jp928

With Bendix type brakes , the backplate can be worn where the edges of the shoes slide on them, and when relined, the shoes can try to fall into the wear grooves, and start dragging - solution is to build up with weld and grind flat again. Also with a tired master cylinder, the main cup can swell with age and start blocking the small hole mentioned above. jp 26 Rover 9

Thanks Bernie. I will just have to keep looking.... jp 26 Rover 9

Thats a decent size drum Bernie! My rover also has 2 foot and 2 hand brake shoes per drum at the rear, but they occupy roughly a quarter of the circumference each, rather than widthways like yours. Can you advise where I might get woven linings please, as mine has bonded linings that I suspect are too hard to be effective, and I have a few hills between me and civilization ? thanks john 26 Rover 9

You know that the filter makers Vokes also made filters for Spitfires used in the middle east during WWII? jp 26 Rover 9

Be careful when cleaning the SU dashpots - I have heard that attempting to buff them clean can get them hot enough to permanently distort them! The Burlen UK SU kits come with new shafts with bushes, butterflys etc. Yours will be H4 types based on the brass jet in the pics. Get the best jet seals, Orings etc available, as they are prone to leaking. Still watching with interest. jp 26 Rover 9

Bernie, My dad used to say 'All the world is strange cept thee and me, and sometimes I am not too sure about thee!'. My impression of side valve heads from Ricardo is that there is a large squish area over the piston to improve turbulence and gas movement. Reading up on Ricardo's work is very rewarding, as he pioneered many important developments (eg thermostats to speed up warming), and his company is still doing leading edge stuff. Could the thicker head have bigger coolant passages inside to improve flow? jp 26 Rover 9 PS Have you seen this item from 1951? Alloy Ricardo head added ! https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1951/25/modernising-501-fiat

I hope a bit of humour is not frowned on here...? Posh gent who likes his golf get invited to play a round out at a country course he hasnt been to before - takes off in his 30s convertible RR. Decides to stop for fuel at a little one bowser garage to ensure he gets home. The boy there has never seen such a car before, and is fascinated, and finally, after inspecting all the wheels, asks 'What year UNDO is this '? Then he notices a row of golf tees on a rack on the running board, and asks what they are for. "They are for putting your balls on when you are driving" says the owner. "They thought of everything, didnt they!" exclaims the boy. jp 26 Rover 9

Bernie, Yes, I had forgotten about the use of the odd metric sizes in the early years. Re your pulleys, I was told many years ago that for efficient use of cables across pulleys, the pulley diameter should be approx 20 x the cable diameter, and looking at the width of the those pulley grooves , they are much smaller than that.....unless the cables are smaller than I think? Dont have that problem with the Rover, its all 5/16W rods in tension. jp 26 Rover 9

M7 is pretty uncommon today - only seen it once on a Japanese model aero engine shaft. Maybe they inherited a job lot of unfinished studs and couldnt get suitable nuts? jp 26 Rover 9

I have a battery in the back, under the spare wheel, so access is poor. I ran a fused lead from the battery poles to a 4x4 type weatherproof socket under the rear licence plate, for my trickle charger. If I open the battery isolator to work on the car's electrics, the charger stays connected, but the car is safe to work on. jp 26 Rover 9

Continental Steel call the 'grease is bad for 5160 steel' idea as BS, or in their words, neither they or their supplier have ever heard of it. Many spring steels are quenched in oil. jp 26 Rover 9

Last time I worked on a twin carb car (Rover 2000TC, 2 x 2" SU HD8), part of the final set up involved setting the clearance of the connection from the rear carb (directly connected to the throttle linkage) and the front carb - some is needed to ensure the front one returned to its idle stop. The specified clearance was given as being able to just run a roll your own cigarette paper through the gap. jp 26 Rover 9

Try checking out this site for how the mechanical advance works... https://www.google.com.au/search?q=distributor+centrifugal+advance&safe=active&rlz=1C1GGGE_enAU693AU693&biw=1600&bih=769&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=6efh4YGN9Yx9BM%3A%2C1soo29qmQFdl4M%2C_&usg=__AHn1NifFomDLLpi-E3T5RLGiY9o%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKl6KYitDbAhXBy7wKHcV7CjEQ9QEIODAA#imgrc=6efh4YGN9Yx9BM: This part rotates the make/break cam forwards, while the vacuum advance moves the whole plate that the points are mounted on. Some cars also run a vacuum retard , as in my Porsche 928. You did find the screw under the rotor button that retains the advance stuff on the main shaft? I once had a mini that had been little used for a while and one day would not go much faster than walking pace - the mechanical advance plate was frozen onto the main shaft. If you know the Lucas part no for the car you can lookup the advance curve it should produce. Most such distributors do a simple straight line advance which is finished by ~3500rpm, maybe up to 30-35Deg. jp 26 Rover 9

Bernie, Talking about the approach to problem solving in the early days of motoring reminds me of the story about , I think Napier, and their first 6 cylinder engine. For some time they struggled with rough running, could not find anything wrong. In the end, the story goes, they lowered the compression on No 5 cylinder, and it ran well. Problem solved. My 26 rover has its dynamo chain driven, but the chain tension is adjusted by having 2 of the 3 mounting stud holes slotted (in the dynamo flange), so it pivots on the 3rd stud. The fact that the 501 is RHD is curious - was there a time in Europe when the driver's side was decided by the makers? If so, when did that change? jp

In Oz we have a very good source of oils suitable for older vehicles, some with high ZDDP - local company , but they are present in USA. Been here since 1926, so they know a bit. https://www.penriteoil.com.au/locator?country=usa I use a high zinc 10-50 (HPR-10) in an 80s Porsche V8 SOHC, and a couple of 90s Miata engines with no issues. Not sure if they are classed as 'expensive' in US terms. They also do a lot of lubes for 20s and 30s models, as Steering boxes, single weight engine oils etc. Very helpful people. As I understand ZDDP levels, its most important when a newly rebuilt engine is being broken in, but less so with a well used engine. jp 26 Rover 9

Are there any rules about importing Asbestos into USA ? Down here in Oz now Customs (now Border Farce) go nuts when anything that MIGHT contain asbestos is imported, and reserve the right to dismantle (at importer's cost) in a search for traces - gaskets, clutches, brake linings etc. Not every car is checked, but enough to make it a real worry. See https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/australian-border-force-detects-asbestos-in-classic-cars-owners-risk-thousands-of-dollars-in-fines/news-story/558ae57b52f7e995237f6e3193ea62b1 jp 26 Rover 9

I got new 2910/AB6 18mm plugs here http://www.gsparkplug.com/ignition/spark-plugs for a very good price. jp 26 Rover 9

Ken, I know its a bit late, but still... I believe you have TAT type nipples - these are on my 1926 Rover 9 (along with a few ordinary nipples). You can get the relevant gun fitting from https://www.completeautomobilist.com/search?query=108a . To fit this to a US gun, use a 1/8BSP male -> 1/8 NPT female adaptor, which shouldnt be hard to find - Pegasus Auto? john P 26 Rover 9 http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18536&sid=dae146ad5cc5887192d35fb9e60e7aa3

1967-76 P6 manual gearbox engine. The engine number didnt move to the side between 3-5 for a few years after acquisiton. This block doesnt have the pad for the side number. See https://rimmerbros.com/content--name-Rover-V8-Engine-Numbers jp 26 Rover 9

Re "particularly the Rover P3 which specifies oil for the front suspension" - the P3 suspension was all rubber bushed, except the kingpins, which had a thrust ball bearing, seals , and a reservoir for a mix of heavy oil and grease. The bushes did not have a long life - too small for the loads. jp 26 Rover 9

With any auto trans that has stood for any length of time I recommend a thorough fluid change, including the converter and cooler, and change filter if fitted. This can do wonders for every aspect of the box. My 35 year old 3 speed MB box (Porsche 928) has only one vice - if left for more than a couple of weeks, its slow to take up in reverse; there are couple of leaks of 1 drop a week coming off the cooling hose fittings. jp 26 Rover 9

Bernie, These local people might help with a head gasket - http://www.gasketsolutions.com.au/index.html jp 26 Rover 9

SU carbs are simple and easy to overhaul, with the right parts. Lots of docs on how/what/when. The original Smiths on my Rover was very unreliable, so I have resorted to an SU - HS2 (1-1/4") off a Mini - $20. $100 kit from Burlens (UK) - new spindle, butterfly, jet, needle&seat (rubber tipped type, much more reliable), bowl gasket, and I added new brass screws. Also comes with new bushes for the spindle if the body is badly worn - mine wasnt. Car now runs well, and answers throttle very smoothly. I set the jet height per the rebuild notes at the default, and she fired up first try. Check your needles for wear, you may need new ones - the code is stamped on the shank. If the floats are brass, check for leaks. Critical part of rebuild is centreing the jet. You will need light oil for the dampers, as in sewing machine - engine oil is far too heavy. I verified my mixture using a wide band O2 sensor, jsut to be sure. Keep up the good work. jp 26 Rover 9

Bernie, That speedo is pretty much identical to mine on the Rover! Little lever on the top to reset the trip? Re the Fiat Osca pic, I worked with an American in Tassy in the 70s who brought one of those with him from from the US. Failed to proceed once, took a while to find the distributor drive had sheared . jp 26 Rover 9

"Flush" means level with, as in a countersunk screw in wood is usually flush with the wood surface. Its not clear to me from that diagram what its meant to be flush with (or near to flush). While it gives a spec for fuel level in the bowl, I cant see what controls the fuel level - usually some sort of needle and seat controlled by the float. I have seen cars surge on part throttle cruise due to a slight over advance of the sparks. jp 26 Rover 9