Series 11 Saloon, 1956

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

As if I didnt have enough minors already, this clarendon grey saloon is now parked in the garage awaiting a bit of tidying rather than a restoration. So far Ive only spotted one bit thats needs welded. If does require a good going over as its been laid up for several years but had a rude awakening on the journey home today! I think its picked up some dirt into the carb as it drove really well for about 5 miles before the kangaroo petrol!!
[frame][/frame]

Paint work is good, was resprayed in 1987 along with other major body work. Drivers door and quarter panel need touched up and a scratch on the ps back wing and a few spots along the boot lid. New windscreen rubbers were fitted by me and Stevey about 2 years ago so these hopefully just need sealed and a dig around my spares will hopefully find a good enough chrome surround to fit. [frame][/frame]

[gtt1951]

David,
How many doors has your saloon got? How many Moggies have you got now?
George.

[jagnut66]

Hi,
For my two-penneth-worth I think this is a two door, as if you look at the first photograph, through the windscreen, you will see the rear side windows are one piece and feature no quarter-lights.
Great looking car either way.
Mike.

[stevey]

2 door saloon. May 56 build date by my reckoning. Nice wee motor that. As for how many he has, well Ill leave that to David to tell! I think he just needed a splitty to fill the space my splitty was in

[minor65]

Seen the machine yesterday. Very nice solid car

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

George, 6 and there is no known cure for this maddness

1950 mm, black
1956 series 11, 2 door saloon clarendon grey (this one)
1956 series 11 traveller, clarendon grey
1960 1000 2 door saloon, black and primer
1963 1000 4 door, almond green
1969 1000 2 door, trafalgar blue - owned now about 22 yrs

[jagnut66]

A wonderful collection to have though.......
You just need one more.....
Then you'll have one for every day of the week!
Best wishes,
Mike.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Perhaps Mike, I could be talked into a lowlight tourer........

[stevey]

You wouldnt take much talking!

[irmscher]

6 that's an illness

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I had a look at the carb today, I took it off and stripped it down. There was quite a bit of rusty crud at the bottom of the float bowl that i scraped out with a screw driver, it was pretty solid. I tried to remove the float but the pin was stuck solid and I ended up breaking a section off the alloy casting, I borrowed one from a spare carb I had. Everything else was cleaned up, oiled the moving parts, re assembled and put back on the car with some new gaskets. Although the petrol seems quite clean I decided to put a fuel filter in place for the moment. Ive yet to drain the old fuel from the tank, it smells a bit odd and as the car has had hardly any use in the last 10 years it could be very old. I started it up on the petrol and adjusted the carb until it was running a bit better.[frame][/frame]

It still wasnt running that well, lumpy and like it was off a cylinder. I took off each lead in turn and it didnt sem to make a lot of difference, seem like it was off a couple. Plugs out, there not to bad. My neighbour arrived over and noticed the coil lead, something I hadnt picked up on. Ther was an in line suppressor on the lead that was just about making contact and was also quite rusty. Another rummage in the parts and I found a better set of leads and cap, I just had to change the coil lead from push in to screw in. This made a huge difference.[frame][/frame] The suppressor[frame][/frame] and the bad rusty connection. Theres no radio fitted so Im not sure what purpose this suppressor has, any ideas? Im obviously going to give it a good service but it good to know that the running problem is (hopefully) sorted [frame][/frame] Heres the interoir, nice and clean and reasonably tidy!

[MarkyB]

what purpose this suppressor has, any ideas?

Does it say anything like "magic" or "wonder" on it?
May be a spark booster which was no doubt increasing HP, MPG and making you more attractive to the opposite sex

[stevey]

didnt see that suppressor either, bt suppose we werent looking for it. glad its up and humming again

[jagnut66]

Looks like she's a good honest car, just not concourse.
So use at will and enjoy!!

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

A little bit more progress today, drained the old fuel out which was very dirty and more brown towards the bottom of the tank. Blew out the fuel line back towards the tank and Stevey took the filter out of the pump to check it and it was nice and clean. Some fresh fuel in and once it cleared what was left in the float it seems to be running a bit better. The carb still needs properly setting up but its not far away. There is quite a bit of play in the butterfly so maybe a change of carb would be better.

While I was at the back I pulled off the back wheels and cleaned and adjusted the brakes which were nice new cylinders and a bleed as well, all good and no nasty surprises in in the wheel arches! Will need some new tyres, they have all cracked with sitting, loads of tread though.

The drivers side semaphore was broken near the top and the arm is bent as well but there was enough to get hold off and with the power put to it to free it off. The drivers side one looks fine and again with the power to it it works and even lights up.

[stevey]

It sounded so much better!

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

[frame][/frame]

Heres the semaphore stripped down for inspection and cleaned up, cleaned away years of muck and dirt and lubricated the moving bits. Another hoke through my spares and I found a replacement lens and arm for the damaged side. I also replaced the little rubber buffers that stop it closing in too far, thats the last of them in my spares now![frame][/frame]
Tested them on a battery and rising and falling easily. Just to clean the contacts on the body before I replace them as they earth via the body, no separate wires to them only a power wire.

[stevey]

Excellent job!!! thought a good clean would sort them

[Wyliecoyote]

Nice motor! Clarendon grey is what I'm going for on the '54, nice to see it in the flesh on a split screen two door

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Spent another couple of hours on the car today. Concentrated on the drivers side front, took the wheel off and drum to again find nice new cylinders fitted! Everything nice and free, just a clean up of the shoes and drum and re assemble it. The eyebolt bush had seen better days so it was time to change it[frame][/frame]
Thankfully everything came apart easily and the eyebolt even came out of the chassis leg without issue, Ive had nightmares in the past were this has been rusted into the chassis leg and had to heat and hammer to shift them. New poly bushes fitted although Ive seen much worse even worn right down through the rubber to the metal pin, all the other bushes looked fine but may need changed once its put into use as I doubt if they have been off since it was restored in 1987. I had out the bottom fulcrum pin while the wishbone was apart and it looks as new.[frame][/frame] The only other thing I did was to sparay release oil onto the sill finisher bolts as I want to pull them and the kick plates off to have a look before I do the little welding job that evident......