Bullfrog_eng Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Some years ago, I wanted to have my DA springs reset. I went to Industrial Springs in Adelaide (who I had used before for a number of different spring issues) but they convinced me to have a new set made. They had all the data on early vehicle springs and were able to manufacture a new set from their records to OEM specs. Unfortunately Industrial Springs closed down a few years ago, however I understand that Sealeys Spring Works in Mount Gambier (in the South East of South Australia) bought some of Industrial Springs equipment and also their spring specifications when they closed down. Spoke to the owner of the business a couple of years ago and he seemed very helpful. They claim to have been manufacturing springs for over a century. May be worth a phone call if you can't get what you want locally (https://www.sealeysspringworks.com.au/) John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 I’ll see how they are sitting once I do all the bushes and remove the extra leafs in the rear. I’m a bit hesitant getting them reset or a new set. The old girls ride so nice over the bumps just they way they are. I will definitely check them of all the info supplied thanks fellas. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 (edited) There’s nothing like pulling apart a rusty old car to find some brand new brake linings and a new clutch. I was pretty happy with that. The front right lining still has an ink stamp on it. Kinda makes you wonder what happened for it to have near new brakes and clutch and then be parked up and left in a shed or paddock. Edited December 31, 2019 by Mattml430 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 Made some good progress with all my brakes today. Got them completely disassembled sand blasted and ready for paint. I gave all the brake cylinders a light hone and they are in amazing condition. I have new kits coming for them and I’ll have them all back together after some paint. Machined all my drums So the brakes will be as good as new. Outer Axle bearings in the diff are as good as new also. I think this was a well serviced car in its day. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted January 9, 2020 Author Share Posted January 9, 2020 I got a second hand electroplating kit yesterday to do all my small parts in nickel plating. I was amazed how quick and easy it was to do, once I got my head around the sequence and technique of doing it. I tried it out on the headlight nut and after cleaning it up i nickeled it first then copper coated it after that. Polished the copper to a mirror finish and the nickeled it again. very impressed with the finish but I should of prepared the nut a little better but it was just to test it out so I may redo it yet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 After receiving my new brake parts I got them all assembled back together today after work. Also made a start on the master cylinder and got it all pulled apart and ready for rebuilding. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Matt, Don't make the same mistake that I did Restored all of the brakes like you are doing and 6 or so years down the track had to do them all again as the fluid had gone to goo in the wheel cylinders I redone them and just coated every thing in rubber grease and then had no problems when I added fluid and bled them out 8 years later You are doing a great job too by the way Keep up the great work as I am sure that you are an instiration to other restorers that gander at these forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I don't know , Ron. The way Matt is ripping into this thing he will be driving it by June. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted January 15, 2020 Author Share Posted January 15, 2020 6 hours ago, Ron Lawson said: Matt, Don't make the same mistake that I did Restored all of the brakes like you are doing and 6 or so years down the track had to do them all again as the fluid had gone to goo in the wheel cylinders I redone them and just coated every thing in rubber grease and then had no problems when I added fluid and bled them out 8 years later You are doing a great job too by the way Keep up the great work as I am sure that you are an instiration to other restorers that gander at these forums Thanks Ron, I just sprayed a bit of lube in there to let them slide in nicely. Once I have them all hooked up after the chassis is painted I will probably put fluid in then. That’s still a bit away yet though. How’s yours coming along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I still have the bonnet to do and both front mudguards plus Upholstery I am ordering some windscreen framing material from the U,S, to make the sides and bottom of my windscreen I have a full length of the top bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichBad Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 On 1/16/2020 at 8:17 AM, Ron Lawson said: I still have the bonnet to do and both front mudguards plus Upholstery I am ordering some windscreen framing material from the U,S, to make the sides and bottom of my windscreen I have a full length of the top bar Hi Ron, what profile windscreen framing did you manage to find? When I was restoring my frame (which I think is probably quite similar to yours) I had a hard time finding anything that would suit - with the glass channel one side, the rubber channel on the other and the ability to have the top section removable for replacing the glass. I ended up repairing mine using parts from two frames, some help from Matt and a fair bit of fibreglass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Been a bit busy with work but I have managed to get a bit of nickel plating done. Also got my master cylinder rebuilt and back together. I made some new light post bases for my headlights. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Main bearings look to be in amazingly good condition. Be a nice saving not having to replace them. Big end bearings are all just as good except number one it has some water damage marks on it. Getting the block and head ready to send away for machining. crankshaft has some small water marks on it but I think it will be ok. I won’t be racing it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 You are very lucky I had to get all of mine done In the mid eighties The cost for 7 mains and 6 rods was 1636 dollars I have heard that it's about $450 per bearing now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 21 hours ago, Ron Lawson said: You are very lucky I had to get all of mine done In the mid eighties The cost for 7 mains and 6 rods was 1636 dollars I have heard that it's about $450 per bearing now Have to agree with you there Ron. Very lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 Measured the bore today and found it’s .020 oversized 3.395” and in the worst spot on the bore it has a run out of around .015-.018 over all 6 bores. So I’m thinking I should get away with.040 oversized pistons. Do you guys think that’s ok. Am I working that out correctly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakeside Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 I am having my DA-6 rebuilt. The machine work is nearly completed and the bearings will next. I believe the internals are the same. I had to have mine resleeved. Thanks for posting your rebuild. The information is helpful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 19 hours ago, Mattml430 said: Measured the bore today and found it’s .020 oversized 3.395” and in the worst spot on the bore it has a run out of around .015-.018 over all 6 bores. So I’m thinking I should get away with.040 oversized pistons. Do you guys think that’s ok. Am I working that out correctly. Yes that works, however, at that oversize bore I custom forged pistons, I did not want to go with sleeves ... I ended up with a 222 cubic Inch motor... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Surf City '38 said: Yes that works, however, at that oversize bore I custom forged pistons, I did not want to go with sleeves ... I ended up with a 222 cubic Inch motor... Thanks for that, I spoke to a fella today and I’m sending him my old piston with the new specs I need. The piston is 2.34mm lower than the block deck so I will raise it up about 1mm to raise the compression a little. I don’t think he’ll need to take much of the block deck it’s in pretty good condition. He’s going to do a full set of pistons for about $960 for me. I’m getting hardened seats done for the valves and all the other machining Of the engine done for between $1100 -$1500. I’ll get the pistons made first so I can send them with the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cutler Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 The deck will come down about .010, assuming you have no warping from overheating....just a suggestion, I put around the same $$'s in mine, and was thinking if I'm going to sink that amount in the engine, a few $$ more I went ahead and molly coated and balanced, runs super smooth... My pistons were forged by Egge here in SoCal, you may want to price shop, just to keep folks honest. https://egge.com/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 I’ll definitely get it balanced and ask them about moly coating. Nothing like an engine running so smoothly. I called another piston manufacturer and his words were it will be $2200 or more for that old Vintage stuff. That’s pretty much where the conversation ended. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakeside Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Got my rebuild parts thru MEYERS PARTS. I believe the pistons are Egge Machine. I will be interested how the rear bearing is sealed. I believe the felt strip in the gasket set should be placed as shown. Do you recall how your engine seal was placed when you disassembled your engine? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 9, 2020 Author Share Posted February 9, 2020 On 2/8/2020 at 3:19 AM, stakeside said: Got my rebuild parts thru MEYERS PARTS. I believe the pistons are Egge Machine. I will be interested how the rear bearing is sealed. I believe the felt strip in the gasket set should be placed as shown. Do you recall how your engine seal was placed when you disassembled your engine? I found this in the victory bible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakeside Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 Are these notes available? Was this a publication available in the 30’s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 9, 2020 Author Share Posted February 9, 2020 1 minute ago, stakeside said: Are these notes available? Was this a publication available in the 30’s? I was lucky enough to get a copy put on my computer by a friend. It’s hundreds of pages and 5 books on the computer. I think someone earlier in this thread said Myers have it available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 15, 2020 Author Share Posted February 15, 2020 I’ve rebuilt my front seat this week, what a fiddley Job. Got some new hour glass springs coming in the post for them. there was enough of the old one still intact to copy the new ones. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 Picked up the new old body today it’s so much more complete than the one the car came with. Pete also gave me so many parts that I would spend half a lifetime trying to find so I’ve been very lucky to get it all. Now I can start getting a bit of work done on the body. Bit of panel work to do but can’t wait to attack it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Matt is it a TJR body or all steel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 7 minutes ago, Ron Lawson said: Matt is it a TJR body or all steel Hi Ron it’s a budd all steel body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 You are a lucky man 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 26, 2020 Author Share Posted February 26, 2020 24 minutes ago, Ron Lawson said: You are a lucky man My first boss always said to me, Your the only bloke I know that can drop a penny into a dunny full of shit and pull out a sixpence. Haha. I actually know I’ve been very lucky to come across this car and also luckier to have Pete pass on so many parts to get her back to original condition. I’ll get her as nice as I can for the next person to look after it. Hopefully one of my grandkids. I drilled out all the spot welds in the firewall part of the cowl today and swapped it over to the original one as it was a bit better than the one I got yesterday. Worked out really well. Ive decided on a colour for it too what do you guys think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeystu Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 This is awesome Matt! Nickle plating kit will be the best money you've spent, takes a while but very rewarding work. Car's looking great mate! I'll be back to keep up to date! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 27, 2020 Author Share Posted February 27, 2020 18 hours ago, Dodgeystu said: This is awesome Matt! Nickle plating kit will be the best money you've spent, takes a while but very rewarding work. Car's looking great mate! I'll be back to keep up to date! Great to see you on board here stu. I recognise the passenger in that old 24 anywhere. Haha!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Love your choice of color mate, looks fantastic My Senior was originally Dark blue and Black guards Too drab for a classy car like a DB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted February 27, 2020 Author Share Posted February 27, 2020 15 minutes ago, Ron Lawson said: Love your choice of color mate, looks fantastic My Senior was originally Dark blue and Black guards Too drab for a classy car like a DB Thanks Ron , Yer it’s a long way from paint yet, but that panel will just sit in the shed so I can look at it every day to make sure it’s really the colour I want. So far I’m pretty set on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Been busy with lots of little bits on the roadster. I’ve had the body sand blasted and getting it ready to do all the panel work on it. Also have done prep on a lot of parts getting them ready for nickel plating, so many bits. I have quite a few parts to send away and get things done, engine ect. But with the present climate I’m a bit hesitant to send anything away. I got some great information and details of Dale Emmett. He was a big help to me with some important measurements of the windscreen post and the folding hood mechanism. Really great fella to talk to. I have been able to reproduce the hood mechanism by doing a scale drawing of a photo and centre point measurements of Dale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Gee mate your going ahead in leaps and bounds Sure is looking good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 35 minutes ago, Ron Lawson said: Gee mate your going ahead in leaps and bounds Sure is looking good Ahh! Maybe I should of explained that better Sorry Ron. The second picture was sent to me by Bill Guess , that’s his car that I copied the hood mechanisms of. Dale Emmett owns it now and sent me measurements of it. my bad!! Hahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 No cobber I understood what you were saying your copies don,t have the holes in to attach the irons to the wooden bows Great work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattml430 Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 This is all the jewellery I’ve been working on. I try and get 1 or 2 pieces ready for nickel plating each morning before I start work. Im going to try and plate the steering wheel one spoke at a time. I don’t know how else I could do it , so hopefully it will be successful. I have already polished the inside hub section and tapped it up so it doesn’t get affected by any plating materials. The rear step and hood rests are all polished ready for nickel plating. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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