I almost didn't start the work, when the trip off the drive and back on again, facing the other way threatened to become an inpromptu blat around the lanes here-about, but I forced myself to get it up on the jack stands and here's what's in store:
Job 1 - stop the flow of oil out of the push-rod tube seals (new seals, new tubes where required) - only managed to salvage and re-use 2 of the old tubes, which had clearly been the only two ever replaced before - one of the old tubes buckled under hand-pressure on the way out and disintegrated, which tells me they were pretty due a change! The old oil seals themselves are horrific - stiff and compressed and torn. I ran out of time on the reassembly, and I have one side still to get the rockers back onto, but that job's more-or-less done now, and I'll be able to see if the oil cooler seal etc need changing too, now that the number of oil-leaking source possibilities has been reduced. Nice replacement (sans-holes) rocker covers going back on too. None of the guides to changing push rod tubes seem to mention the awkwardness of getting the 3rd tube back on the drivers-side out of the head, by the way - it looked impossible at first to get it out past the suspension swing arm, and I almost gave up and resorted to paying someone. The solution was in a bit of playing-around with the relative positions of the tube and rod, so that an angle was created on the engine-side of the head that allowed the tube, and then the rod, to pass to the side of the suspension.
Job 2 - rebuild the carbs - they're off (very easy - 4 nuts each and unclip the throttle assembly), and on the floor of the 'workshop' (shed), but they scare me stiff (never done anything more to a carb than follow the instructions to convert one from auto choke to manual on a Saab Solex). I have no idea how much of a problem it is likely to be, but having been assured that they were Dellorto 40s, they very clearly (now that you can see that bit of them) have '36' stamped into their bottom portions. The rebuild kits I bought were marked as suitable for 36/40, but the seller also asked me to specify which of those were mine - so what is likely to have changed? Does anyone know the difference between a Dell 36 rebuild kit content and a 40? If I have to, I'll get 2 more sets of 36 kits and sell the 40 kits, but can I make-do?
Job 3 - MSD ignition - I'm resisting searching for more power (I don't even know how the car drives as standard, really, yet), but I've got hold of an MSD6 unit and it can go on and make me feel good about how powerful (and frequent) my sparks are - next stage, perhaps a decent distributor. With the dissy in mind, can anyone here tell me exactly where on a dellorto drla (36!) I look to see if there's a vacuume-take-off to feed a suitable (ie better than an 009) dissy? Bear in mind how much I know about them for your guide, please.
Jobs other - well, there's some rust bubble need investigating and a mis-coloured door - does anyone know what colour my car is? It seems likely that it's Guards Red, but I'll take your input on what it is really!
And I got a Sony head unit and CD changer out of the scrapper, that I will fit just to fill the big rectangular hole in the dash.
And I'm going to need an interior rear-view mirror to replace the suction one at some stage (will a suction mirror pass muster at the MOT?)
And I'd like to rebuild and re-commission the heating system at some point - which will, I think, include a trip to Nige's in the new year to source parts from his hoard.
And, in a moment of madness, while I had the scrapper-Saab, I relieved it of the elements, wiring, relays, switches etc for a heated seat - but I think that project can wait until it's back on the road...
Thanks for reading,
Carl
