Another "Rotax" fuse box

It's always the same. Something turns up, then something slightly better turns up, then...

The similarity between this much later fuse box and the Rotax one is remarkable. It's plastic, but it's the same colour as Bakelite. Once the white writing is polished off it will look great.

Radiator

Things of beauty. One for me, one for another car.

"Rotax" Fuse box

I wouldn't have had a fuse box originally, but I need one that won't look out of place next to the Rotax Cutout box, so this is made from an old Lucas fusebox base, and a metal cover from something else to replace the curved plastic cover.

 

An even more complete Auto Klean

Another one - that's it, that's enough, stop buying them. This one is complete with casing - not exactly the right casing, but it's hidden under the car and can be adapted. It save the expensive job of making a casing from scratch.

This is a slightly later model as there's a ratchet just below the handle (at the bottom of the picture). This can be connected to the clutch pedal so that every time you change gear, the handle is automatically rotated a bit instead of doing it manually. This would have been on an early thirties Lagonda.

Camshafts

Perhaps not the greatest picture in the history of photography, but I'm a car so photography is hard for me !! The camshafts that came with me were from a supercharged car, mine were in the car that used to be supercharged. Neither were good enough for an engine rebuild.

 

Rear Axle back on

The rear axle back in place. Getting a bit dusty here and there. Time for spring binding...

Rear axle topcoat

Topcoat (shiny!)

 

Brake rods and adjusters

More bits on the way. Some original brake rods with the adjusters on them. So simple, a metal bar with opposing threads on it. rotate the bar and both brake rods screw in or screw out. Who needs hydraulics!

Rear Back Plates

All 90 year-old black paint and scunge (technical term) removed from the rear brake back-plates.

Priming the rear axle / torque tube

Rear axle off again and being primed, stopped and flatted down ready for topcoat. A lot of pitting to get rid of.

 

Dry sump oil tank

Even more from the loft: The dry sump oil tank. Oil drains in through the pipes in the top, and is pumped out from the bottom of the filter which extends to the full height of the tank. the pipe at the bottom of the filter sits snugly inside the outlet.

 

 

 

Clayton Dewandre vacuum brake servo

More from the loft, the Clayton Dewandre vacuum brake servo

Battery box... in the loft

Just to prove why I'm called Lofty... A Sunbeam battery box (probably 20.9 but close enough) currently in the loft.

A nice bit of 3-Litre automobilia

A card that would have been included in the handbook..

 

Petrol Auto Klean

It looks like it's Auto Klean time of year! This is a petrol Auto Klean, in good working order if a little rusty. It's a later model, probably 1930s and I was hoping the glass would be the same size, but it isn't, it's slightly larger. I'll hang on to it, someone will want it. 

The perfect Auto-Klean at last...

It took him four years, but he's finally found exactly the right Auto-Klean! Right now it's more an Auto-Filthy, and the filter itself might be dead, but a new filter can be fitted. 1920s technology, and still manufactured today. Search for Auto-Klean to find pics of previous purchases, one of which will be cannibalised for the filter.

Rear Axle on!

September 2013 has been a crazy month and it's not over yet! So much progress, I now have a rear axle! Springs on both sides, and axle stands under the axle.

Cantilevered rear suspension, one side finished

Meanwhile, work continues on the cantilevered rear suspension. One side is done. This photo is of test fitting the front hanger of the right hand rear spring. I'm getting close and closer to having wheels again. The grease nipple hasn't been fitted to the spring hanger yet, you can see the lug in the casting ready for it.

Gearbox casing repairs, welding oil impregnated aluminium

Restoring a car like me is about running dozens of things in parallel and then bringing them all together. We're nowhere near ready for the gearbox yet, but repairs have started, gear ratio options have been chosen, gears are being cut and hardened... 

 

The first pic shows damage to the gearbox casing. The gear lever rod goes into the brash bush in the top picture. 

 

And now it looks like this, taken from the side, you can still see the brass bush for the gear lever rod. The guy that did this is a welding magician. He could weld a haddock to a house-brick. This is 1920s oil-impregnated aluminium. It won't get finished off until the crankcase and sump are ready as well, then it can all be fettled to fit. I was hand-built and hand-fettled the first time round, and it'll have to be done like that again. At least all the holes will line up...

Lofty takes over and a spare Rotax MT77 starter motor

My owner has been blogging about restoring me for four years, and it's getting a bit boring. So, I've decided to take over. I'm called "Lofty" because I spent so much time in his loft. I'm now the "proud" owner of a very rusty Rotax MT77 starter motor which will be my spare 'cos he swapped the last one he found for a flywheel and some clutch parts for me. 

Door hinges and a Le Nivex gauge

A set of Sunbeam door hinges and stops (not pictured) and another Le Nivex Gauge - The Le Nivex gauge will be sold on with a surplus Le Nivex reproduction pump I have. I bought a set of seat runners as well.

At some point, unless I find a suitable body, I'm going to have to build one. I'll happily restore this car as a saloon if a Sunbeam saloon body turns up, othewise it will be restored as a Super Sports tourer.

A kigass priming pump

A very nice kigass pump from www.prewarcar.com . A nice tight action and the valve springs and ball bearings are still in place.

A bargain and a BTH Changeover switch from Beaulieu 2013

I found a superb BTH changeover switch at the international Autojumble, used to switch from coil to magneto. This sits on the engine side of the bulkhead, with a control on the dashboard. This will go on the 3-Litre.

But find of the day (for me) was a 1920s brass Rotax switch panel cover for a fiver! I do love a bargain!

One day, I will have one like this

This is where I'm heading: two photos of a friend's car. Off to the Beaulieu International Autojumble tomorrow to see if I can find anything useful.

Stainless steel Rudge Whitworth hubnuts

Four stainless steel Rudge Whitworth hubnuts. The real ones are steel with nickel plating, but these are much more practical with all the salt on the roads. You inevitably chip the nickel when you're putting these on / taking them off, then corrosion gets in.

WANTED Vintage Rotax Claudel Hobson Sunbeam car body tourer saloon BTH CE6 CED6 magneto parts

These are the parts I'm still looking for:

Car body (20s) tourer or saloon etc.

Sunbeam 3-Litre twincam radiator
Sunbeam 3-Litre twincam oil pump
Sunbeam 3-Litre twincam dynamo cover

Anything Sunbeam 3-litre really!

Claudel Hobson AZP carburettors, in any condition - all parts are useful. Any CH carbs that have ZP in the name are of interest, MZP, CZP etc. etc.
 
Always interested in any vintage Rotax car parts however bad the condition, switchboard parts (especially Rotax FT26), Rotax cutouts, starter motor (especially Rotax MT65 Rotax MT77), dynamo (especially Rotax AT105), lamps and lights..., just send me a photo.

BTH CE6 and CED6 magnetos are always of interest...

There's a contact box on the front page of my blog, www.vintagesunbeams.blogspot.com

Fitting the Spring Platforms

Spring platform, U-bolt carriers, U bolts, even the castle nut is new. All the originals were damaged.

Setting up the cantilevered rear suspension

Positioning the rear axle, ready for installing the platforms and front shackles. The spring is resting on the spring platform mounting point.

Spring platforms and hangers completed

A finished spring platform, and the first spring hanger in place on the rear springs

Rear spring platforms and spring hanger castings

Rear spring platforms and spring hangers cast and ready for machining

Handbrake

Finally got hold of a Sunbeam handbrake...

Also another carb float chamber lid, and a nice choke lever.

Beaulieu Autojumble tomorrow, you never know, I might luck out and find something...

U-bolt carriers made, and the front axle is in place

Another huge step forward. The U-bolt carriers have been made, so the front axle is now mounted on the chassis.

We're not a million miles away from putting wheels on for the first time since the car was dismantled in the 60s.

Rear axle, prop and torque tube come together

First the rear axle with the rear part of the torque tube...

 

then the bearing is added...     

    

and finally the front part of the torque tube

 

Carb and magneto linkages

There's a lot of linkage in a tc, twin carbs and a complex linkage to the magneto. I have a couple of original linkages, but I've just bought some later ones. If I can find enough original linkages, all well and good. If not, I have a backup plan.

Sunbeam linkage above, later linkage below

Headlamp stirrup

A headlamp stirrup. It came from the same source as the car itself, so may have belonged to it.