The Snail

[sunbeamsam]

No, not at this time, but don't want to have to move the brackets if I do in the future. The reason for using coil overs rather than regular shocks is mostly because I had some. I haven't got any springs on them at mo.

Was going to try and finish this tonight, but it is raining...

 

[sunbeamsam]

Rear shocks now on, unfortunately they don't have enought travel (by about 1cm) to remove the rear wheels when fully jacked up - so will have to unbolt the lower shock bolt. Not the end of the world.

2 more mods just been completed:

1) The spare anti-roll bar I got from the guy in nottingham along with the axle turned out to be 3mm thicker - so have put that on.
2) It's always annoyed me that I have to take the carpet up and undo 6 bolts to check the brake / clutch fluid levels - also the price of lockeed master cylinders is on the up. My cunning plan has been to fit a remote fluid resevoir and modern master cylinders.

 

[sunbeamsam]

So this is the remote resevoir

 

[sunbeamsam]

it's divided inside so that neither cylinder can drain it. No idea what it is off - £30 with pipes off ebay, was quite pleased. Think it might be E-type?

 

[sunbeamsam]

C

 

[sunbeamsam]

this should have been easy... but the normal cider / invariable metric / imperial, parts not designer to fit etc dramas got in the way. Hence m10 nuts used as spacer to get the correct movement - i will make up some proper spacers, think i might have some from a spitfire somewhere. The blue stuff is thin heat shrink, the seals that came with the cylinders got in the way of the springs so had to 'adjust' them.

Anyone that has ever changed a master cylinder on a Commer is thinking it - why did whoever designed them make this such a pig of a job?

 

[sunbeamsam]

C

 

[sunbeamsam]

I measured the ones that came off as 0.625 Cluch and 0.7 Brake and replaced them with the same but flicking through my commer data book they look like they should be 0.7 clutch and 0.75 brake ?

 

[sunbeamsam]

yes there is a slight fuel leak from the tank union. i'm pretending it isn't there at the moment. tightening it is making it worse...

so brakes bled, rear shocks set on mid adjustment, first test drive and -

wow big change, handling is certainly improved. I've stopped thinking about a rear anti roll bar for now.

Changing from a 5.625 to a 5.125 diff has helped (i'm no longer in 6th at 30mph) but has made me want to fit a 4.77.

 

[S0updragon]

My carpet has the two holes in it with the round bits velcoed down. All edged and would look neat but edging needs restitching. Another job to do

 

[sunbeamsam]

Been fitting parking sensors

Fore and aft
Port and starboard...

 

[sunbeamsam]

Also wired in auto door lights.Then found them really annoying so had to add a switch to turn them off..

 

[Panky]

That's really neat

 

[PaulJL]

Nice idea

 

[S0updragon]

That’s clever. Where did you get the door switch from? Thinking of putting a light under back doors to light step at night

 

[Paul Goldsmith]

Fascinating to see yours mods coming along so well !

 

[sunbeamsam]

So those door switches were Morris minor ones and they only really worked if the doors were slammed hard. I guess I could have filed them down a bit but instead I got some counter sunk style ones at a auto jumble. You do need a long drill bit to drill a hole of the wire through the pillar.

 

[Panky]

That will look great, subtle

 

[sunbeamsam]

So finally got around to replacing the roof lining, the original board was sagging quite a lot so I took it off, stuck on a few sheets of sound deadening pads and the covered the whole thing in 1/2 inch wet dog smelling sound insulation. Then on top of that stuck some of the left over 4way stretch I had. Reasonably pleased with the result.

 

[sunbeamsam]

Also finally got the roof rack finished, something that has taken about 20 years...

I got this helicopter stretcher in c1999 thinking it would make a good bunk in the van that I didn’t yet own.