BeEP's motors - Pride MOT'd, Cinq starts, C1 for sale.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i too have had Monstro tendencies in the past

Maestros:

• 1.3L (driving school)
• 1.6 HLS (grandad's car)
• 1.3 base
• MG 2.0 EFi

Montegos:

• 1.6 base
• 2.0 GSi

plus others belonging to friends & rellys

2.0i VDP estate with n/a 2.0 prima power- b-i-l's car

2 diesel estates, 1 loon & 2 diesel maestros- taxi driving buddy

funk me i had it bad ?

[BeEP]

I've been doing bits and pieces on the Maestro, but it needs a new carb (or the existing one overhauled).  It's running way, way too rich, and adjusting the mixture through the complete range makes no difference (yes, the jet is moving up and down correctly).  The idle speed had been wound right up as any lower and the thing just floods itself to a halt and won't restart until the plugs have dried.  Problem is I don't have a spare HIF44 and I refuse to pay the £100+ prices second hand ones seem to be going for.  Complete overhaul kits are around £50 or I could gamble on just a new jet for about £20.  Put to one side whilst I contemplate.

So attention turned back to the Allegro.  The engine has been back in this for a few weeks, all the extra wiring and electrical devices fitted by a previous owner removed and orignal wires re-connected.  I was therefore quite surprised when it pretty much fired straight up.  Today I finally got round to bleeding the brakes (and discovered just how quickly you can deposit half a litre of brake fluid on the garage floor when the bleed nipples on the reconditioned calipers aren't tight and an eezibleed is applied!).  Anyway it now goes, stops and has a full compliment of working electrics.  Still plenty of fettling to do, but to celebrate I pumped the suspension up and fitted the Triumph Stag alloys which have been earmarked for it for a while (I do have centrecaps; just need to paint them before fitting)

[SiC]

I stuck an overhaul kit for my dual HIF4 on my MGB. Worked well. Also worth seeing if it has the poppet valves on the throttle discs and getting replacements without if so. Can't remember if the overhaul kit also includes float valve needles too. If not, probably worth getting them too.

All the SU stuff I've bought so far has been good quality. At least you only have one carb to rebuild!

My carb just had all the rubber o-rings degraded and the float needle with a big ridge not allowing it to seat properly.

[BeEP]

Punto sold today, to a nice chap from Ely who turned up in this!

Updates on Maestro and Allegro to follow shortly...

[BeEP]

With wonderful timing the Maestro is finished (well, as finished as it will be in my ownership) and ready for sale!  It ended up having a new nearside rear arch welded in as the original predictably fell apart when I took the underseal off the visible bits.  The interior has cleaned up really well, although the outside of the driver's seat bolster is a bit squashed, presumably from the 96 year old former owner levering himself in and out.  I got hold of a second hand carburettor from a friend and it now seems to run well, although the plan was to tax for April to do some on road testing before passing it on.  Suspect I'll end up having to re MOT in August now, so I just hope that doesn't throw up any nasty surprises.

The photos flatter a bit as usual (the paint on all arches is imperfect), but here it is now:

If anyone is actually interested in buying it (I'm looking at @aldo135 in particular) then please get in touch and we'll see what can be arranged for when circumstances change.

[BeEP]

Not much has happened with the Allegro, as I planned to move the Maestro on before swapping it onto my classic policy and putting some miles on it (and MOTing it even though exempt),

The 1800 has now had the necessary welding done and a balljoint should be on its way to me but I guess everything's a bit of a lottery at the moment.  I need to put the bumper back on and radiator back in (had to come out to get clearance to remove the bolts for the bumper mounts!).  Here it is looking heavenward...

[aldo135]

Never mind if only you were closer, if only it was an auto etc. If only we weren’t in lockdown is the new favourite! Definitely not the time to be selling... but I am interested once things return to normal  

[bramz7]

Potentially interested in Maestro, happy to wait behind those who had dibs though. I just want to try one out, as there was a lot of them in my family (well one aunt seemed to have half a dozen). Again, can't get anything until a sense of 'normality' returns. 

Looks really good!

[brownnova]

Can I go in third place in the post lockdown Maestro queue please. I’ve been promising myself a Maestro for a while now. 

[BorniteIdentity]

I would love that Maestro but I’m wondering wtf the point is atm. Whilst I have my old heaps for my enjoyment alone, I do enjoy a gathering and - with them all off - another banger seems pointless.

GLWS man. 

[BeEP]

9 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I would love that Maestro but I’m wondering wtf the point is atm. Whilst I have my old heaps for my enjoyment alone, I do enjoy a gathering and - with them all off - another banger seems pointless.

GLWS man. 

I'm certainly not expecting to sell it at the moment, and hopefully in post-apocolyptic times shows will also be allowed again.  I had hoped to run it through April to prove it and then take to the Drive It day gathering at Cowley on 26th prior to selling.

Thanks for the expressions of interest from all above though.  It would be good to sell it on here when circumstances allow. 

[BeEP]

As there's nothing to lose with a bit of free advertising (and I was bored and impatient), I've advertised the Maestro on CarandClassic and over on the for sale board:

Not sure why it puts the last photo in the above link!  Obviously I don't expect it to go anywhere until the current restrictions are lifted, but I realise I never mentioned a price in the above posts and I was worried that @aldo135, @brownnova, @bramz7 and @BorniteIdentity would be losing sleep (clearly I jest!).

I will write an update on my (currently losing) lockdown battle with the green Austin 1800 at some point.  But for a taster, can you spot anything wrong with this displacer?

 

[SiC]

Going by the picture title, it's a blown displacer.

Hose split? Or internal rubber diaphragm has gone?

[hairnet]

mmmm maestro

due to other considerations (not lockdown) cant

 

[BeEP]

25 minutes ago, SiC said:

Going by the picture title, it's a blown displacer.

Hose split? Or internal rubber diaphragm has gone?

The cup and tube thingy should be inside the displacer!  When reinflated the diaphrapgm (although it's less of a diaphragm in hydrolastic cars compared with hydragas) thought about if for a bit then gave up with an almighty bang, forcing the aformentioned cup thingy through the much smaller hole in the rubber end of the displacer (the hole you can see in the photo).

[BeEP]

So, the story with the green 1800...  I bought it in 2006 when living in Bristol.  It was a local car, bought new in 1972 by Albert Eustace MBE who kept it for 20 years.  He was presumably responsible for the colour change from Wild Moss to Mallard Green (possibly even done by the supplying dealer as Wild Moss must have been very old stock by that point) and for the hand controls it had fitted.  The mechanism for the brakes is still in place, other than the lever on the steering wheel (see photos below).  The second owner had it from 1992 until I bought it.

I used it quite a bit for 18 months then laid it up, mainly due to the oil consumption!  After moving to Norfolk I had it MOTd again in 2009, but a few miles later both front brakes started sticking on badly; it just about achieved 40mph with a horrendous smell of burning brakes getting it back from Wisbech.  So it got laid up again.  In the intervening 10 years both sides of the suspension went down.

Fast forward to Covid-19 days, and I've dragged it out to give me something to play with.  Both sides of the suspension were down due to corroded pipes, so when I found the club spares chap sold flexible pipes at a good price I jumped at the chance.  Unfortunately both leaked under pressure from the base of the schrader valve (which with the new pipes screw into an intermediate fitting between pipe and displacer) so have been returned for replacement.  Unfortunately as my pump connector leaks a bit anyway I didn't notice until I'd put a lot of lovely fresh fluid in.  And as covered above, the rear displacer on one side then went bang quite spectacularly.  So a new displacer should be accompanying the replacement pipe fittings.  I should probably also mention that when removing the displacer one of the bolts holding the cradle sheared.  Ho-hum...

So that's about it.  Brake master cylinder has been removed and I have a repair kit to fit.  Both rear brake hoses have collapsed so replacements are on order.  Front brakes are next on the agenda.  Most brake pipes (and the front to rear fuel pipe) need replacing, but that will have to wait until the local garage re-opens; they make me up pipes so cheaply it's not worth trying to do it myself.

Enough waffle; this needs photos

As it's slumbered for the past 10 years:

In the workshop with it's rear in the air (rubbish photo, sorry):

Where the faulty connections on the shiny new pipes have been removed:

The vacuum operated bellows for the hand-control brakes (where the battery should be).  These literally pull a rod which is welded to the brake pedal (so the driver would have been able to watch his brake pedal go to the floor when he pulled the hand control).

And where the battery now is (or would be if I hadn't removed it) in the boot:

Also in the boot, the vacuum tank for operating the brakes:

The dash and steering wheel (which it has had from new):

Indicator/lights multi-switch cranked presumably to clear hand controls (admittedly this is a guess):

[aldo135]

Looks a good project to get you through this lockdown! Did you sell the 1800 with the replacement engine?

[BeEP]

Just now, aldo135 said:

Looks a good project to get you through this lockdown! Did you sell the 1800 with the replacement engine?

No that's still here.  Welding was completed just before the current restrictions, but not in time for an MOT before the garage closed.  So that will be done when they re-open.  In the meantime it's a useful point of reference when working on the other one.  Will be for sale again when MOTd.

[purplebargeken]

I used to have the Wolseley version.

Lovely things and would again.

[Asimo]

That is the best auto-box lever ever, no contest, and a large part of why a LandCrab-O-Matic is still in my "Lottery-Garage"

[LightBulbFun]

58 minutes ago, BeEP said:

The dash and steering wheel (which it has had from new):

I imagine it probably would have had a giant flappy paddle like so   

[BeEP]

7 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I imagine it probably would have had a giant flappy paddle like so   

Maybe, but because the vacuum system is doing all the work I'd imagined something somewhat smaller!

[LightBulbFun]

9 minutes ago, BeEP said:

Maybe, but because the vacuum system is doing all the work I'd imagined something somewhat smaller!

indeed I do find the whole vacuum operated thing a bit unusual! 

I know the Model 70 does not have such a setup for its hand controls, but the Model 70 was a vehicle specifically designed and built for the disabled with such controls in mind

(well the Model 70 pictured above does have a vacuum brake booster fitted, but that's not because of the steering wheel hand controls, that would have been fitted for the previous user I suspect to make breaking as easy/light as possible, for im guessing the person had weak arms)

 

I have not had much close up experience with an adapted normal car of the time, so im not sure how they are setup! but i am bit surprised to see vacuum operation id of expected just a serise of linkages, linking the hand operated brake to the foot brake!

are there any makers markers anywhere? Reselco was known supplier of hand controls for adapting normal cars

(they supplied all the Hand controls for Ministry Morris Minors and minis ) 

On 4/2/2020 at 2:14 AM, LightBulbFun said:

also found this! https://www.theminirestorationcompany.co.uk/projects/marco-karen-s-project

looks like any other Mini these days right?

but check this out!, thats right its a DHSS supplied mini  contrary to popular belief the invalid vehicle service did supply adapted normal cars to certain people depending on the situation especially to married couples, at first Morris minors then Minis

I waited till stuart was available to confirm that what I was looking at was indeed a DHSS mini and to get some extra info  (hence only posting it now, but I came across it while digging up a picture of DYO833C)

sadly its been stripped of all its DHSS features bar the the info plaque, which as it says, Reselco was the primary provider of hand controls for normal cars to the DHSS

I had known of the government Minors and Minis (Dennis and Marion Webb had a government Minor for a while for example)

 but had never seen one otherwise in detail, and I had wondered if they like the DHSS's Invalid vehicles if they had little government property and contract plaques, looks like indeed they did  

its a shame its been stripped of all its unique features otherwise would be neat to see how it would of been setup

 

[BeEP]

25 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

I have not had much close up experience with an adapted normal car of the time, so im not sure how they are setup! but i am bit surprised to see vacuum operation id of expected just a serise of linkages, linking the hand operated brake to the foot brake!

are there any makers markers anywhere? Reselco was known supplier of hand controls for adapting normal cars

(they supplied all the Hand controls for Ministry Morris Minors and minis )

I'll have a look tomorrow and try to take some more photos to show how it works.  Although as a non-smartphone owner using an old digital camera focussing on text on objects is tricky!

[wuvvum]

A mate of mine once had a Riley 4/72 that had been converted to disabled controls.  The throttle was a smallish flappy paddle behind the steering wheel, the service brake was a massive vertical lever to the right of the driver's seat, that acted directly on the brake pedal via a linkage.

[BeEP]

On 4/16/2020 at 12:41 PM, LightBulbFun said:

are there any makers markers anywhere? Reselco was known supplier of hand controls for adapting normal cars

Sorry for the slow reply.  The only markings are on the bellows, 'F&J No 1, Made in England', but I assume this just refers to the bellows and not the rest of the system.  It's operated by a standard bowden cable, the remnants of which are still there.  This operates (what I assume is) a valve below the bellows which has two pipes, one to the bellows and the other to the union to the right of the bellows in the photo above.  A further pipe from this union goes to the tank in the boot, along with the blanked of remains of what was the pipe to the manifold.  Hope that makes sense; it actually seems quite an ingenious set-up.

[BeEP]

More progress on the green landcrab.  Following fitting of replacement valves for the hydrolastic pipes and a new rear displacer, it now looks like this; much happier...

The radiator, which I removed to make fitting the new suspension pipes easier has been flushed and replaced, rear brake hoses replaced (fronts seem fine) and remaining MOTable electrics fixed.  Wipers only work on fast speed but that will do for the moment.  Just need three brake pipes and fuel pipe replacing, then I can refill the braking system and see how sticky the calipers are.  Other than that, a MOT and a bit of local use later in the year beckons.  Attention will now return to the Antique gold Allegro, as I've created a new list of jobs and would like to have it ready to go for MOT as soon as the local garage re-opens.

And in other news the Maestro has departed.  In the end not on here, as the potential buyer has swapped horses to the black 1800 instead, subject to a new MOT.  Hmm, I seem to be saying MOT a lot - really hope the garage opens quickly after the lockdown restrictions are relaxed a bit!

To complete the comings and goings, yesterday this arrived.  Does seem genuinely solid, albeit a bit more battered than the photos made out.  Any solid ado16 with full MOT is worth what I paid though, so not complaining.

 

 

[Asimo]

Rear wiper bad (but interesting), as are the reversing and fog-lamps. This ain't no 1300GT!

GB sticker and flat grey-blue paint good. Headmasters at both my schools drove these, in this  colour.

I've only ever driven one 1100; it was on cross-ply remoulds and therefore did not impress!

[BeEP]

1 minute ago, Asimo said:

Rear wiper bad (but interesting), as are the reversing and fog-lamps. This ain't no 1300GT!

Actually closer to a 1300GT than you might think!  1275 engine, twin carbs, LCB manifold, large bore exhaust and high lift rockers.  Has been used for historic rallying.  Appearance wise, I agree with you though.  Not sure yet which bits are staying and which are going...

[BorniteIdentity]

Lovely. What a great fleet. Hope you got a few more bob for the Maestro too.

Keep up the good work champ!