Do I really need a new project?

[Rapier]

 Today has been one of those 86 year old days!

 

I have not looked at either the Lagonda Rapier or the Morris Daworth Special. I still have to pluck up enough courage to take the Rapier out and road test the gear shift, meanwhile the Morris is "just sitting". Sunday is Helen's Birthday, so I have to be on my best behaviour then.

Perhaps next week?  Helen tells me that the Peugeot needs a clean both inside and out.

So that will take up the best part of a day! Really a waste of time as it lives outside all the time. The local birds think that it is a convenient toilet stop.  Oh well it has been a faithful friend for a very long time now.  It even survived our son Pauls trip into "Central Australia's semi desert country! "

It has virtually no rust and it starts on the "Button".  It has a Five speed Manual transmission and disk brakes on all four wheels.   It is our only car with a "tow hitch" on the back.

 

Bernie j.

Edited November 25, 2022 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Having taken the Peugeot out to my weekly game of Petanque I can confirm that it is really in need of some "tlc". It is starting and driving fine it is mainly in need of a good wash and vacuum out.    Perhaps"next year?"

 

Bj.

[Digger914]

No need to rush into these things,the wash can always wait, but for the sake of peace with the wife you should probably give it a good vacuum. 

[Rapier]

It really is a "storm in a teacup", She never even rides in it and it would be years & years since she drove it. It spends most of its time out in the front garden serving as a toilet for the birds. I have to hose it off every time I have to take it out. It really is a very nice car, when we bought it it was fully "Optioned" as it had been driven by one of the Senior dealer's wife. Even then it had covered only a handful of miles. When we bought the new VW Jetta that became Helen's car and the Peugeot was passed down to me.

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

What more can I say, I must be becoming "old and grumpy" I have just sent an email to some unknown person who has repeatedly sent email demands for payment of postage for a parcel, said to have been sent to me from an unknown person, containing unknown contents. In other words, another unwanted attempted internet scam.

Bah! humbug!

Edited December 10, 2022 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

I realy do not know why I go on punishing myself, I now have the Gearbox out of the Rapier and my son Steve has the "Starter-generator" out of the Morris chasing brushes for it before he can put it all back together again. The Morris is very different from the usual concept of a Morris "Cowley" Using correct period parts it is a replica of one of Cecil Kimber's London to Land's End Trial cars. A great deal of the essential work (Body etc) has been done but there is still more to come.

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

Want to learn more try searching for information

on the 1922-4 Morris RAWORTH SPECIAL(s). 

Alternatively try finding some "Rocking-horse Poo."

[Rapier]

Meanwhile my son "Steve" has taken the Raworth Special's Lucas "Starter/generator" away having found a source of the "Brushes" to suit it.  These do really come under the RHP description. Almost as rare as the ENV "top gear cone". This will almost certainly have to be made.

Oh well! It is only money!

Bj.

[Rapier]

So now I am in a unique position, I have two "vintage" cars both with their gearboxes out and away with "Fixers". The Lagonda is also away with the gearbox "man" while the Morris "Raworth Special" is in my garage with its gear box out and away. To make matters worse/or better, both the gearbox out of the Morris and the "spare" that came with it are away. The better of the two is being rebuilt with a new set of "close ratio gears". This is said to transform the car's drivability..........

Christmas is coming!

 

Bj.

[DrData]

Sounds like getting your trannies back, especially the modified Morris, will be a great birthday present for you.

 

what sort of condition is the Morris’ engine in?

[Rapier]

Hello Dr Data and all my fellow enthusiasts around the world. 
I hope that Christmas brings you all the things that you need to keep the "wheels turning" into the New Year.

 

Bernie j.

 

 

[Frank Tate]

Merry Christmas to you and Helen, Bernie!  Best wishes for the New Year!

 

[DrData]

Bernie and Helen,

 

All the best holiday wishes to you and your family. Enjoy your summer. I am in Kentucky for the holidays and woke up yesterday to -5 degrees F with a wind chill of -29 degrees F. Coldest weather I have ever 3xperiencec, even with a childhood in western New York State.

 

Looking forward to hearing about drives in the Rapier and the Special this coming year.

 

 

[Rapier]

By contrast we are now in mid summer with fine weather and a forecast temperature in the low to mid 30 degrees Celsius.

I have just been out in the garden and it is a lovely sunny day.

At present the Rapier is away having what I hope will be a satisfactory (complete) rebuild of the gearbox. This has been a "problem" ever since it was "Rebuilt" by "the Worlds Greatest  Preselector Transmission specialist", in Germany.  This involved shipping first the gearbox and then the car across the world, from Australia to Europe!

WHAT A DISASTER........ Three years later and I still have not rectified all the damage that was done!

It would be nice to be able to drive the car without wondering of it was going to get me home again!

Edited December 31, 2022 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Digger914]

When you're lucky, your car will start, it will get you where you want to go and will it get you home?. New or old, in my half winter, half summer part of the world, it's a crap-shoot every time you turn the key in the car. My roadster sits in storage all winter and when spring comes there is always an unexpected repair, usually minor, but always something unexpected that needs to be done.

 

At -28 Celsius  a car can do all sorts of odd and unexpected things and we just had some of the worst winter weather here in years and though I make sure my daily driver is ready for winter, in first 3 days of harsh winter weather I had 3 different problems to repair.

 

Happy New Year Bernie and for you and yours, may 2023 be a car lucky year.

[DrData]

Happy New Year to all. Bernie, hopefully, the Rapier will be back in fine fettle before you know it. In the meantime, I hope you are able to spend quality time with “the Special” and get it road worthy, as well. 
 

I am currently about 2,000 miles from my TD, so no roadster fun for me. Considering the rain on the west Coast of the US, it would not be leaving the garage any time soon.

[Rapier]

Thank you Dr Data

Best wishes for the New Year to you, your family and friends

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

My New-years' project is slowly finding its way into our system if such a thing exists. It may take a little while for me to sort it out into a format that will fit in here.

For a starting point you will need to do a search through the early 1930s Morris/MG files to discover the important place that "Raworth Specials" had in their history.

 

Bj

Edited January 5, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Now for something different, a relic or two from our visit to the AACA Diamond Jubilee, in 2010.  My Question is the origion and relevance of the HCFI Lapel badge. This has sat in a dish along with a number of other items on my desk for some time. Is it of any interest to anyone reading this. It is intact, just one and a quarter inches across at its widest point and has a single pin for attachment on the rear side.

The AACA badge (Paper-weight) is three inches across.  It has no way to attach it to anything. It too has been sitting on my desk since 2010.

 

Bernie j.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Re the AACA Diamond Jubilee, some people may be able to just remember the Dixie Flyer "Speedster" that I had found derelict here in Victoria, Australia. It was restored and returned to the USA in time to attend the AACA Diamond Jubilee. While there, it was bought by the Kentucky Trailer Co, previously the Kentucky Wagon Company in Louisville.

Do they still have it proudly displayed among their"Collection"?

In the above photograph it is seen standing in the Wagon Company's original Louisville factory.

Bj.

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

I am surprised/disappointed that no one has responded to my question re the HCFI badge. Not that it is important, it can go back into the dish of odd and unexplained "bits" on my desk.

It is quite a "nice" badge and it may well end up on the dash board of one of my (future) project cars. Meanwhile it can keep out of harm's way attached to the left hand corner of the Morris' dash board.

 

Bj.

Edited January 11, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[DrData]

The HCFI is the Horseless Carriage Foundation. Listed around the rim of the pin are a number of very, very old and long since defunct American automobile manufacturers. I recognize some of the names… Selden was an early competitor of Ford (there was a nasty patent fight), Kissel (maker of the Gold Bug roadster, Brush and Oakland ( a forerunner of GM, if I recall correctly). I probably saw some of these marques when I visited the National Automobile Museum (formerly part of the Harrah collection) but have never had the opportunity to ride in any.

[Rapier]

Changing the subject, I have just acquired, a 1 1/8 inch SU should be an ideal starting point towards getting the Morris back on the road. This is a correct period, bronze body carb. Sorting out a suitable "Needle" may take a little time. I will also need to fabricate an inlet stub to adapt the spacing on the mounting flange to those in the side of the cylinder block.  Sorting out a suitable "Needle" may take a little while but that is still some way off. A slightly larger "carb" may be better but using what I have is more practical. 

 

Bj.

[DrData]

Burlen (burlen.co.uk) purchased SU. They are the go to source for SU parts. They appear to be easy to work with according to feedback on some of the MG forums. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by DrData (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Thank you Dr Data, The SU that I have just acquired is complete and is virtually ready to fit. For the time being it will "have to do". IF  I ever get around to driving the Morris, it will be something to think about.

Less and less the ability to drive our cars seems to matter.

Bernie j.

Edited January 14, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Further to the above, a quick look at the photo of the carb (above) will show you that it is a "bronze body" making it definitely "pre-war". Very much in keeping with the period of the Morris. None of this is vital but it is good to keep the car, correct for its age.

Bj.

[Rapier]

Perhaps not vital to this thread but possibly of interest to some readers, I called into "Historic & Vintage" who are doing some "restoration" work on the Rapier's ENV Preselect gearbox. This is vital in order to keep the car in useable condition. In the past it has had some work done by "Fix-er-uppers". This time it is having a "Total Rebuild" which will hopefully mean that the car will be back to its original "go anywhere" condition.

[Digger914]

A well done total rebuild should be as good, maybe even better than new. Guess you're going to have to stick around for another decade of mountain climbing cross country driving to make sure your re builder does quality work.

[Rapier]

While nothing to do with the Morris, I have just finished writing to the Newsletter editor of the (Lagonda) Rapier Register, having just recieved my copy of "Rosemary's Reprints". Despite the title, this is the two volume, collection of Technical Topics, as published in the monthly issues of the Rapier Register, Newsletter, commencing in 1977. It contains virtually every item relating to owning, driving and maintaining one of these both rare and complex British, Sporting cars.

The cars built in England in very small numbers, less that 400 between 1934 and 1938 are technically complex having a twin overhead cam, 1100cc engine driving through a "Preselector" gearbox.

The owners club (Register) has a fantastic, member run, Spares Service, which covers virtually every replacement part that an owner is likely to require in the course of owning and maintaining their car.

Edited January 18, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Now for something I should have done some time ago. I need to work out the way to combime both my threads without losing any of the content. 

Bernie J.

[Rapier]

 

Oh why do I keep punishing myself? This Morris "10" Special would have been fun to drive and easy to work on. This photo taken in 1984 is a classic example of one of my earlier "Specials". Yet I keep on looking for some impossible dream car. Probably the closest I have come to an "ideal" is my 1934 Lagonda Rapier, the one car that I have owned longer than anything else, yet even it, I sold after two or three years of initial ownership. It took some time for me to be able to buy it back.

The above photograph shows Helen & I in the Rapier during one of our previous visits to France (2009).

It is currently undergoing a gearbox rebuild. We have driven over 100,000 miles in this car, both here in Australia and in much of Europe.

Hopefully once this current Gearbox rebuild is completed, it will return to its previously unfailing reliability.

We have promised ourselves one final overseas visit, to the UK and France in it.

All three of us are now over 80 years old.

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Oh dear!  what a collection, or you could say, What a waste of a lifetime!

I will leave it up to you, I am sure that there are several more that I could include but that is sufficient to give you some ideas.

 

Bj

 

[Rapier]

Just one more photograph, this one should give you some idea of how almost all those cars would have started.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[DrData]

Hardly a waste…more of a well understood interest and a life lived well, especially your self taught skills. I also recall the work performed in your carport on some of your other projects. I hope your Rapier returns home soon. Any thing new on the Morris Special?

Edited January 30, 2023 by DrData (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Thank you

I am just as anxious as you to have the Rapier at home again. It is coming close to a record time for it to be away and out of my control.

To say that I am not really happy about this is something of an understatement!

Regarding the Morris, I have said that I am giving it to my son Steve.

Of my three sons he is the only one with the interest and ability to finish it.

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

Thank you

I am just as anxious as you to have the Rapier at home again. It is coming close to a record time for it to be away and out of my control. This is not really a toy to be left out so anyone can have a "play" with it!

To say that I am not really happy about this is something of an understatement!

Regarding the Morris, I have said that I am giving it to my son Steve.

Of my three sons he is the only one with the interest and ability to finish it.

 

Bj.

[Rapier]

This is worth another look!  Anyone who has seen under the "Bonnet" of a Rapier needs to have a second look at the green painted "angle bracket" supporting the bulkhead. You will not see another the same on any other Rapier. I will leave the "reason why"up to you. With just a quick look I can see several other things that make "KG" different.

Little things mean a lot........

Edited January 31, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Rapier]

Just a quick "stock take" reveals, starting at the top, the ignition coil. Originally all Rapiers had magneto ignition. Moving down the most obvious is the four branch exhaust, tucked in underneath that is the new (Geared) starter-motor. In front of this is the screw on cartridge, oil-filter. At the front of the cylinder head is the modern, high volume oil pump. This is driven from the front of the "triple sprocket" this in turn divides the timing chain with a individual chain to each camshaft. Tucked down in front of the oil filter is the, red painted oil level "dip stick" and the oil filler cap. On the bulkhead beneath the electrical control/fuse box is the remote starter switch. The tops of the two 1.5 inch SU carburettors can just be seen partially hidden by the inlet cam cover. Completely hidden from view is the water pump also directly driven off the front of the timing gears.

There are no external (belt) driven accessories on the Rapier engine! No fan belt due to the simple reason, there is no fan. A concession to modern traffic conditions is the modern electric fan mounted higher up on the radiator. This is thermostaticly controlled by a switch positioned in the top water outlet on the radiator. The connection for the temperature gauge is also seen leading from the water pipe (elbow), connecting the radiator to the cylinder head. Finally the cable for the Rev-counter is seen coming from the rear of the exhaust can cover. Spark plugs are hidden in the valley between the cam covers. The distributor is driven from the rear of the (gear driven) generator.

There are no (unreliable) belt drives to break or fall off on the Rapier engine. 

Edited February 1, 2023 by Rapier (see edit history)

[Digger914]

For me, having an old car is only fun if you can drive it and MG 2001 was the first and the only serious show I've entered a car in.

 

Adding an electric fan must be a universal add for old cars and modern traffic. I did something similar for my MG, good for traffic, not good for competitive shows, but neither was painting the engine compartment of a red car black so the red engine stood out.  I've also used the same angle iron on more than one old car, but I always paint it to color match or black.  I like what you did with the exhaust and the coil and I'm wondering about how you balance the twin SU's, after all your years with this car, have you developed a quick and easy way to keep them in tune?