Tommy's A-series Misery - Poland or Bust

[Tommyboy12]

Tomorrow's run is the reverse of our trip here except we're going via a scrapyard for a mooch around. Im planning to pluck the bonnet emblem off something interesting and I've been tasked with finding an LED clock for a Daihatsu Coure in our party.

It should be a fairly relaxed run as we need to leave the site by 10am and the ferry is at 7pm.

[Tommyboy12]

We're getting ready for the off this morning. The Visas in the fleet are struggling a little. The brown one is having electrical issues and the yellow one keeps fouling it's plugs so there's some maintenance to be done this morning. However the Aggro needs nothing!

[Tommyboy12]

Another quick photoshoot before we head off to a scrapyard this morning to coo at Dutch shite.

 

[Tommyboy12]

We've been at the Venyard scrapyard buying bits for various cars. It's an old school pull and pick which we perused. Amazingly there was a Lancia Y10 turbo in for scrap

[Tommyboy12]

Quick pitstop in Belgium for cheaper fuel (€1.90) before we hit Calais in an hour. 

[Tommyboy12]

We've made it to border control! The queue is quite long currently but we have two hours until our ferry so should have plenty of time

 

[Tommyboy12]

Loaded on the boat. Looks like it's a rough crossing today.

[hairnet]

So hour and half home.?

[Tommyboy12]

 

3 minutes ago, hairnet said:

So hour and half home.?

Confession time...  The Allegro isnt actually going home... I actually sold it to a fellow lunatic at EMWalhalla. A well known guy from the Maxi scene and owner of the Maxi that was on the trip. I stopped at Folkestone services after getting off the boat where I handed it over to a convoy passenger who has driven it to it's new owner just south of Hythe. So it's back on the south coast 

My last photos of the Aggro below. It's performed admirably this weekend and has been a very comfortable, if thirsty cruiser. I've enjoyed owning it and as per the rest of the cars I've owned it's left my ownership in better condition than I bought it with new brakes, suspension pipes, a water pump and an electronic ignition.

Our Practical Classics photographer drove it off into the sunset to deliver it to it's new owner.

I'll be sure to get a copy of the Practical Classics which includes it too keep it for prosperity.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I'm impressed that the Allegro managed the journey so well. Onwards and upwards  - looking forward to seeing what you do with HMC's old Moggie thou. I was sorely tempted.

[High Jetter]

How are you getting home tho?

[Tommyboy12]

7 hours ago, High Jetter said:

How are you getting home tho?

I got a lift in the Jaaaag as it was quicker and more comfortable than the two cylinder Visa alternative 😅

[Talbot]

That looks like it was a superb journey!  Did you get much from the Dutch breakers?

[Tommyboy12]

13 minutes ago, Talbot said:

That looks like it was a superb journey!  Did you get much from the Dutch breakers?

I personally only acquired this badge for our own i10.

Between the group we stripped the front end off the MG, a set of wheels off a Rover 45, the dashboard out of a Berlingo and the roll back roof off a Smart car. Most of this was crammed into the already full 309 diesel.

[Tommyboy12]

The bonus to this weekend is that we were also raising money for the RNLI and as of this morning have raised over £3000.

I had a great trip, made some new friends, saw some cool cars, and made it home without major incident. My favourite photo of the trip has to be this one, highlighting some of the chod we brought along.

Now did someone say something about a 2,000 mile road trip to Poland in a Mini...?

[juular]

Love this.

Old shit is for driving. Really hoping to do similar things once I stop chasing my tail a bit. This is inspiring me to get on with it.

[Tommyboy12]

Normal service resumes and the work on the Austin 7 continues.

Firstly I leak tested my new radiators. First one was a bit leaky...

Second one, with a modern core, held water fine.

However they all had different caps on them and the one which held water had a cut cap so I couldn't screw anything to it.

So I set about applying some heat to break the lead solder and pull the cap off my old rad.

So now I have the right cap and a solid core

I also seem to be collecting radiators...

My dad is a semi-retired plumber so I knew just the man to help me lead solder the correct cap onto the good rad.

Bit of prep work to clean it up

And expertly soldered on.

Now I have a good radiator with the right cap and I can set about getting it back into the car this weekend.

[Tommyboy12]

Today I did a run down to darn Saarf to pick up my new toy.

Started off at 6am being picked up by a couple of friends who had self elected to suffer the 12 hour, 600 mile, return drive with me.

No pictures of the off I'm afraid. I forgot...

However on the way down I did spot this top notch company name and reg plate

We made a stop off at the country's best services for breakfast. 2 points for the correct answer.

Then carried on our merry way all the way down to nearly Plymouth to pick up this!

Unfortunately I couldn't meet up with HMC but he left me the keys and I just hopped in it and drove down the road to the supermarket.

Where we loaded it onto today's chosen tow car. It's an Ocean Race don't you know...

Then set off back across Dartmoor

On the way back up to the M5 the XC70 hit a milestone

Another quick stop at the country's best services for a small top up. Motorway diesel prices can get in the bin

Then about 11.5 hours after we set off it was back home

And has now taken up residence where the Aggro sat a few weeks ago

Overall I'm very happy with it. It drives lovely (if you ignore the bag of spanners banging around in first gear) and it looks very solid. She's going to get a bit more love and plenty of driving.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Gloucester Services Farm Shop?

Never been but my wife’s aunt lives nearby and goes there to buy goodies when she comes over for a stay

We get WhatsApp shopping updates 🙄

[High Jetter]

Methinks Tebay.

[captain_70s]

6 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Methinks Tebay.

Only a 600 mile round trip though, and HMC is down Plymouth way I think?

[Tommyboy12]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Methinks Tebay.

My personal opinion is that Tebay is the best services in the UK. But Gloucester has officially been voted the best in the country.

9 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Only a 600 mile round trip though, and HMC is down Plymouth way I think?

Only 600 miles 🥲

But yes it was down to Plymouth way from me in Huntingdon.

[Matty]

11 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

you ignore the bag of spanners banging around in first gear)

Mega easy to strip. Havent put one back together yet as i could get it done for less than parts prices to me (which tbf hasnt gone as well as i hoped). Man of your capabilities could strip and rebuild easy. Parts are dear though or soon add up. If it wants a first gear itll also need a laygear and layshaft. Tldr just dont use 1st much. 

[Tommyboy12]

32 minutes ago, Matty said:

Mega easy to strip. Havent put one back together yet as i could get it done for less than parts prices to me (which tbf hasnt gone as well as i hoped). Man of your capabilities could strip and rebuild easy. Parts are dear though or soon add up. If it wants a first gear itll also need a laygear and layshaft. Tldr just dont use 1st much. 

I have already mastered pulling away in 2nd. 1st is so short its only really useful for gradients anyway.

[Matty]

47 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

I have already mastered pulling away in 2nd. 1st is so short its only really useful for gradients anyway.

They break my heart as a gearbox Tom because they are so lovely in use. Quick and accurate. The box in the Spitfire feels like operating railway points. Howvever that doesnt break these do 🤣

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

They break my heart as a gearbox Tom because they are so lovely in use. Quick and accurate. The box in the Spitfire feels like operating railway points. Howvever that doesnt break these do 🤣

I like the gearbox. It feels very direct and slots in nicely. I do think the box in my old MGB was much nicer though. Perhaps not helped by the crunchy 1st gear 😅

[Matty]

23 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

I like the gearbox. It feels very direct and slots in nicely. I do think the box in my old MGB was much nicer though. Perhaps not helped by the crunchy 1st gear 😅

Apparently the box behind the b series is many magnatudes tougher as well.

[Tommyboy12]

Before my collection of the Moggie the other day I got the radiator back on the 7 and it's filled with water (just to test). It held water!

I then proceeded to fit a fuel pressure regulator so I could actually get it running and up to temp! It sat and idled quite happily for nearly 15 minutes and everything got nice and hot for probably the first time in 50 years!

There was a slight leak into the combustion chamber from the headgasket. I noticed bubbling in the radiator and steam from the exhaust. When I went round the cylinder head studs a few of them weren't very tight so theyve been nipped up a bit. I need to bring over my small torque wrench so I can go over them again. Torque settings are only 20ftlb on the head studs.

I didn't try to move it as it was blocked in but also I still need to adjust the clutch and grease everything. I've also got to check the gearbox oil and top up the diff (which is a bit wet round the housing). We are mere days away from a maiden voyage I feel!

Today though, I spent some of the afternoon in the glorious sunshine tinkering with the Moggie. I took it to work this morning and it drove fine but it's got a few things that need attention.

Firstly the gearbox isn't super happy in first gear as mentioned. I decided I'd check and top up the gearbox oil firstly just to see if that helped.

Handily, and much like the Austin Cambridge I used to have, there's a bung in the floor to check the gearbox oil.

Not much oil in here. It's meant to be up to the bottom of the threads which is 1.3L of oil. I actually couldn't see any oil in the box. That dark area is a casting section.

Topped off with 20W50 as per the manual. Not super happpy about the sparkly bits in the oil but it's at least got something in it now. The manual states 1.3L capacity. I added nearly a litre... 🥲

Next up I cleaned the engine block off. There's an oil leak somewhere from the tappet chest or timing cover. So I drowned the engine in brake cleaner to wash it all off and I'll keep an ol' eye on where any leaks come from. I suspect it's either the tappet cover, or potentially the headgasket as that corner is where one of the oil feeds for the head is. The colour was actually quite good under all the caked on oil!

I also set about fixing the stuck speedo.

Pulled it out and cleaned and re-greased the mechanism. It wasn't stuck and the odometer was still turning. The needle drive was just sticky. Plenty of cleaning and regreasing seems to have done the trick!

Thankfully the wires are all handily colour coded the same colours so it's easy* to know which bulb goes where...

And back in the dash after a little test with the drill.

I did an inconspicuous* test of the paint with some t-cut. I think it actually might polish up a little with a bit of time and effort. I don't mind the Matt black but I feel a bit of shine to go with the patina would actually look great

Most importantly I fitted my floor mats

 

[Merryck]

I’ve got a full gearbox and the innards of one from a Midget. Would need rebuilding (can’t remember the issues they had) but you’d be welcome to them if they’re of use. Might be a bit out of your way in Canterbury.

[Homersimpson]

The first gear on these is straight cut and has no syncro as standard, how bad is it because they are normaly noisy and putting it into first when not stationary is inadvisable?