Series 11 Saloon, 1956

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

New loom arrived today, but I didnt get out to the garage today, and back to work tomorrow so I will get stuck in properly later in the week.[frame][/frame]

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I had a spare hour or so yesterday and refitted the heater which is a fiddly job with one person, I attached it to the parcel shelf first and then put a pair of vice grips on the top edge to line it up and get the screws in. Also cleaned and greased the wiper rack and motor and attached some new insulation on the wires, put the new rubber mount on and fitted the bracket to the motor and gave it a trial run on a battery before fitting it to the car. This looks much safer than the 1000 motor sitting on foam.......[frame][/frame]

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Stevey came over today and we had quite good progress with the loom, almost all in place just a few little mods to carry out. The dynamo is a later one with lucar connectors so this needs altered as did the lead assembly on the dizzy and the oil pressure light switch. Also had to replace the brake light switch with and older one so hopefully it works.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Spent this afternoon at the loom. I modified the connections on the dynamo, I will look out for an older one to replace it. I worked out the wipers wiring but have not yet added in the hater connections as its not very clear. The semaphores werent working, but I hadnt cleaned the holes in the body well enough for it to get a good earth. The main beam isnt working, but Im sure its something simple and the petrol gauge as well, but I didnt expect it to work as it has a newer sender in the tank. Pleased with today work [frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

I just noticed from the pic that the ds indicator must be wired into the sidelight, will sort that tomorrow. Once Im happy that all is working I will add in the indicators, Im going to use 2 flasher unit so the semaphores will work with the indicators.

[jaekl]

The heater typically was not part of the loom. Two black wires ran through the hole in the bulkhead alongside the main loom. One to the green wire side of the fuse block and one to the earth on the regulator as I recall. An alternative I use is to connect to the hot side of the fuel gauge so that it is fused and connect the ground to where the dome light is earthed

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

All remaining wiring sorted today, the heater was wired into the green in the back of the petrol gauge and added to the earth in the wiper switch. I spent quite some time on the trafficator switch trying to get the red warning light to work, but got it eventually. I changed the brake light switch only to realise the brake lights werent properly connected at the back!

So just a bit of paintwork to finish and new wing beading and its nearly there. Ive ordered land rover wiper adapters so I can fit splined wiper arms with springs, they are slightly differnent to the ones on my traveller so I wont know for sure if they fit until I try them, but only cost about £6 posted.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

After finishing off the wiring I took it out for a 10 mile or so run on Friday and all going well. The oil pressure switch is maybe on its way out as it was flickering a bit after the brakes are applied. Its running well, need to sort a speedo as the one I choose isnt turning despite being free.

Some progress today, I had some painted matched in Belfast and an aerosol made up[frame][/frame]
It hasnt been cut or polished yet, its not too bad a match perhaps a little bit green[frame][/frame]
I also had the back wing off while I was paining, it needed the beading replaced anyway. The one one is a bit to light gray, I will keep an eye out for some darker gray.

I had previously mentioned wiper adapters to make them into splines so you can use a stronger wiper, they arrived bit were slightly shaped and need to be drilled to fit onto the round spline[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
This is a spare wiper box to show you how it fits.

I rust proofed the quarter panels, inner and outer sill and the box section under the back seat. Im using Dynax 50 as its so easy to apply and creeps well into the seems. With that done Ive glued in the sill and wheel arch carpet and fitted the quarter panel trims back in[frame][/frame]

Getting there!

[jaekl]

Check your oil level. A flickering light during braking can be air getting into the pump. If the oil is a heavier weight it also may not be returning back to the sump fast enough to maintain the level, but this causes the light to flicker more often when the engine is cold. After checking those, you should put a gauge on to see what pressure you really have because the oil pump may not be performing well or the engine has excess clearances.

[minor65]

Great progress. Will we see it out at the Argory??

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Thanks Jaekl, its due an oil change as well so this may improve things.

Andrew, no Im working that day but it might be ready for Drive it Day in Lisburn on the Sunday, thats if I have any seats to put into it as they are currently in Steveys 54

[kjm]

Looking good David

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Refitted the kick plates and sill finishers today, a nice handy job that makes it look tidier/ finished quickly and stops you getting wax on your trousers every time you get in and out. Also got some darker gray wing beading posted from Tom Roys (arrived next day) and its a much better match, Ive fitted this on the drivers side.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I spent a little spare time on the project today, started to t cut and polish and fitted some old wing mirrors from the spares. Lots more polishing to do and hopefully get some seats in tomorrow.[frame][/frame]

[minor65]

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Servicing and oil change today on back axle, gearbox and engine. The axle bungs were really hard to shift, they mustnt have moved in many years, same with gearbox as well. The inside of the bung was full of bits, it is jumping out of second sometimes and the release bearing is noisey so thats a job for the future.

Then things started to go wrong, is was refitting the oil filter housing, something Ive done many many times but couldnt get it to seal. Anyway there was a sharp edge on it that was cutting through the seal. By this stage the air was blue and the yard had several more oil spots than before. Went to look through my spares and found a second hand filter head in good order, then the oil pipe to feed it sheared off when the spanner was turning it. Spare engine raided again for the pipe, so all assembled with a new gasket and no leaks from the filter, leaking now from the gasket. As Im stripping it all down again the flippin threads stripped on the stud. Time to walk away and have tea. Anyway sourced another stud, but couldnt find another gasket, so i re used the gasket with some instant gasket, and guess what its got a drip from the filter head at the block. Time to leave it for the day and close the garage, a day wasted. So it wont be ready for Drive it day now on Sunday, theres always the next event........

[minor65]

Typical. . I should have a spare filter head gasket, if you want me to bring it on Sunday?

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Cheers Andrew, meant to tell you i had found another one. Hope to fit it this week.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

So, off came the filter housing again this afternoon. I cleaned off all the oil and rubbed the face on some wet n dry only to notice that it had a crack on the face were it meets to the block - whats the chance of having 2 spare damaged ones

Anyway I had one other spare left soaking in petrol to soften the gasket, someone must have used a sealant along with the rubber ring as it was really hard to shift. I gave this one a really really thorough examination this time! I also removed the studs in the block and gave the face of it a good rub down. It all re assembled nice and smoothly, I put down some cereal packet on the floor below the filter and pulled the starter to help fill the filter bowl, then igntion on and the oil light went out within about 10 seconds. Even better no leaks! So despite the horrid wet day i went for about 10miles as a test drive.

The speedo seemed wildly optimistic, reading about 40 when it feels like 30. It didnt turn the miles either so I dismantled a 948 one I had and cleaned it all up and tested it with a drill. It was nice and steady and also turned the miles so i fitted this. Encouraged by this I sorted the windscreen washers with some new tubing, fitted the demister pipe and then ran the heater pipes into the heater instead as I had joined them under the bonnet temporailly. Speedo then fitted into place and another test drive, in the dark with wipers, headlight and heater all going and it was charging no problem. Speedo also seems accurate with what i would expect the engine noise to be.

So just some more polishing to finish and the rest of the interoir to refit and pretty much ready for the road

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Since the last post its done around 100 miles or so. Theres been quite a few carb issues, especailly when it warm and trying to tick over. It was a Shanes Castle Rally on May Day and the traffic on the way out was awful, over an hour of start stop traffic when it just wouldnt tick over, used way too much petrol. So today I checked my spare carbs and picked the best one, cleaned it up and fitted it. Seems to run better, picks up better and ticks over better! After a quick run up one junction of the motorway and back down the other we even managed to get to 50mph, which it didnt before!

I have fitted the wiper spindles with adjustable wiper arms and they are very good, even in heavy rain which the series 11 wipers really doesnt cope that well with. Windows also sealed with this super sealant called Arbo mast Auto grade windscreen sealing compound. Really easy to use and clean off as well.

http://www.dortechdirect.co.uk/window-i ... grade.html

Ive ordered new stalks for the seatbelts so hope they will arrived this week, still glove boxes to reit and also indicators to wire in buy getting there [frame][/frame]

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I spent a while on this car today, as far as timing is concerned Ive not much of an idea. I know basically what you have to do but havent got the theory sussed completely. Anyway I made up a test light and had a go. Timing was out by about 5 degrees, its running a good bit better now and thanks to Stanley for keeping me right! I will keep an eye on the petrol consumption and hope that its improved.

I had also noticed that the passenger side was sitting a bit low and when you go over a bump it was hitting the bumpstops. I measured it on each side and the ps was 3/4 inch lower. The adjusting plate at the crossmember was already on it highest settings so I had to lower the torsion bar by one spline and move the adjusting plate up by 2 holes at the crossmember end. This has sorted it and its now sitting more squarely and not bottoming out on the stop.

This car has had seat belts fitted at some point, inertia real which arent so comfortable for me in a 2 door. Anyway one of the stalks was broken and when I took it apart to see if I could fix it a wee spring went scooting accross the garage never to be seen again! Some plastic was also damaged so its a bin job. They are Kangol so I searched on ebay and found a pair from a real mini that looked the same, these arrived during the week and I put them in as well today.

Last weekend Stevey, Paddy and I went to Moggyfest at Beaulieu, a great weekend and I would recommend anyone to go. I got the proper interoir mirror from Club Spares who had a stall there this year. Its now installed and looking the part.[frame][/frame]

Drove around 25 miles tonight, going well Next job refit indicators to work along with the semaphores.