The Blue Bullet FWD

[JPB]

Bog-stock Girling CV, try MM 4x4, they list CVs for Series LR clutch masters and last time I had one from there, it was under £20. They do them in 0.625", 0.7". 0.75" and possibly others, so just ask for one that matches the stamps on the reservoir.
They shift loads of the things so their stock tends to be fresh and not, as is usually the case with NOS or Jumble ones, needing a kit. Fit it, bleed it and away you go has been my usual experience of their Girling stuff.

[David H]

Thanks John,

Do the cylinders all have the same depth/throw? and bolt hole pitch?

[JPB]

Yes, the differences between the main two types of CV cylinders are the orientation of the mounting flange, either "quarter to three" (watch some **** tell me I should be calling it "quarter past nine!") or "six o' clock", and the fact that some, such as those supplied for Spitfires, have the reservoir set at a slight forward inclination to the barrel whereas the majority have the barrel at 90 degrees to the reservoir.
The throw is dictated by the length of the pushrod in combination with the distance between the pivot and fulcrum points on the pedal lever, so by using an existing pushrod in a new cylinder (or being lucky enough to find one with a pushrod of the correct length), then that cylinder, assuming that its bore size is a match, will work as the original would have done before the rust worms started to eat it.

[Purplebargeken]

Here you go:

Calipers@biggred.co.uk

[Toledo Man]

I went up at the weekend to take a look (I was up that way so I thought I'd swing by) and the bodywork looks straight. It it as solid as it looks. I also noticed that the bonnet is fouling the scuttle on the right. Nothing a bit of adjustment won't solve. Looks like it should pass the MoT without too much trouble.

[David H]

Cool!

Its pretty tidy I guess - like you say there's a few jobs to do and the paintwork needs sorting in places.

I'm hoping to get the brakes sorted ASAP then its MOT time.

I do know it needs both front chassis legs welding where the subframe mounts and the front of the passenger side sill is a bit crispy!

Just need a lead for any classic friendly garages that do welding and MOTS in the Bradford/Halifax area - who do you use?

[David H]

I'm going to have to lie down in a dark room.

So, for £194 quid........

1 axle set shoe hold down springs
1 axle set cylinder retaining springs
1 axle set upper+lower shoe return springs
1 Brake master cylinder
1 left hand type 14 brake caliper
1 right hand type 14 brake caliper
4 wheel nuts
1 set brake pads
2 rear wheel cylinders
1 axle set brake shoes


Oooh it'll be like a unwrapping frenzy

[David H]

Hi All,
Just a quick update on progress with my brakes!

Here's the new shoes and cylinders in. Luvvly jubbly.





New master cylinder....



Then oooooh look what I found! Felt a bit sick when I saw it - what with single circuit line brakes and all. Its the pipe that runs down the suspension arm from the rear flexi to the wheel cylinder. Its rubbed because its followed the wrong path and has been catching on the inner arch. the following 2nd foto shows brown marking on the inner arch where the rubbings happened halfway down the suspension arm.

Its rubbed almost through





This shows the bit on the car where it rubbed - brown mark



Next is the old calipers with the odd make overheated pads -


Old and new



Tada !!!




Next thing is to make up some new copper lines!

[Toledo Man]

Are you going to make up a new pipe yourself? If not then get yourself up to Champion Motor Spares and they'll do you one. You'll have to bend it to shape but that's easy enough to do.

[David H]

Hiya mate, thanks for the info re Champion - Its a great shop - so is Star Motor Factors on Great Horton road - great for that elusive part at 9 oclock at night lol!

yep I'm gonna do the pipes myself. I've bought 25 foot of copper tube and some male and female connectors off ebay - about 12 quid delivered. I plan to pre-bend a metal coat hanger in to the shape and I can borrow a flaring tool. Never done pipes before -there's only one way to find out

[David H]

Well, I'm all brake piped up now and have a good pedal. There's a little more travel on the pedal than I was expecting so I think there needs to be a bit more adjustment of the running clearance on the rear shoes.

Getting my eezibleed to seal on the master cylinder was a larf!

Heres a few pics of the pipes.








Hopefully taking it to the welders on saturday - about a 5 mile trip so the next time I see it it should hopefully have an MOT on it! YAY!

Will keep you all informed!

[David H]

Polymorph, Polymorph ra ra ra!

Its like nylon plastic - hard yet has a lubricating type slippery feel.

Its cool stuff. My friend showed me it and what it can do so I decided to use it to make a gearlever bush for the 1300.

You buy it in pellet form and add it to a cup of hot water which makes the pellets turn from white to see-through. Let the pellets turn see through and whisk them gently together. Fish them out of the cup and squish it together like chewing gum. You can mould it to any shape you like.

Gradually it hardens and turns back to its original white colour - it really is durable stuff!

You can pop it back in to hot water and use it again if you like as many times as you like.

Anyhoo, I got a lump of this stuff and pushed it in to the hole at the end of the gearlever, whilst still hot i forced the bolt through the middle and waited a minute or two for it to harden. I wound the bolt out and trimmed the excess off with a craft knife. I now have a perfect moulded bush!

I'm using a steel washer to take up the slight side to movement of the gear lever - the picture shows the bush slightly proud of the hole just to show it.

Also used a bit to make a bush for the accellerator throttle shaft in the bulkead.

Available from Maplins for a bout 12 quid - a little goes miles and 12 pounds buys quite a big pot of pellets.

Really weird stuff - doesnt seem to obay "natural" process - looks like it shouldnt work but apparently developed in a UK university lab - cool!



Ohm yeah for got to say,, dropped the car off for a pre mot assessment - i'll let you know how it goes on.

[JPB]

I can verify how good that Magic Polymorph is. I bought a massive box of it from their eBay shop a few years ago (less than half the price of half the quantity from Maplins) and it serves brilliantly for making repairs to plastic and Phenol cabinets alike during restoration jobs on radio sets. It's much more versatile than Milliput and other, similar products.

[DoloWIGHTY]

What wonderful stuff! Never heard of it before now. Must have a 1001 uses I reckon on an old car. Thanks for showing us just one of it's uses .

[David H]

Well, Trevor has passed his MOT!

Straight through! I've had the passenger side front sill repaired and painted and a few other bits and bobs painted up so he now looks great.

Treated to 4 new "trayal" steel radials.

Here are some finished photos of Trevor. I dont know what I'm gonna do now - just enjoy driving I guess!