Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - Steering wheel restoration 3/9/22

[R1152]

I *love* to see trafficators on a car. Trouble is, yer average motorised hooligan won't even notice the buggers.

The irony of this lack of observation occurring with an Audi driver is not lost on me.

[Angrydicky]

19 minutes ago, Asimo said:

You should measure 12v withrespect to earth at both terminals of the coil when the points are open. When the points are closed one side of the coil should still measure 12v and the other should measure close to zero.

Thanks, I thought they were open while I was testing but I will double check tomorrow!

[Angrydicky]

11 minutes ago, R1152 said:

I *love* to see trafficators on a car. Trouble is, yer average motorised hooligan won't even notice the buggers.

The irony of this lack of observation occurring with an Audi driver is not lost on me.

Sadly this is true. 

I still want to get rid of the ugly later indicators on the front and fit original sidelights, but as it's old enough to legally have white flashing indicators on the front, I might see if I can make the sidelights flash like the BMC conversion on late 50s Morris Minors.

Throttle linkage, bonnet release handle, and light switch all still seized solid by the way. I'll have to remove them, and take them into work so they can be stripped and cleaned properly.

[somewhatfoolish]

If they can be removed from the car a vinegar bath will derusticate them pretty quickly and clean electrical contacts at the same time. Your potatocammage is authentically 1950s, it's like you've stretched tights over the lens.

53 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Throttle linkage, bonnet release handle, and light switch all still seized solid by the way. I'll have to remove them, and take them into work so they can be stripped and cleaned properly.

 

[Angrydicky]

One of my colleagues is sorting the carb for me. I offered to do some welding on his motorbike for him a while ago, which he'd been quoted a fortune by a professional welder to do. It was tricky and time consuming, but I got great results, and he's so pleased with it he's falling over himself to help me with my projects! He's rebuilt loads of carbs over the years and this one's in really good condition (which it should be, it's only done 10000 miles) He's already got it all stripped down and blasted. Every linkage, and the choke and throttle butterflies, were all seized solid. The throttle butterfly only released after 30 minutes in the oven. It was tight because it doesn't have the usual play in it. The carb gasket set that came with the Hampshire is the correct one, which is great.

I suspect I'll have to do the same with the bulkhead and bonnet linkages, get them in the oven for a bit, it works wonders for seized stuff. The ignition/light switch needs carefully stripping and cleaning, which again he's offered to do. He enjoys it and it helps the project move along a bit faster, a bit of mutual back-scratching.

[RayMK]

Could the extra condenser on the coil be a capacitor for radio interference suppression - not so much for nearby home radios but for the optional car radio?  I can remember when fitting a radio to  cars of the 1960s/70s that the instructions called for capacitors to be hung on all sorts of electrical components e.g. dynamo, wiper motor and heater blower.  There was further advice suggesting that metal hub caps should be properly earthed to the wheels and bodywork static should be discharged to the road surface via a hanging earth strap. I did most of these things on my first car, a '67 Reliant 3-25 and later on a Triumph Herald and then a Viva HC but could only hear interference free reception when parked with the engine off.  My current '61 Reliant Regal MK6 does not have a radio but apparently blots out next door's TV on its rare outings (Reliant, not the TV).

I love the homely interior of your new acquisition, and of Vulg's Lanchester.  Watching the progress on both threads with much interest and enjoyment.

[Angrydicky]

@RayMK it could well be. Presumably it has had an radio at some point as there's a hole been drilled for an ariel above the bootlid which is plugged with a rubber grommet. 

There was no battery on the Hampshire when it arrived and the fact it appeared to have had a radio in the past meant I did consider that it might have been converted to negative earth. However, there was nothing to say it had been converted, and I reckoned if it had had a radio, it must have been at least 50 years ago, and back then most radios were either positive earth or had a polarity switch.

I connected it up for positive earth and so far it seems ok.

[Rusty_Rocket]

The negative and positive terminals are different sizes, so if the cables fit snugly, it probably still is positive earth. 

I'd strongly recommend a conversion to negative earth. You don't need to change much and it means you can add a discreet cig lighter to run a satnav/ charge your phone. Positive earth totally fries my brain when I'm trying to work out wiring, it's just wrong ! 

[R1152]

21 minutes ago, Rusty_Rocket said:

The negative and positive terminals are different sizes, so if the cables fit snugly, it probably still is positive earth. 

I'd strongly recommend a conversion to negative earth. You don't need to change much and it means you can add a discreet cig lighter to run a satnav/ charge your phone. Positive earth totally fries my brain when I'm trying to work out wiring, it's just wrong ! 

If you're used to the early days of transistor radios where the only choice of transistor was PNP, you get used to it. Where it does do my head in is where you have stuff you expect to see negative earth, but for technical reasons it's run positive earth. I think some of the Grundig "Satellit" sets did that in order to keep the IF coils "earthy". 

I'd keep it positive earth, FWIW: I believe it's possible to get a small inverter that provides an electrically-isolated supply - IIRC someone I know has a FB Victor with a V8 in it and it is how the original Vauxhall positive-earth radio is powered. 

[Angrydicky]

I'll probably just leave it positive earth. It didn't have a radio from new and I'm not bothered about fitting one really.

[somewhatfoolish]

Dynamos suck though, needy capricious things as are the wobbly box controller gubbins. Driving in the dark will be thrilling but not in a good way.

[Angrydicky]

Conveniently ignoring the piss poor state of my bodywork, hopefully one area I can make Mr @vulgalourEsq. jealous in is the condition of my seats.

I did them today with Gliptone liquid leather intensive cleaner, then with the conditioner. I’ve given them three thick applications of Gliptone conditioner and they’re getting softer with each application. Very pleased with how they’ve come out, they feel and smell amazing, and they’re extremely comfortable as well!

 

[Angrydicky]

Here’s a quick ‘before’ 

[Amishtat]

They look wonderfully comfortable. That's a satisfying job, I did my 164 with hide food from a tack shop and they went from biscuit to supple in about a week and several applications. 

[somewhatfoolish]

The back seat should certainly be comfortable with 6" of dunlopillo supporting your posterior. 13.4/10 wood reed agane.

[Joey spud]

Those seats are rather nice.

I would genuinely take those front seats indoors and use them for viewing my TV until such a time that they were needed back in the car.

I am guessing the seat belts are a later addition,my '59 Minor hasn't got any or any fixings for them ?

[Angrydicky]

15 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

Those seats are rather nice.

I would genuinely take those front seats indoors and use them for viewing my TV until such a time that they were needed back in the car.

I am guessing the seat belts are a later addition,my '59 Minor hasn't got any or any fixings for them ?

Yep, I reckon the seatbelts date to the 1960s. They’re only lap belts, bolted into the floor, which is rotten, so not much holding them in!

[ETCHY]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

Conveniently ignoring the piss poor state of my bodywork, hopefully one area I can make Mr @vulgalourEsq. jealous in is the condition of my seats.

I did them today with Gliptone liquid leather intensive cleaner, then with the conditioner. I’ve given them three thick applications of Gliptone conditioner and they’re getting softer with each application. Very pleased with how they’ve come out, they feel and smell amazing, and they’re extremely comfortable as well!

 

Great job. They look seriously comfortable.

That to me is what luxury  in a car looks like, things like funky little individual armrests, proper quality leather etc etc. Not a shitty touchscreen & 24 inch alloy wheels that pass as luxury in many cars now nowadays.

Well bought & saved.

 

[vulgalour]

I'm only not jealous of your seats because my steering wheel isn't coming apart.

[Angrydicky]

Can’t  remember who it was who expressed an interest in my rear window blind. Does @vulgalourhave one of these? 😂

Here’s the rusty bulkhead looking up from below. That’s the bonnet release lever you can see sticking out, totally seized solid! The cable is broken too, fortunately there is a manual override on the front of the car. I’ve lubricated this and it now works ok.

I think this side is solid, this just seems to be surface. This is looking up from the passenger footwell.

Crusty centre section.

You can see that hole from the engine bay side.

Wiring looks ok, but the light switch requires removing to free it off. This entails removing six completely unobtanium, seized on, 70 year old Bakelite knobs to remove the fascia, to get at the screws. Not a job I’m looking forward to.

Some pictures of the ‘patina’ now.

Quite a lot of plod in this wing, I don’t think it’s going to be that much better than the other side by the time I’ve knocked it all out.

Door to wing panel gaps are absolutely shocking! I’m not actually sure why, especially on this side as the A post is still attached to the floor.

Ive had a quick peek at the A post behind the trim panel and first impressions are that it looks surprisingly ok. The reason it’s floating around is that it’s no longer attached to the sill, floor, or inner wheelarch.

 

I had a look and there had been some kind of rear valance, but it’s almost totally rotted away.

I gave the remaining bits of black paint a very quick wipe over. There really isn’t much original paint left and the front panel has been brush painted. It’s definitely had a new passenger side wing at some point, you can still see the red primer underneath.

 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Taking out shares with BOC for the amount of welding gas you'll need.

In all seriousness though, it's bloody fantastic to see somebody tackling this car.  It's a real piece of history that captures a very specific time in history (like @vulgalour's Lanchester) when the British motor industry was trying to recover its footing after the war, pushing out aged designs that nevertheless have a huge charm to them.  Very distinctive and definitely worth saving.

[eddyramrod]

If ever a car screamed out to be (beautifully) brush-painted, I think this is it.  That's exactly what some old boy would have done in 1963, flat cap on his head, pipe firmly in his teeth, protecting his old grey suit with a fawn shop coat.

What a time capsule!  It's absolutely in the right hands now.

[Angrydicky]

That's actually a pretty good idea Eddy. I've been agonising over what to do with the paintwork, normally I'm all for keeping the patina. But there's so little original paint left, and so much surface rust. Hmm.

[406V6]

What a lovely old car. Regarding the indicators I can remember riding in the back of a car when I was very young – about 3 years old – and my parents pointing out the semaphore indicator arms popping out and lighting up. Memories. 

You’ve mentioned removing the (normal) flashing indicators on this so presumably leaving just the semaphores. From a safety point of view I’d politely question the wisdom of this. Nobody on today’s roads will be looking for a semaphore and I’d hate this lovely old car to get hit by an impatient Audi or BMW driver when you’re about to attempt a manoevure. Then there’s you, the driver, without a seat belt liable to be thrown all over the place if the car gets hit. On Autoshite we care.

[R1152]

16 minutes ago, 406V6 said:

What a lovely old car. Regarding the indicators I can remember riding in the back of a car when I was very young – about 3 years old – and my parents pointing out the semaphore indicator arms popping out and lighting up. Memories. 

 

 

 

 

You’ve mentioned removing the (normal) flashing indicators on this so presumably leaving just the semaphores. From a safety point of view I’d politely question the wisdom of this. Nobody on today’s roads will be looking for a semaphore and I’d hate this lovely old car to get hit by an impatient Audi or BMW driver when you’re about to attempt a manoevure. Then there’s you, the driver, without a seat belt liable to be thrown all over the place if the car gets hit. On Autoshite we care.

 

Oi! Slight grump from this BMW driver who actually knows what indicators are, uses them and also knows what trafficators are! 

Again, the irony of the driver of an Attention User Doesn't Indicate not noticing traffic actors isn't lost on me. 

However, how much of a faff would it be to make the corresponding stop/tail light flash, and front side light? It'd involve relays, certainly. I think it has already been suggested. 

Wonder if high-power orange LEDs have an application concealed in the lamps? 

[R1152]

43 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

That's actually a pretty good idea Eddy. I've been agonising over what to do with the paintwork, normally I'm all for keeping the patina. But there's so little original paint left. Hmm.

My vote is for Coach Enamel. 

[Fumbler]

+1 on coach enamel, failing that cellulose paint may be good to use.

[puddlethumper]

1 hour ago, R1152 said:

My vote is for Coach Enamel. 

Agreed. I coach painted a Ventora once and it came up really good. If I'd polished it it would have been not far off as good as a spray job.

[beko1987]

+2 on paint but wear some of @captain_70s clothes as you do (don't get paint on and take a photo on a 1980s camera but with modern cars visible and cause future confusion within the service history by slipping it in somewhere

Could probably hide some filler here and there more easily too, then level it off with a yard brush for the patina before you paint it

A nice striking red? 

[captain_70s]

She's a bit crusty to be sure. The UK climate really is dire for automotive preservation, humid summers and mild winters for a constantly damp environment where nothing ever dries out or freezes. Grim.

 

+1 on flashing indicators, they look like garbage but are pretty essentially for any car that's going to see use in modern traffic. I need to rig up high level brake lights on the Triumphs, compared to modern LED units the rear lights are pathetic and the dual filament style rear/brake combo mounted low are a recipe for disaster.