New Project

[ColinB]

Two coats of the pale pigeon blue applied to the lower section. The picture doesn't really show the difference from the undercoat, but it looks very nice in the metal. I have also taken delivery of new tyres from Longstone. The wheels should be re-spoked and painted very soon.

[Peter McKercher]

Looking lovely Colin. Must be difficult to maintain focus with the new one in the yard.

[ColinB]

They are strangely complementary at present Peter. The Six is all about bodywork while the little Coupe is all about mechanics with no bodywork to do other than a couple of minor cracks in the paint to touch up. In fact having the Six to do as well as a large garden to maintain means I'm not impatient to get the Coupe un-seized and I'm just letting the fluid in the bores do its work.

[ColinB]

Wheels back and tyres (or tires ) fitted. Turrino wheels did a really good job and my local fitters put Longstone's offering onto them with not a scratch. She is once again a living driving machine!

[ColinB]

It finally stopped raining so I drove the Six out to have a look at the paint in daylight. It isn't bad but in places the colours have just crept under the masking tape. I think I can touch these up with a fine brush but I may cut the whole paint job back and give it another coat. The bonnet fit isn't good either so I need to loosen off the radiator fixings to see if I can get it to line up better before I add the sides to it.

From the scrap parts that came with the car I know the size of the running boards so I'll drop by my local timber merchants and order two planks in 3/4" ash. Once those are in place I can fit the front mudguards which have been painted for several months awaiting their turn.

[ColinB]

Despite the lack of posts I have been maintaining progress with the Six, although a little slowed due to work on ELA. Doors are on and I have just one more coat of the deep blue to apply to the tops before I will consider the finish finished. I checked on the ash for the running boards and that is being thicknessed at the sawmill as is a slab of obeche for the dash. Today I drove the bumpers, light bar and badge to the platers who will have them ready in about 2 months, such is their waiting list. My friend Dick has fabricated a new exhaust to the old pattern which he will deliver tomorrow along with the seat runners. I need a trip to Woolies to get the roof material and finalise the patterns so the glass can be cut to size which I will get on with once the extreme heat we are experiencing (for the UK) has subsided.

I had a good look at my first attempt at brush painting on the front mudguards and I'm no longer happy with it so I will rub them both down and repaint them. On my way to the platers today I called in on Craftmaster and bought some fresh black undercoat and gloss.

It has struck me that a great many firms I have needed are within a fairly easy drive from here including the platers, the wire wheel specialists, Past Parts, Craftmaster, and Woolies. Very fortunate!

[ColinB]

Dick came round today with the exhaust which we have loose-fitted. The system is all mild steel except for the outer casing which is stainless, only because Dick's tools can't roll a tube that small, and mild steel in the correct diameter and gauge isn't available. The engine sounds very good through it so I'm very happy with the result. The new relatively silent engine has revealed more of an issue I was already aware of which is a tapping on the chain case behind the lower belt pulley which is related to engine speed. It is as if something attached to the chain is lightly tapping the case once per revolution or perhaps its the Mexican hat oil thrower. I know its coming from there because when I tap the chain case I get the same musical note. Fortunately It isn't in the engine itself which is running well.

[ColinB]

I have re-finished the bonnet which looks a whole lot better and I have given a trial mudguard several coats of undercoat after a severe rub down. Following a careful wet sanding it has a good surface so I'll do the other front and both rear ones too.

I'm not so happy on the engine as now I have a silencer fitted the tapping in the chain case is very noticeable and has to be fixed. I plan to take off the radiator and try and get the front nut off with a battery impact wrench so I can get to the problem. Whitmores fitted a new chain and I think it has either stretched or part of a link has come loose and is hitting the chain case. As its a regular tapping once per revolution I don't think its a stretched chain as that would tend to rub all the time, so my current theory is that its something loose on the chain which is thrown out by centrifugal force when she is running. As Whitmores have guaranteed their work I'll make sure they are happy for me to look into it. If they aren't it will have to go back to them. Plenty to get on with in the meantime with the Six and the Coupe so its more of an annoyance than a drama!

[ColinB]

I haven't forgotten the Six despite all the flurry around ELA the Coupe! All the doors fit (after a fashion) and I have re-finished the front mudguards and bonnet top. The mudguards need a further rub down but I have fitted them first to reduce the risk of damaging the final coat. I have placed two Nine heads on the luggage rack to weigh the new springs down and she sits quite nice and level with those in place. The masking tape pulled a bit of paint off the lower part of the bonnet top but I was going to paint that again anyway so I'll start to build up the level with rust convertor and primer. The paint job is not perfect anyway but it will do for the time being at least.

I'm still waiting for the timber for the running boards and dash to be prepared - I went into the sawmill the other day to check and they confessed that they had cut the ash too narrow and have had to re-order.

I have partially reassembled the windscreen so I can cut a template for the laminated glass so once I have made that, and the one for the front sliders, I can get the glass ordered.

[Peter McKercher]

She looks quite lovely Colin.

[telco.2]

Fantastic - & well worth all the hard work!!
Bill

[jeans_old_man]

Yes, looking lovely - can't wait to see her on the road. Could your timing chain noise just be a slack chain slapping on the cover? Brian

[ColinB]

Yes Brian I'm pretty sure its the chain tapping as I get exactly the same musical note when I tap the outside of the cover. Its hard to get at because I have to remove the bolt which is rotated using the starter handle fitting. So it needs a socket with a slot cut in it. I made one but couldn't shift anything - I just started to turn the engine over backwards even with it in gear as Whitmores have obviously done it up very tightly. I'll try an air tool next but I suspect that will wreck the socket before moving anything! It will be easier if I remove the radiator; it needs adjustment anyway as the bonnet doesn't sit very well on it at the moment.
You can see the set up at the front of the engine in the picture below.

[ColinB]

A bit like early Christmas today as my chromed parts were ready to be picked up from Vehicle and General Platers. They have done an excellent job especially considering the amount of pitting present on the surface when I delivered them a few weeks ago. The central ribbon of the bumpers will be painted black so they haven't polished that area. I can't install any of this until I have sorted out the tapping from the chain case, so although I will generally divert my efforts to non-car stuff for a little while I will drain down the radiator and remove it to make better access to the front of the engine.
I also went to Woolies on Friday to pick up a few bits and pieces for ELA and also get a sample of the roofing material for The Six. Lovely old-time shop with loads of stock and a really helpful chap at the counter.

[telco.2]

Funny how we all get excited when shiny bits arrive!!
I've used Woolies for years and hvae always found them helpful even though my orders have been placed over the phone. Lucky you being able to call in! Well done!
I'll give you all an update on my project shortly...inevitably there have been a few problems but the weather hasn't been good enough to check if my diagnosis / cure is right. I still don't have a hood...
Bill