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The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:51 am
by Edin Dundee
Hi All,
I picked up a 1500HL a couple of weeks ago, it's been laid up since September 2009.
It has every MOT and paperwork for all servicing since new, the passport to service has been stamped until the booklet ran out of space.
Ziebarted from new, it was taken off the road to have some rust spots attended to and the bottom end repaired on the engine.
I hope to have Ack back on the road soon, all things going well.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 8:29 am
by DoloWIGHTY
Well done for saving it Bill.
Any pictures?

Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:38 pm
by Edin Dundee
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 10:11 pm
by Edin Dundee
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 10:17 pm
by Edin Dundee
29/4/14
Clutch fitted, it looks new.
Gearbox and engine fitted to each other.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 10:21 pm
by Edin Dundee
30/4/14
Engine/gearbox fitted to the car - it's a lot easier than fitting an 1850 lump with overdrive!!
Engine started, sounds OK... no cooling yet, so it didn't run for long.
Major problems with timing, carbs, distributor.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 10:26 pm
by Edin Dundee
1/5/14
Cooling system fitted, clutch solid - removed slave, cleaned up. Looks OK including the rubbers. Refitted, bled the clutch.
Engine started and all gears slip in OK.
Car driven outside (it was sunny) and left to warm up, no issues.
New plugs fitted (removed NGK BP6's and fitted BP5e's).
Major changes to timing, set up points, carbs roughly tuned, back to timing, carbs roughly tuned - you get the picture.
Lots of minor fiddling, the engine now runs, is quiet, and revs.
Drove the car back into the garage for the night, it goes pretty well!!
More pictures to follow, I'm on a crap internet connection at night for the next 10 days.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 11:26 pm
by RJTenorman
Bill,
It was good to meet you and your brother the other week when you picked up ACK.
Thanks for you earlier pm and it is good to see you making such a quick start on getting it back on the road. As you know this is just what I hoped for when I put it on the forum a couple of weeks back.
Glad to hear that the engine is running and it has been moving under its own steam for the first time in a couple of years.
Good luck and keep up the good work.
Richard
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:36 pm
by Lee1500
Another one coming back to life. Great to see this.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:29 pm
by Edin Dundee
Rear brake cylinders seized - checked and cleaned all OK, fitted the new seals that came with the car. The shoes look brand spanking new.
Adjusted and drums fitted.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:38 pm
by Edin Dundee
Front brakes checked, again new pads are already fitted and it looks like new fitting kits as well. The discs don't look too bad, but all pistons were seized in the calipers.
Offside removed, pistons removed, caliper cleaned and refitted with a new seal kit (again came with the car).
Both TREs are brand spanking, but both rubbers are perished - a common problem with modern parts on all cars, luckily there is a ready stock of good used gaiters available.
Will finish the offside on Monday, hopefully get the nearside done Monday or Tuesday, other people are claiming my time.
Then it's welding, wing fitting, MOT, tarting up the bodywork (it will be a tart up, this isn't a resto, just getting the car back on the road).
The seats are a very light brown colour and need a good clean - anyone know the best stuff to clean 40 year old Bri-Nylon?
Photo's will follow when I've got a decent internet connection at nights.
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 7:30 pm
by Edin Dundee
Brakes done and bled, the car now goes and stops. The rear brake hose was collapsed and perished, the new item that came with the car was fitted.
Lots of people are noticing there are 4 Dollys at this garage - even if one is a rotten shell that was collected from Dumfries!
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 9:36 pm
by Edin Dundee
As promised, more photo's. Not too much more work done unfortunately.
IMG_2952 by
edindundee, on Flickr
If anyone has a tan door pull?????
IMG_2953 by
edindundee, on Flickr
IMG_2954 by
edindundee, on Flickr
IMG_2955 by
edindundee, on Flickr
This is the ORIGINAL keyfob from the garage that sold the car!!
IMG_2956 by
edindundee, on Flickr
Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 11:00 pm
by Jod Clark
Time for a radiator recore maybe?

Re: The Return of ACK - Tahiti Blue 1500HL
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 11:18 pm
by Toledo Man
That's the voltmeter. The temp gauge is the one above it.