Technical Old wives tales or not

[bugsymike]

Oh yes, don't remove the band prior to fitting!

Boss's Dad ran around in an immaculate green Daffodil which I thought, with it's more steeply sloping bonnet, was a much prettier car than the 33? It was a good sales/publicity getter for the business even though it wasn't sign written, everybody knew it. If I saw one for sale at a bargain price I don't think I'd even bother checking in with "the boss" before handing over the readies!

Churchill brake meter - that's the one. Round dial on a very heavy base?

Mentioned this before, but quite some time ago. When I took up my first "position of authority" as working foreman (glorified mechanic, now dependent for bonus on workshop profit figures, should have known better and just stayed a mechanic!) I allowed the apprentice (we only had one apprentice at a time) to work as helper to the MOT testers (2 of the workforce were testers). Unknown to me we had an examiner present his car for test who got the idea that it was the apprentice who had done the test! He identified himself to me and informed me we were to be suspended from doing MOTs pending investigation. It took us months to get our license back and head office held me responsible and were very cross with me! Workshop revenue suffered too and I never made bonus over the entire period our licence was suspended which cause Mrs J to be somewhat unhappy with me too. Although the lads in the workshop and my branch manager were very understanding about it, I never got back on good terms with head office so when, a few months later, the DAF garage offered me employment I jumped at the chance.

Tapley round one? Churchill we had was kept in a big wooden box, when set on passenger floor of car you released the pendulum after placing a new piece of calibrated card in position and on braking it would draw a line up the card.
Never had much grief from Mot inspectors apart from one complaint I was too strict, though that may have been from the bloke whose wife's car I failed on a rusty brake pipe and he returned with it shined like silver showing no rust, I held in two hands and gentle tried to bend it where upon it snapped in half as it was so thin due to rust! I think he took offence when I said "you obviously don't think much of your wife's life.

 

[porta]

I still know and talk to a lot of people in "the trade" and many swear by Snap On. At the price you pay for them I just don't "get it" and they certainly aren't unbreakable. I think a lot of it is about image and kudos? Regarding the price? Well, from those I've spoken too, they never seem to have any problems getting one that fails replaced free of charge so maybe that's why they are expensive. Charge enough and you can maintain a good image by replacing without question any that fail? Must say though that they are very "nice and shiny" and feel nice in the hand.

I’ve had multiple claims into snapon where, the dealer has been fine and taken it back, and snapon refused:
A strongbar that snapped whilst undoing a talbot express wheelnut, and it didn’t snap at the ‘unwarranted’ knuckle but at the neck, 18mths old
A ratchet where the chrome came off and sliced my hand enough for the workshop supervisor to take me to A&E, 6mths old, the dealer replaced it with one that had been ‘part exchanged’
My long thin carb screwdriver that the blade tip came off, I still have my snapon electrical screwdriver bought in 1983!
None were through abuse
MAC always replaced, even a strongbar that the knuckle went on
Teng professional always replaced
Britool pro replaced, not that I had to
Black & Decker professional (what happened to them) couldn’t have been more helpful, wehn my jigsaw Chuck died and part was ‘no longer supplied separately’ (B&D pro we’re made in Italy’) they replaced for a brand spanking new one

 

[porta]

My toolbox is a real mish-mash of brands now, with the latest being Genius, Newsolm Tor-Q Bahco and carolus, these being sold at the farms supply and services, with some of these being seriously large sockets and spanners going up to 60mm, all with lifetime warranty

 

[Motorcyclist Colin]

I'm sure you're right Colin. I know nothing in detail about them, just like the look and sound of them. Then again I loved the sound of a SAAB 3 cylinder on full song charging through the forests! Don't know what it is with me and 2 strokes but I feel fatally attracted to them for some reason? I've got a couple of 2 stroke Suzuki mower engines in the shed which I've been looking for a good chassis to fit to (mower chassis that is) but they're a somewhat different shape - fuel tank mounting etc - compared to the Briggs or maybe Tecumseh the chassis are usually configured to fit to. No hurry though, I'll get there one day or someone can inherit a couple of very good engines when I snuff it.

I'mwithyou Jock, I love two strokes and currently have a Yamaha DT 250 Enduro, 1977 with only 3000 odd miles on the clock,( The second owner had it for over 40 years and NEVER rode it. I am third owner, bought it for some green laning but have not used it as such 'cos it is just too pristine to throw along a rocky old track), a 1950 Ambassador Popular 197 Villiers 6E and the rip roaring power of 32ccs of a Cyclemaster from 1950. Overall I think it must be the sheer simplicity of a two stroke and ability to run on and on. I wish it was still possible to buy a modern one although I believe the Jawa 350 twin two stroke may still be available from one dealer..
Back in the 60s I navigated for a guy who rallied a 3 cylinded Saab 2 stroke 850cc if I remeber right. After a long rally I would sometimes drive it back. It had a sort of "freewheel" you turned a knob on the dash and it went into freewheel. You could back right off on the throttle and it would continue freewheeling at the same speed, with no throttle on, then if it slowed you simply openedthe throttle till the engine caught up with the speed, no drag from the engine of course. Fast , thirsty and built like a tank. Again from memory I think you could change gear in freewheel, without using the clutch and when you next booted the throttle it was in the new gear Dave , the driver once spun backwards into a steel girder gate post which was pushed back and all the Saab had was a dent in it's "girder" ie the rear bumper. Rallied very successfully by the Carlsons husband and wife, I think, I loved driving it. Dave then changed it for a Vauxhall VX/490 (rubbish) so I gave up navigating fo him See if I can find some bike pics, unfortunately never had any of the Saab

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Just found this "wee gem" which shows the forerunner to the DAF 33 - the "Daffodil" with it's more steeply angled bonnet. Also shows typical wheel camber changes you get with swing axle rear suspension and lots of other interesting stuff appertaining to the DAFs. Just though you might all like to see it?

 

[portland_bill]

That was lovely. Interesting to see the swerving with the swing arms moving . Do that with the van though, especially on a steep corner, and they had a tendency to tuck a wheel under and fall over.
We had a local butcher with one. We had to go pick it up about once a month. Just seems to suffer a few scratches, and carried on, once uprighted.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Tapley round one? Churchill we had was kept in a big wooden box, when set on passenger floor of car you released the pendulum after placing a new piece of calibrated card in position and on braking it would draw a line up the card.
Never had much grief from Mot inspectors apart from one complaint I was too strict, though that may have been from the bloke whose wife's car I failed on a rusty brake pipe and he returned with it shined like silver showing no rust, I held in two hands and gentle tried to bend it where upon it snapped in half as it was so thin due to rust! I think he took offence when I said "you obviously don't think much of your wife's life.

Hmm? Tapley Meter? now that makes the little grey cells stir. Ours had a rotating display inside an oblong window when you braked the numbers rotated and locked to give the reading. But my memory of it is vague because I never used it being as how I didn't do the tests.

Oh, here you go, I found one on ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22532029...iKO042J+a6YQpx0fzMujApfRM=|tkp:Bk9SR8L0_f2wYQ Maybe it wasn't made by Churchill at all?

Corroded brake pipes? I would change a steel pipe if it showed much more than just surface rust, as soon as it's pitted, it's time to go. The sooner I get some Kunifer - Cupro Nickel - pipes on any car I own the happier I feel!

That was lovely. Interesting to see the swerving with the swing arms moving . Do that with the van though, especially on a steep corner, and they had a tendency to tuck a wheel under and fall over.
We had a local butcher with one. We had to go pick it up about once a month. Just seems to suffer a few scratches, and carried on, once uprighted.

I never had that with my van PB, maybe I just never drove it fast enough, but I did notice it had a tendency to feel a bit like a pendulum if you went fast through an S bend.

The most common "strange" one we had - well, not exactly "common", but more than once - was people who had driven the car through the back wall of their garage due to the requirement to start it in gear but not putting a foot on the brake first. Of course they had gone in forwards so the car was in forward gear when they started it and on full choke with maybe a wee pump on the throttle - as you tended to do with the old carburetted cars - guaranteed a speedy exit through the back wall of the garage! Worst one we ever attended was where there was a drop into the back garden of a few feet so the front floor of the car was rocking on the garage foundation with the front wheels in free air. Some 4x2 and a strong tow rope soon had it out. The most unusual, which unfortunately I didn't see, was when the boss got a call from a garage up in Fife offering him a 55 (I think it was a 55) cheap with minor body damage which had been driven, by a young salesman, right through their showroon window onto the forecourt. Their management decided the car was potentially too dangerous for them to sell.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'mwithyou Jock, I love two strokes and currently have a Yamaha DT 250 Enduro, 1977 with only 3000 odd miles on the clock,( The second owner had it for over 40 years and NEVER rode it. I am third owner, bought it for some green laning but have not used it as such 'cos it is just too pristine to throw along a rocky old track), a 1950 Ambassador Popular 197 Villiers 6E and the rip roaring power of 32ccs of a Cyclemaster from 1950. Overall I think it must be the sheer simplicity of a two stroke and ability to run on and on. I wish it was still possible to buy a modern one although I believe the Jawa 350 twin two stroke may still be available from one dealer..
Back in the 60s I navigated for a guy who rallied a 3 cylinded Saab 2 stroke 850cc if I remeber right. After a long rally I would sometimes drive it back. It had a sort of "freewheel" you turned a knob on the dash and it went into freewheel. You could back right off on the throttle and it would continue freewheeling at the same speed, with no throttle on, then if it slowed you simply openedthe throttle till the engine caught up with the speed, no drag from the engine of course. Fast , thirsty and built like a tank. Again from memory I think you could change gear in freewheel, without using the clutch and when you next booted the throttle it was in the new gear Dave , the driver once spun backwards into a steel girder gate post which was pushed back and all the Saab had was a dent in it's "girder" ie the rear bumper. Rallied very successfully by the Carlsons husband and wife, I think, I loved driving it. Dave then changed it for a Vauxhall VX/490 (rubbish) so I gave up navigating fo him See if I can find some bike pics, unfortunately never had any of the Saab

Of course you're right in all you say about the SAAB. I believe the freewheel also helped if coming off the throttle at high engine speeds when closing the throttle would result in lack of lubrication so the freewheel, allowing the revs to go back to idle, helped a lot with this. I believe the DKW and Auto Union 2 strokes had this feature too, but maybe I'm wrong?

 

[porta]

Of course you're right in all you say about the SAAB. I believe the freewheel also helped if coming off the throttle at high engine speeds when closing the throttle would result in lack of lubrication so the freewheel, allowing the revs to go back to idle, helped a lot with this. I believe the DKW and Auto Union 2 strokes had this feature too, but maybe I'm wrong?

Allegedly, or should I say ‘anecdotally’ I believe the two stroke air cooled tatra were similar in operation…but don’t quote me

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Allegedly, or should I say ‘anecdotally’ I believe the two stroke air cooled tatra were similar in operation…but don’t quote me

Now there's something I didn't know - Says he as if he's the fount of all knowledge - Two stroke Tatra? I've seen lots of stuff about the infamously tail happy V8. Even actually seen one in Budapest, back in the 60's from our hotel window, complete with communist era secret police bundling a poor unfortunate into the back seat and speeding off at a fair turn of speed. I've also seen pictures of the flat 4 - like a VW engine. But didn't know they made a 2 stroke. Now I'm on a mission, won't rest until I've seen at least a picture of one.

 

[bugsymike]

Now there's something I didn't know - Says he as if he's the fount of all knowledge - Two stroke Tatra? I've seen lots of stuff about the infamously tail happy V8. Even actually seen one in Budapest, back in the 60's from our hotel window, complete with communist era secret police bundling a poor unfortunate into the back seat and speeding off at a fair turn of speed. I've also seen pictures of the flat 4 - like a VW engine. But didn't know they made a 2 stroke. Now I'm on a mission, won't rest until I've seen at least a picture of one.

The Wartburg Knight and Tourist (estates) had the same three cylinder two stroke, I worked for the agents in the mid 70s with the same free wheeling device etc. all on a strong box chassis, very comfortable reclining seats I recall , I put two in a van I had. I rebuilt several of those engines, we used to send the crankshafts to Alfa Bearings of Dudley who also supplied the racing conrods etc for our 197cc Villiers 9E racing Karts.
Do you remember the big Russian Volga estate by the golf course in Goldfinger I think it was, as an apprentice one of our customers in the early 70s had either that one or very similar, it had a three speed box with a big four cylinder engine, the customer was a local solicitor whose wife used it to tow a horsebox ( I recall she and I both got done for speeding at the same time and she was cross that her fine was larger ) they had a small holding just outside Newton Abbot and knowing I was interested in American cars he told me they had a Studebaker Lark I could have, sadly when I got there it was possible to walk through the car to the propshaft without lifting your feet it was so rusty, so I declined.The Volga I recall died as the engine had a fibre cam wheel which lost it's teeth.

 

[porta]

Now there's something I didn't know - Says he as if he's the fount of all knowledge - Two stroke Tatra? I've seen lots of stuff about the infamously tail happy V8. Even actually seen one in Budapest, back in the 60's from our hotel window, complete with communist era secret police bundling a poor unfortunate into the back seat and speeding off at a fair turn of speed. I've also seen pictures of the flat 4 - like a VW engine. But didn't know they made a 2 stroke. Now I'm on a mission, won't rest until I've seen at least a picture of one.

Tatra made lots of obscure stuff, back in the day, but now it’s just trucks and military and some license built stuff

 

[Bonefish Blues]

You've likely seen this before. Wonderful stuff

 

[Steve gt]

Love the two strokes , the enduro looks mint , I’ve had vespa & lambrettas since I was 16 doing lots of miles to rallies etc during the eighties with my wife and lots of luggage and minimal tools on board great fun I have four scooters at the moment one vespa and three lambrettas one is a 1971 gp 200 that I bought when I was 19 that I still use regularly 33 years on , it’s a slightly tuned one over sized 200 using a Honda mtx 200 piston and Yamaha 4 petal reed valve conversion quite outdated now with the modern ally barrel kits but it still sounds fantastic, I run it on a castor 927 oil which smells great , just reading i the thread about the freewheel mechanism on the Saab , after a fast run on the scooter if you just shut off the throttle the engine might heat seize so you always needed to pull the clutch and blip blip the throttle .

 

[porta]

You've likely seen this before. Wonderful stuff

I hadn’t seen that one fully before, certainly not with the soundtrack, tatra are very robust though…as part of the Russian truck fraternity (somewhat on the back burner due to recent bloody mindedness by putin) I’ve had much more to do with the trucks of old, bit like the Magirus Deutz with big air cooled stuff, like air cooled V8 and V12 trucks

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I hadn’t seen that one fully before, certainly not with the soundtrack, tatra are very robust though…as part of the Russian truck fraternity (somewhat on the back burner due to recent bloody mindedness by putin) I’ve had much more to do with the trucks of old, bit like the Magirus Deutz with big air cooled stuff, like air cooled V8 and V12 trucks

I just think it's a lovely, evocative little film - and clearly a very well-driven and capable little Tatra! I must admit I didn't realised I'd picked up a link with a modern soundtrack.

Here's the original, in full length. Even better:

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The Wartburg Knight and Tourist (estates) had the same three cylinder two stroke, I worked for the agents in the mid 70s with the same free wheeling device etc. all on a strong box chassis, very comfortable reclining seats I recall , I put two in a van I had. I rebuilt several of those engines, we used to send the crankshafts to Alfa Bearings of Dudley who also supplied the racing conrods etc for our 197cc Villiers 9E racing Karts.
Do you remember the big Russian Volga estate by the golf course in Goldfinger I think it was, as an apprentice one of our customers in the early 70s had either that one or very similar, it had a three speed box with a big four cylinder engine, the customer was a local solicitor whose wife used it to tow a horsebox ( I recall she and I both got done for speeding at the same time and she was cross that her fine was larger ) they had a small holding just outside Newton Abbot and knowing I was interested in American cars he told me they had a Studebaker Lark I could have, sadly when I got there it was possible to walk through the car to the propshaft without lifting your feet it was so rusty, so I declined.The Volga I recall died as the engine had a fibre cam wheel which lost it's teeth.

Ah, Wartburg. Now I know what you're on about. I never worked on one but I just love the look of the first one - the 300 series - and remember the sound of the engines very well, and the cloud of "fragrant" 2 stroke smoke which followed them down the road. The Volga, again I never worked on one but you often see them in films like the Bond films - for instance Michael Cain's Harry Palmer films (Ipcress file, Billion Dollar Brain, etc), It was a big old bruiser of a car with very good ground clearance I seem to remember?

If we're talking about communist block cars, way back in the late 70's, or was it early 80's? when we moved back up to Scotland from living down in the south east, my neighbour had a Moskvitch. It was a big old brick of a vehicle. Our estate was on quite a seep hill. My oldest boy, then about maybe 6 years old or so, became good friends with the similarly aged son of the Moskvitch owner (Jim) and they played together whenever they could. On the "fateful" day Jim had left the Moskvitch unlocked and the boys decided to play at driving it. Unfortunately my boy was in the driving seat when the handbrake was either released or failed and the car rolled forward, at some speed due to the steep slope, until it ran into the back of the next door neighbour's Austin Maxi. The maxi suffered considerable damage to it's rear end the cost of repair Jim and I shared between us - which I thought was very good of him considering it was my boy behind the wheel. The Moskvitch? it was actually very difficult to see any damage of any sort to it at all! The boys? They were almost hysterical and learned a very valuable lesson about how you need to be very careful around vehicles, thank goodness noone was hurt.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Another engine I thought was interesting to listen to was the Magirus Deutz air cooled V8. We went on a motoring holiday to the old East Germany - Hartz Mountains etc - just after they knocked the Berlin wall down and opened up the east again and many of the trucks were these.

 

[bugsymike]

Ah, Wartburg. Now I know what you're on about. I never worked on one but I just love the look of the first one - the 300 series - and remember the sound of the engines very well, and the cloud of "fragrant" 2 stroke smoke which followed them down the road. The Volga, again I never worked on one but you often see them in films like the Bond films - for instance Michael Cain's Harry Palmer films (Ipcress file, Billion Dollar Brain, etc), It was a big old bruiser of a car with very good ground clearance I seem to remember?

If we're talking about communist block cars, way back in the late 70's, or was it early 80's? when we moved back up to Scotland from living down in the south east, my neighbour had a Moskvitch. It was a big old brick of a vehicle. Our estate was on quite a seep hill. My oldest boy, then about maybe 6 years old or so, became good friends with the similarly aged son of the Moskvitch owner (Jim) and they played together whenever they could. On the "fateful" day Jim had left the Moskvitch unlocked and the boys decided to play at driving it. Unfortunately my boy was in the driving seat when the handbrake was either released or failed and the car rolled forward, at some speed due to the steep slope, until it ran into the back of the next door neighbour's Austin Maxi. The maxi suffered considerable damage to it's rear end the cost of repair Jim and I shared between us - which I thought was very good of him considering it was my boy behind the wheel. The Moskvitch? it was actually very difficult to see any damage of any sort to it at all! The boys? They were almost hysterical and learned a very valuable lesson about how you need to be very careful around vehicles, thank goodness noone was hurt.

Hi Jock, The Wartburg agents I was foreman at was also a Moskvich Dealer too, along with Mazda and Lada so quite a mixed bunch, I would say Moskvich was at the bottom by a long way. Here is a photo of me in my youth (young free and single etc.) Me on the Vauxhall Victor 101, it was a great car for £20, in the background on left you will see a Moskvich 427 Estate I paid £70 for that as it needed a new starter, but was able to replace the "sprag clutch" on the bendix to sort that. THe top right pic is 24 year old me, in cotton boilersuit (great fun when welding) in my Singer Gazelle 1600 another £20 car (taught the first wife to drive in it " stop telling me what to do! " car shaking like hell "what's the matter, what's the matter", "you are in the wrong f***ing gear!!!". The final pic is my last boat, originally it had the V6 Volvo Penta 150 engine, I fitted a 2.8 turbo from one of the last Ducato 122hp Maxi vans pre ECU 1998? Tweaked the Bosch pump and the turbo and got 26 knots and 4 gallons to the hour on diesel as opposed to the original 30 knots and 10 gallons to the hour of 5 star petrol, sounded good doing that with an open 4 inch water cooled exhaust.

 

[DaveMcT]

My Mini 1000 only ever had a working handbrake or about a two weeks either side of the MOT. It was a horrible setup that quickly went out of balance. I adjusted the cables to look similar and chalk marked the tyres. Then pulled on the brake and reversed the car a few feet. The wheel that had turned needed its brake cable pulling in a bit more. MoT guy was always impressed with my hand brake but it never lasted so I got used to parking the car in gear.