Betty's new thread

[stefan]

What you need Joe is a nice Higher compression 977cc motor in the front that would be a great reward for her faithfull service

[spunkymonkey]

;D Not sure it would fit (not much room between the heads and chassis rails as it is on a 33!)

Besides, Sian says she likes her car and doesn't want me moaning that she's going even faster

[stefan]

It will fit Joe I have seen the 844 put in a 33 and the 977 is inbetween the size of the 33 and 44 motor so no problem.

[spunkymonkey]

Ok, it might fit - but I really don't fancy pulling the engine every time I want to set the tappets ;D

[stefan]

you worry to much

[bettyskeeper]

Betty has had ALL her badges reinforced so they won't come off without alot of hassle since late last Sunday night a group of local youth decided they would make a good trophy.

Luckily they didn't manage to remove any but managed to loosen one till it fell off when the boot was closed, undid my front trim so it was flapping in the breeze and the bonnet one was prised from one of its holes as well.

Been waiting for them to come back, they did on Sunday, guess they didn't expect to find me and the dogs watching and waiting in the garden

[33grinder]

You did well not to set the dogs on the little scroats with the intention of extracting some souvenirs for yourself!

Let's hope that's done the job and they'll move their attention elsewhere.

[bettyskeeper]

I was tempted Pete and Sam could have done with the exercise but Joe wouldn't let me

Betty has finally broken the repaired engine mount Joe made her so is getting the new one Bob gave us fitted....... once the rain stops that is. Ahhhh Anglesey weather, one extreme to the other ;D

[33grinder]

Turn this into a positive for Joe. Stand next to him with the stop watch to time him and see whether he can beat his engine removal record time. ;D

[spunkymonkey]

Didn't get a chance to change Betty's mount before heading down here to the New Forest for Beaulieu but it doesn't matter cos Betty's now officially famous.

In between the autojumbling bit we took a look round that Top Gear museum thingy and happened to notice this:



Let's have a closer look in that bottom right corner, in the "Sub Zero" section:



So, it's official, according to Jeremy Clarkson and Co, the Daf 33 is one of the coolest cars on the planet. Ever. ;D

And yes, we did leave the photo on there

[dafdaffer]

;D class ;D

[33grinder]

There's no arguing with that Joe! ;D

[pauldaf44]

Does this mean top gear are going to have a backwards race in the next series? Better lock Gladys up ;D

[spunkymonkey]

They didn't find the 44 particularly cool, Paul, only the 33 so you're probably ok with Gladys

[pauldaf44]

phew would want anyone accusing me of buying my car just cause clarkson says its cool

[33grinder]

Yes, much as I enjoy watching TG, the less interested Mssrs Clarkson et al are in our Dafs the better, unless they are to go the same way as the Morris Marina and Reliant Robin.

It's all very well to say 'that could never happen to us' but remember, it's the show's researchers who do the buying and if somebody offers a little over the odds, then money talks...

[dafdaffer]

looks like the 46 is sold then ;D

[spunkymonkey]

Finally treated Betty to her new engine mount today - figure as she's a star of Top Gear now she can't be seen with her engine drooping.

What a completely horrible job! With all mounts undone and the exhaust disconnected from the body (didn't want to undo the resonator from the exchangers) there still wasn't enough movement to get it on with the engine in place. Managed it in the end with the help of a scissor jack pushing the engine sideways and an 18 inch crow-bar to help "ease" it into place. I think, next time, the engine comes out!

[33grinder]

;D ;D Yes, we came to the same conclusion with Andy's 33, Blue Thinder, when we changed one of her engine mounts. ;D ;D

We even considered just sliding the prop forwards an inch and slide the engine forwards a little. In the end we decided to go the whole hog to check the clutch shies and propshaft but I always wondered whether the other method would work.

Don't you just hate it when you find the workaround takes longer than the full job? ;D

[spunkymonkey]

Well, after my comment about Betty sounding a little "grumbly" on the Frolic thread, probelm has been identified. She's broken her o/s half-shaft.

Bodgeneering is in full swing here but it might be Sheila headed to Essex tomorrow if I can't get the broken stub out soon. Just waiting for some chemical metal to set and see how that does.

More details to follow when I finish (probably about midnight at this rate)

[pauldaf44]

Ive just been chemical metalling Gladys front silencer as well. After I found a big crack in it. Best of luck with getting Betty going could you not borrow Isabel?

[spunkymonkey]

Sept 23, 2010 17:58:04 GMT pauldaf44 said:

... could you not borrow Isabel?

I'd rather trust Betty with one half-shaft, one belt (on the opposite side) and two of her spark plugs missing!

Anyway, Matt's pretty sure he's got a half-shaft so the weld only has to last one-way

[spunkymonkey]

Incidentally, for anyone faced with the same problem, the broken stub on a 33 can be removed with the secondary in place. If you remove the filler plug and drill into it (about a 6mm hole, half it's depth) and insert a rod about 1 inch long, then screw it back in, it makes an ideal pusher to release the chewed up splines. Then use chemical metal to glue a rod to the centre of the stub and gently pull out ;D

[spunkymonkey]

As her reward for being such a good little 33 Betty's new towbar has turned up today. It's the Watling one for the van / pickup and looks like it needs a slight adaptation to fit a saloon.

From the look of it, the van / saloon has a strengthening box under the boot floor, which isn't included on the cars. So the front end of the bar waggles in mid-air about 21/2 inches away from any metalwork. Not sure yet whether I'll adapt the bar or add a box under Betty - probably easier to fold up a box and spot-weld rather than try to re-work 1/8th wall steel tubing.

Either way, she'll be pulling her own little (Erde 102) camping trailer any day now

[spunkymonkey]

Once it's fitted.

Today I'm relaxing after an exam this morning (3 hours of absolute brain-drain )

Tomorrow I'm sorting out the details of new strage, including (hopefully) picking a space and starting to clear it

Wednesday I'm rebuilding the inner sills of an S reg Transit as a favour for the local farrier.

Thursday I think it's raining...... ;D

[33grinder]

I'll look forward to seeing the photos Joe, but if all else fails why not take a leaf from the Trabbant school of camping? ;D

[spunkymonkey]

Funnily enough, that's close to the approach I'm thinking of taking to the whole trailer / tent bit. Redesign the trailer so the ends and sides fold to a platform then get one of those pop-up tents that you introduced us to and provide tie-down points on the platform where the pegs should go:

Arrive at site, unfold trailer, pop up tent on top of it and hook to the tie-downs - job jobbed.

Sian says the roof can't be used and she looked like she meant it btw ;D

[33grinder]

Yes, the Trabbi does have the advantage of Duroplast pannels including the roof which can be unbolted and replaced if needs be. Owners do use these tents but Trabbis are light cars so it does make me wonder how stable they are in the wind. Kind of bending like a blade of grass I suppose! ;D

[spunkymonkey]

The plate for Betty's new (to her) trailer arrived today. Don't you just love not having to stick to the official Euro plate and no extra text with these cars? ;D

[33grinder]

Yes, nice plate Joe, wish I could go black and silver with Gavina.