BE 646

[dkp_cobra]

Thanks to David we have a new table of contents and an updated index. Please, see the first two postings.

[James Eastwood]

Hi DPK,

Did you solve the gear lever problem, with it being too far rearwards? In your #300 picture it looks like it will be outside of your trans cover?

Perhaps of interest; There is an engine builder on YouTube assembling a 2,866cc Zephyr six. This is achieved with a 0.100" overbore using the +40 thou Volvo P1800 piston. Then he has had the big end bearings ground down to the 2.2L Mk1 Zephyr bearing size, and offset in the process to achieve about another 4.5mm of stroke. He plans to have a special conrod made up.

Link is https://youtu.be/quw64BqWZks , he has only done the first episode so far.

This got me thinking that if you were brave and not building a race engine, you could use a Zephyr Mk1 -0.040" bearing to offset another 1mm. Various Zephyr forums acknowledge that a 0.125" overbore is feasible using the Bedford or Holden pistons, and even 0.140" Valient piston has been tried.

Well of course I had to put these combinations in a chart! What's not to love of the idea of a three litre straight six Aceca.

Regards,

[dkp_cobra]

Hi James,
so far I haven't worked on the gear level problem. But this will one of the next jobs.
The Zephyr 2.6 engine is completely overhauled with new Volvo pistons. Maybe, next year I can start it  :o
Btw. I worked a little bit on the car. I think most of us know the problem that lifting the car up it is not possible to rotate the rear wheels due to some blocking in the universal joints. That's the reason why Spax sells rebounded shock absorbers for the Ace/Aceca. They have the normal length and 15 mm, 40 mm and 60 mm shorter versions. I bought the 15 mm shorter version  G623EA. The EA suffix stands for "Brian Eacott" as the bill explained me  :)
You can see the difference here:

With the new Spax shock absorbers I was able to install the complete axles. The rear wheels can rotate free when the car if lifted up.











So, after 10 years of restoring the car it't back on it's own feet  :)

[James Eastwood]

Hi I wonder if this might help with the gear lever remote shortening?

http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=166648

Regards,
James

[dkp_cobra]

Hi James,
the link is quite interesting. After reading that thread I search a little bit and found this small company making the shortening in a professional way: https://www.alanvoigtsgearboxes.co.uk/gearboxes.html. If you want to perform this operation yourself you find some advices here: http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164793.

Nevertheless it means cutting and welding of the aluminium cast which is always a little bit problematic especially for highly loaded parts like a gearbox. An even more radical shortening is performed by some Lotus Elan guys: https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=21341&start= (please, scroll down).


Another Lotus Elan guy used a complete different technique with a leaver relocation: https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/93482-lotus-elan-2-4age-16v-twink/. I like the idea although I haven't completely understood how it works, especially if you have to push the lever down in order to enter the reverse gear.

I installed the Type 9 gearbox provisionally to see where the lever comes out of the gearbox tunnel.

You can see that the position is quite far back but not so far that it is not possible to use that position with a cranked gear lever. The main problem is the long hand brake lever which hits the gearbox lever. So my plan is

   
• not to modify the gear box (no welding of the aluminium cast)
• bend the little gearbox lever further to the front
• shorten and modify the hand brake lever so the balance of power will be the same.

But this will be a work for the next year ...

[dkp_cobra]

During baking some cookies I had the time to work on a new handbrake lever. The new lever is 122 mm shorter.

With the relocation of the hole I got the same balance of power.

But I needed a new chassis since the cable routing must be a little bit higher.


What should I say? It works  :)



Many years ago I bought a key fob on a autojumble.

Now, I ordered a universal gear lever knob with a round 30 mm opening on top. I cut the key fob down to the 30 mm and this is the result.

That's it for this year, more progress next year ...

[gtjoey]

Wow thanks for bringing me to this thread.......Looks like Im on the same page! :)
gtjoey1314

[James Eastwood]

DPK,

During my own research into the Ford Zephyr engine, I found that Ford fitted an aluminium flywheel cover to the engine side of the lower bell housing. You may know this already (!) but if not, then here's a picture. I managed to buy one from eBay, to sit on my shelf with some other Zephyr parts I've begun collecting, including a Mk3 Mays Head.

James

[dkp_cobra]

James,
you are talking about this flywheel, right?




These are really hard to get. My first Zephyr engine was in a quite bad condition but it was complete so I am happy to have these parts.

[dkp_cobra]

What happened since last update? I installed the "beast" transmission









and I hope I don't have to do it again. I also made a new transmission tunnel. The old one fit but I made it from two parts and the welding seam had a certain Frankenstein style. Below is the new one.

Covering the transmission:




The new hand brake is finished.










Currently, I am working on the engine and thinking about the hazard warning switch and wiring.

[James Eastwood]

All coming on nicely.

Yes I see you have the cast ally bell housing cover. I saw via the '150 PH' thread, this Zephyr engined car had a further gear box option, being the original Zephyr 4 speed (ilo Moss box) using the 3-rods-down-the-side of the box type shifter, which I haven't seen in an Ace before. This then appeared to necessitate a wider(?) transmission tunnel using a square section I note from the 150 PH photos. No overdrive on this particular set up, but Ford did make an OD for this box.

I'd go under the dash in a central area for the Hazard where it won't upset the aethetics but where both driver and passenger can quickly access. I have seen poeple put them in the glove box, which is neater, but less emergency ready!

[dkp_cobra]

Thanks to David we have a new table of contents and an updated index. Please, see the first two postings.

[dkp_cobra]

I think I have never shown the panels of the doors covering the front wood brace at the A-column.

I made the panel wrt. to the outline of the wood brace. During the re-skinning of the doors during the restoration of the body in the body shop this brace was undergirded with some aluminium strips to fit the outline of the body.

Although after painting you can't see this section (especially not if the door is closed) I don't like this solution very much. So, new panels must be produced.


Same problem on the other side.

and with the new panel










Another "little project" was an angle drive adapter for the Type 9 gearbox. You can buy this from EuropaSpares https://www.europaspares.com/angle-drive-for-ford-gearbox.html or a little bit cheaper from at BurtonPower https://www.burtonpower.com/90-degree-speedo-drive-adaptor-gbt9560.html. The BurtonPower solution looks quite similar to the one from Speedograph Richfield http://www.speedograph-richfield.com/html/rgb1030.html. The great advantage at Speedograph is that they can make a special ratio for you to fit your speedometer. After some e-mails between them and me we found the right ratio.

Due to their manufacture process the output shaft is an internal square of size 3 mm. That's not perfect for me since I need a 2.7 mm square tube and the output shaft must be a little bit longer.


Looking for 2.7 internal square tubes I found extensions for 3 mm screw tap.

It fits perfectly.

Now, the question is how can I mate this extension with the output shaft?
First, I trimmed the head of the extension on the lathe and shortened the output shaft.



then a little fiddle welding task

and trimming again

Now, the angle drive looks like I would like it

and I can connect a VDO hall sensor with a M18x1.5 thread


The sensor will be used later for a electronic trip master. Installing it in the car ...

Next task will be the tank. I had to notice that the tank cannot be installed when rear lower control arms are mounted  :( . I guess it is 5 to 10 mm to long.

[James Eastwood]

Looking great as always. Are you coating the insides of the wings and inner wings with anything. Ref my question listed in the forum, I'm trying to understand what the correct finish is. Thanks.

[dkp_cobra]

Looking great as always. Are you coating the insides of the wings and inner wings with anything. Ref my question listed in the forum, I'm trying to understand what the correct finish is. Thanks.

Hi James,
I just saw that you got some very detailed information from Luke. Nevertheless, I would like to mention that I sprayed the rear inner wings with some kind of Bitumn stoneship stuff but I think I wouldn't do it again. I agree with all the arguments Luke gives but I don't drive my classic cars in winter and I like the look of pure aluminium.
Parts of the rear inner wings of my MK IV are unprotected aluminium and although I drive it in rain (non-voluntary, but forced during rallys) they look like new. But I don't drive the car during the winter months. The car will be put in October/November into a big hermetic plastic bag together with some kind of desiccant https://www.autopyjama.de/permabag-autoeinlagerung/. Half a year later I unpack it and it looks like six month before.
Cheers, Peter