pvmweston@gmail.com

Hi Mike. It's a small world! I've spent the evening in the pub with a mate who has recently re-commissioned (he's a vintage restorer) a humberette for a long term customer - called Phil. So I looked at the last few messages on this thread and realised that I already knew your car as its the same one - I found the photo of Mags and Alex loading it on the trailer. I know Phil quite well, I'm sure I'll see the car again soon. As I said, small world. paul

hi Mike I've just found this thread. I have recently acquired a 1913 Humberette, I tried messaging you but was told I don't have enough posts for personal messages (which surprises me as I've been communicating with a member in the USA for several years). Hopefully you'll see this and be able to reply. I'm quite local to you as I'm only in Essex. sheers Paul

I've done a few miles - and it jumps out of top so I thought I'd have a look. The first motion gear has several mm of lateral movement which means top isn't isn't fully engaging so it has to come to bits. I suspect there is something unpleasant with the bearing which might have died. However..... Its about 8 years since I fitted gearbox having had clutch relined. I remember I'll have to undo the rear axle and move it backwards a few inches to enable the propshaft to be disconnected (annoying), but I seem to recall there is an issue with having to disengage the clutch withdrawal mechanism through the inspection hatch before the box can come off - but its so long ago I can't remember details. Can anyone remind me what the problem is before I get myself tangled up. It was all so much easier to get at before i fitted the body!!

There has been much progress. It now starts on the dynastart (although the foot switch is broken, another problem - so I'm using jump leads) but I'm struggling to work out how to fabricate an accelerator pedal linkage. My copy of the parts list is a bit faint, and its not possible to work out how it was done originally. It would appear the pedal was rotates about a casting on the underside of the floor, but I can't see how to get from there to the lever on the cross shaft as the adv/retard and hand throttle linkages get in the way. Can anyone provide me with a couple of close-up photos of the arrangement of the accelerator pedal linkages and how they are configured? A clost-up of the pedals themselves would also give me an idea where it is located on the floor panel relative to the other pedals. If I can sort this I've almost got to the point of a test drive down the road outside - though I will get all the neighbors to remove their cars from the projected path of the test first, just in case.

I was the originator of this thread, but I've had a change of identity on the forum as my previous logon was a works address that is no longer used so I can't logon and alter my setting - hence the new account. What else is there to do when lockdown means you can't get out to play? Its been a long time but finally guilt about the Maxwell project sitting in the corner of the shed (and that everything else is working and can't be broken 'cos I'm not allowed to use it) means I've dusted it down and applied myself. I'm shocked when I see the date of my previous postings, have I really had it 10 years? Gulp! Anyway, it really is time to get on with it. There had been progress in the past. I had a new CWP made by a specialist gear cutting outfit - not actually as expensive as I expected. The hubs have been modified to take Sankey artillery wheels (several reasons; I had no wheels, making replacement wooden wheels would be exorbitant - as are the BE tyres, I plan to use it for a bit of competition with the VSCC so it needs sound wheels), a new flywheel as the ring gear was completely shot with new clutch lining. Engine has been apart and checked (there's a story there, see below), I made a 2 seater raceabout body. Then I tried to get it running, and after several months without success I got discouraged and it got pushed into a corner of the shed and ignored it. However....... with nothing else to do I revisited it. I have two original carbs., but from various posts and from looking at them I decided they would have to go. It was suggested (on here I think) that a Model A Ford carb. might suit. I got hold of one - and discovered it couldn't be fitted as it fouled the rear of the magneto. Fortunately I had a another magneto about 1cm shorter. That almost allowed it to fit, and a bit of judicious filing of the float bowl and one of the mag terminal screws mean I have 2mm clearance. The downside is that I have to remove the carb. to access the magneto. Next problem, and one of the reasons I gave up, is that the starter motor (definite proof that size doesn't equal performance!) can only crank the engine over at about 1 rev/second. Nothing like fast enough to get a decent spark. However, I have had Austin 7s over the years, they are normally 6V and the standard mod to make them usable is to modify them to 12V. It does the starter no harm so I reasoned that if I (temporarily) used 24V that might get it cranking over at a decent speed. Forget "temporary|", it fired up instantly. Proof is here; https://youtu.be/KYPGntg03JQ To describe that as a breakthrough would be an understatement!! There is now an unexpected surge of enthusiasm to get on with it. Oh yes, the engine.................... It was claimed to have been rebuilt in the past, but I thought I'd just take the head off and have a look. New pistons, a good sign. Then, lets drop the sump - just for a look. Nice and clean, but... what is a sock doing in there? Honestly! Black, gents, in good condition (a bit oily) and even my size but only one so not a lot of use. It can't have got in via the oil filler so it must have been left there by whoever did the rebuild. Is there someone out there wondering why he only has one sock? Hm! Lets look further, so I got a torch and looked up the bores. Not sure quite what I was seeing, but it didn't look quite right - so head off and pull out a piston. This is what I found; It would appear that when someone replaced the pistons, they couldn't find any with the correct crown height - so they decided to shorten the rod by getting it hot and putting it in a press. To be fair, it was done with skill as they were true in every dimension - but would you risk it? I wouldn't, so I sourced a set of new Model B ford rods. Slight mods needed to gudgeon pin etc but they actually fitted.