For two or three months now I seem to have done lots and lots of small jobs that are not visible when you look at the car but are an important part of the project. (Fellting and fitting brake linkages, sorting the pedal arrangement so that they can be operated by my size 10`s and don`t foul the bodywork, etc, etc). …. I have spent a lot of time working out how to best fit floorboards, footboard, (around the pedals), brakets to support boards, etc. …. Always being aware that there should be a fireproof barrier between the engine compartment and the driver.

The boards are half inch marine ply covered with 20 gauge aluminium sheet around the bulkhead area. I am undecided whether or not to aluminium cover all of the floorboards. (Many old cars just have ply, painted or varnished against  the elements).

I have also been sorting out carbs and inlet manifold.  I have a pair of one and a quarter inch SU`s, but for the moment have fitted a large single SU on a manifold constructed by the previous owner.  …. I know in the MG sprint/hillclimb series many drivers prefer a single large SU rather than twin SU`s, and they work very well.  Anyway, the single SU will serve to get the car running and sorted.

I will try to blog more regularly now. … I have started cutting aluminium panels ready for shaping and fitting.  More of that later.

modern`ish single SU for the moment

As a result of this pondering I have advertised a 1933 Monaco that was “waiting in the wings” for my attention. … I had thoughts of  building a Brooklands replica at some future date.  … Anyway, the advertisment reads as follows:-

1933 Riley Nine Monaco For Sale		£9,750 ono (approx. €10,741 or $14,540)
1933 Riley 9 Monaco. Good mechanical condition, patinated body and interior. Could be MOT`d and used as it is. Plenty of room for improvement to body, trim, etc. … I bought this car with the intention of using it as a basis for a Brooklands replica, but have had a change of plan. A strong running engine, rebuilt 5000 miles ago, with twin SU`s and reprofiled cams, (twin exhaust profiles). Gearbox, axles, brakes and wheels all good. (Rebuilt powder coated wheels). … Body is fairly scruffy but has had some recent new timbers and all doors close as they should without sagging. …. Lovely Rotax head & sidelamps in great condition. This car was taxed & MOT`d in 2008. A former owner was an official of the Riley Register.  I may also part with a fully rebuilt 12/4 engine and pre select gearbox.  However, I would be looking for about £6,500 for this. …… Alternatively a shortened 9 chassis with rebuilt magneto engine and silent third gearbox.  Chassis restored and painted, torque tube shortened, etc. Also about £6,500   I hope to post something soon about the continuing work on the Riley special.

A good tuned exhaust system makes a huge difference to the way the car “breaths” and gives a very worthwhile improvement in performance. … Particularly when matched to a good pair of SU carbs and cams with hotter than standard profiles.

The manifold is a beatifully made, 4 into 2, into 1 system that curves downwards  quickly enough to sit inside the bonnet. … I got it from a craftsman well known for his skills, but also well known for having a very long waiting list of customers.  I ordered it early in proceedings so as not to be waiting when everything else was done.  Expensive but worth the wait! … I also have had made some special stainless steel manifold nuts. These are 5/16″ BSF threads, but with 1/4 bsf spanner flats to enable fitting into the tight space next to the tubes of the manifold.  They are also much longer than standard nuts.  And new gaskets, of course.

You will see from the photos I have also coated the bodyframe with black, oil based paint to prevent the timbers absorbing moisture. … I notice a lot of vintage car bodyframes are left unprotected and wonder why?

beautifully made manifold with gaskets and nuts

Fits nicely under the bonnet

Tuned 4 into 2, into 1 exhaust manifold

Bodyframe coated with oil based paint

Almost ready for aluminium skin

The body is made up of high grade marine ply and a few ash timbers.  The ply has immense strength, is water resistant, and easy to work.  The body has enough curvature to not look “slab sided”, but very few compound curves that would make the aluminium panels difficult to produce. … The pictures show the bodyframe shape but still needing lots of sanding down and finishing off.  I have remade the firewall bulkead that sits behind the engine, (not satisfied with the first attempt), and intend making a battery box to fix between this bulkhead and the scuttle bulkhead that carries the rear edge of the bonnet.

The basic frame ready for sanding and aluminium skinning

body frame taking shape

Loton park hillclimb, 5th April 2010 was the first event of the season in The MGCC Luffield speed championship.  My car is a standard roadgoing 1979 1500cc, (rubber bumper) midget. …. I had spent the last couple of weeks fitting a fresh engine and preparing the car for the series, (see previous articles).  As it turned out the work took much longer than anticipated and I didn`t finish untill the day before the competition! … This meant no time for a rolling road set-up, and very little time for final tuning and testing.  The ignition timing was done by “sight and sound” and the carbs not touched at all.  Just time for a 2 mile test drive around the block, check nothing had fallen off and all fluids were still where they should be.

Scrutineering was fine.  … Battery strapped down, extra springs on the carbs, no holes in the bulkhead firewall, fire extinguisher fitted, helmet, overalls, gloves all conforming to recent regulation updates. (etc, etc). … Loton park is a lovely hill.  About 1 mile long with left and right twists and turns, a long sweeping section that can be taken flat, it even has a downhill section!

My target time was 70 seconds.  My first practice run was a very conservative 82 seconds, limiting the revs to 5000 and watching the oil pressure gauge for signs of oil surge away from the pump pick-up. … Satisfied that all was well, my second run was 79 seconds, using 6000 rpm and carrying more speed into the corners. ….. The first timed run was 78 seconds.  I don`t have a time for my final run. (I will add it later).  A satisfactory start to the season considering there is more setting up to do on the car yet.

Scoring in the Luffield champs is a calculation of time achieved, measured against the target time.  Assuming my best time was 78 seconds and the target was 70 seconds, I guess I scored something just short of 90%. …. I`m satisfied with that for the moment. I hope to get some scores better than 95% later in the season. ….. The pictures show the car in the paddock and in the assembly area at the top of the hill, waiting to return to the paddock.

waiting at the top of the hill.

assembly area at the top

paddock line up

note the extra dashboard with oil pressure gauge, battery cut-off, etc

I started by removing all auxillary items that either, attach the engine to the chassis, add weight, or are liable to get damaged as the engine is lifted out. … Starter, alternator, carbs, exhaust, fan, earth lead, throttle cable, choke cable, various wiring connections, distributor, cap, leads, etc, etc. … Then removed radiator and all hoses, plus expansion tank. Drained the oil and water, of course. … I also removed front bumper, grill and various other front end components. (Partly to facilitate fitting an oil cooler while the engine was out). … I had Bens assistance in drawing the engine forward untill clear of the gearbox and lifting out with the use of lifting tackle attached to the steel girder across the roof of my garage. … I dare say that this dosn`t sound too difficult but I have the skinned knuckles to prove otherwise!  Anyway, with some grunting, sweating and swearing, the old engine was on the garage floor.  …………… Incidently, I decided to leave the gearbox in place because I saw no sense in changing a gearbox I knew to be good, for one that was unproven.

With the engine out I took the opportunity to thoroughly clean the engine bay and waxoil all of those vunerable corners that trap dirt/damp and allow rust to develop. … I also located the best place for the new oil cooler, where it would get good airflow but not impede airflow to the radiator and engine bay. …. I know that dosn`t sound much but it consumed almost 2 full days!

Lifting the new engine in was not particularly arduous, but not simple either.  Getting everything at the right angle for the engine and gearbox to marry together was fiddly and time consuming, but eventually they slid into place and bellhousing bolts were fitted, (more knuckle damage, but Bens knuckles this time!). … Just the auxilleries to fit, along with cables to replace, wiring to reconnect, ignition timing to set, etc, etc, etc! .. I won`t go into detail but lots more time consumed and more knuckle damage.

A difficult part of this engine change was fitting the new 4 into 2  into 1 tubular exhaust manifold.  This manifold will make a big difference to performance. Perhaps the biggest single  improvement of all the changes being made.     ….. It appeared at first that the steering column would need removing whilst the manifold was wrestled into place.  But after much headscratching I discovered that removing the studs that hold carbs and manifold against the cylinder head allowed the manifold to be slid into place.  Replacing the studs and then fitting the nuts washers achieved satisfactory fitment. …. Just the alterations under the car to get the manifold to meet the long exhaust pipe running to the rear of the car left. (About another half day of work!).

An integral part of this engine change was to fit a oil pressure gauge to supplement the dashboard warning light. … Also to add a voltmeter, battery cut-out switch, and a starter button that will allow the engine to be turned without the ignition on. (To circulate oil after periods of standing which allow oil to drain from bearing surfaces resulting in rapid wear on start up).  … This along with the baffled sump that will prevent oil surge away from the oilpump pick-up will result in bearings staying good even on an engine driven hard in competition.

At the time of writing the engine is ready for start up, but hasn`t yet got the cooling system in place. … New kevlar competition hoses arriving tomorrow.  … I doubt if I will achieve a rolling road set up before the first hillclimb, which is Loton Park in a weeks time.  I will set the ignition timing as best I can get it and tune the carbs to the best of my ability and cross my fingers. …… Rolling road set up will be done later.

front bumper and grill removed

Auxillaries gone, its ready to come out

On its way out

Ben cleaning and waxoiling the engine bay.

New engine going in

Yes! .. Its in!

Starting to look as it should

Skeleto bodyframe with cardboard paterns

I`ve just realized how long it has been since I lasted posted anything about the Riley special. …. I have spent quite a bit of time building a “skeleton” body frame that has the look, lines and proportion that is pleasing to my eye, (I don`t know about anyone elses).  … I have been doing this without detailed drawings and plans, but with a mental picture of what I want.  I have also had to hand various pictures of vintage coachwork that is funcional and of period appearance. … These pictures include a Frazer Nash, MG K3, Singer LeMans, and various Riley specials.  So I guess my bodywork will resemble some or all of these in some small detail!

 I hav agonized over whether to have doors or not, full screen or just  aero screens, etc, etc. … My decision is to go for as light, strong and “skimpy” as possible.  I guess a full screen and hood could be added later. ….. My pictures show the bodywork taking shape, (some panels mocked-up in cardboard), and various cords and strings defining the lines through bonnet, scuttle, tank, etc. … It is important to get some curvature into the overall shape, but not too much!

The Riley has taken a back seat whilst I have been preparing my competition MG Midget for the coming sprints and hillclimb season. … My next post will be about this preparation and whether any improvement in performance is gained from the very limited mods that are allowed in the standard car class of the MGCC Luffield Speed Champs.

Originally this chassis would have carried large hydraulic, lever arm type shockers. Very big and very heavy.  … It may have been possible to hunt down a pair of these units, and then going through the reconditioning process, but why bother?  …. The MGB, a relatively moder car, has a very primitive rear suspension arrangement with pre war origins. (Cart springs with lever arm hydraulic units, similar to the pre war MG TA).  … These units are available from MG specialists at very reasonable prices and you can even get uprated versions for competition use.  In my view, these are not out of place on a pre war special.

pre war type shocks from MGB

extended bed timbers and rear shock arrangement

fits neatly between chassis and petrol tank

As you will see from the pictures, I have fitted a pair of these, (uprated 30%), and I`m confident they will work well in damping down the rear end of my special. .. You will also see from the pictures I have extended the body bed timbers over and beyond the back axle to provide a platform for the slab tank.  Much work laminating timbers and designing/producing bracketry has gone into this arrangement, and I am happy with the result. … The MGB shockers fit nicely between the chassis and petrol tank.  I havn`t yet fitted the link arms that connect the lever arm to a plate bolted to the bottom of the roadspring. This will be done later.

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.

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