Working March to Present.

Hi Folks! Back again! incase you've given up on me posting another blog!! Life has been absolutely manic as well as rebuilding the car, I have been involved in a number of big projects both with work and outside and with a preservation trust I got myself involved with about a year and a half ago, loads of fun loads of laughs and the opportunity to get hands on with some very old aviation which is great fun. I have also taken on a role of running a few events of

Avro Shackleton (Grandson of the Famous Lancaster Bomber) at Coventry Airport run by by the Shackleton preservation Trust.

Dads Marcos (Front with 2 other Marcos at the Wellesbourne Wings and wheels).

 Last time I wrote, I had taken delivery of a brand new Galvanised and powdercoated chassis I have spent the last 4 months working mad hours to pay for new bits and having limited time to clean and paint up the old bits I disassembled from the old chassis.
I have now added the fully overhauled and repainted rear atlas axle 3.09 ratio to the car as well as the AVO PE529 (Rear) and AVO PE951 (front shocks) and connected to the metallic blue re-powdercoated coil springs I think they look amazing and I think you'll agree! I wanted really to cut down the amount of black paint on show.
All my new bits were powdercoated by Redditch Shotblast & Powdercoating and I'm sure Ive driven them mad turning up with another box of stuff!!

Below are some pictures of the progress since March.

 

Atlas rear axle with radius rods in position.

Once we had compressed the newly powdercoated coil springs we attached them to the assembly at the rear of the car. I have pretty much bought complete replacements for all nuts and bolts including a brand new set of high tensile stainless steel units for the front and rear suspension set up.

All the new wishbones for the front together with brand new ball joints have been installed as per the picture below.

Front Wishbones and new ball joints

Rear suspension install complete

AVO PE529's with the reconditioned coil springs.

We have had a number of delays at this stage as we found out after a powdercoat of loads of bits that my original Triumph Vertical Links threads were absolutely shot through there was not a lot of thread left meaning the trunnion that fits on the end wobbled quite easily which would have made for a horrendous handling experience. So I have ordered new ones and the right hand one was a brand new unit that I picked up for around £45.00 and also picked up a second hand triumph fitted left hand vertical link importantly the threads look brand new on both so I tested the trunnions and fit solidly without any movement after degreasing and a rub down to remove loose paint, the second hand one looks great in black and the right hand one unpainted before is now in the matching black. See below drying in the Vice.

Newly Painted Triumph Vertical Links

Alternator Bracket (we have 5 of these bad boys so may get them painted in different effects to see which we like best)

Combination of powdercoated parts for the brake assembly and steering rack U-Joints.

I have now added the rubbers to the  Ujoints again replacement rubbers for these parts as this is a nut and bolt restoration all the perishable bits have been replaced where possible. Most have been sourced on ebay from the comfort of my chair haha!

Chrome Powdercoated U-Joints with new bushes.

So that the Steering rack can be installed as soon as possible I have purchased brand new rose joints and hauled out the original steering joints with clamps which have been degreased and cleaned followed by a good spray paint with hammerite the joints will be black and the rods in silver to add a few more colour differences within the engine bay.

Steering rack joints following the degrease.

Im in the process of acquiring quotes for the bodywork to be done and recently I pulled all of the body sections out of the shed to be put together as a mock up of the whole car body, it was really cool to see the body together in one piece as ive never put the roof on and photographed it in one piece the condition of the body isnt bad but there are lots of crazes in the paint work and holes here and there have to be made good.

Body work in one piece for the first time in years.

I have not received a quote from the body shop I wanted to have the work done by so that's gone on the back burner for a moment until I can get a number of other things completed.
Since the car was bought by me Ive been wanting to acquire historical Imagery of my car and finally it came to me in the form of a club magazine advert from 1980.

Magazine Advert November 1980 (Three months before I was born!!!!) My Car is three in from the front minus the head lamp covers.

Thats a brief catch up on what has been going on, we are not far off a rolling chassis which will be great as I can pull this out of the garage and get proper pictures of the chassis in the open.

Thanks for reading.