More and more bits were being plucked from the to do box, next on the list was the brake bell cranks, these sit on the lower transom of the hull and connect a push rod which runs from the front of the carrier, to the plunger on the expander unit for the brakes, and there is one on each side of the hull. The unit consists of a cast housing with a grease nipple, two brackets to bolt it to the transom, and a central spindle with needle bearings.
Here is the item as purchased
Again it was an easy enough job, just a case of stripping the thing down, attacking it with cellulose thinners to de grease, then a dose of wire wheel.
Each needle was counted out of the unit, then cleaned with thinners, once I had finished with the housing it was packed with grease and the axle spindle posted through, after that it was a simple case of slipping the needles back in and winding the nuts back on.
I still have to make some cork washers for the top and bottom.
Both are yet to be returned to the hull.
I continued on and thought I better start to try and collect bits for my dash panel (basically it's the starter button and all the gauges)
I did some wheeling and dealing and managed to secure an original Mk1 dash, two mk2 new old stock speedometers (one was still packed in its wax sealed box !!! Oil pressure gauge and ammeter and switch panel assembly again both new old stock.
Note one of the speedo's has been stripped down....... I came under some serious fire for this, not because it is original material (these gauges are in abundance) but due to what the gauge contained
Note the glowing segments..........Radium 226.... Gauges of this era were radium luminised, not knowing at the time what I had potentially done to myself my bottom dropped out when I was told by a collector that I would be dead within a year...... As a result I contacted a doctor who specialises in the subject and was given advice how to clean down my workshop... The danger with this system is particle inhalation, luckily at the time I was wearing an appropriate respirator.. But none the less it took the wind out of my sails.
I collected surface samples before and after cleaning and sent them off for analysis which later confirmed I had cleaned the job down correctly.
When I rebuilt the gauge I fitted it with the correct mk1 style facia which I made and placed it back into the dash panel
This needs wiring up which I need to get someone to do at some point.
On the subject of these gauges, it seems that as so many people know nothing about the genuine risks many museums are ripping gauges out of historic vehicles to have them destroyed.......utterly utterly foolish ! They pose no risk when sealed behind the glass but as it has the stigma of having an invisible killer, people tend to panic before engaging the brain.
(Probably something I should have done before stripping mine down)
There were mixed opinions about the patina on the dash plate, some are of the view that I should have filled the pitting, however I saw this as sanitising what I had, which if I was going to do that I would have made a new dash out of new material.......I kinda like the pitting anyhoo
"You can screw a man down until he takes to drinking......take me to the fantastic place..."
