Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 10, 2022 8:59:38 GMT
I have had the starter motor off to see if I can clean it up and achieve a little more life from it
It was very dirty but it's also quite badly worn
And it's had a hard life - After seeking some advice from a serial vintage Jowett owner I also removed the carb again and undertook a more involved cleaning of the internal parts which I didn't think initially were that accessible - After refitting the starter with the brushes cleaned up I was rewarded with little achievement - So I went over to the barn and removed the starter from my own Long Four - then returning to the workshop to fit it
Result - It's slow to turn over but all 2 cylinder Jowett engines sound & start like there's no hope before bursting into life
There's a squeak emerging from somewhere that I need to trace & resolve - I have a fellow vintage Jowett owner visiting tomorrow and we hope to apply a little fine tuning to it - Nothing graceful about this little engine its virtually agricultural, noisy & leaks oil from the tappet seals (they always did) but it's a few years away from its 100th birthday and the engine is original
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 10, 2022 9:39:04 GMT
Meanwhile at 'Grumpy Towers'
We inherited the previous property owners idea of a grassed patio type area - which is useless - the fence is rotten & the hedge is high maintenance - Improvements have been on the cards for some time
Along with access in & out of the drive / parking area which the hedgerow restricts
So a few hours each late afternoon throughout this last week
Has seen the hedgerow & fence deleted
The parking area is also being emptied of several vehicles and our builder will commence on Monday
Improvements to the lane entry / exit surface dressings are also being made at the same time
Yes but No but Yes - The Yorkshireness in me won't let me part with it for what it would currently would sell for - It needs some work to bring up to scratch and at that point I may sell it but then again maybe not because I always have to have a V8 in my life to fall over - Where I'm going to find the time to undertake the work I'm not quite sure but until then I'll keep falling over it
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 12, 2022 6:41:30 GMT
Update from other works completed on Saturday - all the fluids have been changed and a couple of the sump seals replaced where they were damaged from previous over tightening
Sump plug from the engine held some debris but upon further inspection it's all soft gasket type material - No metal content amongst it
Oil filter 1926 style - it was pretty clean but I gave it a wash through regardless
Fits into the side of the sump and oil is drawn through it by the oil pump that is sited externally to the sump
Oil pump is mounted on the front timing case - with the oil changed its has to be filled and then primed to achieve oil pressure (which is a challenge)
Sid called in to check on progress
The transmission brake band was covered in oil hence this was removed
Washed through with degreaser and then refitted
All the lubrication points have been greased, rear brakes adjusted - the nearside rear wheel bearing was adjusted to remove the slight float that was detected - everything else checks out to ensure that the car is usable for a wedding this coming Saturday
It just leaves the head lamp lenses & rims to be fitted this morning along with fresh antifreeze to be added to the cooling system
Yesterday I hosted a technical day for the Jowett Car Club at the workshop - A fellow vintage Jowett owner took the car for test drive down the lane
All good - A few odds to complete this morning then it can be loaded to the trailer ready for delivery - leaves the rest of this week for the owner to give it a wash & clean up prior to adding some ribbons
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 14, 2022 5:50:59 GMT
Advancements at Grumpy Towers
Excavator & dumper is on site
This sleeper edging at the rear of the drive is being deleted - Its a trip hazard and what should be grass just turns to mud over winter when I walk over it to access the side door on the workshop
It will get backfilled & compacted then covered with a weed suppression blanket prior to having gravel graded over it
Ground levels being reduced for the new patio area
And the first skip filled and on its way out
Now at the reduced level in preparation for the hardcore sub base
Sleepers will be laid to the excavated edges first
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 21, 2022 6:07:50 GMT
Works to the front of the lane have commenced
Which has seen the area reduced in level & consolidated along with a kerb edge installed
Then a geotextile membrane laid with a sharp sand screed
We are then placing gravel over this but to prevent the gravel migrating we are first installing a plastic interlocking geogrid system
The gravel is then compacted into the geogrid system
This has smartened the area up and hopefully it will withstand the traffic flow
We are a few geogrid cells short to complete the works but these should be with us within the next few days - meanwhile the building contractor is progressing the new patio areas
I'm also having a clear out of all external areas around the property - It's not been done for a few years so all the metal scrap was removed from the rear of the workshop and will be weighed in today
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 21, 2022 20:16:22 GMT
More progress
The sleeper edge to the lane & drive has been cut to length & bedded on concrete
And the stone infill has started to go in
Meanwhile, I have laid a conduit for a cable run from the supply to the outer boundry - Mrs GN wants low level lighting installed to the edge of the patio
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 27, 2022 6:06:53 GMT
My Sunday task was sort the land drain adjacent to the top of the lane where the lane entry improvement works have been undertaken - This I installed several years ago to drain the top corner of the lane of rain water which tends to pool here - despite my best attempts at the time by placing stones to mark the boundry and prevent the refuse truck reversing over the land drain - the driver still did his best and crushed the pipe - I had advised him to stop cutting the corner but he just pleased himself - thankfully the local authority refuse contract was changed a few years ago and a new driver was put on the round and he's been golden since
So I dug a trench back a few metres to remove the damaged drain and expose the undamaged section
Then laid a French drain (clean gravel wrapped in a permeable geotextile)
Which now just requires topping off with soil - the sleeper edge I installed a few years ago has since prevented larger vehicles cutting the corner
Meanwhile Steve spent yesterday pointing up the patio
Post by grumpynorthener on Sept 27, 2022 6:12:38 GMT
A diversion for an hour or so also occurred on Sunday when a fellow Javelin owner called in to visit / discuss the restoration of a Jupiter that he is currently undertaking