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Post by bbh on Jan 13, 2020 20:16:13 GMT
Thanks, I agree Mike's work is very nice, just be prepared to give him plenty of time!. I am not setting any deadlines re completion but hopefully I'll get initial start-up later this year. Interestingly the next job to be tackled after the steering was getting the engine and gearbox back into the car. I probably made a mistake in getting the engine rebuilt as early in the restoration as I did and then had it sitting around, but at the time the logistics / build opportunity was right so I went ahead. The downside is that I have been working around it since, so it was time to get it into the car. I must admit to being a bit apprehensive about this being the first time I have installed an engine in a 3000 and it is not exactly small or light. Did I mention that I would be installing over the newly painted / installed shroud / wings !!! What could go wrong? Anyhow, in the end (and thanks to the help offered here) it all went remarkable smoothly. Some additional comment are listed in this thread healeys.proboards.com/thread/255/engine-installation so I won't repeat
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Post by bbh on Feb 22, 2020 17:33:42 GMT
Well with the engine and gearbox in, it was time to complete the drive train with the Propshaft. I didn’t have the original one, but it didn’t matter as it wouldn’t have worked. I did however have the slip yoke for the Toyota W58 gerabox I also had a copy of a diagram that some-one (sorry cannot remember who) had “published, I think from the “Smitty” kit. The one issue being that the US designation for the differential mounting is different from that used in the UK. I made up a wooden mock of the pattern and it appears to be a 1310SAE fitting. I used a local Propshaft manufacturer and they knocked up a balanced shaft in a couple of days. Fitting was relatively straightforward (once I put the gearbox in neutral!). It did remind me though that I really need to think about some means of lifting the car higher than just axle stands. Back to the front end and starting to fill up the engine bay. The radiator was to be first. I bought an aluminium radiator from Radtec, which mimicked the original fitting points and radiator top. I also specified a “pusher” fan, in this instance a SPAL which Radtec supplied neatly bracketed to the radiator. The bottom of the radiator is slightly different and there is a separate boss for the thermostatic switch / sender for the fan. This works great when installed but makes installing a bit tricky due to the protrusions for the water connection. I also made things more difficult for myself with my air deflectors which were in-place and had to be pulled out and then re-installed after the radiator. All finished off with hoses and stainless clamps. Next was the exhaust manifolds. These were the DWM tubular set which mimicked the works style. These were then ceramic coated inside and out. For once the fitting was straightforward, using the DWM manifold gasket and brass nuts.
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Post by healeyneil on Feb 24, 2020 0:30:29 GMT
Regarding your need to get the car higher, I invested in a scissor lift ( a treat for a significant birthday) . Man maths suggests that when I'm done with it, I'll sell it for more or less what I paid . My one wouldn't have helped with the propshaft, mind you, as it has a central bar. I rarely work on the car when it's on the ground now
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Post by bbh on Feb 24, 2020 20:15:09 GMT
I really need to look at the option, as the enjoyment!! of scrabbling under the car on your back is starting to fade !!!!
What decided you on a scissor, rather than a 2 post?
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Post by healeyneil on Feb 24, 2020 23:38:34 GMT
Price to some extent, but I bought mine second hand from a small garage I dealt with. I was in one day and spotted the lift, and asked the question. Next thing I knew I was its owner.. I like the fact that the scissor lift isn't fastened in place so it can be moved as required
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Post by austinrod on Mar 1, 2020 9:15:39 GMT
Really nice job ! Very professional !
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Post by bbh on Apr 29, 2020 19:35:43 GMT
Engine Bay Having the Exhaust manifolds in-place the inlet manifolds for the SU carbs was next. These were again from DWM for 1 3\4” carbs and thankfully the flange thicknesses were the same, so no need to shim. I was able to use the original heatshield, albeit drilled out to fit the larger carbs. I planned to use the heatshield insulation provided by the main suppliers. However, the version I received was so poorly finished I sent it back and resorted to a more modern approach – a self-adhesive heat reflecting material from DEI. This gave a little more space between the exhaust manifold and the heatshield. Just before fitting I also fitted some DEI insulating sleeve around the fuel pipe from chassis up to the filter king. Initially I had the coming up the shroud support bracket, but as you can see from the pic above it is too close to the bottom of the heatshield, so I moved it to the side to give more space I had seen a rather neat carb bowl overflow arrangement in another restoration made out of smallbore pipe with brass unions so decided to copy but using flexible fuel hose. This gives just one drain tube to worry about, which will be fixed to the bottom of a chassis member, well away from the exhaust. The only downside is you cannot easily identify which bowl is overflowing! Fitted …. HS6 carbs fitted OK, interestingly the set I had came with the thicker insulating gaskets, which turned out to be too much for the manifold studs. The choice was to either put new studs in-place or revert back to the original 6.5mm thick insulators, which is the route taken. Now to attach the throttle cable. The bottom “V” bracket fitted Ok between the first and second inlet manifolds, with a slight bend to clear the heatshield. It did however need a small bracket at the bottom to get the cable into the right position / orientation. My first attempt was to take the Throttle control countershaft and reverse its direction with a bracket bolted onto the end to which the cable could be attached (sorry, I seem to have lost the photo of this set-up!!). In the end however, I discarded this as it wasn’t too elegant (and it didn’t work! – as it placed the pick-up point too far away from the shaft). Plan 2 was to make a new countershaft out of stainless bar, a bit longer than the original and transfer all of the throttle control levers etc. At the end I fixed the actuating lever, which came with the kit I had bought. (note I plan to change this for another throttle control lever once Burlen are back at work so that all of the levers look the same). To this I fixed a lokar throttle cable end, which is a much neater solution than just having a loose cable end poking around. The only problem to be solved now is the throttle return springs. I decided not to use the two plates which bolt onto the head studs and fix the spring, but to make up some small 90 degree brackets which fix to the inlet manifold studs, I think much like the later cars. The issue here is that it compresses the spring distance and the standard springs don’t have much tension at the shorted distance – no clearance issues though. Interestingly I did try it with the head stud plates and the springs catch on the top of the heatshield! Anyhow new springs on order …..
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Post by bbh on May 3, 2020 18:39:42 GMT
Whilst waiting on the springs to arrive, moved onto the choke mechanism. As I was using the DWM inlet manifolds, there isn't the welded on bracket on the balance tube for the choke levers to bolt to - yes I am using the original style lever arrangement!. Anyhow made up a bracket in stainless which bolts to the aluminium boss which holds the throttle control shaft and comes up behind the balance tube. The choke assembly then bolts to the top of this .... The assembly is now in the middle of the balance tube, rather than between carbs 1 and 2 as per original. I needed new wires to run from the assembly to each carb. Burlen charges quite a bit for these but I found I could get quite good quality ones from the local cycle shop much cheaper and just cut to the length I require. Overall shot of the engine bay so far, bit dark, but you get the overall impression of where things are up to.
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Post by healeyneil on May 3, 2020 21:46:48 GMT
Looking good. I don't remember your rocker cover from before ( and don't want to have to search back 😆) where did it come from ?
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Post by bbh on May 4, 2020 19:06:22 GMT
Picked it up some time ago from a mate, who had bought it at an auto jumble as a "Works Healey" item. I think it is actually from a Westie, who had these in Aluminium, whilst the Works ones - to the same design - were, I think, made in magnesium. One of my biggest challenges was finding a new oil filler cap as I wanted one of the earlier ones with the thin knurled edge and the oil company names embossed on top. The ones available now are the later design with the straight sides.
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Post by healeyneil on May 4, 2020 21:41:21 GMT
It was the Vanden Plastic versions that got the alloy ones. My old Healey one came from a hearse. Have you found a source for the "U" shaped rubber seal ? I'd just bought a DWR rocker cover for my car, when one of these turned up, so I've done a deal
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Post by dougie on May 5, 2020 3:43:38 GMT
Looking great, when will we hear it fire-up....?
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Post by bbh on May 5, 2020 18:20:51 GMT
I wish I knew!.
Seriously not too much left to do re engine; complete Alternator set-up, install exhaust, water pipe, test wiring and do a run through of the static settings / fluids..
However, I have come to learn that nothing is ever straightforward - especially once you start to make some changes!
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Post by bbh on Jul 27, 2020 19:30:41 GMT
Random selection Bit of a tame event, when compared to Neil’s work on the Jamaican, but a few more jobs completed: Underfloor heatshield – I had an original style “backer board” type from AH Spares but wanted to make this a bit more robust and improve the heat shielding if I could. As luck would have it, I had a bit of 1.6mm aluminium sheet which was almost exactly the same size as the heatshield, so with a bit of trimming and drilling made up a sandwich of the two. Exhaust: Thought it was time to get this fitted …. Seat brackets / spacers. I had the original ones, but they were past their best. I know that they are relatively inexpensive, but thought I would make some. Wooden pieces out of ash, and the metal floor plates out of stainless. Water pipe. For some reason I don’t have the original copper item. I really wanted to use stainless (keep things looking similar under the bonnet!). Couldn’t find anyone selling them so decided to make my own. Bought a bit of 1/2” stainless pipe and had a go … Alternator. Again, time to get this fitted. Biggest hurdle was getting the bracket right and missing the steering column. Went through a few iterations… ... and just creeping into view at the top are the trumpets I finally went with for carb filtration. (from Steve Norton at Cape, as I liked the ones he put on the Rudspeed car)
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Post by bbh on Sept 9, 2020 19:29:04 GMT
Signs of life !
Time to add some fluids. Filled coolant system with water – if these is going to be a leak, I would rather it was plain water, than a mix. If everything goes OK (or more likely once I have fixed any leaks fixed, I’ll drain off some water and add some antifreeze.) Topped up the engine with running-in oil, plugs out and turned over on starter to get some pressure – nothing!! Checked everything. Off with the filter and rechecked that the adapter was on correctly – it was, and the filter had filled up! Back together and re tried ….. yes Now to add a little of Mr Shells finest v-power unleaded. Check on static timing and set to 15deg. Back in with the plugs and add some ignition leads. Time to try to start There is a vid of it starting but I can't get it to load - doesn't like the file type Up to 2000 revs and hold Temps still looking OK - No puddles to report - yet! The good news is that it lives, in fact it likes running so much it doesn’t want to stop !!
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