Richie's Mk1 Restoration

[RichardT10829]

Well the engine is off the stand and into its testing cradle, everything was going well until I went to fit the distributor and it does not fit... I have done something wrong, failing that it's the timing gear cover needs changing..... Gutted :-(

[horsa]

You need a bigger hammer

When looking at your distributor male fitting, make sure it is rotated to match the offset of the mounting slot. It should only be able to go onto the engine one way and this prevents you from having your timing off 180 degrees.

Can't think of anything else that could be off if this is the same distributor you had before restoring the engine.

[RichardT10829]

No the original was the divers helmet... This is a crab type dizzy as I was recommended to go with one of those. The drive on the dizzy is too deep for the rebate on the cover.

[chris vickery]

Ritchie, nothing wrong with your timing cover. You have a 32-41 3 bolt meant for the divers helmet dizzy. The 42-48 3 bolt is what is required for a crab or pancake type dizzy.
The 2 bolt crab dizzy uses a remote coil on a bracket off of the head somewhere. It is superior to the early type as the coil stays cooler than the diver type which mounted right atop the distributor on front of the engine.
Since this is the distributor you have, you will need to source a 2 bolt timing cover.
Not sure which is "correct" for the Universal Carrier but I would definately use the one you have.

[chris vickery]

Only bit of bad news Richie is that the 2 bolt covers are a little harder to find. They are out there mind you. I will check with a friend of mine this weekend who is big into flathead Fords unless you have someone local who can help out.

[RichardT10829]

Cheers Chris, I will give royal kustoms a call tomorrow.

[Private_collector]

Adaptors are available to compensate for the distributor swap.
$30 is cost, here in Aust.

attachment-40.jpeg

distadap.jpeg

Alternatively, if you can't find one, or a 2 bolt cover, I think I may have a spare one here if you want it!

[chris vickery]

Wow Tony, cheaper down in Oz. I have seen those here in the US, last one listed was $69.99USD!!!
I figured that since Richie is doing such an original job, I didn't want to temp him with the idea of hotrod parts... Certainly an option if stuck though.
I am sure one of us here on MLU will get you sorted.

[lynx42]

[QUOTE=RichardT10829;193932]Well the engine is off the stand and into its testing cradle, everything was going well until I went to fit the distributor and it does not fit... I have done something wrong, failing that it's the timing gear cover needs changing..... Gutted :-(





Richard, I think that you will also need to change the spark lead conduits. The ones you have are for the 3 pin divers helmet distributor. The crab has different conduits. The divers helmet has tapered rubber pipes from the distributor up into the conduits. The crab has a slightly different shaped tubes.

Regards Rick.

[Lynn Eades]

Two pictures to show the HT wiring lay out. The conduits needs holes for the two leads that cross over, which doesn't happen with the older dizzy. This was covered in Alastair's Loyd thread.

Credit to who ever posted these very helpful pictures before me.

[RichardT10829]

Thanks Lynn, I have just tried feeding the ht leads through the tube, leaving the two out that cross over, and I can get away with the conduit that I have.

[RichardT10829]

Well, still waiting for the replacement timing cover to come back, my pal made me up a starting box for the test runs, he also stripped and rebuilt my starter motor which I have re fitted to the engine.... Fan extension has been cleaned up and awaits the tweaked generator.


Can anyone advise one best oil to use ? Should I get some cheap stuff to run the engine through ?

Also I am running 12v system, what sort of battery do you guys recommend ?

[RichardT10829]

Well got a bit more done today, this time the gunners left hand side folding armour I had to bend up a small joggle that catches the retaining latch from the front armour, which pretty much consisted of cutting a strip out of a bit of scrap 8mm steel then bending it to the required heights, followed by fixing it to the plate with two 3/8 rivets. Next I had to rivet on the spall strip which was used to catch any fragments of bullet should a round or two strike the armour where the fold down section meets the main plate..... This was fixed with five 5/16 rivets, two of which had to be ground flat afterwards to allow for the hinges to sit over them...

And here we are ready to rivet onto the hinges ! Tomorrow's job !!!!

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Rich. I recon I almost recognize that spall strip, or at least the origin of the cad drawing for it?(If they were an exact copy, all would be the same anyhow. I'm just guessing you might have had some help?) Suggest before you rivet that you shim both ends so there is room for the paint, if you haven't already thought of it.
You are progressing well. Keep it going!

[kevin powles]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

Well got a bit more done today, this time the gunners left hand side folding armour I had to bend up a small joggle that catches the retaining latch from the front armour, which pretty much consisted of cutting a strip out of a bit of scrap 8mm steel then bending it to the required heights, followed by fixing it to the plate with two 3/8 rivets. Next I had to rivet on the spall strip which was used to catch any fragments of bullet should a round or two strike the armour where the fold down section meets the main plate..... This was fixed with five 5/16 rivets, two of which had to be ground flat afterwards to allow for the hinges to sit over them...

And here we are ready to rivet onto the hinges ! Tomorrow's job !!!!

Looking good Richie, remember to put the hinges on the right way up, you can flash on the top corner flat once aligned with your gun port swing armour plate, as they did in the factory.

Only 11 weeks to go!.

Kevin.