NWL – Project Concours Carmine Sprint

[James467]

The bolts themselves don't appear to have any rust on them at all, the pressed steel shields have some surface rust, nothing too bad though. So it looks like the seals were doing their job.



So to save any unnecessary work they wont be swapped out, I don't want to risk damaging the joint so I wont have these powder coated.

All of the suspension is pretty rust free, after a good clean up a lot of the original powder coat still remains. Maybe this is due to the car spending 90% of its life down in Somerset the 'California' of the UK!!!

[lazeruspete]

Fantastic work and great pics. It is clear that the car has had great love and care throughout its life and its recent experiences are no different.

I enjoy how you laid out the carburetor parts

I know of another sprint which had the same problem as you had with the pistons. So obviously a common fault.

I look forward to the next installment

[SprintMWU773V]

I also decided to keep the original joint. I've just painted my lower arms with chassis black primer and top cot. Actually looks really good. I was able to mask up the bush/bearing easily enough too. I would have powder coated them but felt that with the bush in it'd melt in the heat. It hardly seemed worth taking the bush out to coat only to put it back in, even if I do have a hydraulic press.

You might also want to decide whether you want to go poly in the trailing arms as many have had issues. I'm keeping the originals in mine, pressed them out of the NOS arms and will press them back in when coated.

Must write an update!

[Flyfisherman]

The bolts themselves don't appear to have any rust on them at all, the pressed steel shields have some surface rust, nothing too bad though. So it looks like the seals were doing their job.

James

When you removed the bearing cover (pressed steel shields -part No. 216907) from the lower wishbone arm did you find or you should have found 4 rubber seals (part No. 216909) its these seal in conjunction with the bearing cover that prevents dirt and water entering the joint.

Paul

[MIG Wielder]

I have made progress stripping the front suspension down for refurbishment and have a question about the front lower arm. The bush in it is rose jointed, from what I can see the bush kit I have contains a poly-type replacement bush in it. There seems to be absolutely no wear in the bush itself, it's nice and stiff, so I don't see any reason to replace it. What is the general consensus about having a poly bush here? I personally feel that there was a

Hi James, I also have poly-bushes on my 1850 on long-term test from the Club. They work well. No problems after 4 years and 40,000 miles . I was also after the reason this rose-joint was fitted here if anybody knows please ? Doesn't this lower joint only have vertical movement ?
Good to see Roe Engineering still around btw.
Tony.

[James467]

Thanks everyone, I think I'll just keep the originals in and use the polys as a backup.

I have replacement rubber bushes for the rear trailing arms, I remember reading something about the rear arms twisting slightly as they moved and that poly bushes could cause cracking and failure of the arms? Someone may correct me here.

When you removed the bearing cover (pressed steel shields -part No. 216907) from the lower wishbone arm did you find or you should have found 4 rubber seals (part No. 216909) its these seal in conjunction with the bearing cover that prevents dirt and water entering the joint.

Paul, yes they were there and in pretty good nick as well. Surprisingly the front bush kit from Rimmers contains replacements for these as well as the Poly bush.

[Toledo Man]

Remember that not all polyurathane bushes are created equal and you do get what you pay for.

My top recommendation is Super Flex which I understand are the same hardness as the original rubber so they're the perfect choice. They ain't cheap but they're worth every penny.
2nd choice is Polybush which Jigsaw Racing sell. I rebushed my Dolomite 1300 with a full set of the orange ones for the rear suspension and I had no issues with the trailing arms.

[James467]

Remember that not all polyurathane bushes are created equal and you do get what you pay for.

My top recommendation is Super Flex which I understand are the same hardness as the original rubber so they're the perfect choice. They ain't cheap but they're worth every penny.
2nd choice is Polybush which Jigsaw Racing sell.

I agree, and that's a very good point.

[James467]

I am at the stage in the restoration where I am waiting on people. Burlen have the carb bodies for re-bushing and the engine work isn't finished yet (Michael at Roe is my neighbour so I'm not putting too much pressure on him!). I need to get the rear axle off to complete the powder coating batch, I'll do that when it's not raining and I'm waiting for my final Rimmers order to arrive so I've started to do some small enjoyable jobs.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am really funny about having the correct period numberplates on a car especially when I am aiming for concourse standard and to show the car. I am lucky in that NWL is sporting her correct original Unipart plates and not the more modern plastic variety. Unfortunately after 33 years they are looking a little tatty.



A small dent...





To prove to the MOT tester that they are legal and original (although I have never had a problem here!)



But with some new reflective numberplate vinyl, a good clean and replacement starlock fasteners they should come up like new.



I carefully remove the letters by cutting the old fastners off



The old vinyl is removed with a heat gun and scraper



The old adhesive can be stubborn to remove, for some reason this time cellulose thinners didn't work, the only thing that got it off was a soaking in old dot 5.1 brake fluid from my mountain bike and a good scrub with wire wool.

A bit of panel beating straightened out the damage.



Once the old adhesive was removed the backing plate scrubbed up really well with a scouring pad and some very hot water, I then used some Autosol to polish up the rim before another wash and degrease before heating up the plate a bit with the heat gun to help the new vinyl adhere properly and cutting the holes out with a sharp scalpel. The letters were given a good wash in fairy liquid and very hot water and now look like new.



This is as far as I got, I'm not happy with the supposedly reflective vinyl backing, it's not reflective and it's too white. The old vinyl had a hint of silver and I'm a stickler for originality so I have ordered some more from a different supplier. It's the same stuff that is used on the euro style steel pressed plates so I'm pretty confident that it should match up nicely. I'll wait for this to arrive before I start the rear.

[Edin Dundee]

That's impressive.

[Flyfisherman]

James

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/p ... ent&part=3

Regards
paul

[Reg]

Good work indeed!

Glad you kept the original number plate didgits, for those "half" raised figures on yours were only made from '77 to '81 and so, are getting very hard to get hold of.

After all these years I finally found someone who has them!..and even then, he had to get another chum to supply him with the "G's"

Well worth the hunting and the wait though..very pleased with them..and like yours..they look sooo much better.

[Jon Tilson]

Keeping the rose joint is the correct decision.

It works in 2 planes, for and aft as well as up and down.

Not sure the poly one will work the same way.

Jonners

[James467]

Keeping the rose joint is the correct decision.

Thanks John, to be sure I ordered replacement arms with the joints from Rimmers!

Thanks for the link Paul that's really usefu, l I normally use Framptons.

Thanks Reg, I've only ever seen one other plate with the half raised figures and I want to keep her original, it's worth the effort.

[mec]

awsome job, where did you get the reflective backing and clips from as i could do with sorting mine !