Elizabeth lives!!

Post by **scooters29** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:54 pm

Dear all, 6 months and 1500 quid later Elizabeth burst into life today...

Back in July I swapped my Daf 55 with Onne for his 1955 S2 "Elizabeth" sadly 20 miles after picking her up the coil failed - then the condensor -I didn't have any spares so had an RAC man tow me to Loughborough where I left the car with Arthur Jones, a large midlands independent.

I decided to take the plunge and had the off side wing replaced with a heritage one (the old one was the nastiest bit of Elizabeth) I also had a reconditined gearbox fitted, the brakes done and a new clutch. At the same time they replaced all the ignition parts with new ad MOT's her. 4 weeks ago i collected her and started to drive the 300 miles to Edinburgh - unfortunately after 100 miles the coil failed - the eejits had fitted one that needed a ballast resistor - further investigations showed that the wiring was of [Don't swear or you will be banned - Admin] quality as well. I had the RAC tow me back to Edinburgh and ordered new coil, dizzy cap, rotor and leads from ESM and also a luminition system. I now carry points, condensor and coil as spare should the electronic ignition fail -

here's a tip - store your electrical spares wrapped in bubble wrap and in a placcy bag with a few sachets of silica gel - avaliable on ebay - keeps em nic and dry if you need them.

so last weekend I fitted all - gave the carb a good clean, changed the plugs and today I shamelessly used my AA "Home Start" membershim to get the AA man to set the timing for me - somthing I have always been useless at!

and - vroom! she lives!!!

so - this weekens I need to hammerite a few bits of rust that have come up this winter, waxoyl the engine bay for the winter, vaseline on the chrome and fit front seat belts - the rear ones can wait a bit

very pleased - will post some pics up when she has had a cleanse!

the car is no longer for sale

Post by **d_harris** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 2:09 pm

Fantastic news and happy Minoring!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:44 pm

Crikey - AA and RAC membership! I'm amazed the AA man knew how to set 'timing'. Where did he plug his laptop in ?

Post by **scooters29** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:09 pm

my experience of both the AA and the RAC with old cars is that they tend to send the older mechanics when possible. Both the RAC man I havd out last month and the AA man I had out today have all cut their teeth in the 70's and had spent their apprenticeships on points, condensors - the guy I had today raced minis in the 80's and rebuilt 5 moggys in the 90's - he'd forgotten more about the A class engine than I will ever know - these guys have given me some very useful tips in the past. He said it made his day to come and work on a car he can acually work on rather than tow it to an agent and also said that because of the very simplicity of the Morris and the A class engine they were just about the most reliable car you could get provided you carried a few good quality parts around - but then again - we all know that already..

Just took the car for a spin round Edinburgh - really behaving herself - idle is set a wee bit too high and I need to strobe the timing and fix a dodgey trafficatr but other than that she is working a treat and I was amazed at the smiles you get from the punters and how other drivers give you a bit of space - mind you - fun and games coming down the steep cobbled hills!

even the brakes are freeing up nicely - a bit of a cultuer shock as I used my Citroen XM to drive back to Edinburgh from London yesterday and the XM has wonderful lose yer gnashers style hydraulic brakes - a tad moer stopping power than the drums on 'Liz!

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:24 pm

Lucky to get the older guy then

Don't get too excited about 'strobing' the timing - just advance it till it pinks, then set it back slightly so it doesn't.

Post by **scooters29** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:43 pm

bmc - that steam train piccy looks very like the Boness railway - am I right?

will set the timing your way - cheers

Post by **Dean** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:46 pm

bmcecosse wrote:Lucky to get the older guy then

The old 'ens know their stuff bmc.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:48 pm

Yes - Bo'ness. Pic shows me and Norman Girvan (who has a P6) in Morayshire. My jacket is off cos I'm doing all the hard work.......

Post by **scooters29** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:48 pm

the guy who came today did say that on the whole the younger mechanics didn't understand points etc - why should they - my 1990 Golf Clipper Cabriolet has a carb but electronic ignition - mechanics doing their apprenticeships will be working on the likes of that - no points - wonder what the last production car with points was? any ideas?

Post by **d_harris** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:49 pm

Mini or Maestro would be my bet!

Post by **scooters29** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 4:59 pm

I suspect it would be the early 80's for British cars anyway

Mercdes apparantly stopped in 1975
My 1979 Volvo 244 had contact breakers
My 1979 Daimler and Scimitar (same year) had electronic - although I suspect the scimitar was retro fitted -

I was having a dig around on wikipedia and apparantly points are still fitted to aero engines as they tend not to fail catastrophically but gradually wear down -

Post by **PSL184** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:23 pm

Dan_Harris wrote:Mini or Maestro would be my bet!

Prob Mini or Marina / Ital as all Maestro / Montego were electronic... I had an A reg (1984) Ital 1.7 pick up and that was still using points so too was my 1978 TR7....

Post by **d_harris** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 6:46 pm

Thanks for that PSL

Post by **PSL184** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:13 am

Actually, just remembered that Mk1 Metro's all had points too. I think the chage came with the facelift in 1986.