So, a year on, and time for an update.
Even though I had a spare gearbox (since sold) I decided to abort the Type 9 conversion. I simply could not find a way to get the conversion kit at any sort of reasonable price, and the DIY "kits" that you can fabricate yourself following guides on the various Spridget forums all didn't fit. So I canned the idea and went the traditional route of overdrive.
With the interior out and the box out, we discovered the lack of drive was a completely knackered clutch slave, and also that the long semi-rigid hose carrying fluid to the slave had a crack in it. So, new slave and hose later and we had an operational clutch (more of that later).
My mechanic Ken did the welding to the sill ends very neatly for me but we then discovered that what we thought were binding brakes from storage were in fact knackered discs and calipers and that all the rear end was binding too (moral of the lesson - old cars need to be used not laid up). In amongst all this I did countless foreign and domestic trips with work, ran a business and restored another classic!
Anyway, three weeks ago PYD went for an MOT. She failed. Brakes (uneven pressure), kaput rack, rack bushes, track rod ends and a few other bits. I have worked my way through these, but still wasn't happy about the clutch (told you we would get back to it) as it had appalling judder on take up. It made the car almost impossible to drive.
So, now the engine is out (again - but at least it facilitates access to the rack and mounts) and a new clutch being fitted.
Nearly there.......
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