Bush Mechanic

New blades for these reamers are readily available in Australia, so should be easily sourced in the US. They tend to be standard sizes across brands. Even the Chinese replacement blades fit straight into good Patience and Nicholson reamers. They might cost you more than $5.00, though.

And that log needs to be on a Jinker. Or don't you call them that in the US? The sprocket on the rear wheel could have powered a saw bench. One wheel locked on the ground, and the other driving a chain. At a fast idle, reverse gear, stepped up a little, it would eat those firewood logs. It looks like something my old man would have made. There could be $375 dollars worth of fun just tinkering with the old girl. A friend here is searching for one of those North East starter motors, as well, for his 29 Dodge six. Unfortunately it's on the other side of the world.

The metrinch sockets have a curved face between each pair of internal 'points'. This puts the turning force pressure further away from the corners of the nut, and allows small variations in nut sizes to be accomodated. They also have less tendency to mark the nuts. Personally, I only seem to use them for Whitworth, but that's just my habit, I guess. Old dog, new tricks. I bought them when my hex drive Whitworth set was stolen.

An excellent video on these wonderful cars. Thanks for posting. In the long distance rallies across Europe, the Gullwing was the main rival to the works Austin Healeys, especially in the late fifties and early sixties. Surprisingly the Healeys usually came out on top . The Mercedes may have been a little heavy for it's braking system, but it certainly looked good.

Ah, music to my ears. Thanks Ed.

And I only watched it to hear the White engine. No such luck! Just someones favourite music track.

Nice neat Midget, with a hardtop to hang on the garage wall in Summer.. These are fun little cars, with the 1275 engine. I still enjoy a blast through the hills in mine. As John pointed out, it is surprising to see square wheel arches, only two wiper arms and no side marker lights on a '74 car. I took it to be 67 to 71. but who cares? The square wheel arch is actually stronger, and was reinstated on the later rubber bumper cars. These Spridgets are bringing a lot more money here in Aus, and the price is steadily rising.

That's a very pretty piece of machinery, Sir. Well done, to all involved.

And you believed them? I only have my personal experience with our local Mercedes dealer as a yardstick. Things like a shot tie-rod end at 32,000km. Quote was $1,600, as they had to raise the engine to fit a complete new steering rack. Complete BS. I went straight down to the local parts store and bought a 19 mm right hand thread tie-rod end for $16. Fixed.

Imports have always been allowed, to the best of my knowledge. Registering them for road use is another story. and the laws vary widely from state to state. Thirty years ago, when I imported LHD cars into Tasmania, you could register them for road use if a large yellow and black sign reading 'Caution LHD Vehicle' was displayed across the rear. I actually converted all of my imports to RHD, as this was allowed on vehicles over 30 years old at the time. There was quite an industry across Australia converting cars, and some of the conversion work tended towards rather suspect engineer

Interesting to see that the felt seal is fitted to the side away from the bearing. Perhaps there is an abuttment inside the axle case which is not easily seen in the photo? If not, the felt could come away from the four little tabs and walk off down the axle. A length of threaded rod might facilitate fitting the seal carrier, as it is only pressed sheetmetal, and no great force would be required. Please forgive me if I am missing something in the photos, as I often do.

This project sold for $7,000. It would be considered cheap on this side of the Pacific. Perhaps not in the US.

I do! Two years remaining to finish my project before it's 100th birthday. Looking good to be driving it by then, if I don't fall off the perch.

I will have to try the left hand idea. Always used the right hand, thumb out of the way. If it kicks back between 10 and 11 oclock (TDC), the handle moves away from your hand and arm, and just unfolds the fingers. Rotating the crank 360 degrees would be looking for trouble. Of the many cars and 4x4's that I had to crank regularly, none of them had advance/retard levers. They were later vehicles and you just had to tough it out, and get the technique correct. Just a short movement over compression is all that is required in most cases. I have crank started the petrol Toyota Landcrui

Matt, it is just possible that your nit-picker was a foreigner. As an Australian, I had never heard the term 'manual brakes' until I frequented this site. Brakes down here are mechanical, hydraulic or power assisted, as Gary Ash said. We also have a 'Hand Brake', used manually when parking. When I read the term 'manual brakes', I think of a long hand operated lever. This is just an observation from outside of the US of A. And it has been quite an interesting thread, in more ways than one, and I stand 'educated'.