New member. 1963 Vogue.

[ADC]

Hi. I’m new to the forum (forums in general). I have recently acquired a Vogue. The car was in running order when when last used in 2004 and has been standing since. I’m hoping to put the car back on the road in time as a useable classic rather than a show car. The car has its original leaded engine and has had no obvious modifications. I’m aware of a few issues (possible stuck clutch/flywheel and no brake pedal pressure). Does anyone have any recommendations or a check list of where best to start with recommissioning the car? Thanks.

[mikeyr]

Normally I would start with the clutch because if you can't free it up, you have to pull the motor or gearbox BUT since you have no brakes, that is first.

Get rebuild kits and rebuild the wheel cylinders and master, flush out the brake lines with compressed air, fresh brake fluid and get some brakes, pretty easy job. You might even be able to get by with just filling with fresh brake fluid and bleeding the system but I would not do it that way, I would rebuild.

Then the clutch, break it free. My way is to have my wife push the car or roll it downhill (now you know why the brakes were first) and pop the clutch, that almost always broke them free, although one time I did have to actually start the car in gear before it broke free. I have tried both popping the clutch briskly and nice and slow to lessen the jolt, both seem to work equally well.

Next since its 2004 gas, drain and flush the tank and fuel lines and see if she fires, I would not run 14 year old gas through the motor (some will, not me).

I would not worry about the leaded/unleaded part yet, You can always get some lead substitute to put in but these motors are so low compression and so lightly stressed that I have not had to convert the motor to unleaded. If I pull the head for some reason, then i do it but otherwise leave it alone until it shows signs of a problem, it likely wont have any for a long time.

[ADC]

Thanks Mike. Really appreciate the advice and it gives me somewhere to start.

[ColinB]

You will enjoy recommissioning and Mike has given you great advice. Just an added point - assuming these are drum brakes make sure you adjust them so the shoes are close to the drum before trying to bleed them. If they can't make contact you can bleed away and never get a firm pedal. How do I know? Many wasted hours on my Land Rover trying to get non-existent air out of the system until I solved the real problem.

[ADC]

Noted. And I’m sure I’d have made that mistake!