Discussion
I thought about dropping the whole diff but two things put me off; firstly the rear bolts are pretty inaccessible and look firmly siezed, and secondly I was worried about the rear suspension geometry changing if the diff doesn't go back into the exact position it came out from. Talking of geometry, I had about 4mm of shims between the driveshaft and the brake disc, is that normal? There were also a few shims between the diff flange and the brake disc, I can't see why those ones were on that side of the disc.
Loads of shims:
Both sides have loads of shims.
I'm counting them out and counting them back in again to get things lined up again. I've ordered some new discs and I'll make sure the total stack height is the same as it was originally on both sides.
There's a cast in statement on the discs saying the calipers need to be centered within 0.005" to the discs, that'll be the reason for the shims on the diff side of the disc - I can't see why it makes that much difference though! I'd have thought the hydraulics would have evened up the piston/caliper positions and exerted the same force. Curious...
Both sides have loads of shims.
I'm counting them out and counting them back in again to get things lined up again. I've ordered some new discs and I'll make sure the total stack height is the same as it was originally on both sides.
There's a cast in statement on the discs saying the calipers need to be centered within 0.005" to the discs, that'll be the reason for the shims on the diff side of the disc - I can't see why it makes that much difference though! I'd have thought the hydraulics would have evened up the piston/caliper positions and exerted the same force. Curious...
Working on the rear end now... bl**dy cold out there though!
I can't find any cracks/damage on the rear of the chassis, the welding is not to the same standard as the front though which makes me think it may be either crack repairs or insurance against cracking:
Note my rear suspension diff-frame/A(H!)-arms are not stainless...
I can't find any cracks/damage on the rear of the chassis, the welding is not to the same standard as the front though which makes me think it may be either crack repairs or insurance against cracking:
Note my rear suspension diff-frame/A(H!)-arms are not stainless...
I'm not planning to take the body off in the short term, I want to do whatever is necessary to get it back on the road to allow me to assess it properly. I've still got a long way to go but I'm hoping to drive it to BBWF (this year!). The big question mark is still the engine, first signs are good but I need to do some work on it before trying to start it. Oh and the small matter of an MOT...
My feeling is that if I try and do a body off rebuild now then it'll take me several years; I'm too impatient for that!
My feeling is that if I try and do a body off rebuild now then it'll take me several years; I'm too impatient for that!
I'm putting the fuel system back together now, the 'swirl pot' is OK amazingly:
Though with the pipe connections where they are I don't think it'll generate any swirl! I guess it's actually just a collector/sump.
The nearside fuel tank looks like it was leaking when the car was last in use; I'm not surprised as my 350 had the same issue and was built within 3 months of the SEAC.
Tin of tank sealer duly ordered...
Though with the pipe connections where they are I don't think it'll generate any swirl! I guess it's actually just a collector/sump.
The nearside fuel tank looks like it was leaking when the car was last in use; I'm not surprised as my 350 had the same issue and was built within 3 months of the SEAC.
Tin of tank sealer duly ordered...
Getting interesting now... starting to sort the engine.
I got 7 litres of oil out of the dry-sump pan, so the crank would have been submerged in oil - excellent sign! The tank in the boot is higher than the engine so it must have siphoned through from the tank.
I've stripped some of the bits off to get better access for the exhaust. It's going in for a complete new exhaust system next week, copied from the remains of the original.
I got 7 litres of oil out of the dry-sump pan, so the crank would have been submerged in oil - excellent sign! The tank in the boot is higher than the engine so it must have siphoned through from the tank.
I've stripped some of the bits off to get better access for the exhaust. It's going in for a complete new exhaust system next week, copied from the remains of the original.
It's not a 'serp' engine though it does have a poly-V belt ancilliary drive. It's a high rpm drive, the same as the racer, pre-dating the serpentine belt.
The oil vent/fill/flame arrangement is well and truly screwed up by the dry sump system - the scavenge pumps pull a large vacuum in the sump so the standard vent system won't do. I think it's plumbed incorrectly, but I'll fire it up as is and then put it back to what I think it should be, otherwise the fueling might be all wrong (assuming it was right when it was laid up...!).
The oil vent/fill/flame arrangement is well and truly screwed up by the dry sump system - the scavenge pumps pull a large vacuum in the sump so the standard vent system won't do. I think it's plumbed incorrectly, but I'll fire it up as is and then put it back to what I think it should be, otherwise the fueling might be all wrong (assuming it was right when it was laid up...!).
I'd not really questioned the high rpm bit before so I tried to look it up.
I looked at some belt design guides, there's not a simple answer to what engine speed a belt will be happy at; as it depends on belt manufacturer/construction, number of pulleys, pulley diameter, how long you want it to last and how much slip you'll be happy with etc.
From what I can tell, V belts are to DIN 7753 and seem to run up to 30-40 metres/sec; poly V to DIN 7867 seem to go up to 60 m/s.
By my calculation, a 5 inch dia crank pulley (estimated, not measured mine yet) at 6000 rpm gives a belt speed of 39.9 m/s, so a normal V belt is getting marginal. A 6 inch pully/belt runs at 48 m/s.
I looked at some belt design guides, there's not a simple answer to what engine speed a belt will be happy at; as it depends on belt manufacturer/construction, number of pulleys, pulley diameter, how long you want it to last and how much slip you'll be happy with etc.
From what I can tell, V belts are to DIN 7753 and seem to run up to 30-40 metres/sec; poly V to DIN 7867 seem to go up to 60 m/s.
By my calculation, a 5 inch dia crank pulley (estimated, not measured mine yet) at 6000 rpm gives a belt speed of 39.9 m/s, so a normal V belt is getting marginal. A 6 inch pully/belt runs at 48 m/s.
Edited by The Hatter on Wednesday 22 February 11:06
Not sure why my rocker covers are the wrong way round. I suspect it's down to several iterations of vent to suit the dry sump system. There's no need for a filler neck on a dry sump system anyway as you fill the tank, not the sump.
Exhaust in progress before final welding and cleaning up...
naked underbelly ready to receive it...
should be ready at the end of the week.
Exhaust in progress before final welding and cleaning up...
naked underbelly ready to receive it...
should be ready at the end of the week.
I had a very enlightening day today... met up with Chris Schirle for a couple of hours!
After the article in Sprint Mike Luck from Classic World Racing/David Gerald TVR got in touch; they employ the services of Chris. After picking up the SEAC from the exhaust place I trundled up to Redditch to meet Doug Ellwood of DG and Chris.
I'm very grateful to Chris to spare me his time; and to Mike and Doug for putting us together. Chris was extremely helpful and a mine of information. It seems that this SEAC was commissioned by Barry Zee as a road going replica of the race car; and was built by Chris himself - he remembers it well!
I'm pretty tired now so I'll post up more info in the next few days.
After the article in Sprint Mike Luck from Classic World Racing/David Gerald TVR got in touch; they employ the services of Chris. After picking up the SEAC from the exhaust place I trundled up to Redditch to meet Doug Ellwood of DG and Chris.
I'm very grateful to Chris to spare me his time; and to Mike and Doug for putting us together. Chris was extremely helpful and a mine of information. It seems that this SEAC was commissioned by Barry Zee as a road going replica of the race car; and was built by Chris himself - he remembers it well!
I'm pretty tired now so I'll post up more info in the next few days.
Andy,
Chris said that two racing 350/390s were built with stainless chassis and trailing arm type rear suspension, one for John Kent and one for Rod Gretton; I guess the Scottish car is one of those. He also said the early SEAC nose cone is joined to the standard shell above the front wheels, where mine shows a crack on each side. So a stainless 390 with a SEAC nose is a distinct possibility.
He said that two A-arm stainless chassis were built for the SEAC racer; one of which went into my car. He couldn't explain why Aderut's car also has a stainless chassis; he remembered only 4 stainless chassis in total but later said it may have been 5...
He also repeated the difficulties in manufacture on the prodution jigs; they were part TIG and part MIG due to impatience from PW (he wanted all TIG) and talked of chasing cracks around the race car.
Chris said that two racing 350/390s were built with stainless chassis and trailing arm type rear suspension, one for John Kent and one for Rod Gretton; I guess the Scottish car is one of those. He also said the early SEAC nose cone is joined to the standard shell above the front wheels, where mine shows a crack on each side. So a stainless 390 with a SEAC nose is a distinct possibility.
He said that two A-arm stainless chassis were built for the SEAC racer; one of which went into my car. He couldn't explain why Aderut's car also has a stainless chassis; he remembered only 4 stainless chassis in total but later said it may have been 5...
He also repeated the difficulties in manufacture on the prodution jigs; they were part TIG and part MIG due to impatience from PW (he wanted all TIG) and talked of chasing cracks around the race car.
It's quite hard to get decent pics of it while it's on the car...
It'll be coming off again shortly so I can lift the engine and sort the clutch.
Andy, You haven't missed anything, it's not running yet! I'm just starting on the engine mechanics now. The engine electrics may be a bit of a hurdle too.
Jimbo, no probs, just got to get it running and MOTd... though it won't be having much of an interior anytime soon!
It'll be coming off again shortly so I can lift the engine and sort the clutch.
Andy, You haven't missed anything, it's not running yet! I'm just starting on the engine mechanics now. The engine electrics may be a bit of a hurdle too.
Jimbo, no probs, just got to get it running and MOTd... though it won't be having much of an interior anytime soon!
Cambelt,
The exhaust is a copy of the original, the rear of it is apparently the 'continental' 390 system.
I'm not a fan of loud exhausts, this system should be reasonably quiet. Both silencers are the absorbtion type so it should be pretty effective at high frequencies but the throb of the V8 should escape nicely...
I've done the bulkhead bush mod on my 350 and it did improve the steering so I'll do this one at some point, but there's more pressing items to attend to at the moment! There's not much slack in the bush currently, I've cleaned up the shaft so it hopefully won't wear the bush away too quickly.
I'm preparing to pull the engine out, the prop bolts came out OK but I noticed this...
One of the dry sump oil pipes has been rubbing on the top of the gearbox; fortunately it's the gear lever spring mechanism clamp that's worn away and not the oil pipe!
The exhaust is a copy of the original, the rear of it is apparently the 'continental' 390 system.
I'm not a fan of loud exhausts, this system should be reasonably quiet. Both silencers are the absorbtion type so it should be pretty effective at high frequencies but the throb of the V8 should escape nicely...
I've done the bulkhead bush mod on my 350 and it did improve the steering so I'll do this one at some point, but there's more pressing items to attend to at the moment! There's not much slack in the bush currently, I've cleaned up the shaft so it hopefully won't wear the bush away too quickly.
I'm preparing to pull the engine out, the prop bolts came out OK but I noticed this...
One of the dry sump oil pipes has been rubbing on the top of the gearbox; fortunately it's the gear lever spring mechanism clamp that's worn away and not the oil pipe!
Very pleased today - took the rocker covers off for the first time; the condition of the valve gear is amazing, it looks like a running engine should:
Much better condition than the engine in my 350 that had been 'cherished' and regularly started, that engine was full of condensation and the steel plates inside the rocker covers were corroded. The 350 also had leaking head gaskets though.
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