|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:31:33 GMT
Copied from old forum - this was June 2014: This arrived tonight:          Its another Dolomite 1850 Automatic. It belongs to a mate of mine called Iain, and it was last on the road in 2008. Sadly, due to health reasons, Iain is unable to complete the project, and in fact he listed it on eBay back in february. I know what this car means to him, so i talked him out of selling it - and landed myself a new project - lots of fun! :lol: My task is to get it running and MOT'd... First impressions: Its very solid underneath - i have not yet found any rot or previous welding. Theres some cosmetic rust in the wing tips, rear arches and lower front valence, but nothing too bad. The brakes are binding - and the pipes i can see look very rusty. I think a full brake rebuild is needed for safety. The interior has been removed - the car was barn stored for years, and it was removed to protect it so i need to refit it. The carpets are past it - anyone got a decent set?? The electrics have been "played" with - only one headlight works, and nothing at all at the back - everything is unplugged and slung in a heap. So i need to fix that. It does not run - it did, apparently, but something was done to the carbs and now it wont start - no  what till i look at it... A good service once its up and running seems a good .... Various bits of trim have been removed and stored in the boot - they need to be refitted. Tyres! it needs some that are not cracked. Theres a bolt missing from the steering coupling - and the whole column feels loose. Suspension - yes... Dunno till i look, but it looks rusty... Some cosmetic tidying needed to the bodywork - Red Feather of this parish has already volunteered.. Maybe change the windscreen - its got a nasty chip in it, not sure if it wil fail an MOT, need to measure it. And it needs an MOT. This wont be a restoration, more a "reconditioning and tidy-up"... the aim is for Iain to end up with a reliable, safe classic thats fairly tidy to enjoy the summer shows in. Matt. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:32:09 GMT
First job is to get it running, so i can move it... Stuck a new battery on tonight, turned the key, nothing.. eventually tracked it down to a bad connection within the inhibitor switch on the side of the auto box. Bypassed it for now, will sort it later. With the starter motor working, i checked for a spark - nope.. The points were burnt and pitted, and the condensor loose and fitted wrongly, also the base plate earth was not connected. I put new points and condensor in (not easy) and checked through the rest of the system. Now have a decent spark - will it run - no...  No fuel coming through - is there fuel in it? Cut fuel line under the tank suggests not, so i fitted a new piece of line and stuck some fresh fuel in. Pulled the fuel line off the pump, cranked it over, any fuel coming through - no. Took the pump off, it didnt feel like it was sucking, so replaced it with a good used unit from my stock. We now have fuel to the carbs! Will it run? No! The plugs were dry, no fuel coming through the carbs. Took the tops off the twin Strombergs, the diaphrams were so hard and perished the pistons were not rising. Cleaned everything up, two new diaphrams, pistons working freely, dashpots topped up. Turn the key - surely this time? No... Plugs are still dry, still no fuel coming through. I took the float chamber off the bottom of the front carb - the needle was stuck and the chamber full of crud. Cleaned it out, freed the valve off and reassembled. I can now blow down the fuel line into the carb so i assume its working.. I ran out of light before i could do the same to the rear carb, i also need some more fuel line as the original stuff is pretty perished, no sense in leaving it on. Im hoping it will finally submit and start after that, then i will treat it to some fresh oil and a new filter. Wipers work, as does the horn at least.. More soon Matt. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:32:45 GMT
Stripped the float chamber off both carbs..  ... to find the needle valves on both stuck shut. Never come across that before... With them cleaned up, and the new fuel lines fitted....  ... IT RUNS!  ![]()
s21.postimg.org/bm44zzycj/London_April_2014_005.jpg[/img][/url] However, it only had reverse, no forward or neutral. The selector linkage had been badly fitted and had dropped off the gearbox. With it fitted properly, and adjusted, the gearbox worked fine, and also the inhibitor switch fault was (strangely!) cured. I also found and fitted a correct bolt for the steering coupling which has tightened up the steering a lot. Ive also refitted the missing exterior trim.  Changed the oil and filter, and the spark plugs. Ran the engine until it was hot - its a little tappetty, but it seems to run quite well. It has got a fairly bad water leak from under the inlet manifold, the bypass tube needs new o rings - so this needs addressing ASAP before i can run the engine again. Moving on to MOT items - the washer bottle was cleaned out, jets aimed and they work ok now. The horn works, as does the wiper motor - but ive fitted new blades as the old ones were "worn"..  The lights at the front all came back to life once i had replaced and cleaned all the bullet connectors behind the grille, apart from one inner sealed beam which ive changed:  All working there! Then at the back, nothing was connected, the lights were upside down, and wires had been cut. With some surgery and new bulbs:  All working there too! So everything needed for an MOT is present and correct, and the engine is serviced and ready, apart from the water leak. Next job is to get Iain to bring the interior up from storage, and get that fitted back in. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:33:31 GMT
Iain brought the interior up today, along with lots of other useful bits. Typically, with the excited owner ready to see the now sweet running car, it wouldnt start - and when it did start, it ran really, really badly :evil: After a bit of poking about, it turned out the ignition condensor had failed overnight, and with that changed the car was back to running sweetly again. So i fitted the interior:       Feels like a corner has been turned - the interior, although a little tatty in places, has transformed the car. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:34:00 GMT
Fitted out the boot as well with the trim boards:   Hopefully windscreen is being swopped tomorrow.. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:34:29 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:35:05 GMT
Gaping hole in the front valence..  ...patched with fibreglass cloth, then...  .. painted to match. Long term, this car wants front wings and a lower valence. In fact, it might be a good candidate for the Triumph Dolomite Clubs GRP front end. What we have done will hopefully last a year or so, keep the car looking tidier, and stop it getting any worse in the mean time. Certainly, its a lot better and longer lasting than duct tape over the sharp edges for the MOT which would have been the only option had Jason not volunteered to break open the filler... Tomorrow, im going to sort the water leak under the inlet manifold and flush the cooling system. Matt. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:35:46 GMT
Todays fun: Jason came over again to more bodywork. The front panel was the target for today - as you can see it was suffering from very thick paint which had cracked, and a chunk had fallen off near the badge:  So Jason rubbed it down...  ...Primed and painted it...  .. and then T cut and polished the whole car. Results are pretty good:     While all this girly polishing malarkey was going on, i took the inlet manifold off and replaced the bypass tube o rings to cure the water leak:  Sadly it didnt work, and the leak was just as bad after. So i removed the thermostat (again) and chemical metalled the inside of the recess where the bypass tube fits. This cured it - hopefully for good! Also - Mark Tidd from Silversheild Windscreens came over and kindly swopped the windscreen for the undamaged spare provided by Iain:    So we are getting there. I still cant find anything structural to worry about underneath, hopefully the MOT tester will agree. I need to sort the brakes and check through the suspension before I can find out... Reckon a couple of weeks yet. HURRY UP MYTOCON! Matt. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:36:28 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:37:06 GMT
Lots more work done, nothing much to see...
Most of the brake lines have been replaced now with copper, I think i will end up doing them all. They have all been painted with underseal at some point, which means they look ok till you knock the underseal off, then realise they are very rusty indeed!
New brake hoses all round as well as they are shot.
Rear brakes are getting new cylinders and shoes, cylinders are in place, waiting on shoes..
Front end is now mostly apart, discs are shot (and expensive) so i will swop them for the good used ones i saved from the 1500TC. Got new pads and fitting pins to go on. Ball joints look good and tight apart from the track rod ends which have split gaitors - will replace them.
Biggest sticking point is the front calipers - they are seized solid. Im trying to persuede one of our suppliers at work to recondition them for me - hopefully they will agree!
Im still hoping to get in MOT'd in the next couple of weeks - apart from the brakes I cant see anything else it needs.
Matt.
|
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:37:34 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:38:49 GMT
Shoes turned up...  So i nailed them on, cleaned up the drums...  Adjusted them up, and the handbrake works at least. Also with the shoes from Rimmers were these clips:  Which meant the sill strips could go on:  One other job, i was not going to do but it had been niggling at me... The brake master cylinder was fine, not leaking, holding pressure but i just felt it should be checked anyway.  Stripped down:  The master was perfect, the bore unmarked. Its been replaced at some point as its too good to be original. It went back together with new seals and I have peace of mind... Matt. |
|
|
|
Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 19, 2017 21:39:42 GMT
The calipers came back from the reconditioners on tuesday, so they were bolted on and the brakes bled. After a quick road test which threw up no issues it was booked in for an MOT, more in hope than certainty.  But, it surprised me by passing, without even any advisories!  So, after a quick clean up:   It was off on the 20 mile trip back to its owner, who was rather surprised and delighted (to say the least) to have his car back. Tears were shed - even by me, and im not an emotional person normally...  Anyway. This project was done with the generosity of other peoples time and skills, all to help out a fellow enthusiast who deserved a break. I must now thank those people: Jason Himpson (Red Feather) of this Forum, for lots of hard work on the bodywork. Stephen Gostling of Panks Auto Electrical, Norwich, for providing oils, coolant, and a battery FOC. Mark Tidd of Silvershield Windscreens, Norwich, for swopping the windscreen over. AMK Automotive, Dewsbury, for reconditioning the brake calipers FOC. Petes Motors (G&K Ltd) of Norwich for carrying out the MOT FOC. Mark Davenport (Zephyr6boy) & Mark Cunningham (Taff) of this forum for general mechanical help. Richard Fitzgerald for providing some brake parts, and acting as a Taxi! Matt Whitley for spending hours pumping the brakes while brake bleeding was being carried out... Thanks guys. You have all made Iain very happy indeed. Take a bow. Matt. |
|
what till i look at it...
