the.cern
Permanent resident
Posts: 1494
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« on: 06 October, 2011, 03:13:32 PM » |
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Deep joy !!! MOT time
Well, I knew it would not just sail through, but I needed to know the extent of the problem ............. and here it is:-
1) RH headlamp cut-off not sharp 2) Wipers not working properly 3) Screen washers not working 4) RH front axle/chassis member weld failed 5) RH front floorpan rusted through 6) Non standard RH rear spring eye bush worked loose.
Nos. 2, 3 and 6 were expected, no. 5 was suspected, but nos 1 and 4 were unexpected.
At first glance a fairly daunting list, dealt with in the following manner.
Nos 2 and 3 were swiftly sorted with parts from Vintage Supplies in Norfolk.
No 1 was found to be due to a non standard bulb-holder, resulting in the bulb being in a slightly offset position within the reflector. This was remedied by swapping both the Carello units that were on the car with the Lucas (sorry ) units that came with the B20. Not pretty, but it sufficed. I now have a pair of Carello headlamps (need to be refurbished) that can go on the B20, in due course. In the meantime I will source some slightly more appropriate units for the Appia.
Nos. 4 and 5 could have been scary and expensive, but Jim to the rescue (again). No. 5 first, out with the cutting disc and, oops, there go the remains of the floor !!! Clamp the remains to a sheet of 1mm steel, drill through the ends of the swages in the original and mark the new sheet. Select the correct size swage wheels and a few (well many) pulls on the handle of the swaging machine and, lo and behold, a new floor panel to the original pattern. A lot easier to say than to do, but to Jim it was all routine. It all looks so easy, but its decades of experience !!!!!! Next wind -up the welder and job done. The bounder left the 2 coats of red oxide primer and the seam sealer for me to deal with ..... and then there's the underseal, that will be done tomorrow, I hope !!! At Jim's suggestion the re-test was carried out before the seam sealer and second red oxide coat were carried out in order that Ivor (friendly MOT man) could see the work. The photo. shows the new floor panel in place
No 4 simply involved grinding off the failed weld and re-welding, simples.
No 6, while Jim was playing with the floor I removed the petrol tank and extracted the offending bush, two pieces of polyester and a short length of tube to fit over the bolt, hacksawed to length (approximately!!) The new Silentbloc bush, sourced from Don at the Appia Consortium, was introduced using the special extractor/inserter tool made by Jim. While it was dismantled it was decided to replace the upper bush as well, although there was still some life left in it.
So, there you have it, my first Appia MOT, I am hoping that this time next year there will be no story to tell !!!
Andy
Postscript. Don't tell Ivor, but while the petrol tank was out, I mended the slight leak where the filler pipe enters the main body of the tank using Milliput. Until now I have had to keep the fuel level below the leak, ie less than half full, let's hope that I can relax that now.
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