WOT HAVE I BOUGHT? OMactualG- its a WolzCRAB!

[Lankytim]

I'm hoping its going to be some sort of hydraulic flud leak or a failed slave cylinder or something thats caused the problem. Apparently he was driving it when all of a sudden he couldn't put it into gear anymore. When the engine is off it goes in fine though. A mate of his recons that the clutch plate has seized to the flywheel, but surely that only happens when a car has been left standing for a while, rather than in service?

 

Allegros have the same box-in-sump arrangement and doing a clutch on those is a case of taking an engine mount off and taking the clutch cover off to expose everything, I understand these crabs are a different kettle of fish due to space constraints though. If the clutch on this is totally mangled and needs replacing hoiking the lump out wont be too difficult. I'd deffo rather have a mechanical problem than a rust one anyway. Of course, this one could be both mechanically and bodily shagged.

 

I do know someone who has recently broken an Austin 2200 crab and still has its recently rebuilt engine and box kicking about. Bet that would shift!

[Station]

^ That might be hard to do on a B-series crab, the gearbox is in the sump.....

 

Oops, forgot about that!

[Lankytim]

Ok folks, just returned from picking this bad boy up. A little lowdown on the cars recent history. The seller works at a main dealer in Crewe. This Wolz came in under the scrappage scheme but it was spotted and somehow saved before its fate was sealed. The fella then drove it about for a while and took it to local shows until the clutch became U/S last year- so, its a genuine scrappage scheme survivor!

 

Overall, its just as it looks in the pics! The paint is pretty awful and there's the odd dent here and there- the front grille in particular having had a few bashes, Its a bit ratty... I think they call it patina? It does look pretty cool- even the Wife likes it. Apart from that its pretty much all good news! The engine sounds OK, there's no pressure behind the clutch pedal although the reservoir is still full of fluid- I suspect a borked master cylinder, if thats all it is i'll be chuffed.

 

The interior is worn, but in a nice way and has a great smell about it, carpets and headling are great. Bodywise the front valance below the bumper is crunchy and the rear arch lips look a bit nibbled. I don't think this will affect its MOT. Sills look to have been replaced in the past and apart from a healthy coating of surface rust look 100% solid, although i'm not totally sure the odd area would survive a screwdriver test. Floors look like they have been replaced within the last few years as they appear to be brand new panels that have been welded in.

 

Brakes work ok, all electrics work (apart from the horn) and apart from a slight exhaust blow, a hydragas pump up and a couple of tyres it should get an MOT... hopefully!

 

PICS TO FOLLOW.. possibly in a new thread..

[mattblack]

...O-series...

 

E-Series...

 

My £100 crab needed a clutch as well..

[eddyramrod]

its a genuine scrappage scheme survivor!

 

Double points then for sticking one up Gordon! Good on yer Tim!

[mattblack]

...O-series...

 

E-Series...

 

My £100 crab needed a clutch as well..

 

Thinking about it, if the clutch isn't clearing it sounds like a problem in the actuating mechanism, rather that the clutch itself. I recon borked seals in the master or slave cylinder (or both) or wear in the clevis fork/pin or the hole in the release arm.

[Station]

I suspect a borked master cylinder, if thats all it is i'll be chuffed.

 

If it is, take it out, disassemble and wash it out with soap and hot water. It does wonders and saves buying a new one - that's if the seals haven't gone. The bottom of the reservoir doesn't half build up with black sludge.

[boobydoo]

Them Wolz's is as British as Fish 'n' Chips and tea-cosies!

 

You'd always see 'em out in a Force 9 gale on the sea-front somewhere, with misted up windows and two old giffers huddled inside in plastic macs, supping tea out of a tartan thermos, peering out of the rain-slashed windscreen.

 

Makes me feel all warm inside!!!

[M'coli]

...O-series...

 

E-Series...

 

So it is, my bad. I feel an edit coming on.

[mattblack]

Spazzy double post PHAIL!

[dollywobbler]

Nice one Tim. I'd be having a good check of the A post and behind the front wheel as well, but seems pretty good. Love the slightly shabby state of it.

[Lankytim]

I wish I could stick some pics up, but I can't till i'm round the inlaws!. I'm willing to provide a guided tour to anyone who comes round though.

 

Did crabs have the E series? I thought they have in 2 flavours, 1600 B series and 2200 6 cyl E6.

 

The areas behind the front wheels look like they have seen some action in the past, but the doors haven't dropped and it looks solid. I'm really wary of attacking the thing with a sharp object as I have mullered my fair share of project cars to death doing this. It atleast makes a nice "ping" when I rap it with my knuckles..

[dollywobbler]

I wish I could stick some pics up, but I can't till i'm round the inlaws!. I'm willing to provide a guided tour to anyone who comes round though.

 

Did crabs have the E series? I thought they have in 2 flavours, 1600 B series and 2200 6 cyl E6.

 

The areas behind the front wheels look like they have seen some action in the past, but the doors haven't dropped and it looks solid. I'm really wary of attacking the thing with a sharp object as I have mullered my fair share of project cars to death doing this. It atleast makes a nice "ping" when I rap it with my knuckles..

 

1800 B-Series and the E6 is a stretched E-Series.

[mattblack]

Did crabs have the E series?

 

E6.

 

I think you answered your own question!

[Lankytim]

Ahh, I don't count the "E"6 as the same E that went in the Allegro and Maxi...

[Lankytim]

Quick update on this- Although I haven't had any real time to tinker I couldn't resist a quick poke about. I'm still pretty pleased that I have a crab in my garage! The clutch issue has taken another turn. The hydraulics seem to be OK afterall, a shove on the clutch pedal provides about 1/2" movement on the slave cylinder. I have no idea if that is enough movement to clear the clutch or not but it shows that the hydraulics arn't knackered afterall. I've analysed the feel of the clutch pedal and although its very light I think I can feel some resistance, which is hopefully the clutch plate flexing. If the car had been standing I would say its a classic case of a seized clutch, but this apparently failed in service so it can't be that, can it? I had a look at Mr B's tat blog and doing the clutch on these is indeed a pain- the engine and box require quite a bit of disassembly to get to the clutch. Urgh!

 

On a seperate note, does anyone know off hand what tyre size these take? Its fitted with 165/14's but no other info is provided. Ebay is thowing up 60's 65's and 70's.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The tyres are 165/80 x 14 (same as '165 x 14').

 

This crab sounds ace, i'll pop round Friday night and check it out!

[Tayne]

.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

what section is your '165 x 14' then?

[eddyramrod]

IIRC a standard tyre, ie not a low-profile, used to be 82%. 80% seems to have become the norm now but it's not a perfect replacement. As Tayne says, don't mix them on the same axle, but replacement in pairs should work fine. If you can stretch to the full set, even better; don't forget the spare.

[Cavcraft]

I'm with Mr B here.

 

'80' series tyres are (or certainly were) the the standard tyre ratio, one of the few things I remember from my tyre fitting days.

[Tayne]

.

[scaryoldcortina]

It's so close between 165/80 and 165 that VOSA tell us testers to treat them as the same size (ie not a fail for mismatch on same axle)

[scaryoldcortina]

yeah, goes for all sizes, 80 section and "full profile" are treated as the same thing, even though technically they aren't

[wuvvum]

Realistically you'd probably get more difference in rolling diameter between a new 165x13 and a 50% worn one than you would between a new 165 and a new 165/80. I wouldn't worry too much about using them on the same axle unless the car in question had an LSD.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The Crab clutch was different to the Mini/Maxi/Aggro set up. From memory you can't just jack up one side of the donk, whip the clutch cover off and boing the flywheel off - there is a seperate cover (primary drive cover) for the drop gears which needs to come off first or something. I did one on an 1800 Princess about a thousand years ago.

I'd be tempted to drop a twin carb Ambastardor 2.0HLS Oooooooooooh Series in that. I bet it would be near enough a straight swap.

I love Wolseley Crabs, particularly the 18/85. The wood dash and massive metallic red steering wheel centre badge are epic.

[Lankytim]

Hey folks, sorry to spam up the forum with this thread. Still no pics but I hope to have some up in a new thread on the weekend. I've been looking round the net for parts, specifically a front valance but it seems bits are very hard to find! Does anyone know where I can find crab bits?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

earlpart are great for bits, body parts are hard o get though except sills. I think Smith and deakin do a placca front valance for these. Actually a placca valance makes a lot of sense as they are a big rust trap and contribute little to the shell really.

[Lankytim]

I had a quick look and it does seem to do pretty much FA in terms of shell strength but I read over on ARonline that it needs to be inspected carefully as theres a box section behind thats structural, i'm not totally sure if the top of the valance panel forms part of the box section though. Certainly the tie bars mount to the chassis just behind and and I recon an MOT tester could argue that a grotty valance is corrosion within XXcm of a suspension mounting

 

I'f it turns out its not structural i'll happily smoke about with it as it is and replace it when I can!

[keef]

 

Looks nice.

 

Any more pics?

 

When do you collect?