Getting the “donkey work” done
For the past couple of weeks I`ve been doing one of the less enjoyaable jobs, (in my oppinion). … I have cut the bodywork bulkheads from marine ply and arranged them on the bed timbers, making countless small alterations untill the general shape of the body is pleasing to my eye. … The job I refer to is designing and making the various brackets that hold the bulkheads in place, fasten the bed timbers to the chassis, and generally provide the strength and rigidity to the bodyframe.
Making brackets involves making up cardboard patterns. With lots of measuring, checking, and altering untill a satisfactory design is achieved. Then using a cutting wheel in a angle grinder to cut the component parts. And then welding, drilling, dressing-off with a grinding wheel, and finally painting ready for fitting. …. Good, well designed bracket work is an important part of building a special. Bits of bent metal and the cheap DIY store offerings should be avoided. …. A chapter in Wheatly and Morgan vintage car restoration book covers the subject brilliantly.
The collection of brackets I have produced over the last couple of weeks are cut from high quality 2.5mm steel and arc welded as required. … I have paid very little attention to weight saving, (the body will be far lighter than the original anyway), or to calculationg stresses and loads. Prefering to “over engineer” everything so that it is more than equal to what is required! …. The reason I refer to this as donkey work is: It is hard, time consuming, dirty, smelly work that produces lots of dust and little can be seen of the progress made when all are bolted into place.
However, the next phase is cutting timbers to form the shape of the body and connect the bulkheads. This will be far more enjoyable work and will produce visual progress for all to see.
MG Midget. … The competition season is looming
Just a quick mention of the MG Midget and the forthcoming hillclimb and sprint season. …. The engine I have been preparing for the competition season is pretty well ready to go into the car. … It has a baffled sump, refurbished oil pump, blanked off fuel pump appeture, (replacing with electric), no fan, (fitting electric), electronic ignition. .. On the pictures you can see the sandwich plate below the oil filter that will enable me to fit the 13 row oil cooler.
I also have refurbished HS4 SU carbs and a tuned 4 branch exhaust manifold ready to go on. … I guess balancing the bottom end and lightening the flywheel would have been worthwhile, but that will have to be the next engine change!!
The other contributors towards keeping the engine in good order are: Using Penrite HPR30, 20/60 engine oil, and keeping to the following rules when driving. … Do not sit with the clutch depressed and the car in gear too long. Put it into neutral and handbrake on. (When the clutch is depressed it presses the crankshaft forward, which causes fast wear to the thrust washers that prevent forward movement of the crank. This can lead to a wrecked engine sooner than is desirable!!). …. On initial start up, crank the engine with a starter button with the ignition off. I have fitted a starter button to facilitate this. (Oil draining from the filter and off the bearing surfaces cause fast bearing wear).
I hope I can get the engine change done soon so that I can book a rolling road session to ensure ignition timing is “spot on” and carbs are properly set up. … This will also tell me where maximum power and torque occurs in the rev range, and what bhp is available at the rear wheels. … I`m only expecting about 80bhp, but the car is quite light so power to weight ratio should be about 150bhp per ton. (Based on guesswork, I havn`t calculated it accurately).
Engine ready for transplant
Note the sandwich plate for oil cooler fitting
Sunshine on the Riley
At last the weather has turned! The sun shone for a while today and I was able to get the Riley out onto the drive and clean it off. … Also clean the garage up and get the tools back into their correct boxes, draws & cupboards.
out in the sunshine at last
Bed timbers and bulkheads laid in place.
In the last few days I have been able to satisfy myself that the hardboard body patterns are as I want them, and start to cut out the bulkheads in 1″ marine ply and place them onto the bed timbers. The bed timbers follow the contours of the chassis with just enough curvature to ensure the body will not look too “slab sided”. … I now have:- A firewall behind the engine that is stainless steel covered. A bulkhead that will be where the rear of the bonnet rests, and a further bulkhead that will carry the dashboard. …. I have taken lines through these to ensure that the bonnet line continues through to the dash bulkhead in a straight line. ….. There is nothing worse than a bonnet on one line, and then the scuttle tilting up or down at a different angle!
Next I will cut and fit bulkheads at the rear of the seats and a rearmost one to fit the slab-tank to. … I will then be cutting ash timbers to connect these bulkheads and form a complete framework ready for aluminium skinning.
About the Author
Phil Smith is a vintage car enthusiast with many years experience of owning, restoring and using vintage, PVT and classic cars. A longstanding member of The Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC), The Riley register and The MG Car Club. Makes he has owned include Alvis, Bentley, Lagonda, MG, Talbot and Riley, of course. Now retired, Phil satisfies his 'old motor urges' by competing in the MGCC Luffield Speed series in MG Midgets from the 60's and 70's. This blog will chart his return to vintage/PVT cars.
Categories
- Chassis & running gear (2)
- Engine, gearbox and drive train (1)
- General (3)
- Getting started (1)
- Thats how it all began … (1)
- Uncategorized (17)
Archives
Contact
-
E-mail: philsmith432[at]hotmail[dot]com