Missing bits under the battery tray

Post by **alzax3** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:29 pm

Our new convertible has an interesting engine stay:

Is that a Mr Grumpy's type solution or more of a 'home-made' lash up?
The car also has a piece cut out of the support in the centre of the panel under the battery tray:

The Traveller had exactly the same cut out, and the staybar portion had cracked just like this one:

So the question is: two unrelated cars with the same bit of panel removed can't just be a coincidence - so does anybody know why? and does cutting out the central section lead to the cracks round the steady bar holes?

Post by **MarkyB** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:18 pm

That bit of panel wasn't removed it cracked due to the vibration and strain put though it by the engine steady.
Home made would be the way I'd describe the new mounting. I did something similar but used some angle iron and used the damper mounting bolts which I believe is how Grumpys kit worked.
The original was a bit of an afterthought which is maybe why it doesn't last very well.

Post by **Mogwai** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:22 pm

Snap. quite common mine had gone there as well so I repositioned the mount .

Post by **alzax3** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:23 pm

Thanks for that, but the 'missing bit' I'm refering to is the deliberately cut-out section just immediately behind the engine rather than the fractured bit (look along a few inches to the right of the broken out bit) - in both cars it has been the 'not quite regular' shape shown. I can't quite see the benefit that taking it away was suppose dot confer though......

Post by **Declan_Burns** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:37 pm

I think there was an issue about the heater tap fouling the battery tray on mounting a different head. Perhaps that was the reason the piece was cut out.
The Grumpy kit is slightly different but basically the same principle using the two unused threaded holes beside the damper. The original mount is probably not really strong enough and seems to rot away with time.<br>

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Post by **alzax3** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:41 pm

Excellent - that's what I wanted to know! I'll probably just weld it all back as it should have been and fit a normal engine brace (did that on the Traveller and didn't seem to cause any problems.....)

Post by **pfgiz** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:08 pm

alzax3 wrote:

Is that an old horn mounting on the body side of the engine stay?

A nice fix to a common problem, probably done before the Grumpy solution was available. I’ve had to fix the original mount before now due to wear and damage. I’d guess it has a lot to do with the quality of the engine mounts and their tightness. When these fail the engine moves more allowing the engine stay to snap over time. Rust wouldn’t help either.

Post by **MarkyB** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:28 pm

Aha! Declan_Burns has nudged my memory.
A bit of angle iron bolted to the spare holes next to the damper and sticking up high enough to mount the engine steady level with the engine. Easy enough to make and a better solution that trying to re-weld the failed part.
It is quite common to see where people have tried this and it has failed again.
Maybe try thicker metal than the original, but it is a very awkward welding job.

Post by **jaekl** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:45 pm

If you study the vertical piece of metal under the battery tray, you will see that it is actually two identical pieces. It's one of the few areas of the body shell that are not symmetrical. The piece could have been flipped or it could have been one piece. Does it date back to the original Series MM or did it appear when the Austin engine was installed and the crossmember modified?

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