A Californian drying out in South Africa

[Uncle Henry]

Never had much luck with 4Life and such coolants. What's more, I don't think they're necessary. Deionised water and Blucol do just fine. You can keep you snake oil stuff.

AG

[The Nun]

I use distilled water and Bluecol, you supposed to renew it every 2 years though.

[Uncle Henry]

Supposed to, but how many people ever have ? Brake fluid is another 18 month 2 year alleged life span. Just waiting for the silicon fluid gang to get smirking (another overrated product in my view - im gonna be popular). Get an antifreeze tester and see what resolves.

AG

[The Nun]

I use silicone brake fluid, but only for the reason it doesn't damage paintwork if there's an accidental spill, I also use 2 separate larger fluid reservoirs because I don't like the fact the original only has a tablespoons worth of reserve.

[African Imp]

To my surprise the pump just removed was fitted way back in June 2020, it had new seals and bearings fitted, the seals could be re used?

The bearings have no makers name or marks on them, excepting 107 on the black plastic covers, I did pack them with Wynns marine grease and that grease still looks good, the bearings feel ok too!

This is after being in coolant some four years now, the grease has worked!

[The Nun]

Out of interest how many miles has the pump done between overhauls?

[African Imp]

Out of interest how many miles has the pump done between overhauls?

About 2500kms only, please understand that the pump was not leaking, it was a bent shaft and the wobble on the pulley that caused me to fit another pump.

With new seals and bearings which are greased.

Seems fine now!

[African Imp]

Never had much luck with 4Life and such coolants. What's more, I don't think they're necessary. Deionised water and Blucol do just fine. You can keep you snake oil stuff.

AG

Blucol is not sold in South Africa, I used the best grade antifreeze in my 1966 Jaguar 3.8 S type, the result was the alloy cylinder head was eaten away.

I did a lot of searching for the Caltex Extended Life Coolant, that included phoning Caltex to discuss its use.

They then kindly laid in a supply at my local Caltex garage in Hout Bay, South Africa, that was say six years back, a good product and good service too!

[African Imp]

The points sets that I have here with white plastic parts may have been made and sold by a UK company named Intermotor?

[African Imp]

Another local area drive, say four miles, hills and stop starts so a mix of everything, there is a very small drop of coolant seen on the red cowl, so the carbon seals are bedding in now?

[The Nun]

You'll never use all those Roy especially how much driving you do there, and when you're gone Jean will put them all in the bin

[African Imp]

You'll never use all those Roy especially how much driving you do there, and when you're gone Jean will put them all in the bin

Its sad but true what you say!

Cape Town Cycle Tour

https://www.capetowncycletour.com


No driving around Hout Bay today anyway, its the Cape Town Cycle Tour day, some 30,000 enter and try to do the 109 kms before the cut off time.
Its a massive task to organize, people from around the country and World pay to enter, its a massive charity event.

[The Nun]

Which ones you Roy? On the front row in the Lycra shorts?

[African Imp]

Which ones you Roy? On the front row in the Lycra shorts?

Well in days gone past and years before Lycra was even thought of, my sole means of personal transport was my Claude Butler racing cycle, it was using a Williams cotterless chain set, clip in shoe straps, with special cycling shoes, Campagnolo gears, hollow alloy sprint rims and tubeless tyres which were glued on to the rims.

I use that cycle to go to work, go to Wales camping, rain and snow, fell off a few times on black ice too.

In the winter when camping was not done I road on Sundays quite often with the Merseyside Wheelers, they taught me a lot about a team members positioning.

Then I bought a one year old Mk1 Hillman Imp!

The cycle was given to a local lad who lived in our road when I came to Cape Town, by then I had moved on to a Sunbeam Stiletto.

I was always curious as to why cycling in Cape Town was not seen to be popular at that time, circa 1970s on, it was a slow progression, they got there in the end!

[African Imp]

With the removal of the water pump, I needed to remove the home made leaf guard, so its been repainted prior to being refitted.

That mesh I found in the local dump, its off a stove overhead air suction fan and used to hold the filter.

[The Nun]

Maybe it originally had a Hotpoint badge on it, but that probably didn't wash with you?

[African Imp]

Maybe it originally had a Hotpoint badge on it, but that probably didn't wash with you?

As far as I know Hotpoint are not sold in the RSA, they look to be sold in Kenya though?

We have Defy here as the leading brand, it may use Hotpoint parts of course, sold under license?

[African Imp]

I have been asked to Fedex some gear shift parts to Californaia, USA, this reminded me of my own fix to service a worn tube on the long tube between the gear lever and the flexible joint.

I used some brass shim 0.8mm thick and glued in place with Loctite 648, it works well and has been in place past six years now

The flexible joint was treated to some 18mm shrink tube, that stiffened it up and keeps it dry.

[The Nun]

The shaft bearings and flexy coupling supposed to be well greased then that keeps the water out and stops it corroding, Ive never found any wear on mine and have only seen it where everything was bone dry and thus rusted up, again problems brought on by lack of maintenance

[African Imp]

The shaft bearings and flexy coupling supposed to be well greased then that keeps the water out and stops it corroding, Ive never found any wear on mine and have only seen it where everything was bone dry and thus rusted up, again problems brought on by lack of maintenance

The service plans over here were rarely managed, well its past fifty years back, I know the manuals tell us to do all kinds of stuff, who did I wonder?
I have a part shaft here, the ball end, its missing the transaxle end as its been hack sawed in two, why?

Its rusty but through the rust I could see where the plastic sleeve had worked, cleaned up on a wire brush in the grinder its come up fine, a layer of the 0.8mm brass shim would bring it back up to size.

I can see on part of the tube it was once painted black, were they painted?

[oli]

What do you stick the shim plate on with Roy?

[The Nun]

The shafts are shortened when they are used in kit cars and specials such as the Clan because they more often than not have a shorter chassis, so maybe someone was in the process but found another or better one already done?

[The Nun]

What do you stick the shim plate on with Roy?

Loctite 648

[African Imp]

What do you stick the shim plate on with Roy?

Loctite 648

Correct! its great stuff for all sorts of uses, safe to 200c and gap filling.

[African Imp]

What do you stick the shim plate on with Roy?

Loctite 648, I have it in stock from a rebuild of two 998cc blocks when the steel liners were fitted by myself.

[African Imp]

The shafts are shortened when they are used in kit cars and specials such as the Clan because they more often than not have a shorter chassis, so maybe someone was in the process but found another or better one already done?

I am aware of at least two Ginetta G15 cars here, so that may be a possible?

[The Nun]

[quote="African Imp" post_id=341372 time=1710316207

Are you making a cooling fan now for your workshop Roy ready for summer?

[African Imp]

[quote="African Imp" post_id=341372 time=1710316207

Are you making a cooling fan now for your workshop Roy ready for summer?

Summer is on its way North, mind you I was asking my son in law about his free standing air conditioner he has in his office yesterday!

I use a circulation fan placed on the floor most days in our summer, but a heater panel come winter!

Its 31c in this office today!

[African Imp]

I have just used the three way valve to bleed the air form the system, I had hoped that driving around would have managed to do the same?

Funny but even though I saw lots of air bubbles the coolant level is the same, time for another drive?

Just done that, left the coolant a couple of hours to cool before removal of the radiator cap, shows full so do I still have air in there?

[The Nun]

Is the car overheating? Is the heater not working? Are you losing coolant? If everything is OK then leave it alone Roy, you worry everyday about something going wrong on the car and it's not most of the time, so put your feet up and relax.

[African Imp]

Is the car overheating? Is the heater not working? Are you losing coolant? If everything is OK then leave it alone Roy, you worry everyday about something going wrong on the car and it's not most of the time, so put your feet up and relax.

The heater is rarely turned off, just the inside diffuser is closed, that way I make use of the two radiators, I also know quite quickly that I have a coolant circulation as I can still feel warm air on my feet.

Why worry? indeed, as life in general is quite good!

[African Imp]

Fitting a front brake servo?

The Nun advised that to fit the large suction pipe from the rear of the car to the front of the car requires a suspension off job?

I do have the pipe, it and my servo came off a 1966 Singer Chamois Sport.

I have removed the cars front suspensions before, its quite easy?

The rear has never been off while I have owned the car, thats a big jobbie and not one that I want to do, so my Girling Mk2a rebuilt servo is now for sale.

[African Imp]

A video on Chapmans Peak Drive, it starts at the far side of the bay we live in.

The file is 0,97 GB (1 050 936 248 bytes) how do I get permission to load it?

[oli]

I used to use a front mounted servo, and the way to do it without removing ANY of the suspension is to get a piece of redundant fork lift hydraulic line (usually rated around 4000psi and therefore will not collapse) and use that as the vacuum line from the inlet manifold. It works fine. (You can even have suitable fittings crimped on at either end by any local hydraulics company if you want).

[African Imp]

I used to use a front mounted servo, and the way to do it without removing ANY of the suspension is to get a piece of redundant fork lift hydraulic line (usually rated around 4000psi and therefore will not collapse) and use that as the vacuum line from the inlet manifold. It works fine. (You can even have suitable fittings crimped on at either end by any local hydraulics company if you want).

Oli, thanks on the tip, I had thought of similar but had not worked out what quality of hose to use?

We have specialist hose companies here that can supply, I would only need the crimped fitting on the servo end, unless I pre cut the hose length and take it back to them to do both ends?

The Girling Mk2a servo remains unsold, so this may still be an optional addition for the future?

I do still have the original suction pipe from the 1966 Singer Chamois Sport, so that will be a base to measure up with, that plus whatever the flexible ends may have been? Its 2310mm long .

[African Imp]

I was kindly supplied a sport imp front mounting position by The Nun, fitting the servo is very tempting I must say.

[African Imp]

About here?

I have a set of dome headed bolts ready for the fixing job, with the dome side on the inside of the wheel arch they will pull nicely into the underseal.

[The Nun]

Fitting the servo unit and metal brake piping at the front is quite easy, you have to think do you want to fit the original steel vacuum pipe through the tunnel and behind the front and rear suspension members which is quite a big job, or do you use rubber vacuum hose right through, which you could I suppose, it's still a faff though. OR do you mount the servo inside the nearside rear wing, as per the later Imp Sports and Stiletto, which simplifies the vacuum pipe installation as its only then in the engine bay, but you still need to run a metal brake pipe from the master cylinder at the front to the servo at the rear again through the tunnel? The fact the smaller brake pipe will make it slightly easier to thread through the obstructions and fit.

[The Nun]

The original just head normal hex head bolts and nuts to retain it to the inner wing, it's not really on show from outside so domed nuts, unless you happen to have some left over from some other job, are a bit of an unnecessary expense I'd have thought and a waste?

[African Imp]

Fitting the servo unit and metal brake piping at the front is quite easy, you have to think do you want to fit the original steel vacuum pipe through the tunnel and behind the front and rear suspension members which is quite a big job, or do you use rubber vacuum hose right through, which you could I suppose, it's still a faff though. OR do you mount the servo inside the nearside rear wing, as per the later Imp Sports and Stiletto, which simplifies the vacuum pipe installation as its only then in the engine bay, but you still need to run a metal brake pipe from the master cylinder at the front to the servo at the rear again through the tunnel? The fact the smaller brake pipe will make it slightly easier to thread through the obstructions and fit.

I would use the front mounting to keep the engine bay less cluttered, having still to feed the brake pipe is still a mission?

Do you have an image of when you fitted your front mounted servo, the pipes connections interest me.

I found this picture a while back, the servo in question was removed and pipes reconnected.

[African Imp]

The original just head normal hex head bolts and nuts to retain it to the inner wing, it's not really on show from outside so domed nuts, unless you happen to have some left over from some other job, are a bit of an unnecessary expense I'd have thought and a waste?

I have plenty of domed bolts in stock!

[The Nun]

Oh they're bumper bolts, I call domed as Acorn nuts.

My servo is fitted but not piped up brake pipe wise as I have discs and consider a servo isn't really necessary but I may connect it up, we shall see. I did fit the steel vacuum pipe front to rear incase.

I do know how it's piped up.

[African Imp]

Oh they're bumper bolts, I call domed as Acorn nuts.

For me they would more likely be Gutter bolts, to join cement gutters up?

My servo is fitted but not piped up brake pipe wise as I have discs and consider a servo isn't really necessary but I may connect it up, we shall see. I did fit the steel vacuum pipe front to rear incase.

I do know how it's piped up.

I am not sure how the pipes from the servo to the brake master cylinder go, I have this drawing but its not very clear?

I have the two long pipes, 102 suction line and 143, I may also have 141 and 140 ?

That long brake fluid pipe marked 143 is already fitted to my car of course!

[The Nun]

Do you need a servo really Roy,? I think you looked at this before, along with alternators, waterpumps etc and keep shelving the idea.

You've got Fiesta front discs which you say are excellent after being tested by Mintex and Mike's competition rear drum shoes which you said were excellent, so does 2 excellents mean you need a servo too?

[Uncle Henry]

No more fiddling ? Think of the withdrawal symptoms ...

AG

[oli]

They're Coach bolts, and require a square hole to fit them - not ideal.

You could use Button headed Allen bolts - they are a better bet. (Nuts on the inside of the car).

The whole servo idea is a waste of time for your application though Roy as you are using the Fiesta set up. (.625" master cylinder?)

[African Imp]

They're Coach bolts, and require a square hole to fit them - not ideal.

You could use Button headed Allen bolts - they are a better bet. (Nuts on the inside of the car).

The whole servo idea is a waste of time for your application though Roy as you are using the Fiesta set up. (.625" master cylinder?)

I have the 0.70 sport master cylinder.

Basically I am trying to keep myself busy ?

[African Imp]

Do you need a servo really Roy,? I think you looked at this before, along with alternators, waterpumps etc and keep shelving the idea.

You've got Fiesta front discs which you say are excellent after being tested by Mintex and Mike's competition rear drum shoes which you said were excellent, so does 2 excellents mean you need a servo too?

I think I am just curious to see what the extra braking effect will be ?

Did John Simister disconnect his servo?

[Uncle Henry]

Basically I am trying to keep myself busy

Ask Jean if she can find something to keep you occupied. There's bound to be stuff around the house that needs attention. Redecorating, fixing that loose cupboard door, dripping tap, squeaky hinge ...

UH

[African Imp]

Basically I am trying to keep myself busy

Ask Jean if she can find something to keep you occupied. There's bound to be stuff around the house that needs attention. Redecorating, fixing that loose cupboard door, dripping tap, squeaky hinge ...

UH

Why do you think I want to stay in my garage!

This pic was sent to me by RS just now, the front mounted servo is in a really neat position.