Hydraulics, and Instruments

Today it was time to fit the brake pipes and hoses. Copper pipes were fitted 22 years ago and, as expected, they are still in perfect condition.

I also fitted Goodridge braided hoses. These were bought, but not fitted, 15 years ago! Fortunately they claim to be guaranteed forever. We'll see if they last that long.

Whilst crawling around under the car to fit the rear pipes and hoses, I found it rather difficult to get back up again, wedged as I was between car and garage wall. Maybe I need to fit some some of those handles that usually adorn old folk's bathrooms.

It being rather chilly outside, I also cleaned up the Speedo and Tacho, ready to fit to the dashboard. The dashboard was painted many years ago using the original looking crackle finish paint. It took 3 goes to get any crackles in the paint. It needed to be done in the right temperature environment. "She" wouldn't let me do it in the house so I took it to work. The results were superb.

Decided it would be nice to see the Dashboard fitted today, so began the task. Then found it wouldn't fit due to the door seals (see earlier post) and the windscreen bolts had bowed the dash top, such that the centre section wouldn't bolt in place. This explains why the windscreen centre bolts had two gasket/spacers fitted in the dash top. Both are now fitted and the dashboard looks fine - except the door seals are hanging off again.

Windscreen, and number plate light.

New seals obtained from sussexclassiccar. These seals go under the windscreen, where it bolts to the body. Problem being, these seals are new and don't compress, so I couldn't fit any of the 4 bolts that hold the screen on.

Struggled for ages, then gave up. I cut some rubber matting to the right shape and fitted the screen without problem.

The number plate plate lamp was next. I had fitted the plinth some time ago. As usual this had to be removed to fit the light. Then the new light unit has M5 studs not 3/16". Another trip to the shops for some nuts to fit. With the wires soldered and the earth bolted to the boot lock support, it should work if I ever get to fit a battery.

Windows, easy to get out, hard to get in.

I've been avoiding the passenger's window ever since I fitted the drivers window. It took a whole day to fit it. I should have done the passenger window straight away while the process was clear in my mind.

Two hours later it was done! Easy! The quarter light goes in first, Then loosen the channel by the door lock. Wind the winder until the winding mechanism is as far to the rear as possible then remove all 8 bolts. Shuffle the window and winder about until it all joins up and re-bolt.

It's a good idea to fit the right angle bracket at the end of the quarter light channel before putting in the window. Darn tricky otherwise.

Then found that the windscreen doesn't really line up that well with the quarter lights. So it had to come off again. Needed some new seals anyway.

With the wiring loom in yesterday, I offered up the dashboard. Its rather tight and the steering wheel and shaft had to come off as well.

Net result, 2 things on, 2 things off.

Great...

Too Many Wires...

It's cold outside, so I thought it would be a good time to deal with the wiring loom.

Somewhere over the last 20 years I seem to have lost the "original" wiring loom. I bought another from eBay but it was too different to what Jemima needed. So, feeling flush, I bought a new loom from sussexclassiccar . Then spent a few days thinking about how to modify it.

I need to re-do the mods for negative earth and the alternator conversion, which I first did years ago. Then I'll fit the Toad Powerkey immobiliser, electric washer, reverser switch & lights, Fog light and multi way fuse box.

So I thought about it some more and then started cutting up the old loom for parts. The original control box was modified to contain 2 fuses by removing the internals and adding a few links underneath. This article gives some of the idea.

The immobiliser has two switching circuits. One circuit cuts the supply to the starter solenoid and the other cuts power to something else ( I'm not saying - just in case) hopefully when I come to try to start the car it will work as designed and detect the "magic" keyring.

As I now have reversing lights on Jemima, I used the rear portion of the old loom and spliced it onto the new loom with some minor changes.

A Brand New Coat

The Midget was sent to Riverside. "I'm in no hurry" I said and went to Seattle, then China, Helsinki and Madrid.

About 6 months later the midget was ready.

Now in her original colour again, British racing Green (GN29), Jemima looked superb. Time at last to start putting her back together. All the bits taken off 20 years ago, painted and wrapped and boxed were finally required once more.

The problem is what order do you fit these things? The first things off, and painted, are probably the last things to refit but I was keen to make an impression. So I fitted the heater and fan. Then took the fan off again as the fuse box was underneath, and I couldn't fit the pedal box with it fitted.

Next I fitted the lights, this I decided would be easy and would help make Jemima look like a real car again. And then the windscreen, which came with some shims, which I couldn't remember where they went. After fitting it I read the book "Original Sprite and Midget" and had to take it off again and put them in the right place (between the aluminium post and body, not as posh washers for the bolts).

The boot seal was fitted and the door seals, then I found the doors wouldn't close. This was a big problem. The seal was cut and modified and eventually the body (near the A post) was walloped with a large hammer. The door would close now but the fit wasn't as good.

This isn't going to be an easy jigsaw to assemble...

The Rub

So, another week and another trip to Madrid and still no further with the car.

'There was no stopping me' I said earlier. Well maybe there was.

The problem for a few years was getting the right finish. For example - I had replaced the lower half of the wing. But the join wasnt very good and the top bit would occasionally show signs of rust bubbling underneath.

So I would strip the paint back and attack the area with various rust eating chemicals, then my boss would call and suggest I could go to Hong Kong, or Brisbane or somewhere.

So I would have to quickly paint it over and pack my bags and go. Enthusiasm to start again would take some time to return. The front end was proving to be tricky as well. A new bonnet was purchased some time ago and the alignment with the old wings wasnt easy.

Eventually I decided enough was enough. My rubbing down wasnt very good and the panel fit at the front was always going to be awkward so when the trip to Seattle came up I booked the car into the local shop (Riverside Autos) and looked forward to a gleaming new car on my return.

A Double Garage

I've just come back from a week in Madrid, another reason for maybe not working on the car. Maybe going again later in the week.

Anyway back to the story,
This time when we moved house we got a double garage. Space for Jemima and for the TR5 I bought a little earlier. Unfortuneatley The TR5 and the daily his-'n'-hers drivers (VW camper, Bedford Rascal) took up quite a bit of time to keep them going so Jemima was neglected quite a bit longer than was intended.
http://wolff.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/tr5/images/DSCN1634.jpg

The TR5 was sold in 2003, the VW and Rascal went a year later.

Now there was no stopping me...