dmulally Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Hi All I have a few months off work to be a lady of leisure and with a long list of stuff to do on the farm to ignore, Ill get some shed time in. I'm hoping making a thread will motivate me to get a bit done every day. First cab off the rank is finishing off my Commer van. I drove it for a year or so as a stocky but it was unreliable and had a top speed of about 3. I have a 5km stretch of highway to get to the shops and I was a mobile chicane. So I have since done some minor upgrades to make it more user friendly. I have dumped the awful 1725cc cast iron head lump and put in a 1725cc Sunbeam Rapier engine. I've ditched the awful 4 speed box for a Lexus 6 speed box. I've also binned the awful stock 5.6:1 ratio diff for a chevy 10 bolt. I've test driven it round the block and can get all 6 forward gears but struggled to get reverse. I'm currently doing the minor shitty jobs getting ready for certification so it's off the road for a while. For a relatively easy engine swap, nothing seems to fit. My old commer had a mid mounted V8 and that was boat loads easier. Here it is in all it's glory. Anyway, I look forward to crawling around taking pics in the next few days. If anybody sees any glaring errors please sing out. I'll start a discussion thread for insults shortly. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dmulally Posted January 2, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 2, 2019 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Today's job was to take out the old fuel tank and put in the new one. Looks like I need an adapter hose for the filler pipe as the old one had a flange with screws. Not a big deal. The old tank was ok but I wanted a larger capacity for getting further from home before breaking down. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 So today I was able to tick a few things off the list. I fitted the rear lever arm shocks properly. I'll see how it goes with cert as I have copied the stock setup, but I wouldn't mind putting in some telescopic shocks. I also fitted the fuel tank and put in a new fuel line. Whilst I was under there I put in the rear brake like. I just need to add fluid and bleed and I can test drive. Next on the list will be a tailshaft loop. The hobbycar manual is too vague so Ill be flipping through the relevant bulletin for the mounting specs. I dont have a cross member there so I assume I'll have to weld some plates to the floor. My grinders ears are burning already. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 Whilst the commer is off the road the daily driver duties are being carried out by the Standard 10. It was a barn find which didnt take much to get roadworthy. I have swapped the diff centre for a herald and it is much more user friendly. Took it from 4.5:1 to 4.1. It has been bulletproof so far and I love it. When I am done with the commer Ill tart the standard up. It sways on the road over 50mph and is gutless so Ill target that. It has a 946cc currently but I have a 1200 big block on the bench which is a bolt in swap. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dmulally Posted January 5, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 5, 2019 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dmulally Posted January 5, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 5, 2019 Woo. So the test drive went well enough that I was able to drive home unassisted. I gave the brakes a quick bleed but they need plenty more work. When I can steal a body Ill do a proper bleed. One of the rear drums felt hot so it needs adjusting. Throttle return spring also isnt up to the job. What a difference a real diff makes. Going from 5.6:1 to 3.7 is amazing. I cant see myself needing 5th let alone 6th. Lowering it has made the handling waaaay better too. Plenty to go but good that it is driving. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 Bleh. Looks like finding reverse just jumped up the priority list. 5 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dmulally Posted January 7, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 7, 2019 Took the day off to do bogan tetris. Finding engines I didnt remember I even had and moving it into storage. Oh if anyone wants a chev 250 inline 6 and 4 speed, shoot me a pm. Anyway, managed to find reverse with a pry bar under the van but not on the gearstick so Ill have to have a tickle. Feels good to have a clean shed. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dmulally Posted January 7, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 7, 2019 This is my beautiful 1912 lister and powers my house in winter when there isnt enough sun for the house batteries. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Not much to report today. Just finished making a tool wall and went out shopping in the standard. Generic old bloke number 637 came up to speak about owning one back in the day. Love having a chat. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Not much to report today. Just finished making a tool wall and went out shopping in the standard. Generic old bloke number 637 came up to speak about owning one back in the day. Love having a chat. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 Yusssss. Finally found reverse. I'm not sure if I have lost 5th and 6th yet but I'll deal with that later. Should be ok. After hours under the car with spacers and all sorts of shit I just straightened the kink in the gearstick. I also welded a washer to the exhaust manifold so the throttle return spring can sit at a 45 degree angle to snap it back. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 What a crap day today was. I had to install the tail shaft safety loop. Seeing as I didnt have a crossmember handy I had to fab a doubler plate. I didnt have any 3mm plate so had to use 10mm. Holy crap what a balls job. The steel was from a leaf spring of a WW2 truck so just wanted to eat my drill bits and cutting discs. Bleh. Ill get the bolts in the morning to fit it. I can see why I put this job off so long! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 A shame I couldnt weld in a cross member to bolt the safety loop to. This thing is going to snag on every bloody thing in the cargo space. But like most safety things it is a massige PITA to install but once done I feel better knowing it is there. Considering it had one from factory (albeit non compliant) the roots engineers knew more than I'll ever know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 11, 2019 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 So took it for a decent test drive today and I dont think I'll be looking at booking in the cert inspecion yet. Even with a decent bleed the pedal goes to the floor. A miss match in wheel cyls front to rear is probably the culprit. I might look at a split circuit or put the commer ones in the chev backing plate. Also, I can get reverse now but not easily. It is too hit and miss so will have to clean that up. Both very fiddly and time consuming jobs but I want it to be perfect. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 I might use those plates to hold in some C channel to be able to drag a bike up in there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 I also have a dicky seat for the engine lid but doubt I will fit it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmulally Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Fitted a towbar today. Just doing odd jobs whilst waiting for brake drums to be machined and parts to fly in from England to help with gearchanging and brakes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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