Major improvements on Mona the 44

[scooters]

Well well well,

Mona the 44 has been at the mechanic's for the last month getting a bit of work done. Les, who runs BL Transverse in South London is doing a cracking job and learning everything there is to know about Dafs. Les normally works on anything with a transverse engine from BL - hense BL transverse!

Mona sailed through her MOT last week however, as I am planning on driving her to Edinburgh in the next month Les and I reckoned that she woud need a mechanical makeover somewhat more robust that the requirements of the MOT so the following is happening:

new front wheel bearings
new front brake cylinders
new front brake pads
new HT cables
new spark plugs
new condenser
new points
new oil strainer
new oil strainer gasket

I am thinking about splashing out on a new exhaust system from Danny but will probably wait till the spring (let this winter rust the old one!)

Also I am thinking about a respray. The bodywork is in good - ish nick but it needs a few areas looked at - leaky windscreen is causing pools in the footwell with associated problems - rear wheel arches ain't so good and the rear wing skirt round the exhaust area is pitted with holes. I think a strip down - welding and then a respray may be in order and was thinking about an orange colour - at the moment it is Albina White. The main reason why I want to paint it a bright colour is so it stands out in traffic so folk don't hit it! Is there an orange colour on the daf palatte? If so - what is it and where can I get it?

I will refurbish the wheels over the next 3 months - Tyres off one at a time, wire brush on the drill, rust proof and then 3 coats of smoothrite in silver on all wheels with 2 weeks to cure and dry properly.

I hear that Minilite can make alloys for Dafs - is this the case...in 2 monds as it will be expensive and I quite like the original steelies (once cleansed up!)

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Yes, there was a "DAF orange". Called "nationa"
Very bright indeed!

Another alternative if you think that is too bright, is "mostana", a sort of mustard colour.

Or, how about sticking to original white? A nice new lick of white paint would, I suggest, still stand out from most cars nowadays that tend to be black, grey or silver...

And, for new cars, white will be the new silver, so as well as being original, you could also be trendy!

Minilites have been supplied to DAF Owners in the past - Eric Bhojani and Paul N spring to mind.

Also, re the leaking windscreen - are you sure it's the screen that's leaking? I remember when I had my 55 that the door frame and door rubbers were far from water tight... (as with to a lesser extent my 33's)

[scooters]

thanks,
a white respray might be the trick - I am getting Tony's spare passenger door as my one is pretty nasty (inside) I do like the white and obviously it will be the same as the interior but I do like crazy dutch orange as well and getting it to stand out in the Edinburgh bleakness would not be a bad idea.

I'll have a good look at the door rubbers and might replace anyway - veeruk and I had a good poke and both thought it was the windscreen seal playing up.

Also - I am looking for a 'thin' air pipe to connect the exhaust manifold to the air filter intake for winter running - any idea of a type that fits?

[spunkymonkey]

Can't help with the colour scheme but, for the footwell puddles, it's also worth checking the drains on the heater air intakes. Don't know if the 44s are prone to it, but our 33 was getting a real swimming pool effect because these were blocked.

The intakes are meant to be sealed to the body but, if there's a small leak on that seal (a dash-out job to improve) then standing water in the intakes will get into the footwells very fast indeed. Clearing the drain pipes cured it instantly!

Joe

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Or... here's a thought re the white and orange... (and I am normally a stickler for originality) but you could always reach a compromise by doing it up like a DAF Works rally 44 - i.e. mainly white, but with orange on the wing tips and maybe a black (or orange) bonnet!!! Boy would that stand out.

I think we have a pic of one somewhere on the "Racing DAFs" section.

Wild and groovy man and totally crazy! Yeah.

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Yep John! I know those are the London-Sydney 55s, but yes. And they did officially rally 44s as well. And dig the the orange roof.

I think a couple of your stickers would look good, too! (Blatant plug - by the way, did you receive an envelope from me with a certain mag in?)

[jeremy]

You mention doing the wheels with smoothrite. I've used the hammered version, both hammerite and Machine Mart's own brand with success. If you spray it, the hammer effect is subdued and just has a nice sparkle like many modern alloys. I've done this both with a spray gun and with the stuff in a can which is far less hassle! On my Range Rover alloys I used the non-ferrous metals primer and it's looking good two years later. I went straight onto the cleaned surface on the 33.
You mention a wire brush and drill, you masochist! I used this as an excuse to get a blasting cabinet which is useful for all sorts of things. I built the kit from Frost Restoration which gives a monster cabinet. If you are anywhere near Birmingham, you can drop in and use it.
Jeremy

[scooters]

thanks for all your help and advice. I will definately check the air intake drains - sounds like a problem area especially as he seals round the heater system all look a bit ropey - bet the drains are blocked with 40 years worth of dead leaves.

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

No John, I don't think I did receive but never mind.
If you sent it to my Yahoo address, it's unlikely to have got there!

[scooters]

I spoke to Les this morning. He is going to look at doing some of the welding required to smarten up the bad bits and also have a look at the front leaks.
Feel an awful skivver not doing this myself - simply put with a 400 mile weekly commute, a young family and a 6 hour working week I don't have the time at present so that mig welder I bought will be gathering another layer of dust!