Pete's First Year

Drove it home in rain so hard it reduced the M1 to 40 MPH Max. TF didn’t miss a beat and remained quieter and more stable than I expected from various sources. Only rattle was a catch on the hardtop that had not been connected properly. Gearchange a bit “stubborn”.

Quickly found that brakes were unacceptably poor even though discs and pads looked fine. What would they be like if worn and corroded?? Having owned / driven most of the Austin Rover offerings at some time - never one with brakes like these. Coincidentally I’ve recently had a play with a Ford Puma with very similar weight and performance AND similar rubbish brakes! Went a bit OTT by replacing discs, pads and hoses. Flushed out fluid as the reservour looked very dark. Had it ever been done? No idea. All simple enough except flexibles a bit awkward as they bend differently. Fitted EBC Yellow Stuff pads - after a few hundred miles brakes much better but not brilliant.

Just to give them max chance I fitted a brace even though there was no sign of bulkhead flex (yet). Brace supplied with 8mm bolts but 10mm holes - which seemed to me a weakness. Why not just drill 8.2mm holes as shown in the plans? Potential shuffle at both ends. Also no spacers supplied to prevent the gasket being crushed. I made up bushes for the holes, used small washers for the spacers and fitted shouldered bolts - Proper Job! (Also used a bit of angle at the back to give even compression of gasket &, plastic snorkel )

One enormous plus is I haven’t found one bolt or fastener that has proven difficult to undo or be rusty and rounded. All comes apart as in the manual! I have found a number loose or missing that were probably never fitted in the first place!

Resonance damping.
If you gentle tap large area of the body they ring like bells. 
After advice from the forum (TA22GT?) I stuck large quantities of EvoStick FlashBand (or equivalent) onto as many internal panels as can be rung. Wings, doors etc I.E most of them. Does it work? Difficult to say some times as “Pete” didn’t rattle anyway but management states that it is improved and the doors now shut with a rather more classy clunk than clang.

Rust Proofing
I used Bilt Hamber whizzo stuff. https://bilthamber.com/product/dynax-ub/  Loads of different products. Can be bought clear so it can be seen straight through. I reasoned (?) if the clear was as effective as the brown why have the brown in the first place. Aerosols are probably the easier option as you get a long (I metre) application tube that sprays in a cone. Draw it though a box section / sill and it coats all surfaces. NOTE the spray head can be replaced with a suitable – say rattle can – and tube to spray specific places. (Without it blasting everywhere.) I bought 2  X 5lt of the stuff because of brain fade. 4 / 5 aerosols would have been adequate. To spray 5lt stuff (thick as honey) with something like a garden sprayer requires you to dilute it at least 50% with white spirit.  

Stainless Cooling pipes.
Got 2 sets of these. One of which is slightly shorter on one pipe. (Fit a suitable drain down?) The existing pipes was however perfect with no damage or internal corrosion far as I can see. They are also matt black so a better radiator. And fit better! So I put them back on and will keep the S/S pipes for another day. (Maybe)

Engine cover
This is a fiendish panel that is a ********** to remove although, it has to be said, some people have no problem. The problems are multiply. No 1 being the Off side front 10mm has very little room be jiggled out as it is under the TBar. Add to that the hood rear over centre catches, when released, are Big Time in the way.1/ Drilled the cover so the hole cleared the 10mm bolt head and the panel was held by a split washer. Couple of turns of the 10mm, slip out the washer, spin in the 10mm in again and lift the cover over the bolt head. Easy.2/ Drill out the hood catch pop rivets and remove. Drill out holes to take the ever popular rivnuts. I only did the middle 3, some members have done the lot.

Engine Cover Out Now - After the insulation is removed, undo the catches and remove them entirely. Lift hood rear and spin out all the 10mm bolts including the irritating one as in 1/.  Lift the engine cover out. Have a happy beer.

Head Gasket Etc.
Had Mobile Mechanic come down and fit new head gasket / timing belt and bits. This was seen as preventative maintenance as I had no idea of the service history. Wish I had done it myself now. Naturally renewed all the coolant with 50% distilled water.

Rear Light Shields
Fitted these covers as they should have been in from the start. Discovered 2 large bolt threads sticking into the boot! Ideal for catching the luggage on.

Posh seat belts
Fitted green seat belts for a touch of bling to lift the all black interior. Changed oil and filters for engine & gearbox

Fitted a S/S radiator plug / bleed nipple. This proceeded to leak through the nipple thread under pressure and made me panic that the new head gasket was leaking.  Replaced original plastic plug!

Gearchange attempt 2.
Lubed the cable (after a fashion) by slipping tubing over the cable lining and filling tube with thin (PTFE based) oil. Applied a bit of pressure with a fat Hypo Syringe. Helped a bit. Stopped the nylon cross shaft thing in the actual gearchange from flapping about. Cut down the side movement. Put lever in second and locked it there with packing. Removed connections from box and tweaked the connectors for best fit. Worked a bit. Change no longer baulks selecting 2nd. Which it might have done without me doing anything!

Probably loads more that I've forgotten about.

This Forum!! Has been a constant provider of support and advice without which I may have given up and moved it on. EXCEPT Management loves the little scoot and many many brownie points were at risk. "Pete" says thanks as well!

Nice write up Vince..I hope you get to drive it now 😁

You have a great car and I admire that you want to improve and preserve it at the same time.
They are quirky and not the easiest car to do engine work on but mine puts a smile on my face every time I take it out which is very frequent.
It's good that management likes it because my management doesn't want to get in mine. I actually like it being exclusively mine!
I hope you get to enjoy Pete this summer and have some fun and enjoy some nice roads too.

What a great write up and a solid approach to the car. Its very good to read

Many thanks to you both.  In many ways it's your fault I'm still here!
I was sitting out of the heat today and thinking of an excuse to go in the garage.  (It's much cooler in there for some reason?)  
I couldn't think of anything to do. 
It has been suggested to display at the local village summer fete - but think of all the grubby little finger marks.   

VinceR wrote:

It has been suggested to display at the local village summer fete - but think of all the grubby little finger marks. 

 

 

That'd be a fete worse than death! 🤣

The Land Rover crowd who used congregated here whenever work was on the go, decided to attend a local classic show & auto jumble.
Three 101 Forward Control, a couple of Air Portables & 1,2,3s + Defenders.
We were early in & stormed the stalls for parts, once sorted we returned to the vehicles.
During the morning it was noticed that the rare & costly glass lenses were disappearing of the vehicles. Big Dave was sent to see if any stalls, which didn’t have a stock of these, now had.
He returned with slightly more than had gone adrift & left the now limping stall holder with an imprinted impression that antics such as this would not be tolerated.
A lift off NATO hitch was about to be spirited away when the ever resourceful Daniel lobed a paper cup of cold coffee at the miscreant. An impressive shot, with singular dynamic result.
Even the chaps dog shit itself.
M

Cob - Then there is the dear children dropping the ice creamed sticky paws on the seats.   Dear birdies playing target practice having scoffed the crumbs scattered about.  Good chance of a sudden thunder storm from out of a cloudless sky!   Makes one wonder why you have to leave home.

M - Bludgers deserve a good lumping if for no other reason than not being smart enough to keep their ill gotten steals for, at least, another show.  Basic Darwinian.  Like the nutter on the run from the police who scrambled over a wall into and enclosure.  Unfortunately for him - A Tiger Enclosure.    (Darwinawards)