project 1951 Lanchester LD10 - Trim Install and Woodworm Treating

[PhilA]

I have Gearbox Curiosity.

I am highly amused that this one operates using a principle very similar to an old mechanical adding machine.

Also I smile because it's all completely mechanical. Selector sets the stop on the mechanism in the correct place, then giving the pedal a shove actually changes the position of the band engagement shaft until it hits the stop, which takes a fair bit of force (hence foot pedal). 

With a little bit of work it could be a fully automatic gearbox, also makes me smile. 

Sounds like it'll be fun to drive.

 

Phil

[lesapandre]

32 minutes ago, PhilA said:

I have Gearbox Curiosity.

I am highly amused that this one operates using a principle very similar to an old mechanical adding machine.

Also I smile because it's all completely mechanical. Selector sets the stop on the mechanism in the correct place, then giving the pedal a shove actually changes the position of the band engagement shaft until it hits the stop, which takes a fair bit of force (hence foot pedal). 

With a little bit of work it could be a fully automatic gearbox, also makes me smile. 

Sounds like it'll be fun to drive.

 

Phil

I think that is what they were developing for the Sprite. They gave up and the last of the Conquests had Borg-Warner 3-speed auto-boxes installed instead.

[lesapandre]

41 minutes ago, PhilA said:

I have Gearbox Curiosity.

I am highly amused that this one operates using a principle very similar to an old mechanical adding machine.

Also I smile because it's all completely mechanical. Selector sets the stop on the mechanism in the correct place, then giving the pedal a shove actually changes the position of the band engagement shaft until it hits the stop, which takes a fair bit of force (hence foot pedal). 

With a little bit of work it could be a fully automatic gearbox, also makes me smile. 

Sounds like it'll be fun to drive.

 

Phil

Like the Packard Ultramatic...with electric push buttons.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramatic

[PhilA]

13 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

I think that is what they were developing for the Sprite. They gave up and the last of the Conquests had Borg-Warner 3-speed auto-boxes installed instead.

Detroit Gear and Borg-Warner held so many patents on some essentially very simple principles that trying to get around that and not get sued to the hilt was nigh-on impossible at that time.

[DSdriver]

I was warned  about driving a Daimler of similar vintage because if you braked hard whilst reversing the engine would increase its revs and fight against you on a bid to destroy the rear end of the car against whatever was behind you. I think that was more of a throttle linkage design error than gearbox problem.

[PhilA]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

I was warned  about driving a Daimler of similar vintage because if you braked hard whilst reversing the engine would increase its revs and fight against you on a bid to destroy the rear end of the car against whatever was behind you. I think that was more of a throttle linkage design error than gearbox problem.

Heard similar about some American tin- if the engine mount fails, the engine sags down pulling the throttle wide open...

[Vantman]

On 8/5/2020 at 9:02 PM, vulgalour said:

Ah, we have a Saturday morning delivery slot.  Excite!

Is it there yet??

[ETCHY]

Looking forward to updates on this 

[vulgalour]

We have a rough ETA of 11am-ish.  This may or may not be the actual delivery time, depends on traffic etc.  Still, we're up and waiting eagerly for arrival.

[Christine]

Go on .....you couldn't sleep could you ? ?

[lesapandre]

15 hours ago, DSdriver said:

I was warned  about driving a Daimler of similar vintage because if you braked hard whilst reversing the engine would increase its revs and fight against you on a bid to destroy the rear end of the car against whatever was behind you. I think that was more of a throttle linkage design error than gearbox problem.

You also have to be careful not to mistakenly leave them in drive by not 'selecting' neutral when the quadrant is at 'N' - and holding them on the handbrake and get out of the car, especially standing in front. Likewise starting on the starting handle. Without getting back in the car they will continue to run forward if handbrake not great or not on. More here:

https://classicmotorhub.com/blog/learning-to-drive-a-pre-selector-gearbox-in-the-lanchester-ld10/

[vulgalour]

It's here~

Good news: the brakes work

Bad news: there's no battery.  Not surprised about this one.

Right, time to give this bad boy a proper wash.

[Christine]

Has it got a cranking handle?

[DSdriver]

Even my 1973 DS has a cranking handle, although because it has the five speed box it is not possible to use it and even with the four speed you have to remove the numberplate

[MikeKnight]

Don't destroy your wrist on the cranking handle if it has one, you need that for work. ?

[Christine]

Keep thumb on the outside !  

[HMC]

Looking forward to progress. Will you maintain the “oily rag” aesthetic? Like with old buildings or antiques it’s an interesting Aesthetic challenge to decide what to do, and what not. 
 

Lovely.

[JeeExEll]

Fantastic.

Would your Lotus Elite wheels fit it?

[vulgalour]

I've just finished washing the car and am now enjoying a sit down indoors and having a bit of a rehydrate.  In the meantime, here are some more pictures and info on what's arrived.  In the boot are two spare tyres and a bare spare steel.  The two boot floors, both the wooden one and the steel one, are in remarkably good shape.  The split cover for the fuel filler neck is present but not screwed down, I suspect the screws I found in the glovebox are for that.  The rear light lenses are different on each side of the car, but there's a matching one for the light on the right in the glovebox, I might fit it, I might not.

To answer @wuvvum's query about the boot lid, it does open more than the Conquest's 15 degrees, but because of the shape it doesn't feel like it.  Not the most practical boot design ever.  The hinge on the left can be pulled back to lock it, just be careful when you push it to unlock it because the lid will come down rather rapidly!

In the engine room up front, it seems to be intact.  The fuel line running to the carburettor is currently disconnected with a bit of copper pipe taking it's place that served as the feed line for the remote fuel tank we ran on viewing day.  We will correct this, it's not difficult.  To the right of the image you can see the sediment bowl and the Irn Bru looking fuel in it, the sediment bowl is plastic, surprisingly, I'd expected it to be glass.  There is coolant of some sort in it, though it does smell like something halfway between household emulsion and thinners, so goodness knows what's actually in there.

Let's have an overview of the outside then.  It actually rolled off the trailer fine, slowed a bit by the flat front tyre. The brakes did work and the car is holding quite happily on the handbrake, which was a pleasant surprise.

There's a lot of dents and scrapes and paint damage all over and that's okay.  What rust there is on the car is very minor, not at all what I'm used to.  The worst of the paint defects is on the aluminium roof and boot lid because a lot of the paint is just flaking off.  Obviously it's not a problem because it's aluminium so we're just going to leave that be.  You'll notice it's wearing hubcaps now too, these were in the car and are a nice snug fit, they've been painted at some point, though not badly, you can still read the Lanchester script on them.  The chrome on the bumpers is shot and there's a good amount of pitting on the handles and boot hinges, again not an issue for what this car is.

Let's move inside.  There's what looks to be part of the exhaust sat on the back seat.  The battery lives under the passenger side of the back seat, it's gone because of course it is, so I'll have to get a new one of those once I figure out what type it needs, I'm not sure if this car is on 6 or 12 volt.  The back seat is actually in much better condition than I remembered and probably just needs a clean and feed and nothing else.

The rear door cards likewise are in better condition than I remembered.  Even the headlining and draught excluder strips are in good, if dirty, condition.

Up front, the worst of the damage is to the passenger seat where a cat has been using it to sharpen claws.  Both seat bases are a little flat feeling, as if the springs or stuffing are tired, but are otherwise incredibly comfortable.

Both front door cards are not as bad as I feared when I first viewed them, now I can see that it's not so much water damage as rotted out stitching that's the problem, with the driver's door being much worse.  Careful unpicking should allow me to completely save these with the original materials.

Am I still happy?  Absolutely!  The smell inside this car is that perfect old car smell, especially with it being so warm outside today.  It's remarkably cosy inside, you half expect there to be a little pot-bellied stove under the dashboard.  It's the most grown-up car I've ever owned.  Glass and interior next, mostly just to get the dust out of everything.  What's left of the paint does take a shine and I've a plan to spruce that up without compromising how the car actually looks.  Thanks to having the garage, keeping this car looking like it does now without it deteriorating should be eminently possible.  It's almost disappointing there's not more junk in the car really, chances of hidden treasure are quite slim.

[vulgalour]

To address the questions:

It does have a starting handle

We will be keeping it oil rag aesthetic

Lotus wheels won't fit (Beetle ones do if they're 16"+)

[LightBulbFun]

very awesome stuff im very looking forward to seeing this on the road! any idea on how much work it needs to be road worthy etc?

is it just a case of some new tyres a systems check n your ready to roll?

 

9 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

I'm not sure if this car is on 6 or 12 volt

not a 100% definitive way to tell but a good way is check the voltages of the bulbs fitted perhaps?

although someone could have easily fitted the wrong bulbs at some point

happy to also try and figure out the date of manufacture of the bulbs you pull out  

[lesapandre]

Yes wiping the car over with WD40 or something may be the way forward to keep the weathered look. Stripped and repainted the car wd loose so much character...likewise repairing the interior.

Ford Consul announced in 1950 at about £750  was a world away...and a Zodiac was about £850. The Lanchester must have appealed to the 'traditionalist' who liked the 'Pre-War looks  - but it was expensive and to an extent you can see where the money went in terms of quality of materials and workmanship. But so impractical in parts - why make the boot so small for example - maybe people sent on their luggage by train.

Super car though. Congrats on getting it. Wonder where its been all these years. I really like the scruffy look compared to something 'restored'.

[Vantman]

Lovely car,so much character,well done for finding and purchasing it.

 

[SiC]

Those slightly pointing down headlamps make it look a bit sad, depressed, Eeyore looking.  A ? kind of look. 

It's the look of something that has survived all these years but hasn't got anything to look forward to anymore. 

Please make Mr/Mrs Lanchester happy again. 

[Christine]

Its called Eeyore now ,  the die is cast !

[beko1987]

Thats amazing! I'd clean and restore the interior as much as possible, and the glass, then as said, wash the outside in oil. 

Best of both worlds then, a really nice place to sit, and looking fab on the outside. Would a clean and feed of the front seats then some period correct* or knitted seat covers be the way forward? Or just a better set of leather from another seat I suppose

[SiC]

Please don't wash in oil! It's nasty stuff for little creatures when it rains and washes off. Whether that's bugs, hedgehogs or just the neighbourhood cats, it's not good for them to be drinking anything contaminated by it. Used engine oil is even worse. 

[Christine]

Don't get the bakelite bits wet , or the steering wheel rim..it disolves !

[wuvvum]

What a superb motor car!  I am quite jealous.

I would expect it to be 12v, most post-war British stuff was.  It was mainly the French who persisted with 6v into the 1950s.  And the Ford Prefects, but they were pre-war cars anyway.

 

Edit: this PDF of a workshop manual appears to confirm that.

http://ld10.awardspace.co.uk/articles/trader138.pdf

[egg]

Yes it is brilliant.

Looks like the car for a 1950's Doctor in a Kent country parish.