Paddy's Garage

Week 13 - Bugeye's Undercoating Removal Day!

Today I'm removing all of the old undercoating from the inner fender (wing) areas and part of the frame. Using an oscillating multi-tool, with a scraper attachment, makes quick work of this project.

 

Pt. 2 Renovating Scarlet’s Front Suspension – Bugeye Control Arm, Kingpin Assembly & Shocks

I’m returning to work this week on Scarlet’s (1959 Austin-Healey “Bugeye Sprite) front suspension and brakes.  In Pt. 1 Renovating Scarlet's Front Suspension, I removed the springs, shocks, control arms, kingpin and steering rack. It’s taken a significant amount of time to disassemble, clean and paint the various components in anticipation of their rehab and rebuild.

To make some space on the workbench, I’ve decided to complete the assembly of the right-side brakes and control arm/kingpin assembly.  Once complete, I can clean up my workspace and move on to the left-side components. 

I previously ordered a swivel pin repair kit (264-185) from Moss Motors.  The kit included new swivel pins, fulcrum pins, bushing, washers, shims etc. As soon as the kit arrived, I took inventory of the parts as there are some pretty tiny bits and pieces that would not be easy to source locally should they be missing.

Learning from others, I put the three cork washers into a plastic baggy filled with oil.  Others have complained that trying to mount “dry” cork washers would result in them splitting during the mounting process.

As explained in Part 1, I encountered difficulty in removing the fulcrum retaining pin and the fulcrum pint itself.  Thankfully, the repair kit included those parts. Before installing the fulcrum pin, I coated the threads with Permatex anti-seize copper grease and coated the center portion of the pin and king pin with red grease.

There’s a small lip in the inside of the control arm, where the fulcrum pin resides, that will help locate the oil-soaked cork washers.  The cork seals are there to help retain grease, pumped in from the end of the fulcrum pin. There must be some long-standing engineering reason for the use of cork?  I would think that a rubber/poly-type seal would provide a better seal and be longer lasting. 

With the fulcrum pin inserted through the control arm and the bottom of the swivel pin I was able to insert the wedge-shaped locking pin, making sure to insert it from the top (nut and washer on the bottom).

The Restoring Sprites & Midgets book by Grahame Bristow, (page 38) provides some excellent tips on assembling the swivel pin (kingpin).  Below is an excerpt from page 38:

"Assembling the Kingpin:
1. fit a new O ring into the base of the stub axle, note that it has a circular cross section, the upper seal (which fits under the trunnion) has a square cross section.

2. Locate the dust tube and spring assembly. Smear some water repellent grease onto the kingpin and then fit into the stub axle.

3. Fit the upper O ring, thrust washer, shims and top trunnion. This is best done with the assembly mounted in a vice. Firstly, put on some of the shims, fit the trunnion and rubber seal and using the old nut tighten down the trunnion.

If the assembly locks, add more shims. If the assembly is loose and the stub can be felt to move up and down on the king pin, remove some shims. When there is slight resistance, you've got it right."

A couple of notes from my personal experience:

1. My swivel pin repair kit from Moss came with three cork washers. Two identical cork washers are fitted on the fulcrum pin on either side of the swivel pin. The third cork washer is smaller and presumably is fitted at the bottom of the swivel pin in place of the O ring mentioned in #1 above. In my case, the 3^rd cork washer was set aside.

2. Two brass swivel pin (king pin) bushings were also included in the kit. These would need to be reamed and fit to the new swivel pin. In this case, I was lucky. I test fitted the new swivel pin into the stub axle and there was no play and the existing bushings were in good shape. 

Roger Williams said on the Austin Healey Bugeye Frogeye Sprite 1958-1961 Facebook forum:

”I have been working on sprites for 45 years. The first time I rebuilt a front end I replaced the bushes without checking for wear and had to ream them to fit. The second time and all times after that, I installed the spindle over the new king pin and found it to fit perfectly. It turns out that there was no wear on the bushing. It is the kingpin that wears. I have not found a worn bushing in a spindle ever. Your results may vary.”

Kenith Smith, on The Austin Healey Experience forum posted his experience in 2015:

”Peter C at World Wide Imports http://nosimport.com/ will ream and size the bushings and fit to the swivel pin. I sent to Swing Axle, Swivel pin, and all of the rest of the piece parts from the Major Suspension Kit to Peter C. His guys reamed the bushings and set them all up for clearances so all I needed to do was bolt the assembly to the wishbone and reassemble. Cost about $50 plus postage and turned around and going back to me the same day”.

3. Four thin metal shims were provided in the Moss kit. As noted in #3 above, these are intended to provide adjustment for any play in the swivel pin’s up and down motion. I installed the swivel pin in the stub axle and followed Mr. Bristow’s instructions in #3 above.  In my case adding shims made the axle more difficult to swivel.  I ended up with no shims needed which is the same way they came apart.

With the swivel pin and stub axle assembly completed, I was able to reinstall the previously restored brake backing plate, shoes and cylinders.  With the assembly still on the bench, I greased the swivel pin’s zerk fittings using my new LockNLube grease coupler. 

The Restoring Sprites & Midgets book by Grahame Bristow on page 197 suggests fitting the stub axle and control arm (wishbone) to the car separately due to its weight. That would require fitting the swivel pin’s cork washers (personal experience #1) while on the ground. Uggggg!  I’m going to try suspending the stub axle/control arm assembly from the damper and then mounting the rear of the control arm to the frame.  That seems far less “fiddley” to me.  If it doesn’t work out on the left side, I can try Mr. Bristow’s method on the right.

Conclusion: To do it right, a front end rebuild is probably one of the more expensive parts of the mechanical restoration phase, after an engine rebuild.  My thinking is to do it right and enjoy a safer and better handling Bugeye for years to come.  Part 3 of this series will be delayed as the engine bay MUST be refreshed and painted before I can re-install the front-end suspension. 

Here are a few of the online resources that I used in preparing for my project:

A detailed look at how to disassemble a Frogeye Sprite's front suspension -Econobox - Bugeye Build Episode 22

Front suspension on MG Midget explained (Worn bushings & parts) – John Twist – Episode 203 MG Tech

Front suspension rebuilt by a newbie – Keith Smith – Austin-Healey Experience – Episode “Start-Stop”  

Kingpin Rebuilt (Rubber Seals) - Front suspension rebuild : MG Midget Forum : The MG Experience 

 

 

 

Measuring and Resetting Bugeye Brake Shoes & Drums

Scarlet, the 1959 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite, retains her original specification drum type brakes on all four wheels. There's a lot of controversy as to their effectiveness and many have converted their early sprites with disc brakes that came standard on the later Sprite and Midget models. 

Scarlet's brother, Wally, has had that disc brake conversion which is certainly consistent with his larger 1098cc engine and 3.90 final drive ratio.  That combination affords him a better highway cruising speed but would result in more demands on the braking system, due to speed.

Assuming tire size of 155/80 13 (per Gerard at http://gerardsgarage.com/ )

At 65 MPH with a 3.9, your RPM would be 3736
At 65 MPH with a 4.22, your RPM would be 4042

At 3600 RPM with a 3.9 your speed would be 62.6 MPH
At 3600 RPM with a 4.22 your speed would be 57.9 MPH

Scarlet, on the other hand, retains her original spec'd 46hp 948cc engine and (presumed at this stage) 4.22 final drive ratio.  While the 3.9 diff will lower the highway rpm, it will also slow acceleration, thus making in town driving a little sluggish. Considering the type of driving she'll most likely be doing, the 4.22 final drive and drum brakes should be adequate.

Back to the project at hand . . . 

With Scarlet up on jack stands, I've pulled all of the wheels and drums from the brakes.  After giving them a quick clean-up, I thought that I'd simply take them to one of the local parts suppliers or auto repair shops and have them perform a light turn to give them the best surface going forward.  Turns out that NONE of the folks in town were equipped to deal with 7" brake drums.  Given that all modern cars are equipped with disc brakes and drum brakes have become much larger, that only makes sense.  Also, the cost of replacement drums are relatively inexpensive in relation to the overall cost of the brake service.  

Still, I wanted to see if I could retain the original drums, if possible. The Restoring Sprites & Midgets book by Grahame Bristow, (page 73) provides some good advice on "Making Better Brakes":  "In many cases braking problems are caused by wear and tear rather than the system not being up to the job."   Given that advice I've made the decision to completely overhaul the braking system, from the new master cylinder to the all new shoes, wheel cylinders, hoses, springs, etc. with the exception of the drums themselves.

With that in mind, I went in search of some advice and specs Bugeye brake drums.  It's common knowledge that Bugeyes were originally equipped with 7" drums on all four corners. A quick look at replacement drums on the Bugeyeguys.com site reveals that the inside diameter of new drums is 180mm, or 7 inches.  I didn't find a "definitive" source on what the maximum inside diameter or brake shoe thickness should be.   There have been some forum discussions suggesting that 30 thousandths over is "marginal" and that 40-60 would time to source a replacement.

How do I measure brake drums?

So just how big ARE my drums?  My first inclination was to grab a metal ruler, span it across the opening, and take a measurement.  But would that give me an accurate measurement of the actual braking surface?  I don't THINK so!  How do other folks measure brake drums in this modern world of disc brakes?  A search on the Internet, and of course Amazon) revealed a simple and inexpensive product that would do the job!

The Westward Brake Resetting Gauge filled the bill for my project.  The GoVets site has a good set of specifications for the Westward Gauge.  

• Item: Brake Shoe Resetting Gauge
• Type: Internal/External Jaws
• Length:11 13/64 in
• Application: Brake Resetting, Measure Drums From 6 3/8 in to 14 1/4 in
• Material: Brass Lock Knob, Plastic Bushing, Steel

Let's take a look at the drums!

 As previously mentioned, I've cleaned the drums, so now is a perfect time to inspect them and investigate those mysterious stampings on the inside casting.  It turns out that two of the drums appear to be original to the vehicle as they include a "59" casting and Scarlet was built in 1959.  They also include the MOWOG casting and the number "177".  What could THAT mean?

There are conflicting opinions on the Sprite forums on what the 177 casting number could mean.  The common consensus is that the drum size is cast into each drum.  Where the confusion (at least on my part) is if that number represents the original size or maximum diameter the drum can be turned.  Using an Internet conversion utility, I found that 7.00 inches = 177.8 mm = 17.78 cm.  To me, that seems to confirm that the 177 casting number. most likely represents the original diameter.

Based on that, and conventional wisdom that 30-thousandths over still represents a usable drum, I went back to the online calculator.  I found that 7.30 inches = 7 5/16 inches = 185.4 mm = 18.54 cm.  

Conclusion: A drum measurement between 177.8 and 185.4 cm would indicate a usable drum and could still be turned, if necessary, in the future.

Measuring Bugeye Brake Shoes

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Pt. 1 Renovating Scarlet’s Front Suspension – Control Arm, Kingpin Assembly & Shocks

Renovating Scarlet’s Front Suspension – Control Arm, Kingpin Assembly & Shocks

Most of my stories about Scarlet, the 1959 Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprite begin with the statement: “I plan to repaint the engine bay . . “ and this one is no different.  With the Bugeye up on jack stands and the wheels off, I began removing all of the engine’s accessories (starter, generator, radiator, etc. ).  The final step was to inspect the right (passenger) side front suspension prior to removal. 

One of the first things that I noticed was that the rubber coil spring buffer had fallen and was resting on the bottom spring tray.  These buffers are there to prevent the coil spring suspension from bottoming out so I wanted to get it reinstalled.  So, the spring had to come out!

With the spring out I was able to inspect the upper cone-shaped spring mount located under the shock-absorber mount.  It was quickly evident that water had gotten in that cone and rusted out the mounting hole to the point that the rubber spring buffer had simply fallen out. 

With the spring’s tension no longer there,  I noticed the A-Frame (wishbone / control arm) bushings were completely perished and that meant the front suspension was coming out! 

Here's what I did to take it apart:

In anticipation of issues removing the control arm, I sprayed lots of lube in all over the bushing area.  Here’s where it pays to be patient and let the penetrant do its work.  Forum advice is it will probably be totally rusted together a that a Sawzall may become your best.  There is room in there for a blade and it’s possible cut the mounting bold without hurting the suspension mountings or the wishbone.  

I was lucky and managed to drive out both of the control arm’s mounting bolts.  That’s pretty amazing, considering the condition of the fulcrum bushing in the control arm.  As noted above, the control arm bushings were knackered to the point the only the metal bushing inserts remained.  She must have had a tendency to clunk, shake and wander all over the road at any speed.

Tip: Prior to cutting it apart, check the kingpin (swivel axle) for movement front to back. The pin should be free to rotate on the same axis as the fulcrum pin but there should be no front to back movement.  Scarlet's kingpin was thankfully in good shape. 

I carefully examined the control arm for cracks and tears around the mounting holes for the metal bushings.  Again, to my astonishment, they were in remarkably good condition considering that all evidence of the “rubber” bushings was non-existent.

I put the control arm on the bench and in a vise and began the process of removing the swivel axle pin.  A wedge-shaped swivel locking pin locks a flat side against a similar flat on the side of the fulcrum pin. As the front suspension goes up and down, the fulcrum pin now solidly connected to the swivel pin, rotates on the metal threaded bushings at the end of the control arm.

The manual says to simply unbolt the locking pin and drive out the swivel axle pin.  More commonly it’s likely it will be totally rusted in place, or in my case, a previous owner had welded the pin on both ends!  Using a small grinder on my Dremel, I was able to grind down the welds and then punch out the remains of the licking pin and remove the fulcrum pin. 

The LH control arm had just the opposite issues!  In that case, the locking pin remained intact and unbolted and was driven out with ease.  Smooth sailing from there, right? Wrong again!  This time it was the fulcrum pin that had wouldn’t release.  I applied generous amounts of WD-40 and let it sit overnight but it would still not unscrew.

Thankfully, I have a nearby friend with skill, knowledge and tools to “persuade” most any metal object.   A cutting wheel in a right-angle grinder managed to cut through the fulcrum pin and we managed to free most of it from control arm.  However, at this point, the rest of the fulcrum pin still remained frozen in the control arm .   Arrrrrrrgggg!

The solution involved welding a bolt to the end of the frozen fulcrum pin so that we could simply unbolt it.  Not so fast!  It seems, that was the original issue.  We ended up getting out the oxy-acetylene torch and applying heat and torque to the pin and eventually it was extracted.

With the offending fulcrum pin removed, I worked in a new replacement pin and was pleased to confirm that everything was in alignment and that the threads were sill in good shape.  This is important because both sides need to be exactly aligned. 

Tip: It was at this point (both sides of the front suspension removed) that I came to the conclusion that it would have been more economical, certainly from a “time” standpoint, to simply have purchased new control arm pre-drilled for sway-bar mounting.   Removing, cleaning, painting, etc. can take days!  The front suspension control arm is $170 from Bugeyeguys.com

Part 2: or Renovating Scarlet’s Front Suspension – Control Arm, Kingpin Assembly & Shocks - Will continue with restoring the king pin assembly, the brakes and reinstallation of the entire assembly.

This Week in Paddy’s Garage - Week 10 - Removing, stripping and painting the Bugeye suspension

This Week in Paddy’s Garage - Week 10 - Last week concentrated on removing, stripping and painting the RH suspension. This week I moved on to the LH side;

 

Remove LH suspension - Shock, wishbone and brake assembly as it too had perished bushings.

Strip and paint RH wishbone, spring & plate

Sandblast LH Armstrong shock absorber.

Rebuild LH Brakes & dismantle RH brakes

Measure & prepare LH spindle for assembly

Check lug bolt length for use with Minitor wheels

Remove steering rack

 

Next week I’ll begin sanding and stripping the front frame (in preparation for painting the motor and bay) as I continue on rebuilding brakes & suspension.

 

#whenifixsomething #msscarlet #bugeyesprite #wdydtyst #DIYCarMaintenance

 

 

I Learn Something New Every Day – DIY British Car Restoration Lessons

I acquired my first restoration project while attending college in Kansas back in the late sixties.  I was a sophomore, working part-time at a nearby truck stop and had amassed a whopping $500.  Back in those days that was enough to go car shopping. I saw a 1959 Triumph TR3 advertised in the Topeka newspaper and got a friend to go with me to check it out.  It got the typical 19-year-old”s “Driveway Inspection” and a deal was struck!

Armed with a Floyd Clymer repair manual, a single-tray Craftsman toolbox and a rented garage (dirt floor / no electricity) I began my TR3 “restoration” process.  Those were the days before YouTube, online support forums and the ability to order parts and tools online and receive them in just a day or two.   On the plus side, we had full-service gas stations and parts stores still had complete machine shops and knowledgeable technicians. 

Owning and working on that TR3 for three and a half years formed the basis of my mechanical knowledge and life-long love of British cars.

Over the past ten years, three vintage British cars joined our family.  Of the three, only the 1973 Mini was an intentional purchase.  They say: “Don’t visit a pet shelter unless you’re prepared to bring home a dog because they’re so darn cute!”  Well, the same thing is true of classic British iron.  Don’t tag along with a friend to check out a car if there’s still room in your garage.  Of course, I didn’t follow that advice and two Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprites edged our daily drivers out of the garage.

Our most recent acquisition, Ms. Scarlet, a 1959 bright red Bugeye, was previously owned by a mechanically-challenged gentleman in a small rural town in northern Illinois.  Over his 11 years of ownership, he had driven it sparingly and repaired only the most minor maintenance items.  That said, the Bugeye has remained a rust-free and very original example. The car had not run in three years and the Seller was very upfront on the hydraulic issues that were present.  As usual with me . . . It got the typical “Driveway Inspection” and a deal was struck!

Currently, I’m deeply involved with Scarlet’s renovation and that got me thinking about all of the day-to-day lessons that I’ve learned from past and current projects.  Here’s my partial list of Car Restoration Lessons.

Budgeting – Know where you want to be in the end.  Estimating how much an auto restoration project will cost and what the projected market value will be at the end is a perfect opportunity to learn about creating and sticking to a budget. 

Tip: Every project will take more time and cost more money than you planned for. 

Patience - My original plan for this project was to get the engine running, replace the rear brake cylinders and take it for a test drive. That was eight weeks ago and I just keep getting deeper and deeper into the restoration. I could have stuck with my original plans but the more I delved into the “get the engine running” process, the more I began to realize that this car deserved a lot more “love”.  

Patience and delayed rewards are virtues that should come with all automotive restorations. Good things come to those who wait and are willing to work for it.

Anyone who’s ever gotten involved with car repair knows that sooner or later a trip to the auto parts store or to your favorite online specialty parts vendor is in your future.  Here, both patience and planning come into play. 

Admit it, who’s never encountered an issue and immediately placed an order with Moss only to discover that you should have ordered an “upper bushing” or the “kit” instead of just the worn-out part?  Save yourself time and money in extra shipping by patiently inspecting all of the repair areas and only then make your shopping list.

Tip: It might even be a good idea to leave those items in your shopping cart and “sleep on it” overnight before checking out.

Project to-Do Lists and Parts Shopping Lists are your friends.  Woodworkers are credited with the saying “Measure twice and cut once”.  That saying translates into “Plan Twice and Order Once” as it relates to car restoration

Problem-Solving / Planning - I find that one of the key elements of planning and the related problem-solving process is remembering “What-Went-Where?”.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!  An amazing amount of problem-solving time can be saved by having a collection of images that are taken at each step of disassembly.  Which washer went first? How was that line run?

Tip: Use zip ties to help identify where parts go.  Is this the L. or R. brake drum?  Is this the L. or R. float bowl? Run a zip tie through a hole in the part on the L. part or use the larger white ones to actually label it.

The Value of Persistence - I learned to not make decisions when I'm aggravated. If you're working on a screw that won't go in right away and you start busting your knuckles, you'll strip the screw. Calm down and come back with a better mindset, and that screw will go right in.

Technical Skills – My project could have been completed much faster than I’ve taken, but it wouldn’t have resulted in something I was proud of.  Could I have rebuilt the Bugeye’s SU carburetors and test started the engine in a day? Sure, but I decided to remove all of the engine components, hydraulics cables and electronics so that I could strip and repaint the engine bay.

Is that time consuming and difficult?  Yes! Way more difficult, but in the long run it will be so worth it!  A good job is much harder than an okay job. A great job is exponentially more difficult than “good”. 

Tip: Work within your limitations. For some repairs, you might find it better to get professional auto mechanics to complete the task. Identifying your strengths and limits is important for everyone, as is knowing when to hire a professional when you are out of your depth.  Right when you think you’re a “YouTube Certified Mechanic” and know everything there is to know, there's always something around the corner that's ready to obliterate everything you thought you understood.

Teamwork / Ask For Help - When I first started working on cars, it was easy for me to ask for help…I didn’t know anything. Now that I’ve got some knowledge under my belt, I sometimes like to think that I’ve got it figured out…but I’m far from it. I have the luxury of belonging to the active IL. Flat Land British Car Club and a close-knit group of gearheads so usually an answer or helping hand is just a holler away.   It’s seldom the case that I can walk away from one of our Motoring Monday gatherings that I don’t learn a new way of doing something.

Confidence / Experience - Tearing into one’s beloved classic car can feel a bit scary.  You’ll probably fear you’ll screw something up or it will never get back together.  Right?  If you take your time, ask for help and work within your skill limitations the results will far outweigh the risks.  With each new success I build confidence that I can tackle the next more involved repair.  As I work through more and more repairs on the Bugeye I’m excited to experience the improvements!

Work Ethic / Do it right the first time - The more I do in the garage, the further this gets pounded into my brain. Each time I think of cutting corners, I realize the effect it will have on the end result…and put the work in to do it right.  Modern spade connectors or the correct bullet-style?  Should I use Lucas color coded wire or just NAPA red-spooled wire?  Remember, we’re only the caretakers of our cars for a short period of time.  You’re doing repairs not only to make your car more reliable but also to preserve it for the next owner.  Do them a favor and complete your repairs to the best of your budget and ability.

Put things back where you found them / Clean up your own mess – I’ve observed that professional mechanics and repair shops are meticulous in keeping their tools and work area clean and organized.  I know that it can sometimes seem easier to leave things “right where they are” because I’m going to work on it again tomorrow or on the weekend. The problem is that “tomorrow” becomes “next week” and your tools and parts get jostled, mixed or worse  . . .LOST! 

Take that small amount of time at the end of each work session to return your tools to their proper location and bag or tag parts so that they are easily identified when you return to them.  

Share everything – I want to give a major shout-out to all of the invaluable YouTube videos and online forums. If you’ve ever tried to video your own repair project you know how much time these individuals spend just to share their knowledge. 

For my specific project, the YouTube channel Econobox Garage has been a blessing. If you plan on tackling a restoration project, be sure to research the YouTube playlists for your specific marque and model. I will often save or email myself the link to favorite videos so that I can quickly reference them while working of a related repair.

Tip: Pay it forward - If YOU have the time and talent to give back to our hobby by creating videos and responding positively on forums please do so. You probably have used other’s posts and videos more than you care to remember. 

Find Satisfaction in Taking a Project from Start to Finish - Anybody who has restored a classic car will tell you it takes a lot of blood, sweat, tears and beers.  But in the end, I will know Ms. Scarlet like the back of my hand, because I have touched every part of her.

When I finally get into Ms. Scarlet and step on the gas the first time, I’m sure that all the frustrations of the renovation process will disappear.  I’ll put her in gear, let out the clutch and nothing else will matter.  I’ll be transported back in time to my youth and “Life is Good”!

This Week in Paddy's Garage - Week 8 -

This Week in Paddy’s Garage - Week 8 - This week Scarlet’s engine bay preparation for paint continues as new mechanical issues are discovered.

 

Clean the gear driven tach drive.

Remove bonnet safety latch, bonnet guides and tow bar mount.

Paint bonnet latch & guides.

Remove RH spring and shock

Remove RH suspension - Discovered perished lower suspension rubber bushings.

Remove clutch slave cylinder

 

Next week I’ll begin the final steps in sanding and tapeing in preparation for painting the motor and bay. Ordered suspension parts.

 

 

 

This Week in Paddy’s Garage - Week 7 - Final stage of Scarlet’s Engine Bay Paint Preparation

This Week in Paddy’s Garage - Week 7 - This week I approach the final stage of Scarlet’s engine bay preparation for paint.

https://youtu.be/EKuh1-g3mzo @PaddysGarage

✔️ Remove remaining wire loom, fuse box and regulator from the inner fender.

✔️ Remove remaining cables.

✔️ Remove starter, clean & paint

✔️ Remove heater’s water shutoff valve & polish

✔️ Power wash engine and frame - remove old paint

✔️ Build spring retaining tray removal tool - 4 threaded rods and bolts.

Next week I’ll begin the final steps in sanding and tapeing in preparation for painting the motor and bay.

This Week's Highlights in Paddy's Garage

Week 7

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Refurbishing a Lucas Generator - 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite Mk 1

Engine bay work continues today with the removal, cleaning, polishing and painting of the Mk1 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite.  I've previously removed most of the engine accessories on the left side of the engine and the radiator. Having the radiator out of the way makes the removal process very easy. 

The Mk 1 Austin-Healey Sprite has a cable driven tachometer powered by a "gearbox" on the end of the generator.  Loosening the large brass nut allows the drive cable to easily slip off.

Disassembly of a Lucas generator is relatively simple.  Two long thin bolts fasten the two end plates to the central generator body. Care was taken to photo how it all came apart, taking special note of wire connections and the condition of the brushes. All of the metal parts were dipped, dunked and polished.  The body was sanded and given a coat of paint.

One of the interesting components of this model of generator is the self-lubricating rear bearing feature.  The brass tube at the  rear of the generator contains a spring loaded felt that is impregnated with high-temp grease.  This should be serviced every 12,000 miles.

Here's the final product.  As will be a continuing theme in my engine bay clean-up, I've elected not to paint the aluminum components.  I've also not painted the pully and fan.  I've seen this done both ways (painted / bare metal).   I think this adds a bit of "bling" without adding additional chrome, etc.   The clutch/brake pedal box and generator are now ready to be placed into short-term storage as I move on to removing the oil filter mount/adapter and the starter.  

The Econobox Garage YouTube channel has put together a very nice video on How to assemble a Lucas generator as used in an Austin Healey Sprite MK1. Bugeye Build Episode https://youtu.be/Sk3dOYhdSpw 

This Week in Paddy's Garage - July 15, 2023 - SU H1 Parts Carb Clean-up

Another week is over, so time for a recap of the progress on Ms. Scarlet. I was out of town until Friday so not much was accomplished other than clean-up and dismantling of my “Parts” SU H1 carbs.

 

Soak the entire set in EvapORust overnight.

Spray with Dawn and scrub with detailing brushes.

Soak in parts cleaner and spray with carb cleaner.

Wipe down and remove the manifold & heatshield.

Check out a 1098 cylinder head’s suitability for use in Scarlet.

Sand and paint the heatshield.

Sand and paint the heater core box.

 

Next week I’ll finish the heater/blower components and pack away until I’m ready to install. Then start on removing the master cylinder and hydraulic lines.