A40 - week off work. Grafting for free

[Matty]

On 21/10/2024 at 21:14, 2flags said:

Ah, the gearbox. They have a graphite thrust bearing that can go bang and leave you unable to change gear. At least mine did many, many years ago. I do remember that the box was cast iron and fucking heavy. Had to change it on the drive, [as you did in those days, and just grateful that you had a drive, and not at the side of a busy main road!] I was 19 at the time. [I'm not nay more had haven't been for many, many years.] 😁

Alloy casting on these bud both smooth case and later ribbed case like I have. Still a twat to remove from under the car but at least in an A40 it's possible. On Midgets it's engine out!

[Matty]

@sutty2006. Do you know if theres any commonality between Manta and Ascona exhaust systems? The recently aquired Ascona 2.0 SR needs some bits inc a down pipe.

[artdjones]

According to Autodoc, the middle and rear boxes are common to Mantas of similar power outputs.

[2flags]

7 hours ago, Matty said:

Alloy casting on these bud both smooth case and later ribbed case like I have. Still a twat to remove from under the car but at least in an A40 it's possible. On Midgets it's engine out!

I stand corrected. It was an awful long time ago. I do remember it being bloody heavy trying to bench press the bastard back into place while lying on the driveway. I do remember it was also bloody cold, January or February if I remember!

[Matty]

Done. Only 6 bloody hours in work. On  a Saturday. Which always hurts when your not on the clock. Happy enough though to draw a veil over a saga that's been rattling on since 2022.

 

(Except they might be a bit low. So might need a bit of shimming. And the base foams are a bit fucked. But I can stick new in. Ah well, it's a start!)

[Matty]

Not the most interesting update but it's January.

Not happy with a single circuit brake system, I thought i might do something about it. A bit of research and a word with the club resulted in this.

This is a split master cylinder for a pre servo 80s mini. Which apparently is a direct replacement for my single cylinder. Same rod length, same clevis and same patern over the bulkhead studs.

First though, new discs as the old had warped. And a chance to finally try the EBC pads I bought about 2 year back.

Once that was done i pulled the old master cylinder and lined up the new one.

Hasn't quite worked (like fuckin usual). Theres a lip in the bulkhead between the two master cylinder flanges and the flange on the new cylinder is slighlty bigger. So on hold now till i fetch my little grinder and a flap disc home from work. Put a little scallop in the flange to clear. Then a bit of a repipe and jobs jobbed. Then just a gearbox rebuild and its spring time!

Cheers all 👍

[JMotor]

Great that there is an option for dual circuit. Also a fan of modernization when possible.

Standard it doesn't fit perfectly. That's half of the fun. 

[N Dentressangle]

Nice mod, and not too much bother to sort.

Those seats look great - out of a Midget?

[Matty]

36 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Great that there is an option for dual circuit. Also a fan of modernization when possible.

Standard it doesn't fit perfectly. That's half of the fun. 

Tbh the beauty of BMC/BLARG stuff is that cos they were such penny pinching bastards it makes the cars like mechano. So you can always rob upgraded bits of later cars with not much grief!

[Matty]

8 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

Nice mod, and not too much bother to sort.

Those seats look great - out of a Midget?

They are indeed pal. Very soft on the bases. Base foams are ££££ but I've found a company doing rubber diaphragms for not a lot. Mine are the old strip elastic type and not in the first flush of youth so before throwing the baby out with the bath water I'm going to order one, fit it over the old diaphragms on the drivers seat (literally belt and brace) and see if it tightens things up. If it works I'll do the passengers!

[JMotor]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

Tbh the beauty of BMC/BLARG stuff is that cos they were such penny pinching bastards it makes the cars like mechano. So you can always rob upgraded bits of later cars with not much grief!

Wish the BASTIDS done that with the Monstros!

I have to pay actual decent coin for a master cylinder!

🤣

[Matty]

4 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Wish the BASTIDS done that with the Monstros!

I have to pay actual decent coin for a master cylinder!

🤣

They did didn't they? Cross bred it with a Golf 😆

[N Dentressangle]

1 hour ago, Matty said:

They are indeed pal. Very soft on the bases. Base foams are ££££ but I've found a company doing rubber diaphragms for not a lot. Mine are the old strip elastic type and not in the first flush of youth so before throwing the baby out with the bath water I'm going to order one, fit it over the old diaphragms on the drivers seat (literally belt and brace) and see if it tightens things up. If it works I'll do the passengers!

That'll probably work fine - did with my Disco 1. Foams are daft money.

[Matty]

In and done. A skirrick taken off the flange with a flap disc to clear the rib on the bulk head and a quick polish up round the hole in the bulkhead with a rotary file to get a bit of clearence for the push rod rubber. Piped up, bled up and done. Next my new seat diaphram has turned up from Baines. So im going to pull the drivers seat out again, fit that over the old tired diphram straps and see if that firms things up a bit. If thats a success then ill get another and do the passengers. 

Then it's a rebuild on the gearbox I've got out and stripped (the better of the two I feel) then it's time for spring and get out there!

[Matty]

@N Dentressangle. Diaphragm done on drivers seat. I deliberately bought the wrong one as it's the full rubber sheet one instead of the elastic straps of mine. The mounting points for the hooks dont line up exactly thus i tooke it into work. Between my pal holding onto the seat and me straining on the hooks with a pair of mole grips ive got it hooked in and tighter than a nuns chuff. Also slipped two layers of corrugated plastic sheet in (no one can see). 

Stuck it back in the car tonight and it's a massive improvement. Feels like I'm sat about 2 inch higher. So I'll spend another £16 and do the passengers now.

Not a bodge if it works 🤠

[N Dentressangle]

2 minutes ago, Matty said:

@N Dentressangle. Diaphragm done on drivers seat. I deliberately bought the wrong one as it's the full rubber sheet one instead of the elastic straps of mine. The mounting points for the hooks dont line up exactly thus i tooke it into work. Between my pal holding onto the seat and me straining on the hooks with a pair of mole grips ive got it hooked in and tighter than a nuns chuff. Also slipped two layers of corrugated plastic sheet in (no one can see). 

Stuck it back in the car tonight and it's a massive improvement. Feels like I'm sat about 2 inch higher. So I'll spend another £16 and do the passengers now.

Not a bodge if it works 🤠

Perfect. Makes such a difference 😎

[Matty]

Just got back from picking the new gearbox up. About half a mile down the road from Ambergate (and the Great Btitish Car Journey @Shite Ron).

A thing of beauty all shiny and new

Be in the car in the next week or two 👍

 

(For those who didn't see it, a gearbox builder called Claire Atkinson has built this for me. I'd stripped my old one and priced up bits and I was up to 400 to do half of what she's done for not much more. Bit of a no brainer really).

[N Dentressangle]

That looks really nice, and given the expensive parts makes much more sense to pay someone else to do the job.

Straightforward to fit, too, I guess?

[Matty]

23 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

That looks really nice, and given the expensive parts makes much more sense to pay someone else to do the job.

Straightforward to fit, too, I guess?

Unlike on a midget you can take the box in and out without taking the engine out. It's a bit convoluted. Heater box hoses off, engine mounts loosened, lower engine a bit. You're supposed to undo the exhaust manifold but as they can be a twat to get sealed I just undo the mounts at the back and stick a stand under it so it has somewhere to go.

Well excite now though bud. With no other issues I'm back on the road and ready for spring 👌

 

Should really edit this. Obvs I have access to a proper 4 post lift. It is perfectly possible on axle stands and ramps but my heart goes out to the poor bastard having it to do. Spoilt me really.

[N Dentressangle]

16 minutes ago, Matty said:

Obvs I have access to a proper 4 post lift.

I hear that's one way to make many friends very quickly.

That, or own a car trailer.

[Matty]

7 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

I hear that's one way to make many friends very quickly.

That, or own a car trailer.

I do a lot at home in a single garage but some of the things folk take on in them facilities...

[Matty]

Taking a quick break from my always broken car to break my dad's. The Spit is still a relative unknown to us. What i could glean is that someone's been greasing the front trunnions. Which should be oiled. So ive come over this aft to take them off and have a look

Set about

Hubs off

Vertical links look in good order. Threads are clean and tidy, no signs of stress fractures and both are straight.

Trunnions don't look bad either in fairness. Rimmers do a full trunnion rebuild  kit of trunnions, bushes, pinch bolts etc etc. 90 quid. So as soon as he orders it I'll put it all back together with ep90s and it's good to go.

Cheers all

[SiC]

On 02/03/2025 at 16:43, Matty said:

Unlike on a midget you can take the box in and out without taking the engine out.

I have to say, the Midget engine/box came out without too much pain thankfully. While a hassle that you can't just drop the box to do a clutch change, once out everything is much easier to deal with. 

These gearboxes are crazy light for what they are though aren't they? I think only like 25kg or something like that. 

[Matty]

6 hours ago, SiC said:

I have to say, the Midget engine/box came out without too much pain thankfully. While a hassle that you can't just drop the box to do a clutch change, once out everything is much easier to deal with. 

These gearboxes are crazy light for what they are though aren't they? I think only like 25kg or something like that. 

Brilliant aren't they. Shame they're not a bit more robust 😆

[Mally]

I've never had a trunion drop on a Herald/Spitfire and I raced with that set up for years.

Minors drop every other week, on the road.  I had a chain under the seat to lash them together. Restricted the steering a little.

[Matty]

42 minutes ago, Mally said:

I've never had a trunion drop on a Herald/Spitfire and I raced with that set up for years.

Minors drop every other week, on the road.  I had a chain under the seat to lash them together. Restricted the steering a little.

There's plenty that do though Pete. These are right as rain as it goes but since the cars new to us it made sense to have a look. Only an hours work 👍

[Matty]

That'll do for me.

[N Dentressangle]

No advisories either

[Matty]

23 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

No advisories either

In fairness he didn't look at much 🤣

[Matty]

Been over my dad's this dinner and put new front trunnions and bushes into the Spit. Nice easy job. Took door cards off as well to mend one door handle and ready the other for replacing a lock that doesn't. Just needs the mirrors fitting, diff drilling and tapping for a drain plug and new wheels fitting then we are there!

^^^pet hate. When these caps came off they had been packed with grease. How the fuck is it supposed to act as a breather if its full of grease??