Morning all.
I’m working on my new to me 1933 PD to get it to a point that I’m confident to undertake longish drives.
Currently despite lots of work my brakes don’t inspire me, they work fine for light braking, but braking hardly improves as pedal pressure is increased. The brakes don’t pull significantly to either side, but I can’t lock any of the wheels. Being on four new longstones does mean plenty of grip.
So far I have:
Re-lined all shoes
Replaced rear cams, bushes and cotter pins as they were worn.
Bolted through the O/S cross shaft mounting as the rivets were loose.
As the front brakes have Bowden cables I have beefed up the Bowden outer anchor points on the drum backplates as they were moving under heavy pedal pressure.
Cables are in good condition and the inner and out cross shaft isn’t seized.
Drums look good and aren’t distorted.
I’d like to hear from any owners in south Suffolk who could give me a second option.
Any other suggestions very welcome.
It struck me that this might be a good place to review products of all types that work (or do not). I know everyone has their favourites so maybe an idea to share good and bad experiences.
No fighting though!
To kick off, a couple of paint primers that I have experience of, one bad, one good:
Thick, gloopy consistency. Very little odour, even though it's a "wash brush in white spirit" paint. Very poor coverage, brush strokes just show base metal through the furrows. Altogether a poor product that I won't use again.
Good paint, self etches to steel and Aluminium. Excellent coverage, one coat is usually enough. Readily overcoats with spray acrylic. Don't use it where E10 (or E5 come to that) petrol may spill onto it, like all acrylics, it will dissolve with the ethanol!
Fed up with constantly being tailgated in my Ruby by large BMWs and even larger SUVs, I have taken a leaf out of a WW1 Naval Operations manual and can now make smoke at will. A lever mounted under the dash releases old engine oil straight onto the exhaust.
This produces a big cloud in no time. Amazing how effective it is - makes them pull back straight away.
If anyone is thinking of building a 750MC or similar race series, Austin Seven monoposto I'm offer a 3 piece body, the molds where taken from Don Rawsons race car way back in the 80's and I've recently had a company make a few ..
They fit either a SWB or LWB chassis, I can offer paper templates of the side panels to match. Viewing is possible, but in Belgium :-) collection is possible from my parents (haven't told them that yet !!) in West Sussex.
Price is €975 or £850 depending ...
As you know not VSCC eligible, would swap for a running seven Engine ... I'm on the forum most days - any questions please feel free to ask.
My car is not starting on the battery. The starter does not turn when the starter is pulled although on checking the battery there is a large voltage drop and soon the battery is flat. All through this procedure the amp meter shows nothing also there is not enough power to operate the horn or indicators. The car starts on the handle but on tick over again the horn and indicators do not operate. However with a few revs on the engine both horn and indicators work correctly.
Forum readers will now be aware that I am in no way familiar with auto electrickery. Do I need a new battery or is it something else. Should it be the later advice on a replacement please. I would also be appreciative of how you can check your battery. At the moment my all singing all dancing charger is supposed t check the condition of the battery before it starts the charging cycle. This it does without showing any problems.
I stumbled upon a 36 Ruby stateside recently. Couldn't believe it! So I drug it home, she came with a bunch of American Bantam parts, and a wee bit of BMW Dixie.
Looks like it went 70k miles, before smoke started pouring out. Someone took out a piston...
I didn't get that rod, piston, or oil pan. Seems it's lost to time.
Of course it's locked solid, and a tree tried to make sweet love to the roof.
To free it up, ive tried a few things. Like hitting the pistons with a wood stick, fire, and pouring molten pewter down the bores.
That way I can beet it senseless with a hammer, and pipe. Might have freed up no1...
