Tiger Tamer Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 The rear door gaps turned out nice. Hard work if you are doing them by yourself. Shame the previous painter hadn't removed the hinges before paint but good to find before damage is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 2, 2023 Author Share Posted July 2, 2023 Thanks for the feedback @Tiger Tamer Yep, it was a bit fiddly and I did have to rope in Mrs Flash to help me push against the seal while I climbed inside to tighten the nuts on the back of the hinge. Would have been a much easier task if I had done it before fitting the new seals, but I always seem to do things arse about face. Around 12 years ago the previous owner commissioned a well know Brisbane based outfit to do a bare metal restoration and whilst the paintwork has held up really well, I've found a few paint related things that I can't believe a professional place would do. The worst one was the original rubber grommet around the fuel filler neck that not only survived the sand blasting process but got painted over too. I couldn't believe my eyes. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Tamer Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 Would a top hat for a blow through Weber turbo set up work for you. DGV Turbo Plenum (turbogemini.com) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 10, 2023 Author Share Posted July 10, 2023 2 hours ago, Tiger Tamer said: Would a top hat for a blow through Weber turbo set up work for you. DGV Turbo Plenum (turbogemini.com) Thanks for the suggestion @Tiger Tamer. I did look at this but unfortunately not. There just isn't enough headroom available to get the "pot" section over the choke tubes without a bit of butchering. I'm going to have to make the sides in two halves (picture a U shape lying on its side) that I can slide in on either side of the choke tubes. I'll use two of the mounting screws on either side of the carby to hold the sides to the carby and then the existing lid of the performance air filter to hold the top of each section together. Hope this makes sense. It kinda makes sense in my head, but only time will tell whether I can get it to seal properly 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Tamer Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Me again. My 2c I would think it would be the shocks as it's their job to dampen the springs to stop the bounce of the springs. I see the King springs are 25mm shorter and probably depending on the suspension type can lower the front by twice the amount compared to the longer springs. Double A arm suspension seems to do this ( GM US cars do this). I cut the Hillman springs 25mm and got a less than 50mm drop but more than the 25mm, but like you say cutting can increase the stiffness. The spring rate of the two spring types you have is much the same, as they are very similar in coil dia, then perhaps that is why you have got a bit more than 50mm. With the Tiger I went from the stock springs which I can't remember the spring rate, to a much stiffer 450lb springs. They were quite a bit shorter but compressed a lot less. Strangely the Hillman springs have a larger dia wire than the Tiger. Probably why they sit so high in the front. If the Kings are giving you the correct ride height then maybe just some good shocks will fix it. I am no suspension tech so I would be asking them but would be interested in what they say if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otodat Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 You could also try putting some weight in the back, it may be the front bouncing but it might level out when loaded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 1 hour ago, Tiger Tamer said: Me again. My 2c I would think it would be the shocks as it's their job to dampen the springs to stop the bounce of the springs. I see the King springs are 25mm shorter and probably depending on the suspension type can lower the front by twice the amount compared to the longer springs. Double A arm suspension seems to do this ( GM US cars do this). I cut the Hillman springs 25mm and got a less than 50mm drop but more than the 25mm, but like you say cutting can increase the stiffness. The spring rate of the two spring types you have is much the same, as they are very similar in coil dia, then perhaps that is why you have got a bit more than 50mm. With the Tiger I went from the stock springs which I can't remember the spring rate, to a much stiffer 450lb springs. They were quite a bit shorter but compressed a lot less. Strangely the Hillman springs have a larger dia wire than the Tiger. Probably why they sit so high in the front. If the Kings are giving you the correct ride height then maybe just some good shocks will fix it. I am no suspension tech so I would be asking them but would be interested in what they say if you do. Thanks for this @Tiger Tameras always I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences, thoughts and suggestions. As they say a problem shared is a problem halved and being a team of one, I sure am grateful for your input. I'm probably showing my vintage here, but it has been almost 40 years since I last trimmed a set of coil springs (out of a Consul 315 if you can believe it) so I put a "how to" question to my good mate Google and in one of the Youtube clips that came up the chap mentioned that if you want a two inch drop then cut the coil down by an inch, so your result when you did your Hillman sounds about right. I think your suggestion regarding a new set of shocks is a sound one and will be a worthwhile investment whether if fixes the bounce or not. By the way I've spent a good bit of time looking at the build thread on your Tiger on the UK Tiger forum and the quality of your restoration looks absolutely amazing. Your award was certainly well deserved. Thanks again for the input. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 53 minutes ago, Otodat said: You could also try putting some weight in the back, it may be the front bouncing but it might level out when loaded. Thanks @Otodat. That's a bloody good suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Tamer Posted July 12, 2023 Share Posted July 12, 2023 The other thing I forgot to mention is the King spring is coiled flat at both ends and the other is open on end. The design of where it sits will be different for each spring. Glad you enjoyed the Tiger build. The award was a huge surprise but mainly due to the great work the panel beater did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 12, 2023 Author Share Posted July 12, 2023 Yep, good point @Tiger Tamer. I had a nosey around the net last night and I can get a set of Gabriel gas shocks for about $30 more than the cost of a standard set of shocks, so I'm thinking of giving them a go. While I'm waiting for them to arrive, I've got some paving slabs and a half dozen or so concrete blocks laying around so I'm going to try @Otodat's suggestion and put some weight in the back to see if that improves things. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nominal Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Easy answer is to eat a lot of pies 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Tamer Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Convert to a camper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 3 hours ago, Nominal said: Easy answer is to eat a lot of pies Would be the easiest option for sure @Nominal. Like most English Fords of that era the rear is fitted with what I call grasshopper boxes instead of telescopic shocks. Usually the seals give out and they start to leak fluid. Mine are still leak free and when I had them out I checked fluid levels and they were both full. The fluid looked pretty fresh too, so I suspect that the previous owner had paid them some attention. I'm now wondering if they might have been filled with a thinner viscosity oil, so that might be the first thing I need to check out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 13, 2023 Author Share Posted July 13, 2023 2 hours ago, Tiger Tamer said: Convert to a camper. Funny you should say that @Tiger Tamer as I was discussing the issue with Mrs Flash over lunch and she suggested that I move the pavers further forward in the load area to see if the ride remains improved. Reason being that we plan to build a rock n' roll bed with a storage box underneath directly behind the front seats. I'm going to move the pavers forward first thing tomorrow and will go for a test drive to see how it handles. If that works it might be the easiest way out. My original plan was to make the couch/bed out of a timber frame with plywood tops, but maybe the answer is a lead filled metal frame with hardwood timber decking tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otodat Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 In general, commercial vehicles are hard riding and bouncy empty. Your van is designed to be loaded so possibly the rear shocks are all good. Sounds like your on to a winner with your couch, chuck some tools and maybe a water tank or something and you should be cruising. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 14, 2023 Author Share Posted July 14, 2023 Yep, what you are saying makes a lot of sense @Otodat. Now that I think back on the Bedford CF that I built about 10 years back I'd forgotten just how bouncy it was at first. Then I built a fixed bed with storage underneath, chucked in a fridge, spare wheel, tools and a little trolley jack and it was amazing how well she handled with that extra weight. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KKtrips Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Looking fantastic and keep the rake, it looks so cool. Also as a suggestion for a low key weight increase, a 25mm thick chunk of ply laid on the floor would not look offensive and they weigh the best part of 50kg. Also if you shift the battery right to the back and under the floor should give you most of the weight you need. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Tamer Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Me again again again. I do have a worry about fiberglass and a Carby backfire. It seems it is in the firing line if you have a Carby back fire. If it is, it may pay to see how flammable it is. Of course i could have it all wrong still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 A few months ago I fitted the exact same carby setup and kit that you've got onto a 3y powered hiace. The kit came with a Ramflo filter (no less...) and although it works ok it lets through a lot of fumes and is slowly turning into a flammable time bomb. So the van is back in right now and I'm going to build a steel adaptor to suit the original low profile Toyota carb top hat. I'll report in with progress for ya. BTW- I had to mill/slot out two of the holes on the adaptor plate because it did not line up perfectly either. I made a manual choke cable using a bicycle cable that runs to a easy pull loop under the drivers seat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted July 18, 2023 Author Share Posted July 18, 2023 On 14/07/2023 at 18:49, KKtrips said: Looking fantastic and keep the rake, it looks so cool. Also as a suggestion for a low key weight increase, a 25mm thick chunk of ply laid on the floor would not look offensive and they weigh the best part of 50kg. Also if you shift the battery right to the back and under the floor should give you most of the weight you need. Thanks for the ply suggestion @KKtrips. Not only would it add weight but if I sandwiched a layer of sound deadening between the floor and the ply, I'm sure it would make the van feel less "tinny". It's a bit like driving around in a Coke can at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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