of soldiers! Despite its appearance the Mk12 is quite an intense driving experience and I don't fancy trying to take pictures while driving. 

That said, Brian does seem much more manageable since I lowered the steering sensitivity yesterday morning, he was quite twitchy before. Another thing noteworthy of the driving experience is that you have to try for a good smooth gear change, mismatching the gear to engine revs results in the drive wheel applying engine braking to the one side thus pulling you to the left. 

[brummiejon]

4 hours ago, AdgeCutler said:

Sod that for a game of soldiers! Despite its appearance the Mk12 is quite an intense driving experience and I don't fancy trying to take pictures while driving. 

That said, Brian does seem much more manageable since I lowered the steering sensitivity yesterday morning, he was quite twitchy before. Another thing noteworthy of the driving experience is that you have to try for a good smooth gear change, mismatching the gear to engine revs results in the drive wheel applying engine braking to the one side thus pulling you to the left. 

How do you “lower the steering sensitivity”?

[High Jetter]

45 minutes ago, brummiejon said:

How do you “lower the steering sensitivity”?

Put gloves on?

[egg]

20 hours ago, AdgeCutler said:

Another thing noteworthy of the driving experience is that you have to try for a good smooth gear change, mismatching the gear to engine revs results in the drive wheel applying engine braking to the one side thus pulling you to the left. 

That's interesting, and also makes me think about the poor souls who got about half hour training before setting out on the road, is the pull enough to spin you round in theory?

[LightBulbFun]

so the lightbulb hobby side of things is looking to be off to a very nice start for the new year! 

not only has a large order of fluorescent tubes (and some other bulbs)  I put in with CP lighting as a Christmas treat to myself, come in intact 

but I also happened to have found myself chatting away with none other than the legendary Photonicinduction! one 3 hour phone call later, and he cut me a good deal on a couple lamps that I had been searching for for a long time now!

the 1000W 400V (between phases) Osram mercury lamp on the left and the 1000W CID PAR64 Metal halide lamp in the middle! (the CSI/CID PAR lamp im especially pleased to have because I have been trying to get one since 2013~, and every single time previously I have tried to get one something has always gone wrong or stopped it from happening!)

and its funny how that worked out, in that there both lamps I had been looking for for a long time and I end up finding both from the same source! never for-saw that happening!

and he threw in a 1958 Soviet floodlighting/projection bulb on the right, as a bonus item! which makes for a very nifty lineup of 3 very different 1000W lightbulbs! 

I have to give thanks to another collector with who is also friends with Mr Photon, who saw that he had the PAR64 Metal halide I had been long searching for, going surplus and put in a good word for me with Mr Photon!

 

of course in time ill get everything lit up!  

[Zelandeth]

On 1/2/2023 at 3:30 PM, Harriytait said:

So after cleaning up the Earths I’m now getting some life out of the rear light units, the rear indicators aren’t flashing but instead lighting the brake light on the left or right side “depending on the position of the indicator switch” and the rear lights and brake lights aren’t working at all, I’ve had a prod with the multimeter and everything is receiving voltage and checked the inline fuse next to the voltage regulator and 5 amp fuse under the dash which both seem fine and checking with the multimeter proves this. Looking at the fuse box under the dash shows no wires connected to it but since I’m receiving voltage to the rear light units I don’t think it’s my problem, obviously electrical issues aren’t my strong point and I’m honestly stumped right now. Any suggestions?

Hopefully this annotated scribble will help slightly...

Brown wire is the main +12V feed, tapped off the hot side of the starter solenoid.

There should be a fuse between it and the brown & white wire, which then takes that feed to the ignition switch.

The white wire is the switched live which comes back from the ignition switch, which via a fuse should connect to the three green wires via the other fuse.  Not sure what the wire in the background behind the 5A blade fuse is doing, but those two green wires should be on the downstream side of that fuse if my understanding of the wiring diagram is right.

Those green wires feed the horn, indicators and wipers...so are kinda important.

[AdgeCutler]

19 hours ago, brummiejon said:

How do you “lower the steering sensitivity”?

There are three positions you can mount the steering rod end to at the base of the tiller, when rebuilding I decided to have it at maximum sensitivity but have now placed it back into middle position which is where it had been during service.

3 hours ago, egg said:

is the pull enough to spin you round in theory?

No, nothing that bad but it can certainly give you a wobble and is definitely something worth considering. I expect it could be quite nasty if you dropped a couple of cogs in one hit though!

[wuvvum]

On 1/3/2023 at 11:37 AM, LightBulbFun said:

(always forget that Mk12 speedo's do technically clock up to 60 even if its not marked in a number like it is on an Acedes or Tippen Delta) 

That top graduation is 55 innit?

[DSdriver]

On 5/25/2022 at 2:17 PM, LightBulbFun said:

I sadly dont know directly off hand if theres a direct match

I do wonder if it was supplied on a big roll and cut to length at the factory rather then being a direct parts bin part if that makes sense, so still parts bin but not directly

in the same way that the rubber flooring of the Model 70 is the same pattern/type as found in the Invacar Mk12, but there obviously not directly swappable

 

the metal window frames are like that, there obviously not Mini window frames, but they are quite clearly made out of the same type cross sectional metal profile, that a classic Mini (and Enfield 8000) uses, just obviously shaped to fit the Model 70's door aperture/profile

I do wonder if there is a name for this window frame type, I know of a few Model 70's in need of new window frames so I wonder if the material can be found and then shaped appropriately? 

(I know @adam1db is looking for window frames and a windscreen to finish off KPL139P for example)

 

otherwise on the felt front, perhaps worth checking other british vehicles with sliding windows like this and seeing if they match up? perhaps Land Rover?

perhaps even if you cant find something thats a direct match if you find something a bit oversized maybe it can be trimmed to match?

Just catching up on this thread and realised that you are asking for something that I may be able to provide. I run a company that specialises in boat windows so have stocks of various sliding window seals and also fixed glass seals for the likes of the front screen, check out yachtwindows.co.uk

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, AdgeCutler said:

There are three positions you can mount the steering rod end to at the base of the tiller, when rebuilding I decided to have it at maximum sensitivity but have now placed it back into middle position which is where it had been during service.

No, nothing that bad but it can certainly give you a wobble and is definitely something worth considering. I expect it could be quite nasty if you dropped a couple of cogs in one hit though!

interesting to hear that the Mk12 has such an adjustment, the 1957 Harper Mk6 review that @barrett posted a while back makes mention of a similar 3 position system, which also affected the turning circle of the machine, is Brians turning circle also affected likewise?

https://autoshite.com/topic/32723-lightbulbfuns-invacar-general-ramble-thread-index-on-page-1-survivors-lists-on-pages-24134-adgecutlers-invacar-mk12-restoration-from-page-186-onwards-brian-braves-the-byways/page/134/?tab=comments#comment-2047020

I wonder if AC's have the same adjustment...

also that reminds me of

 

On 04/08/2019 at 00:45, LightBulbFun said:

I know that there are a few people dotted around the internet who used to work at approved repairs and worked on invalid vehicles at the time, and some of them have told of some very funny and fascinating stories

I really want to "interview" and note down the stories John Sargent the person who sold me my Model 70 told me, there exactly the sort of things that get lost to time sadly

"in the villiers machines we would come down the hill at a great rate of knots and then drop it down a gear, and it would either Blow up or clean all the crap out the engine!"

and stuff like that or how he recalled modifying a Invalid vehicle with mirrors you could turn from the inside via a choke cable type arrangement for someone who could not turn their head so the mirrors allowed them to look around corners etc

 

50 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

That top graduation is 55 innit?

indeed it is! I was accidentally reading every other major marker, accidentally missing the major markers without numbers, so I thought it went up in 10's rather then 5's! 

at least Brian would be legal in late 70's America LOL

26 minutes ago, DSdriver said:

Just catching up on this thread and realised that you are asking for something that I may be able to provide. I run a company that specialises in boat windows so have stocks of various sliding window seals and also fixed glass seals for the likes of the front screen, check out yachtwindows.co.uk

Oh awesome! ill tag @Zelandeth as I know he is looking for some suitable sliding window seals  

[AdgeCutler]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

interesting to hear that the Mk12 has such an adjustment, the 1957 Harper Mk6 review that @barrett posted a while back makes mention of a similar 3 position system, which also affected the turning circle of the machine, is Brians turning circle also affected likewise?

 

We still have lock to lock capability and feel it would still be possible in minimum sensitivity position. I have the tiller slightly inclined forward/right steer as I have fairly long arms being quite large myself. The latter point makes me driving around in Brian all the more amusing to onlookers and folk are amazed I fit in, I'm 6'3" and near 18 stone. The fact is, owing to the lack of foot controls or indeed anything up front, there is a lot of room in the cabin. One friend that has been notably involved but denies all involvement has also had a successful test drive and had no issues with access or seating dwarfs me, he must be 6'8" if he's an inch. 

[quicksilver]

Seems the Model 70 was Oxford Diecast's best-selling model of 2022 and they've written a blog about it: https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/blogs/news-1/product-of-the-year-2022

At least it doesn't repeat the myth of them being banned but the 600cc myth persists and they seem to have invented some new features we've never heard of! I don't recall any mention of extended wheelbases or widened tracks here and the wheelchair anchor points and storage rack it claims they all have must be invisible

[LightBulbFun]

31 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Seems the Model 70 was Oxford Diecast's best-selling model of 2022 and they've written a blog about it: https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/blogs/news-1/product-of-the-year-2022

At least it doesn't repeat the myth of them being banned but the 600cc myth persists and they seem to have invented some new features we've never heard of! I don't recall any mention of extended wheelbases or widened tracks here and the wheelchair anchor points and storage rack it claims they all have must be invisible

hah awesome! 

tho as you say its just sadly regurgitating  the same inaccurate  text as from the Virtualgaz website

 

the wheelchair clamp was however very much a thing , the Mk12E that @egg drove (JBY503J ex LVX250J) was fitted such  

but curiously most machines dont seem to have them fitted, I dont know if this because in actuality most Invacar users did not have/need/want to bring their wheel chair in with them to the car

(I know a fair number of Invacar users where "just" less able to walk rather then completely flat out unable to, so still very much needed the Invacar to get about, but where not wheel chair bound)

or if simply even those who carried wheel chairs elected not to have clamp fitted to make bringing in the chair easier? (tho I dont know if they had any say in the matter! as in I have a feeling that if you where to be carting your chair about the ministry would just fit a clamp, simply for safety sake)

 

 

 

at least with the TWC section there is a bit more accurate text provided by @dollywobbler I presume  

[eifion]

Have you seen the cover of this, @LightBulbFun?

[LightBulbFun]

20 minutes ago, eifion said:

Have you seen the cover of this, @LightBulbFun?

hah not seen the book at all but I have seen the picture before!

On 13/09/2022 at 14:01, LightBulbFun said:

Awesome to see little bits of brian still progressing! 

 

speaking of Mk12E's this photo popped up on facebook today 

which as well as being quite a nice photo in itself, is also quite fun in that, not only is it a picture of a K suffix Mk12E of which only about 320 where made

but I know that examples from both blocks, both a CPC-H Model 67 and PEV-K Mk12E are known to still survive amazingly! so this photo could be recreated with a surprising amount of accuracy  which would be quite fun to do!

 

and also amazingly thats not the first time CPC443H has been pictured! (its "just" a Model 67 not one known to survive or anything sadly, so the statical chances of it randomly being pictured twice is quite something!)

 

oh and as a Side note @Datsuncog I was speaking to the chap who has UOI and clarified, it was 15 cars not 50 which fits better into how many Model 70s I know roughly where issued to NI and the general survival curves of Model 70's in ministry service

 

[Cavcraft]

Have you had this one yet, chief?

1978, apparently.

 

[LightBulbFun]

22 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

Have you had this one yet, chief?

1978, apparently.

 

nice! not one i have seen before  JPH383K by the looks of things (maybe JPH393K), fairly early Model 70! always nice to see  

[eifion]

Interesting to see one of the ex-military Morris Travellers that later became civilian vehicles with Late Registration Madness numberplates.

[brummiejon]

More progress on “Flo” my Stanley Argson Electric RDE 346….. after fixing the dished brake drum and repainted the hub I had the wheel re-laced this week, nice job by PW wheelbuilders in Herne Bay. The wheel rim has a bit of a flat spot (probably kerbed at some point) but it will all add to the character of the ride….. Just need to paint the spokes, fit the tyre and get it back on Flo

[AdgeCutler]

I'm thinking of trying to enter Brian into Welland steam rally this year and wonder if any other invalid carriages would be interested in attending? It would be nice to think a range of various models could make up a feature there and if it were presented as such the section leader may even consider making a sub section under the classic car banner? There used to be a couple of petrol powered Bath chair types attend a few years back but I haven't seen them for a while.

 

[brummiejon]

31 minutes ago, AdgeCutler said:

I'm thinking of trying to enter Brian into Welland steam rally this year and wonder if any other invalid carriages would be interested in attending? It would be nice to think a range of various models could make up a feature there and if it were presented as such the section leader may even consider making a sub section under the classic car banner? There used to be a couple of petrol powered Bath chair types attend a few years back but I haven't seen them for a while.

 

I would but I have no means of transporting Flo there

[LightBulbFun]

37 minutes ago, Matty said:

My dad actually has one. Unfortunately it's red. My apologies 😄

(That is fit though)

Oooh is his a Thames Ditton one? I have heard rumours under the paint, they where all Gel-coated the same blue as the Model 70, but I have never been able to confirm that!

[Matty]

Just now, LightBulbFun said:

Oooh is his a Thames Ditton one? I have heard rumours under the paint, they where all Gel-coated the same blue as the Model 70, but I have never been able to confirm that!

Dunno to be honest. It's an 85 registration if that helps figure out where it was manufactured

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, Matty said:

Dunno to be honest. It's an 85 registration if that helps figure out where it was manufactured

Sort of! production moved to Scotland in 1984, but it could also be just late registered! 

regardless would be interesting to know what lies underneath so to speak  

[Matty]

Just now, LightBulbFun said:

Sort of! production moved to Scotland in 1984, but it could also be just late registered! 

regardless would be interesting to know what lies underneath so to speak  

I'll see what he knows

[somewhatfoolish]

19 hours ago, brummiejon said:

I would but I have no means of transporting Flo there

Can we look forward to a Mk12 with a bath chair on a miniature flatbed hitched on behind? 🤪