spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 6, 2010 23:16:08 GMT
Budget to date is £90 in fuel to collect, £5.99 in upholsery cleaner and I've just ordered some rubber paint (for the carpet backing) at £14.70.
At this rate the bank manager's really going to hate us for this one ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 7, 2010 18:54:28 GMT
Got distracted by a Triumph indicator switch today, so no real progress on Matilda but, with a bit more pressure on that o/s piston there's now almost 15 thou of movement on the other one so she's giving up slowly - just hope all the cooling fins are still attached next time I go down there
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Nov 7, 2010 19:00:44 GMT
Hmm I wonder whos fault that could have been
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 7, 2010 19:28:35 GMT
It was good for me - might end up having her mechanically finished before she's ready for paint otherwise and then there'd be a temptation to put her back together and do a quickblow over!
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 8, 2010 23:02:22 GMT
Thanks Rich - I still haven't got the stuck piston free though so no rings isn't a huge problem right now! Managed to move it another 50 thou today, so it is getting there but I'm frankly scared at the amount of pressure I'm putting on with that puller, then hitting it with a lump hammer, then sticking a breaker bar on the crank nut, to get movement
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 9, 2010 11:27:49 GMT
Perhaps that movement you have at the moment is the conrod stretching So you think I may have been hitting it a little too hard? Me in workshop yesterday?
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 9, 2010 19:10:25 GMT
Been a bit busy with other stuff today, but did find time to remove the carpets and get a coat of rubber paint on the back to try and hold them together. Also now have an "easy" 10 thou of movement on the pistons - easy as in I can just turn the crank that much by hand on the pulleys.
Now it gets to soak for a little longer while I have a full brake pipe set to make for it which, while not as fun as getting the engine turning, is probably a little more important in the long term ;D
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kenr
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Post by kenr on Nov 9, 2010 23:19:34 GMT
Nice steady progress Joe, that's how it should be. Has Sian done any more on the interior? Am looking forward to seeing how the door cards come up with the Halfrauds stuff.
Very keen to hear about the rubber paint and it's effectiveness and finish.
Great work mate.
Ken
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 13, 2010 13:18:53 GMT
No progress the past few days, Ken. Really had to catch up with some of the non-Daf stuff that's been neglected over the past couple of weeks Did receive a suspicious package from Ireland today though. Out of old habit I almost phoned the Guard Room but glad I didn't - not sure how RAF Valley would have taken it and anyway, having the local EOD guys blow up Matilda's new rings would have been a waste ;D Cheers Rich Unfortunately the barrels are still resisting but I'm not going to rush them!
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 13, 2010 16:54:28 GMT
Yep, I was starting to wonder the same - it's probably only 30 miles or so in a straight line ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 16, 2010 14:12:53 GMT
Matilda's registration details turned up yesterday, so we now have proof she is who we think she is It's in the slightly disappointing form of a certified photocopy of the actual register pages and gives very few details. It does show that she shares the page with 14 Fords, 6 Austins, 2 Hillmans, 2 Commers, a Rover, a Singer, a Bedford, a Taylor crane and a Weatherit (??) digging machine. Checking DVLA it also seems that she may be the only survivor from her page in the register. The only one that made it onto the DVLA system was an Austin 848cc (Mini??) YTj 549D but it's date of liability is 01/01/83 so it's never been taxed since the cut-off. I wonder how many others from that page are sitting in a garage somewhere waiting to be discovered? ;D Oh, it also shows that today's her birthday - she was registered on 16/11/66. So Happy 44th Birthday Matilda!!!!!;D
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Nov 16, 2010 17:58:44 GMT
Yes, happy birthday Matilda!
They say life begins at 40; better late than never. ;D
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Nov 16, 2010 19:01:51 GMT
Did something today that worked unbelievably well. Had a seized with age ford fiesta engine in. We filled the boars and sump with coca cola and by the end of the day it was free. Thats got to be worth a try
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kenr
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Post by kenr on Nov 16, 2010 20:00:37 GMT
Update! Update! Update! We need an update! An update would be nice. We'd love an update to be honest.
How's that rubber paint fix then?
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Nov 16, 2010 20:49:47 GMT
I think Ken wants an update Joe! ;D
In fact we all do. When you're ready of course! ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 16, 2010 21:46:19 GMT
I'm afraid there isn't all that much update to give - other stuff has kind of overtaken the mad initial rush over the past week or so The rubber paint seems to be just what the doctor ordered for the carpet though. I'll get a photo when I remember but what I found when I lifted it was that it was rubber backed already but the rubber had gone a little weak, along with the fabric it was covering. In fact, the only really iffy feeling bits were the driver side rear footwell, around the seat mounting bars, and part of the driver's footwell. They all had a distinctly "crunchy" texture when I moved them and the rubber was cracking rather than flexing. So those areas got the bulk of the tin (not as much as I'd expected for the price at just under 1/2 litre!) slapped on without thinning, then all but the very best bits got the last 1/4 tin thinned with about 25% thinners. Left it to dry for a couple of days and it now feels completely safe to handle, a couple of the splits under the seat bars are sealed up, and it doesn't make a sound like a bag of crisps being sat on any more Next step is to bring it back here (probably after our Devon trip at the end of the week) and give it a darned good Vaxing.... Oh, engine is still seized, btw, think I'm going to have to get it up on end before we go and let it soak some more
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 17, 2010 22:49:18 GMT
Was down doing Betty's service before her long trip at the weekend and remembered to take my camera. So this is the new carpet backing: That's all that a single tin would stretch to but the unpainted bits are basically zero-wear areas like up under the dash. Where it had been compressed by the seat mounts the backing was pretty poor, but the red stuff has reinforced it nicely: Similarly, the point where I first noticed a problem, by putting my finger through it, has mended well - I've tried poking through it again and it's now very firmly stuck together
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 18, 2010 18:43:26 GMT
Went down to pay this month's workshop rent today and, while down there, decided that the coming 5 days away were the ideal time to leave (one of) Matilda's pistons soaking. Picked the one that I think is stuck worse and hoiked it up on it's side: Had a lot of fun getting it balanced like that because the head studs on the other side wanted to bury themselves in the workbenck - I almost resorted to driling holes for them ;D Anyway, it's now sitting with about a 50/50 mix of her old engine oil and parafin working its way slowly past the rings: With luck, freeing the one will allow the other (which already has some movement) to move but if it doesn't then when we get back it'll be rinse, flip and repeat! While I was busy with that Sian was looking at the inside of the passenger door but I'm barred from saying anything about that
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Post by bettyskeeper on Nov 18, 2010 20:34:42 GMT
As Joe already said what was done here is the before and after
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Nov 18, 2010 20:52:10 GMT
Superb progress! That door card looks mint on my titchy phone screen, must look on the PC. I hope that engine does unsieze, and I'll be paying close attention if it does and you have to strip it as I still have that in store for Gavina's engine! I've drained the oil know so I'm committed! ;D Fingers crossed for you though.
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Nov 18, 2010 21:12:44 GMT
coke joe 20 odd pence from most supermarkets and so acidic it will dissolve anything. fezza engine is now sparkling and took 2 hours to unseize
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 18, 2010 21:35:39 GMT
Exactly - took 2 hours. So I don't fancy leaving it in there for a week ;D
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kenr
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Post by kenr on Nov 21, 2010 13:53:59 GMT
A week is such a long time with no updates.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 25, 2010 15:09:40 GMT
Still no real movement on the engine! I've been down and swapped the oil / parafin mix for ATF to see if that soaks through any better and had the puller back on it to see what happens.
With puller and a large hammer there is now movement in the form of sharp cracking sounds and the puller going loose (no, I haven't hammered it through the piston ;D ) but I can't see where the movement is because the hoped-for effect of the barrel pulling off doesn't seem to be happening. That makes me think that the other piston may be free enough to allow the engine to turn as this one starts to give.
Ever the optimist!!!
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Bob Scrivens
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Post by Bob Scrivens on Nov 25, 2010 22:29:02 GMT
Hi Joe, I did the same as you are doing with my spare engine, and also put an electric iron on the cylinder to give it a bit of heat and 2 weeks later it freed up nicely and no damage to rings or pistons.
Bob.
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Post by Patrick on Nov 26, 2010 11:21:44 GMT
Hi Joe, I did the same as you are doing with my spare engine, and also put an electric iron on the cylinder to give it a bit of heat and 2 weeks later it freed up nicely and no damage to rings or pistons. Bob. I love the smell of warm engine of an evening! Many years ago - My Dad, needing to do something (I know not what) to his Jawa 350 engine that apparently required it to be warmed up - so we spent one evening with half an engine protruding from the front of our Creda Horizon cooker. It worked! Though I suspect that was one of the things that was listed on my parents divorce papers a few years later!
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Nov 26, 2010 21:59:02 GMT
Gave her a dose of boiling parafin / oil mix today - after I'd created a fairly impressive saucepan fire heating it over a camping stove. Sorry to disappoint but I didn't stop for a photo of that bit (not sure my workshop rent includes fire insurance ) Anyway, still no real movement but the crank will now turn about 2 degrees by hand and wobbles the stuck piston + barrel up and down very slightly while doing so. It's been left with the puller back on so it's under steady pressure and has to give up sooner or later. Having given up on the engine for the evening, I started stripping stuff off ready for bodywork tidying. The lights all came off without too much complaint (apart from one previously rounded-out Phillips screw): Same with headlights and front indicators, and I also attacked the side stripes. Which is when I discovered that the black and chrome was not original but Halfords-Bling-stylee stick-ons. Genuine 70's stick-ons, mind, from when glue was glue and paint didn't stand a chance! Yes, that's sound paint that's been ripped off back to bare metal ;D Regardless of originality, it's been there long enough to be "part of her" and (we think) suits her so it'll be going back on once the paint's done.
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Post by bettyskeeper on Nov 27, 2010 20:17:53 GMT
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Nov 27, 2010 22:07:28 GMT
Well done you two!! You're making frighteningly quick progress. It's high time you booked a two week busman's holiday in Essex! ;D Not forgotten about the engine mount by the way, Matt needs to remove it from a spare engine.
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Bob Scrivens
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Post by Bob Scrivens on Nov 27, 2010 22:11:58 GMT
That's looking good, Engine will free at some time Joe, got a lot of time between now and Cars in the Park 2011
Bob
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