Project No.2 - Highwayman

Sounds like good progress:) But yes it does sound like the head gasket has gone, wont take much of a leak to pressurise the cooling system:(
 
Hope you got yours sorted Panky, not a great time of year for it to go :(

I did mine Saturday, i fear it was a waste of time as the head had some nasty pitting around one piston. But I didn't have time to send it off for a skim but hoping it holds for a couple of weeks until I can strip it back and do the job properly. It was a bloody mess in there :( It's got it's first hire next weekend so i've been working 6 days a week on it for the last 2 or 3 months.

So here's some pics finally. Sorry as always working so manically took little 'step by step' pics. Most of the work went on sorting the wind screen pillars and around the peak. Refitting the rear panels and cutting all new alloy took a while too. Came up nice but a lot of head scratching involved. The inside is great too but I can't take any credit for that as apart from the remedial coachwork undertakings my partner did that with her sister. I'll put some of them up when I get some pics.

I limped it to the MOT garage on Sunday night. Not running great but first time I have ever had it on the road so it's a start. Hopefully timing and rocker adjustments will make her happier. Fingers crossed.

tacking in front valance
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uncovering more work (aka making more work in my partners eyes)
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after 3 weeks prep paint starts happening - veedub sunshine yellow
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I'll get some finished ones up once it's back from the MOT.

Tom
 
Wow that is YELLOW - and looking fantastic:cool:
12 thou inlet and 14 thou exhaust, set hot.
 
it certainly lives up to it's name - although it's not acrid like you might imagine. It's quite smooth against the cream.

So I limped her home from the MOT with a bit of an essay in hand :(

Nothing too major in all honesty and I knew a lot of it needed doing.

One thing that came up is play in front upper and lower suspension which I think is the stub axle carriers. They are on a pin/bush setup I think, can I just get the bushes?
 
Sounds like the kingpins if it's the vertical swivel. The pins and bushes are usually readily available but can be a pain to do, try Martin M. or Speedy Spares both should have them in stock. If the play isn't too bad a couple of shots of grease usually sorts it out for a while;)
The upper and lower outer wishbone swivels have threaded bushes but they too should be available from the usual suspects.
 
Well that was a 'fun' couple of weeks to complete built. Put the engine back together Friday eve. Loaded straight onto trailer and off to first gig Saturday morning. But we made it! After a skim, as I mentioned, there was some nasty pitting. My machine shop man suggested trying some magic goow, lets hope it holds :eek:. Perhaps a once over with a TIG will be in order down the line. Being on the fire ring i'm a little concerned but she's running nice enough right now. Not had a chance to set points and timing so hope it'll improve.

Although I am uneasy about butchering a classic van I do feel proud to see it making a living again. The amount of pleasure it brought and conversations it started about how people used to deliver papers / crumpets etc. in one years ago was great. A couple of pics from the gig.

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That's not butchery it's evolution:D
Looks brilliant and very well done, I'll have a cold lager please:cool:
 
So been umming and arring over these twin strombergs. I really don't know my way round them, to adjust mixture you have to use a special tool - apparently. I'm very tempted to ditch them and go with a single SU. Having 2x carbs is just more to potentially go wrong too. I'm struggling to get her running right. I was told I might well need to richen the mix after the head skim. It certainly seems very lean. I'm looking for reliability rather than ponies.

The alloy head inlet manifold is different from the iron head I believe. So got to find the right one to then mod as mines a twin. Then I have loads of different SUs and needles to contend with.

Charlie does run sweet on his SU though.

Am I giving myself more work? Or will it make my life easier in the long run?

Opinions would be great.

Tom
 
Single SU is the way to go. Ideally an 1 3/4" HIF44 but quite a complicated mod to get it onto the ally head manifold. The Ebay manifold looks to be for a single 1 1/2" Stromberg and I think the hole centres are very similar to a HS4 SU which also has an 1 1/2" choke, I'm not sure if the 'hot spot' connection on that manifold would line up with your exhaust but it should really be separated anyway. If you do go that route be careful which HS4 you go for as it needs to be a vertically positioned float chamber, ones fitted to Minis were inclined - but you can get a spacer that converts it to vertical from Burlen Fuels Systems.
 
I would only really consider fitting an electric pump if the original mechanical one failed, you wanted the extra bit of power the mechanical pump saps from the engine or if some serious mods are done. If the cooling system is in good condition then the old pump is up to the job under normal conditions. Unfortunately that ebay pump is just an auxiliary meant to boost the heater performance so not enough flow for a whole cooling system - it's the Davies Craige one you want.
Just a thought, have you checked the diaphragms in the Strombergs, a tiny pin hole can cause all sorts of problems.
 
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