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...

4,485 · January 8

15 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Their 'works' looks like this.

Sorry slight thread drift.

I was there last November as there was a presentation launch thing through my work.

Bunch of us got a quick tour of the factory by Adrian and their storage facility down the road. Which was the old Sentinel Waggon works site.

Both sites are massive!

22,538 · January 8

15 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

If ZDDP is a concern then there are additives as this is a big deal in the US. Rislone has this below.

There are many opinions about oil. All the 50+ year old tractors I maintain run on Mobil 10W-40 semi and with this additive now and then. I have nothing but good experiences with this and the engines run so well and have no leaks. So I will continue with this. But I have no experience with automatic transmissions that share oil with the engine, but I see that it might be something to use motorcycle oil in this as some people say here.

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

If I can’t find any oil with good levels of ZDDP already in it, that’s what I do.

This stuff was the last I used.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286991115706?_skw=zddp+additive&epid=1107839082&itmmeta=01KEEGBSVBK9BWQPWA7RV4078C&hash=item42d200e5ba:g:M0QAAeSwLHNpMsnc&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fUcAAfulqDRlvviID9woU0o0l3y6TOvpGjBjkqH%2F0BWKH29fhxQ2Dk%2FJPLtqiibzOfhuQ%2FFoOrAtivHs5sR2EV0FsH8z%2FSoj1BOOs%2BLM6ES9ZFzfiBGEfzAw01RaSX9zLNW3rLAZVYO0In%2BU5zSL36TEqvu%2F2i8so9wqvqi1G3X%2BMOUsIqzfDhvjxn1BgBuHKw%2FFOkBXQsfPxKsLnbaAOmgMQadcW3mYTJtF3kBkE8FphnBETTYpD4VsCYF24xT5A%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR-qdr9DzZg

Usually the bottle can do two engines/two oil changes. I always put it in the Mercury, especially as that’s got a rebuilt engine which I’m keen not to ruin, but I’ll usually bung some in the Capri too purely because of its age. Although I suspect over its life it probably had every different type and brand of oil known to man put in it!

I don’t tend to worry about it in the Volvo though. I’m not sure it really needs ZDDP? Saying that, on an engine of that age it’s not going to do any harm putting in regardless.

my concern with those additives is putting too much ZDDP in there, generally from what I have read most oils do have ZDDP in them, especially those that are not the the latest API spec

https://www.millersoils.co.uk/zddp-in-classic-car-engine-oil/

https://www.widman.biz/mini_pics/classic-mini-oil.pdf

the oil I bought assuming its not all just been made up is actually just recycled oil strained through an old sock should have just about an adequate amount of ZDDP in it I think?

2 hours ago, barefoot said:

Fuck me, I put 10/40 mineral oil in the T2 & Scirocco and the garage puts synthetic into the 944 & Rover 75. I never realised that there was so much to it, and yet in more than 40 years, I've not killed an engine because I used the wrong oil.

its more the Autobox I am trying to keep from exploding

4,485 · January 8

(Not trying to further this oil discussion, it's just a while I remember)

Talking of MA2 oils.

We supply this stuff for when servicing quad bikes at my work.

28,914 · January 8

I’m pretty sure Millers oils definitely do contain appropriate ZDDP content for classics as it comes.

For the additives you do need to measure it out rather than dump the whole bottle in, particularly for something small like your Invacar engine. Apparently too much ZDDP can have negative effects too. But it’s not an exact science, just follow the directions on the bottle and dump in however much you need for your oil quantity.
My engines are pretty big so I just dump in half the bottle then fill up with oil.

I must admit though, I do try to stay away from recycled oils. There’s obviously much more to it than straining it through an old sock, it’s filtered and boiled multiple times etc etc but there’s just something very unappealing about putting it in my engine😄

48,263 · January 8

In a previous life I dealt with both Morris Lubricants and Millers Oils (and also Fuchs (nee Silkolene)) in a professional capacity. They where all a great bunch of lads, thoroughly knowledgeable.

I'm afraid this is the only contribution I can make as the actual work I was involved in was for products far removed from motor oils...

22,538 · January 8

On 05/01/2026 at 18:53, captain_70s said:

On 05/01/2026 at 16:31, LightBulbFun said:

I do wonder what the tyre pressures are for it?

that handbook for it, gives 3 different values! what I find interesting is how its not just "cross-ply" and "Radial" but it gives 2 different values for different radials in themselves

my question is, which of those tyre pressures should I apply to the modern tyres currently fitted?

is the tyre pressure different between the SP68 and ZX just because one is 145 while the the other is 155? or is there more to it?

28-30psi should work for a car that size/weight. I run the Dolly (slightly heavier, bigger tyres) at 30psi all round.

The SP68 is a very high pressure for that era of tyre. I wonder if it had an unusual construction...

interestingly the workshop manual makes the Michelin ZX out as the outlier giving 32 PSI for every radial except those

I might try pump the fronts up to that, see if it helps with the heavy steering when parking up

I also ordered a bundle of oil filters I found on eBay, to go with the spare already kindly included, (I figured since these filters are not a common place off the shelf item I should keep a few in stock)

although in typical fashion, after I ordered them I then read in the workshop manual that there are 2 possible lengths of cartridge the Automatic can have, dictated by if you have a long or short spring in the filter housing, and I have no idea whats in the car

22,178 · January 8

Very typical of the era. Long gone are the days of the traditional car spares shop where a bloke called Alf would leaf through a huge greasy parts book before tutting loudly and then giving his verdict.

13,529 · January 9

Valvoline race oil has proper levels of zddp which is why it's sold for race use only in the state of California.

Really good stuff IMO even makes oil pressure in worn out rover V8s when they are hot

48,263 · January 9

16 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

interestingly the workshop manual makes the Michelin ZX out as the outlier giving 32 PSI for every radial except those

I might try pump the fronts up to that, see if it helps with the heavy steering when parking up

What make of tyres does it have fitted? I'm guessing they're quite modern.... modern tyres are usually rated at around 35 psi. I don't think you'll do any harm by pumping them up to 35 psi, it should make the steering lighter but the ride maybe a little harsher.

41,072 · January 9

It'll always be much heavier than a modern with PAS.

Just don't dry steer it and use the hand shuffle method on the wheel. I guess that's possibly something that isn't taught much nowadays in driving schools? If it is, I imagine not explained fully why either.

22,178 · January 9

35/36 ps should be fine. It should lighten the steering a little.

Issigonis probably considered PAS an anathema along with comfortable seats.

For a photo opp' the VDP works offices are still there in Kingsbury North London - thought the works behind is demolished.

22,178 · January 9

Rent an office there 😀:

https://londonofficespace.com/kingsbury/677/

Bit more history:

https://www.brent.gov.uk/-/media/files/resident-documents/libraries-arts-and-heritage-documents/kingsbury-works-1915-to-1980.pdf?rev=15465341256d437e93834e34db59ba2f

January 9

8 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Rent an office there 😀:

https://londonofficespace.com/kingsbury/677/

Looks quite nice. You will have to have a short receptionist though.

21,953 · January 9

11 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Very typical of the era. Long gone are the days of the traditional car spares shop where a bloke called Alf would leaf through a huge greasy parts book before tutting loudly and then giving his verdict.

We've just lost one of those unfortunately. Martin at Swaythling Car Accessories. I'd been going there over 30 years and he had all the catalogues under the counter. He also only took cash after he had an argument with his bank, which must be unique these days.

When I found out he was closing down I popped in. This was the week after he had shut but he was still there sorting things out. He had this amazing wall of oil and air filters that went from floor to ceiling. It looked like it never changed but it must have organically evolved as people were always buying them. I pointed at this edifice and said I don't suppose you still have any for the Škoda in that lot. He said what, like this one, and picked a box up off the counter. He'd already put it aside for me and if I hadn't come in he was going to give it to a mutual friend to pass on.

I'm never going to find another place with service like that.

14,723 · January 9

Those filters look correct to me, sure they will be fine.

Seem to recall There's something cack handed about changing the filter but I don't recall what exactly, I think the centre bolt passed through the engine mount plate via a wee hole, which on refitting make things a little fiddly.

22,178 · January 9

Getting them off without getting covered in oil was an art too I recall. Not sure if this needs ramps. Certainly gloves and an old sheet/blanket/towel needed to avoid a slick.

Different times.

22,538 · January 9

6 hours ago, SiC said:

It'll always be much heavier than a modern with PAS.

Just don't dry steer it and use the hand shuffle method on the wheel. I guess that's possibly something that isn't taught much nowadays in driving schools? If it is, I imagine not explained fully why either.

pretty sure that is what I have been doing "Feed the wheel" its just even with cars with PAS (all the driving school cars) I have never been very good at all the arm twirling required when parallel parking/tight turns/manoeuvres, especially trying to do it quick enough to do it on the move, so I end up inadvertently dry steering to stop myself going wide etc

in that regard I am very much spoiled by REV's direct steering (and the fact, how the handle bars positioned is exactly how much the front wheel is turned, I found myself a few times in the VDP when doing parking manoeuvres losing track of how much the front wheels are actually turned)

the VDP is very nice, but its also made me appreciate REV's disability features all the more!

41,072 · January 9

An invacar also doesn't have a heavy engine pushing down on the front wheel, unlike say the VP

12,400 · January 9

Heavy ..In my yoof i could pick up a mini engine and box ..only about an inch mind .. :whacky055:

More recently , i lifted a crate 1100 valencia engine from the floor into my T4 van ..

Dan302 probably could lift it with one hand .. :grin:

January 10

22 hours ago, Christine said:

Heavy ..In my yoof i could pick up a mini engine and box ..only about an inch mind ..

More recently , i lifted a crate 1100 valencia engine from the floor into my T4 van ..

Dan302 probably could lift it with one hand ..

The autobox though on these is quite a heavy old lump compared to the manual box, on the mini (and I assume the 1100 range as well) the front subframe had to be widened to accommodate it.

5,639 · January 10

On 04/01/2026 at 23:18, LightBulbFun said:

did you know when an Invacar gets cold

it goes all sparkly

but today was a trip not in REV

but a trip with my brother at some ungodly hour of the morning to lands fairly far away

where/what are you away on a trip for? well a fair while back @SiC mentioned he was recycling some old fluorescent lights, and would I like the guts from them, which of course I did, so I thought it was time I picked those up....

...and purchase the Forum Bike ADO16 Vanden Plas 1300 Princess

Yeah I finally decided to just jump on the opportunity and see how things go

after a good rundown of whats what, with @SiC we hit the road! obligatory collection caper fuel station shot then through Bristol and Hit the motorway all the way back home

with just a stop at a services for some food, its a bit bigger than an Invacar thats for sure....

but narrower than a lamborghini

and some 4 hours later I was home

but not for long as I was quite soon back out again to pick up mum from somewhere in Central London

and back home again in short order without issue

all in all she did admirably well, 4 hours on the motorway cruising at about 70Mph and into Central London!

only problem had was, that, you could boot it up a slip road without any problems, but giving it any throttle on the motorway, and it would stumble and splutter. die on its arse, lose speed, then perk up again for a few seconds before dying again in the same fashion, and keep doing that, I found if I kept a light throttle then it would eventually stop stumbling and I could achieve a good 70Mph cruise, but give it any actual throttle on the motorway, say I was at 60Mph and give it some throttle to overtake a lorry, it would really upset it, so do wonder if anyone knows what that might be about? drove completely fine and without fault otherwise as you can see it did get home! some 4 hours and 150 miles!

my impressions thus far is

the suspension/ride is very nice, it deals with London's ruined potholed roads very well, and is quite comfortable to sit in/drive the only problem for me personally is my right leg/side was in quite a bit of pain for a fair amount of the trip, but thats not a fault of the car, just the fact me and my Cerebral palsy dont get on well with foot controls, I wonder if theres some way to easily adapt a hand throttle of some kind?

also the steering is very heavy if you have to dry steer it, makes parking parallel parking it a bit of a bastard LOL (that and I am spoiled by REV's 1:1 steering ratio) but its quite light enough once you actually start physically moving

all in all I am very happy with it! all being well should be a good stable mate for REV

Many thanks to @SiC for accommodating me and giving me a good walkthrough of the vehicle etc!

BTW if theres anything anyone thinks I should know about these ADO16's any tips tricks, or foibles worth knowing about please do let me know (especially this one being an Automatic, I am wondering if theres any sort of special oil I can get for it to ensure longevity of the gearbox)

excellent purchase Dez! MrsFL had one as her first car in the same colour in 1997! Sadly hers ended up getting crushed.

3,322 · January 10

The retro fit electric PAS column kits are quite good, bit pricey though for this application.

4,613 · January 10

3 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

The retro fit electric PAS column kits are quite good, bit pricey though for this application.

I heard from a friend a while ago that Corsa C EPS kits fit almost every classic

11,567 · January 10

Congratulations Dez! I know no other vehicle will have the same place in your heart as REV but it must be good to able to transport passengers. Re. the steering - do you have more strength in one arm than the other? I was just wondering if one of these might help?

https://amzn.eu/d/gU7YjHg in real wood* to match the VP interior

28,914 · January 10

Hmm, I’ve somehow missed a chunk of this thread!

I had no idea you’d bought the Plas, Dez! Well bought👍 Brings a touch of class to the streets when you see it alongside vulgar stuff like that Lamborghini.

22,178 · January 10

One of those lace-on gloves to the wheel could possibly assist too? A lot of cars of this era had wafer-thin steering wheels which are quite uncomfortable to use.

22,538 · January 10

mum had some errands that needed to be done/places to be, so the I volunteered myself as chauffeur and the VDP as the chariot of choice (because sod public transport in this weather!) topped up the oil twas a bit low (tho does not appear to be leaking out of anything obvious) handily finished off the last of REV's first 20W50 5L bottle, so ill refill that from the big 20L 10W40 stuff I have coming (and sharpie it accordingly!)

first into Central London again

and then all the way to very near City London Airport!

did my first chippy run in the VDP1300 too

and then finally home once more

also took the opportunity to replace the rearview mirror with the same one I got for REV, because like REV's mirror, the original in the VDP had gone a bit limp and floppy! and would constantly droop out of place, hopefully this new suction cup one does the trick

further thoughts having driven it a bit more (some 30 miles or so now since coming home) still a very nice place to be, but it sure does rattle and buzz in random places more then REV does!

3,692 · January 10

@LightBulbFun You probably know this, but just in case - you really shouldn’t mix oils in viscosity or type. Different oils have different additive packages which can dilute and cancel each other out.
Mixing (hypothetical) 5w30 and 10w40 doesn’t necessarily result in 7w35. It may as well end up being an oil that’s too thin when hot and too thick when cold.

On an engine and car this old it’s probably less important, but I still wouldn’t do it. Especially not with autobox and engine sharing the same oil.

28,914 · January 10

What’s it like living with classic stuff in Londinium @LightBulbFun ?

I don’t go to the capital much but always pictured it to be a nightmare traffic-wise. You seem to get about pretty well in yours though. Not having a drive/garage doesn’t seem to bother you at all either.

22,538 · January 11

5 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

What’s it like living with classic stuff in Londinium @LightBulbFun ?

I don’t go to the capital much but always pictured it to be a nightmare traffic-wise. You seem to get about pretty well in yours though. Not having a drive/garage doesn’t seem to bother you at all either.

driving in London you say?, theres a song for that! :mrgreen:

on a more serious note, I learnt to drive in Central London, so its pretty second nature to me, I think of it (especially in REV) like swimming through a crowd, at say a busy supermarket, your in a crowd, trying to get to a point and your just making your way through it, darting through gaps, pausing as others go the other way, and stay mindful of your surroundings, Motorcycles/mopeds in particular like to show up out of nowhere, and pedestrians have no respect for the road

thankfully your often going slow enough that you have plenty of time to work with these factors and keep well out of harms way, I also find it helps to just be fairly relaxed about things, ill try and let someone out, especially buses and the such like where I can, doing my bit to keep everyone else moving so to speak

this is one of the reasons I like motorways too, ok your going much faster, but so is everyone else, so the speed difference is actually pretty minor, your not going to have someone trying to join the motorway from a standing start T junction for example LOL

and REV in particular is very nice for working through London Traffic, the VDP does it pretty well, but you are aware how much bigger you are in it and the visibility/mirrors/sight lines are just not quite as good as in REV (still a million times better then a modern car tho!)

i am definitely little a bit more nervy still in the VDP then in REV, but I suspect with the VDP some of it is just an element of just getting used to it etc

parallel parking still really sucks in the VDP LOL

traffic itself certainly is a nightmare, in that dont expect to be going anywhere fast at all, expect all the roads to be buggered in some fashion or another, and if you have a manual, pack a spare leg LOL (ie there will be lots of stop start, crawling along type traffic)

I do very much wish I lived in a house with a garage (who here doesn't!) so I could pop to said garage and tackle odd jobs, not have to worry if I have to leave things over night or the weather! for example I have a head lamp relay kit I want to fit to REV (and i'd like to fit one to the VDP too) but I just CBA trying to do fiddly wiring jobs in this weather LOL also of course so I could keep the cars out of the weather

its certainly not a walk in the park, even just the stairs to get to the cars are a PITA, but i do otherwise try my best

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