Kitten kapers

[doug]

Waiting on a new radiator coming. Ordered it on the 13th October and still not here yet. Have another photo of it.

 

[2flags]

Great looking little car. Should be a hoot once you sorted out the cooling problem.

[mitsisigma01]

Pictures still not working 😕

[doug]

Does this pic work? 

 

[doug]

The camera lies!

[mitsisigma01]

Hnnng😁

[stuboy]

dont suppose through the clubs if this still alive?

[bobdisk]

It is SORN at the moment, with no MOT

@doug, A silly question about possible overheating, Have you had  hardened valve seats fitted to the head for lead free petrol ? Or are you using a lead replacement additive ?

[dollywobbler]

All Reliants have hardened valve seats due to the ally head.

[bobdisk]

9 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

All Reliants have hardened valve seats due to the ally head.

OOO 🤕 silly me, I should have remembered that !

[doug]

My new radiator is lost in transit.

[mitsisigma01]

Which carrier is supposed to be looking after it? If its Hermes look over your neighbours back fence, that's where we found a parcel "safely left" launched over a 6ft fence, shame it was in the wrong garden, useless twat, we were in all day and he definitely didn't knock and their tracking didn't even show it was out for delivery!!! Hermes complaint procedure didn't get us anywhere either. 

🤞🏽Hope it turns up 

[somewhatfoolish]

If there's a low/dropped liner then replacing stuff is potentially unnecessary, need to sort that or at least check the height relative to the block face is in specification.

[bobdisk]

Bought it, meow! Going to get it ASAP. Out bid some body else who had seen it earlier and then came back after me, so fingers crossed. 

Mathewsons have updated their website, so here is their description, and look on Vimeo for a video.

1976 Reliant Kitten

The paint finish is extremely bright with only some minor cracks and some evidence of silicone polish

This car had a body off restoration in about 2018, which included a galvanised chassis, all new suspension, new tyres, brakes renewed, including master cylinder, all brake pipes replaced with copper, suspension bushes replaced with poly bushes for the tie rods, steering rack rebuilt, full front to back stainless steel exhaust.
The engine is an 850. It has just over 55,500 miles on the clock. It has a new alternator, brand new SU carb, electronic ignition upgrade, new, modern core radiator, and another upgrade of the later expansion tank. All of this means the car will run cool in any weather.
The car has custom made carpets, edged to match the exterior colour. The seats have been professionally re-trimmed.

https://vimeo.com/432416770

This is before restoration;

http://bay2car.com/RELIANT-KITTEN-DE-LUXE-1976-WHITE-55K-RUNNING-DRIVING-PROJECT332527024047/car137712

[LightBulbFun]

7 minutes ago, bobdisk said:

Bought it, meow! Going to get it on Friday. Out bid some body else who had seen it earlier and then came back after me, so fingers crossed. 

https://mathewsons.co.uk/auctions/auction-dates/vehicles/14680-1976-reliant-kitten

This is before restoration;

http://bay2car.com/RELIANT-KITTEN-DE-LUXE-1976-WHITE-55K-RUNNING-DRIVING-PROJECT332527024047/car137712

ah yes a set of wheels and rear lights for your future Model 70

looks very nice tho! but those number plates have to go!, looking at the unrestored photos looks like she may have still had her original  pressed retroreflective plates, shame those have seemingly been binned off

(and i prefer the original style wheel trims)

I look forward to seeing your postings about her if all goes well!  

[bobdisk]

Yes, new plates on the kittens food menu. First job though, oil and water change. 

[doug]

Great stuff. Please keep us posted with progress. Also lots of photos as well of course.

[bobdisk]

One of these might do suitable number plates;

https://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/

http://www.tipper-signs.co.uk/Contact Us.html

Tiddles the Kitten has fuel tank problems. The steady-ing lug on the long edge has been cut off for some reason, (see pic) this allows the tank to swivel like a hammock on its end mounts! Dangerous !! But the remainder of the lug is still there, so I must find someone who will weld a new lug back on.  The rest of it is ok, except that a new filler pipe is needed. The whole tank has been painted, including the filler input. So the petrol melted the paint there, and it started leaking first time I filled up. Also need a new gauge sender, the fuel pick up connection is mounted on it. This pipe connection is broken.

https://www.reliantpartsworld.co.uk/reliant-robin-rialto-850cc-fuel-tank-made-in-uk-26637

Too expensive when I only need a repair!  Its a peculiar arrangement. A cars fuel tank usually has straps holding it to a flat surface, or is fixed by its edge joints. 

Perhaps something like this, held in the boot by straps. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marine-Fuel-Static-Portable-Outboard/dp/B083M5VRF4/ref=sr_1_34?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Boat+Fuel+Tanks&qid=1608888531&refinements=p_36%3A389116011&rnid=389114011&s=sports&sr=1-34&ts_id=469892031

[doug]

My radiator never turned up. They said that they posted a replacement and it never turned up either. I left messaged on their answering machine and they never replied,same with emails. Eventually I had to request a refund via paypal which to be fair was returned right away. Its just when you dont get replies from contacts it gets a bit worrying.

I eventually got one from another supplier within 3 days of ordering. 

My petrol tank was the same as yours. Mine had rusted off. But there was enough of the tang left on the tank to drill a hole through it and bolt a strap on. Also the fuel pickup pipe on the sender unit had also rusted off same as yours. I drilled it out and soldered a bit of copper brake pipe in its place. 

[bobdisk]

5 hours ago, doug said:

My petrol tank was the same as yours. Mine had rusted off. But there was enough of the tang left on the tank to drill a hole through it and bolt a strap on. Also the fuel pickup pipe on the sender unit had also rusted off same as yours. I drilled it out and soldered a bit of copper brake pipe in its place. 

The gauge sender is all plastic, including the fuel pick up, on my, and the new one.   The tank's lug is definitely cut off, leaving a bit on there, and another new one welded on the opposite side. There is also the remains of a pick up soldered to the top, but rusted inside. I will take that off and solder a blank over the cleaned up hole.  (Pics to come) The tank must have been modified for something else, the recovered for the Kitten.  Trouble is, I cant use the car until this is sorted, that why I contemplate a marine tank inside. 

https://www.reliantpartsworld.co.uk/reliant-robin-rialto-fuel-tank-sender-unit

[bobdisk]

Pic 1 ,  The lug, cut off.

Pic 2,   Where petrol leaked out at the filler, and the odd pick up.

Pic 3,  Broken pick up on gauge sender.

Pic 4,   The odd lug, welded on the wrong side (for Reliant) and the odd pick up.

[bunglebus]

Surely wouldn't be too difficult to weld a new tab on, with suitable precautions ie thoroughly flushed out and full of water?

[bobdisk]

Thats what I intend to do !  And take that extra pick up off, clean up the rust around it (visible inside with a mirror) , and put a patch over the hole. (solder or braze) 

[bobdisk]

Its done, and ready to fit, if the weather is not too cold! 

[bobdisk]

Tiddles is on the road at last, pics to come!

[bobdisk]

First Journey ! Spring Kitten is for a photo competition at work. Theme is "spring" !!  The wiring on the ignition switch is an example of what I found throughout the car. Wrong size crimps for the wire. Not properly crimped, most just pulled out. Looks like they were done with a pair of pliers instead of a crimp tool. Looks like theres been a burn as well.

[wesacosa]

wow I didn't realise the Mathewson's Kitten was in the fold. Looks great. would love a Kitten saloon.  the first thing I remember making at school was a car scrap book with a yellow Kitten saloon on the cover

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, bobdisk said:

First Journey ! Spring Kitten is for a photo competition at work. Theme is "spring" !!  The wiring on the ignition switch is an example of what I found throughout the car. Wrong size crimps for the wire. Not properly crimped, most just pulled out. Looks like they were done with a pair of pliers instead of a crimp tool. Looks like theres been a burn as well.

very cool to see you got her back on the road  

if all the electrical wiring is that bad, then perhaps you might want to invest in one of these avoid RSI! LOL

 

 

[High Jetter]

13 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

if all the electrical wiring is that bad, then perhaps you might want to invest in one of these avoid RSI! LOL

How fugging much??????????? £732.44 from RS / Farnell!

[bobdisk]

Had this tool for ages! The crimps in the bags on the left are heat shrink, crimp on then heat the sleeve. Box are bullets, and other bag are bits I have picked up at work. 

Seen that motorised tool before, too expensive, even work would not consider it!