BXProject

[Madcav]

I had a circa 1959 one a few years back, I don't think it had semaphores but can't remember sorry.
Did fancy a splitty but never seemed to be any cheap enough when I had the money.
Mickey, I have put a wanted ad on RR mate, had a lead or two as to where I might get one and someone at work suggested a place in Chester area to try.
Tyres are indeed 145s' obviously ran on crossplies originally but no whay I'm fitting them. After a set of wider wheels for it, prefer steels but pretty much anything would do if they fit.
No glovebox door on driver's side cubbyhole but I have got a heater and my lad and I shared a laugh when I remembered where the floor mounted headlight main beam switch is and showed him the windscreen washer 'switch'.

[Way2go]

I had a circa 1959 one a few years back, I don't think it had semaphores but can't remember sorry.

Tyres are indeed 145s' obviously ran on crossplies originally but no whay I'm fitting them. After a set of wider wheels for it, prefer steels but pretty much anything would do if they fit.

1959 would have originally had trafficators but they may have been blanked when flashers were installed as a retrofit later.

You need to consider carefully whether wider wheels are a good idea for 3 reasons.

1) There is a known weakness in the front suspension design which can result in hub breakaway. Wider wheels will impose a greater strain on these linkages.

2) You haven't got power steering so this will likely make you wrestle with the steering wheel when pulling away from parked and on slow cornering.

3) Because of (2) excessive wear/failure in the rack and pinion steering mechanism may well result.

Happy pondering!

[Philhod]

All wot ee sed + It`s the btm joint that parts company. There are two reasons why. The early ones had grease nipples and if byou didn`t grease them once a month, they dried up, wore quickly and fell off
The later ones were sealed for life. Alas life wasn`t too long.
Provided you check them about every 3 months all should be ok, coz when they give up the ghost they are very very loose. you can feel it on the steering way before it goes. Only numpties would drive it till it comes apart an it`s an easy repair.
Had a 52 split pick up which I sold in 64 for £17
The good news is......the wheels from a MG Midget fit (rostyles) which are
5 1/2 J but will take a standard profile 175 tyre. The walls on these are flexible so don`t present as many of the points made by w2g

[Madcav]

Thanks fellas, wasn't aware of implications of fitting wider wheels. Midget ones should be fairly easy to find I'd have thought. There are some really nice looking sort of Minilight replica wheels on eBay (13") which look the fucking shizzles but I can't afford them

[docchevron132]

Aint got anywhere with the pump yet mate I'm afraid, other more sinister things have gotten in the way, but I *might* be able to lay my hands on some minilites, or Roystyles, my bro did have some, although I have no idea if he still has.

[Way2go]

I'm afraid, other more sinister things have gotten in the way

What's up Doc?

Is this Kate & the drug dealers again?

[Madcav]

Cheers Doc. Going chasing a pump today, couple of places locally may be able to help I'm told but wheesl would be of interest if you come across some mate.

[Philhod]

I`ve absolutley no idea if any of my old contacts are still breathing,
let alone if they have any gear left.It was in the 80`s I was an A series freak...an they were all older than me!!!!!
I`ll see if anyone knows the whereabouts of said wheels

[Madcav]

Found a brand new universal one today (just under thirty quid) so bouhgt it and will try it later or tomorrow.

[Philhod]

Just reading back over the earlier posts about exhaust valves.

The A series was usually unbreakable but it did have a weakness for exhaust valves in all its forms.
I once did a top end rebuild, on a Morris Oxford, for a neighbour, who said he was down on power.
When I got the head off all 4 exhaust valves looked like a kids
toffee lolly that had been chewed. How the fuck it was still running I`ll never know. Rplaced em all and it was good as new
Some of the problem was due to the fact that the petrol companies experimented with new chemicals and reduced lead ( before lead free)
Which of course lead(sic) to overheating and failiure, but the oil companies would not admit it at the time. It`s since been admitted, years later, of course, so nobody can make a claim.
The engines will run quite happily and even more economically on unleaded. However........................................................................

................You need to have the valve seats machined out and Nickel/chrome inserts pressed in. Don`t know what this would cost these days but it shouldn`t be that much as there is not much work involved.
It would be well worth it if you are keeping the car

[Madcav]

Been looking at that Phil. Seemingly unlesded heads are about £400 a throw I think so I might get a spare one and have it rebuilt with hardened valve seats and see how much it costs doing it that way instead. Not done anything with the car last few days and now have a week off work so will get cracking as soon as I get off the net and my arse.

[Bx Bandit]

And get an alternator fitted instead of that dynamo which I 'think' means changing the car to -ve earth but it's not as big a job as it sounds...if my memory serves me correctly..

Brake servo is a good idea as well mate - you need a foot of iron at the best of times!

[Way2go]

Brake servo is a good idea as well mate - you need a foot of iron at the best of times!

Not driven one for donkeys but that I remember well!

Dunno how feasable brake servo-assist is, as the master cylinder for this car is squeezed into a small channel space underneath the drivers footwell? Is this a job you have accomplished Bandit?

[Way2go]

Brake servo is a good idea as well mate - you need a foot of iron at the best of times!

Not driven one for donkeys but that I remember well!

Dunno how feasable brake servo-assist is, as the master cylinder for this car is squeezed into a small channel space underneath the drivers footwell? Is this a job you have accomplished Bandit?

[Bx Bandit]

Yes mate, you can mount it in the engine bay and run the piping along the outside of o/s box section, and 'u bend' it back into the box section through the x-member. You need a 4 way union and a vacuum feed off the inlet manifold..you can also put Wolsley 1500 brake drums/shoes which are 9" as opposed to the original 7" or you can even use Morris Marina disc brakes but they tend to be a bit too sharp and you have to convert to coil springs and better dampers! The switch to 9" drums or Marina discs is a bolt on/off job...

[Way2go]

Yes mate, you can mount it in the engine bay and run the piping along the outside of o/s box section, and 'u bend' it back into the box section through the x-member

Sounds then like a plan Cav should go for as that brake pedal is lethal when you need it most as I discovered years ago going down Streatham Hill to the traffic lights at the bottom!

[Bx Bandit]

/\ Brake fade dude?

[Madcav]

My old one used to stop ok tbh but brake converison sounds good. Still have nightmares about Marinas though so may have to find something else to fit!
Fuck my luck with the universal fuel pump: has weird fittings and the only way I reckon I could persuade it to work would be to bodge it on and I'm not doing that where petrol is concerned. Phoning a local-ish scrappy after, called yesterday and he said to bell him back this morning as he might have a fuel pump somewhere and if he has I might see if he has a radiator too. Failing that it's sixty odd quid on a new fuel pump (original type) which is probably worth doing rtaher than pissing about.

[Bx Bandit]

Even if you get a new pump mate, the chances are the fittings have been altered already for the pump it's currently got....? The original fuel fitment is a metal pipe with a 'swollen end' and a nut to screw onto the pump. If that's not there you could well be fooked in fitting the new pump!

Buy a crimper for the connections and you're away mate!

[Madcav]

The electrical connections are no sweat mate, can sort that in minutes. It's the bottom line that will be a pain (the one from tank to carb) iirc. One feed has a metal pipe with it that screws on, the other one doesn't. I hope that a trip to Machine Mart down the road will reveal an airline fitting (female end and hollow pipe) plus maybe some washers then I can make a bracket for it.

Current set up live and earth wires (obviously), over end of metal fuel line from tank is a small piece of hose which connects to bottom of filter, and up top fuel hose simply goes from top of filter to carb and (aside from the fixed mounting bracket) that's about it.