A40 - finally a job gets finished

[Matty]

Thanks. The plan is to aquire all the parts over the next couple of months so it's not one big hit. Then when I'm off with the kids for autumn half term at the end of October I can chuck them at my mum for the day and have a big day on the ramp at my uncles. I'll be checking the spring shackles 100%

[morrisoxide]

On 6/11/2022 at 10:51 PM, Matty said:

didn't they look mint as an estate" than one drove in! And look at the paucity in front of him and drove straight out 😂

Ha! That was me I went with a non car person, that I had to persuade to go by saying it will be full of odd old cars. After having a ding dong with some bloke at the petrol station it wasn't going that well to start with.

I would have had a chin wag especially if I'd had known you where on this forum. Non car person said it looked like everyone was about to pounce on us so we HAD to go.  Ah well next time. 

That place definitely blows hot and cold I can't weight it up.

[Matty]

8 hours ago, morrisoxide said:

Ha! That was me I went with a non car person, that I had to persuade to go by saying it will be full of odd old cars. After having a ding dong with some bloke at the petrol station it wasn't going that well to start with.

I would have had a chin wag especially if I'd had known you where on this forum. Non car person said it looked like everyone was about to pounce on us so we HAD to go.  Ah well next time. 

That place definitely blows hot and cold I can't weight it up.

It was a good day out in terms of the trip there and back. Helped me build up a lot of faith in the car as well. Properly disappointing turnout though. I can't blame you for driving straight through 😄

[eddyramrod]

I hadn't looked at this thread for a while, until today.  Very impressed with the progress!  You're doing most of the stuff I wanted to do to my Cyprus project A40.  I'd bought a load of stuff for it, that I left with the new owner, including a big box of rubbers from the A40 Club covering just about every rubber on the car.  Windscreen seals are hard to make apparently so (admittedly 10 years ago) were not available.  I'd bought a downdraught Weber on an A-series manifold, off ebay, and would have loved to take your RoStyles off your hands.

Reversing light: it didn't come with one, and I wanted one.  My plan was to turn the number plate lamp round, because it wouldn't be needed for its original purpose.  My friend let a recess into the bootlid at my request, sized to take an import/US-size plate, which I planned to illuminate with a lamp recessed into the top strip.

Tidying up the font end: I planned to lose the front over-riders as the bumper was mk1 so incorrect anyway.  Over to the offside the mounting holes would have supported a US-size plate in a chrome surround.  I was intending to use a perspex white-on-black plate, illuminated from behind so that the lettering showed through.  There's no law against illuminating the front plate as far as I know!  I also had a spare grille, and intended to combine the two so that I could eliminate the clunky sidelight/indicator combo with a nice small oval motorbike indicator, recessed into the openings where the combos were.  Mini-spec headlights have the sidelight built in, that would have been ideal.  I also had some Capri mirror stems, long and raked back, and some lovely 50s-style rectangular hooded mirrors.

Something else I planned, and got as far as cutting, was replacing the door and rear side cards with 5mm ply, suitably varnished; also the cardboard under-dash parcel shelf to match.

And some red MG Metro seatbelts would have looked a treat too!

If any of these ideas appeal, do feel free to use them.  My car is still in Cyprus, in someone else's care, and possibly may never be done; certainly it's unlikely to be done as I imagined.

A note about the number plates: I would have got away with the US-size plates because in the 60s and even 70s Cyprus was still only using two-letter/up-to-3-number combinations.  Mine was DC 894, it would have fitted nicely.

Good luck!  I'd love to see it sometime.

[Matty]

Thanks eddy. God knows when, but one of the runs me dad and uncle are keen to convoy is from East lancs up to the lakes motor museum. An easyish run up the a6 but much nicer up through Yorkshire and accross. If and when it comes off I'm more than happy to let you know. 

Also, thanks for saying progress looks good, it doesn't bloody feel like it. I've a car and bike to sell which will more than cover what I want to spend to achieve my vision for the car, I need to put more effort in when I get back off holiday!

[eddyramrod]

If you're coming up to the Museum, the best time will be the first Saturday morning, any month.  There's a very inclusive club meet at that time.  I'll be delighted to see your convoy!  Have some samples from August 2022...

Starting with a supremely Shitey Alvis!

And some more shiney stuff...

 

My mate Ewan and his latest motor, a 1.8 Celica...

Big Healey was one of three on the day; and they were all in the same colour scheme!  All arrived individually and were parked wherever they could find space.

It draws all sorts, as you can see!

[Matty]

One of the turner's at work has a static near Pooley bridge (I think) and goes quite often to the cafe. He's always telling me to go. Thanks for the info 👍

[Matty]

Miss fire again. First plug or so looks alright

 

[Matty]

Ahh

[Matty]

That'll be that then. Obvs two like that. New cap on its way.

[Matty]

New cap leads and NGK BP6ES plugs and we're off again. To Tatton Park as it goes for a classic car show. No pictures of mine as you know what it looks like. Fair play though, a dhit run as it's all motorway but it sat at an indicated 65 (horribly innaccurate) all the way there and back with more on tap if needed. I don't know how much difference the head, manifolds and bigger carb have made in terms of figures but it goes really well. Anyhow, massive picture dump

 

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The Eagle eyed would notice the common photo bombers. My dad (curly hair and beard) and uncle (tall and thin) 🤣 im not much of a photographer

[Matty]

@eddyramrod the yank tanks were the stars of the show. Works of art really. Like our Tony said, they could be a third of the size and do the same job, but more is good! Really smart things

[Matty]

My personal stars were the red Firenza, the Victor estate, the anglia van and the avenger tiger. Hard to choose, but with a gun to my head, the anglia van. Or maybe the firenza 😁