Curious threaded hole in 3 speed G/B

[Erich]

As a newbie with an Ulster Rep, I have found a few things that should be there but are not, including the screw that fits between the bushing on the dizzy. I also have found a threaded hole on the OS rear of the 3 speed box. What is this for and should there be something there?

Erich in Seattle

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I also have found a threaded hole on the OS rear of the 3 speed box. What is this for and should there be something there?

Erich in Seattle

Your gearbox is from an earlier car Erich - that hole takes the spigot for the uncoupled handbrake ratchet.

[AustinWood]

The 1/2" BSF hole in the gearbox is for the handbrake ratchet anchor as used on split braked cars. The handbrake with coupled brakes is completely different. Perhaps your special has a redesigned linkage too.
I don't know what dizzy hole you are referring to. Oiler perhaps?

[Erich]

Thank you Ruairidh and Jim. I was afraid I might have been a missing a screw that anchored the end of a shaft.

Jim, the hole on the dizzy I was referring to, is the one that is on the dynamo end helps to hold the dizzy by being between the two bushings on the dizzy.

Erich in Seattle

[bob46320]

If the distributer is linked to the ADVANCE Retard on the steering column, then it has to rotate without becoming unmeshed from its drive gear. A small screw (C35A005) about 2BA size stops the distributer from popping out, but allows rotation. If you don't have the ADV/RET, then the distributer is locked in position by a 1/4 " bolt (C35A006)

[Erich]

Thank you, Bob. I have a manual retard/advance. Think I had heard that the screw has a spring on it as well.

Erich in Seattle

[Robert Leigh]

Thank you, Bob. I have a manual retard/advance. Think I had heard that the screw has a spring on it as well.

Erich in Seattle

There should be a stepped bolt (or is it a setscrew?) with a plain shank 5/16" diameter I think just under the head and a lower 1/4" BSF portion that fixes it into the body. On the plain portion there should be a spring washer and plain washer above the clamp piece, to provide some stiffness for the manual advance/retard system. I have looked at the parts lists for 1933/4 and they all show the earlier distributor of 1930/31 pattern and do not show the system I have described. Perhaps someone else can find an illustration in one of the standard works.
Robert Leigh

[Chris KC]

Would I be right in thinking the above handbrake ratchet fixing disappeared from the gearbox towards the end of 1928?

[JonE]

brakes were still uncoupled in late 1929...

[Dennis Nicholas]

Erich
Looks like you could have quite a lot of metal turned off the circumference of that massive universal joint.......save a lot of weight on a rotating part.

Dennis