Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 3, 2022 21:35:01 GMT
First job today involved some very basic woodwork
Trolley for the engine & gearbox - I have another like this but its over at the barn with a engine already sat on it
So I then set to disconnecting everything on the engine & gearbox - removed the water pump has this gets in the way and the fan sits the other side of the radiator cross member
Radiator removed
Previous removal of the engine by others has been attempted with the radiator in place
Has the underside of the bottom radiator tank has been damaged by the gearbox selector arms whilst doing so - both the radiator & water pump are being replaced with uprated high flow units
Once I had all the front end disconnected the car was raised and placed to stands
Which in turn allowed access for me to disconnect the propshaft / clutch rod etc
Then the engine & box have to be stage lifted and juggled about to clear the front chassis member
Its much easier to keep the engine & box static and leave the car on its wheels and push the car backwards - rather than attempt to draw the engine & gearbox forwards away from a static car
Then lowered the unit down onto the trolley
With it out of the engine bay the damaged bellhousing became visible - looks like its had a loose starter motor on it at some stage which has come into contact with the bellhousing - it has hairline cracks radiating through the alloy casting from the damaged area - I'll be replacing the bellhousing which I have already sourced from Jowett Car Spares
I always label everything on these - they are hand built cars from new and no one car is the same / identical to the next one built
Silicone sealer smeared over the end of the crankcase will require investigation
I'll place the engine & box to storage for now - although I'll get them degreased in the next few days
I'll also be giving the under bonnet areas and the front of the chassis a good degrease & wash down too
There's a minor argument for removing the bonnet to allow better access but not really - with engine & box removed there's loads of space to undertake the work within - and if you remove the bonnet its such a large panel where do you put it without it getting damaged - from experience its far safer on the car than off it
The front chassis cross member has taken a push at some point in the cars life hence it's out of alignment - I'll be straightening it up whilst its in the workshop has the bonnet stops / locks & front bumper will all taken out of alignment / fit whilst its left has it is
I cant get the two half's of the fuel filler cap / neck apart without damaging them - new ones are available but its always nice to refit the originals if possible - I have also been checking my notes has I work through the car along with checking what parts I physically hold in stock for the recommissioning - I'm still a handful of parts short of what will required and that's just on what I have come across over the last few days of working on it - A quick conversation with a member of the parts team this afternoon confirmed that they have everything in stock and will pick it from my list when they are next back in on Monday - More tomorrow
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 4, 2022 22:30:49 GMT
Both the car
Along with the engine & box were placed outside and treated with degreaser prior to a good wash off
Then back inside for a dry off aided by the airline & blow gun - Whoever rebuilt the engine last obviously held shares in a gasket silicone manufacture - its all over the place
And the white bathroom sealer has made an appearance just under the carb on the tappet chest cover
The crankcases have seen a fair bit of welding
Not that unusual for this engine
Even the gearbox casing has been welded which is more unusual
The same instant gasket is all over the gearbox too
One of the early tasks I want to achieve is refit the steering column just so it makes it easier to move the car about - the column gear shift is also better refitted at the same time has its mounted by the same brackets - first though I need to remove the gash fuel system which is simply getting in the way
Soon sorted
I might has well remove the wiring old wiring harness whilst I'm at it
To aid general access I removed the bench seat
Which some clot had deleted the runners on and just bolted directly to the floor
Something else for the list - the club spares can sort me a new set of runners to allow the seat to become adjustable again
Again from a access prospective its easier to remove the floor - Although it should be ply sheet this is non original and fitted incorrectly - I have new floors in stock
The yellow alloy sheet on the nearside of the toe board is also non original
This nothing but a lazy bodge the toe board should be steel and fully welded in situ
More to the point the centre should be a raised housing in order clear the layrub coupling on the propshaft - with the flat panel just over the top of it its obviously been making contact
And here's one that I've built before - only properly
I'll look into sorting this out and fabricating a new toe board cowl
Physical structure of the car is pretty good but It will require new sills when the body & paint are undertaken at a later date
Out comes the wiring harness - its only been in there 71 years - lots of tape repairs on it
And a fair few very close to near misses when it comes to electrical fires too - Right then might just get around to actually bolting new things on to it tomorrow rather than removing lots of bad
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 5, 2022 21:59:11 GMT
I placed the car outside for the morning whilst I sorted paint out on various items
Steering column & column gearshift have both been rebuilt by a fellow restorer who specialises more in the engineering side of things - he's also built me a new set of bonnet stay uprights (these are sprung loaded) - All require a little prep work / keying up prior to masking & primer
Then primed
And little later keyed back and painted in satin black
Fuel pipe for the front of the car was removed - just has well too it was full of rust flakes - It follows a incorrect route and is of the wrong length hence I'll be replacing it with new
With that out the way I could look at refitting the pinion back to the steering rack - the shaft on the pinion has been reworked to accept a new UJ - the old ones are no longer available and it carried no end of play - a new bearing & seal have also been fitted to the pinion
Refitted to the rack
Rack is unique to the model and is fitted to the chassis by compression rather than clamped
Bracket that retains the upper section of the 2 columns had been previously covered in black paint by someone
This was cleaned up
Then the remade gear shift column was fitted - its all quite tight but works well
There's a gaiter that fits around the the column's but this needs to be remade has its falling apart
Everything aligns / fits - I've left it loose for now to allow for final adjustments that maybe required
Next task is sort the keyway out for the steering wheel and ensure that I can get the wheel to centrally align - Its a bit involved has I want the wheel to fit nice & tightly to the new column (previously it had a good amount of wear / play in it)
Many thanks - I'll make sure it gets listed on the clubs website although the vast majority of members stay well clear of Javelin's in this condition because they understand just how much it takes to restore something in this poor state - not even worth getting involved for the parts has the club spares scheme is so on the ball with the parts and fair with the pricing - hopefully it will find a new home but they will need a repeat prescription for brave pills for this to stand any chance of returning to the road
Many thanks - I'll make sure it gets listed on the clubs website although the vast majority of members stay well clear of Javelin's in this condition because they understand just how much it takes to restore something in this poor state - not even worth getting involved for the parts has the club spares scheme is so on the ball with the parts and fair with the pricing - hopefully it will find a new home but they will need a repeat prescription for brave pills for this to stand any chance of returning to the road
I suspect the one you have (had?) for sale is a much better deal as the body work is done.
Many thanks - I'll make sure it gets listed on the clubs website although the vast majority of members stay well clear of Javelin's in this condition because they understand just how much it takes to restore something in this poor state - not even worth getting involved for the parts has the club spares scheme is so on the ball with the parts and fair with the pricing - hopefully it will find a new home but they will need a repeat prescription for brave pills for this to stand any chance of returning to the road
I suspect the one you have (had?) for sale is a much better deal as the body work is done.
Regardless of vehicle type / model I have always advised clients looking for a car - To purchase the best possible available that they can budget for - in some cases advising them to break the bank in order to acquire what they want - some listen but many don't - My 40 odd years in the trade counts for nothing and they head off and purchase something close to what is in this e bay ad thinking that they are saving money - I've witnessed it happen way too many times - Of course it then costs double / treble ++++ more than what they could have purchased a decent / sound car for - I get the dream / work satisfaction of self restoration - The 'I restored that' badge / T shirt etc - But its worth tracking down something that is realistically restorable rather than the never ending nightmare / weldathon / money pit - I also understand the sentimental reasons too and in some cases people restore something that they have a strong attachment to that costs significantly more than just seeking out a decent on the road example for half the money - The Javelin that I had for sale is sold - Just have to make arrangements to deliver it to its homeland of Yorkshire
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 6, 2022 21:49:23 GMT
The keyway on the steering wheel boss had been messed with when I removed it - bodged up with a loose key and some shimming steel - I had the new column made with a overwide key - all that I needed to do now is fettle / widen the key slot on the steering wheel boss
Now sorted and much better / safer fitting - The gearshift column still needs to move within the clamped bracket as this extends / shortens the link rods to the gearbox selector shaft
Here's the original column gearshift - I have fitted a modified / strengthened unit to the car has the internal selector rods tend to shear
The original chrome lever I can reuse but I have new plastic knob / reverse button on order - the original are cracked and fragile
This is the original block & yoke type fitting that the new UJ has replaced
Its not just a matter of bolting new parts to the car however - There's quite a bit of setting up to do to get the steering correct - I now need to remove the end float in the steering pinion which currently stands at 0.6mm otherwise every time you turn the steering on right hand lock the pinion climbs upwards and contacts the UJ with the column with a clunk
Problem being is that the club spares is out of it's original new old stock supply - good news is that with the measurements & images that I have forwarded this evening is that are straight on to it and they should be with me within a week of order
I suspect the one you have (had?) for sale is a much better deal as the body work is done.
Regardless of vehicle type / model I have always advised clients looking for a car - To purchase the best possible available that they can budget for - in some cases advising them to break the bank in order to acquire what they want - some listen but many don't - My 40 odd years in the trade counts for nothing and they head off and purchase something close to what is in this e bay ad thinking that they are saving money - I've witnessed it happen way too many times - Of course it then costs double / treble ++++ more than what they could have purchased a decent / sound car for - I get the dream / work satisfaction of self restoration - The 'I restored that' badge / T shirt etc - But its worth tracking down something that is realistically restorable rather than the never ending nightmare / weldathon / money pit - I also understand the sentimental reasons too and in some cases people restore something that they have a strong attachment to that costs significantly more than just seeking out a decent on the road example for half the money - The Javelin that I had for sale is sold - Just have to make arrangements to deliver it to its homeland of Yorkshire
Been there, done that and still welding the damn thing.
Regardless of vehicle type / model I have always advised clients looking for a car - To purchase the best possible available that they can budget for - in some cases advising them to break the bank in order to acquire what they want - some listen but many don't - My 40 odd years in the trade counts for nothing and they head off and purchase something close to what is in this e bay ad thinking that they are saving money - I've witnessed it happen way too many times - Of course it then costs double / treble ++++ more than what they could have purchased a decent / sound car for - I get the dream / work satisfaction of self restoration - The 'I restored that' badge / T shirt etc - But its worth tracking down something that is realistically restorable rather than the never ending nightmare / weldathon / money pit - I also understand the sentimental reasons too and in some cases people restore something that they have a strong attachment to that costs significantly more than just seeking out a decent on the road example for half the money - The Javelin that I had for sale is sold - Just have to make arrangements to deliver it to its homeland of Yorkshire
Been there, done that and still welding the damn thing.
And me, currently planning to throw loads of dosh at a Dolomite that I could easily buy for half as much. The logic? It's my first car, how many people buy a car because they had one as their first or at some other key point in their lives? Having managed to keep it all these years I reckon it will be worth every penny, to me at least, my executors may take a different view!
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 7, 2022 22:17:53 GMT
Marked up the centreline for the propshaft before I removed it
I need to modify the toe board / floorpan to ensure it clears the layrub coupling - Fortunately I have a pattern to fabricate the cowl housing from
Rear section removed
I'll be replacing the UJ's now that I've tracked down what will fit
Ill be replacing the layrub coupling too
The rubber bushes on these degrade & crack over a period of use
The forward shaft is also being removed
I'll replace the rubber mounting bushes and there's a bearing in the mounting that I'll replace - once completed I'll clean it and take the complete prop for balancing - its a prudent move at this stage because front prop removal with the floor & seat fitted is a huge undertaking - more tomorrow
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 8, 2022 22:17:00 GMT
I had to make a temporary brace for the other end of the prop to prevent it from turning whilst I removed the nut for the flange at the opposite end
Soon removed
Now set aside whilst I await parts for it
Centre bearing will also be replaced
Lever for the column gearshift was removed from the old column and refitted to the new - I have a knob & button that are in much better condition en-route to me which will be swapped over when they arrive
Reason for changing the column is that older type are weak and fail at the head - along with the rods that travel internally down the column which shear
The new fuel filler cap & neck arrived
But the aperture in the rear shroud is oversize
Hence I made up a polished flange ring
That will work very nicely
Found a clamp that was removed from the car when I stripped the columns out for rebuilding - I cant recall seeing one of these fitted to a Jupiter before - It didn't make any sense because the gearshift requires movement on the outer column in order to select the gears - Fortunately I have a fair bit of factory data to hand in the way of manuals / parts listings - Its not listed and has I cleaned it up it became obvious that it was something home made and fitted without a understanding of the column / gear selection works - It wont be getting refitted
Removed a battery cable that was going to be in my way - Its quite old and wrapped in about 4 rolls of tape and there's at least one area of burnt insulation where its been touching the exhaust - All the battery cables & earth straps will be replaced
Before I make a start on the new fuel lines / new wiring harness etc I wanted to get the front toe board & footwell sorted which involves cutting back / welding / grinding
If you are new to restoration / welding vehicles I would always advise on covering all glass & trim areas - stray sparks from welding / grinding can ruin glass in a few seconds - along with any trim
Removed the flanged edges from the footwell and cleaned the area up
Then took some measurements and made a wire former for angles - this saves having to guess
Just requires some minor trimming in tomorrow then it can be welded in
The minor pieces are also prepared
Then dug out my template file and found the required ones for the propshaft tunnel / cowl
Post by grumpynorthener on Feb 9, 2022 22:42:22 GMT
New propshaft tunnel in the making
Toe board repair panel welded in and the propshaft and layrub coupling refitted to check clearances
Checked with the tunnel held in place
Then fully welded insitu and dressed back
And placed into primer - this has strengthened & tidied the area up - eventually when the body gets done it will require a full toe board along with the lower section of the bulkhead & sills - they are strong in construction just very messy currently
Parts for the fuel tank sealing & pipe installation have now arrived so much of the tank / fuel line installation can now go ahead
