Greetings from California! (Man on a Mission)

[spank]

Hello all.

Brief introduction: Long time mini owner, and ... quite actually... a long time Daf owner... I've had this early Daf 55 for about 10 years now but have not really done anything with it other than dragged it with me to 2 new houses since it was acquired in non-running condition. I'm more of a bodge-together "make it work" type mechanic than I am a pure restoration calibre who waxes his tools as often as he polishes his car.

I've finally set a goal-- this thing has to be driving by Sept 22nd. There's an event the following weekend it MUST be at.

I've driven it before, but only very briefly. basically down the street and back ater fiddling with it for about 2 hours. Blew lots of white smoke because the brake master was leaking into the booster/servo. Found that the centrifugal shoes are knackered now that I've finally pulled the motor. Outer drum isn't so good either. So I'm placing an order with a vendor in NL for some clutch shoes, brake parts, and the inexpensive variomatic belts, but any help you all may offer is very much welcome.

are rebuild kits available for the brake boosters?

If I have the outer clutch drum turned to remove some of the grooving, can someone tell me the maximum serviceable diameter?

I believe I need at least one new spring to replace the one that was eaten up when the shoes were well past their service life. where might I acquire one?

A friend who is over 1000 miles from me owns two Volvo 66, and he told me to inspect the diaphragm in the variomatic at the rear of the car and they look to be in good condition-- no obvious tears.

Any other pointers?

[zonker]

Greetings, spank. I can't answer any of your inquiries, but I hope within a couple months to aquire a DAF from a gent here in the USA. Great reading you are in California with a DAF. I'm in California too, and would love to see your DAF if you're somewhere out in my neck of the woods.

[swissdave]

Hi and welcome! I’m afraid that I can’t answer your questions either but I’m sure someone will be along soon that can. 😄

[andrew]

I'll have a go......

1/ I'm not aware of there being any advice as regards the turning of the clutch outer drum, but I would have thought that the removal of a minimal amount, just enough to remove the grooves, when coupled with the fitting of new clutch shoes, would equal things out, so that the small amount of shaving taken off the drum would be made up by the new, thicker clutch shoes. Those shoes look absolutely knackered!

2/ If you're buying parts from DafHobby in Holland he might be able to help with the springs, together with heaps of advice.

3/ I find a good test of the diaphragms is to disconnect the pipes to the primary unit and blow hard down one of them. If all's well, you should NOT feel and air coming from the other one, and should feel air pushing back at you, into your lungs.

4/ Time to join the Daf Owners Club, if you've not done so already......

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

I'm really pleased to see new contributors on here - and from across the pond, too!
The club has one or two members in the USA already and is able to send/supply parts there.

When you ask about "brake boosters", do we mean "brake cylinders"? If so, I'm pretty sure that Steve (DAF Owners Club technical and parts supremo) does have these.

But as Andrew has said, our friend Danny at DAF Hobby in the Netherlands, has huge amounts of essential spares too (www.dafhobby.nl)

[zonker]

Thanks for the welcome - as for our hood/bonnet - trunk/boot - fender/wing style nomenclature - brake booster typically mean power brake vacuum servos mounted behind the hydraulic master cylinder.

Oh, and I saw dafhobby's site.

Once I procure a Daf, they will no doubt become my new best friend!

[spank]

Thank you for the input!

New belts and new shoes and a set of used springs are on the way from Danny!

I've been looking at alternatives for the brake master cylinder, rear shoes, and 17mm rear wheel cylinders. I can't justify paying a solid day's wages for one rear wheel cylinder and two for a brake master cylinder-- they are all just simple pistons that move fluid. I'm sure I can find something local and more cost effective that, with just a bit of drilling the backing plate, will do the job just fine. This wouldn't be the first non-British car that I've put Mini parts on!