SWB re-chassis

+1 on the excellent work and neat job on the footwells

Disco1BFG said:

Looking good! Nice work on the bulkhead too - glad to here it hasn't warped - your man sounds like a good find!

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Thanks

Yes, he was a lucky find on Facebook. He is a bit of a Land Rover 'all sorts' kind of bloke as far as I can tell. Restores, buys, sells, parts.... and only just up the road. I had a set of LWB rims from him too whilst I was there

LincolnSteve said:

Hi. I think your random bracket is part number 276511 which is the bracket for the flywheel plug. That's the plug in it (part number 3290). Put those part numbers in Craddocks website and see what you think. It certainly looks like those from the parts manual.

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YES! That has to be it! I was staring at the gearbox earlier thinking it must be some sort of plug, but didnt know it was 2 parts, so couldnt imagine where it might fit. Fantastic, thank you.

honolulujoe said:

+1 on the excellent work and neat job on the footwells

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The whole lot looks better in photos, the gearbox isnt nearly as clean as it looks and somehow the new steering relay is leaking already Its definitely a land rover

I think your exhaust is non standard because mine exits on the drivers side, although I far from an expert so it may be correct.

More updates...

Bulkhead painted, but not a great job. The first coat of topcoat wrinkled over the undercoat in places. Apparently this happens if the undercoat hasn't gone off properly. I.e - wait longer before the next coat.

Pedal boxes in, steering box overhauled with new seals and bearings then refitted, Radiator and front panel reattached and refitted, heater matrix and blower refitted, various pipes and hoses also fitted around the engine. Oh, new exhaust system also fitted. Wiring loom fathomed and partly refitted- I stopped with the wiring etc when I realised I was burying the chassis preventing completion of complete the brake lines, most of which are now in save for a couple which I'm unsure of their routing...

So, question is... from the 4 way junction (dual line system), does the line going to the rear go along side the chassis or does it go on top? I'm pretty happy with the routing of the junction to front t-piece line thanks to this picture from Nick's website (very helpful it is too).


Lastly, I tried to feed the wiring to the back end through the chassis but there is clearly at least 2 'structures' within the chassis which stop the cabling from pulling through, how did people get round this?

I'll get some pictures up when I get some answers

Nice work!

That is right about the drying times. If there is still a lot of solvent coming out of the undercoat it can wrinkle the topcoat!

In cool weather in the Cornish climate, I find a bit of mechanical assistance, like a fan heater, can be very helpful!

And try feeding a long bit of fence wire or similar into the chassis, and tape the wires to it to pull them back through.

Hi TM.
I've go a bit of wire poking out both ends of the chassis, but when try and pull the cables through you discover the wire has gone the wrong side of whatever strengthening rib or whatever it is and its too small to let the cables through. Unfortunately there are two of these, making it impossible to direct the wire elsewhere by the time you've got first one. Perhaps its just a case of try and try again, but I wondered whether anyone had any bright ideas?

Also, very keen to find out where the rear line runs if anyone can help

Rubins4 said:

Hi TM.
I've go a bit of wire poking out both ends of the chassis, but when try and pull the cables through you discover the wire has gone the wrong side of whatever strengthening rib or whatever it is and its too small to let the cables through. Unfortunately there are two of these, making it impossible to direct the wire elsewhere by the time you've got first one. Perhaps its just a case of try and try again, but I wondered whether anyone had any bright ideas?

Also, very keen to find out where the rear line runs if anyone can help

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Maybe just a case of persistence, would a bit of lubricant, like washing up liquid, help it slip through?

Turboman said:

Maybe just a case of persistence, would a bit of lubricant, like washing up liquid, help it slip through?

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Washing-up liquid will start rust, use a liquid hand soap if it is needed or good old petroleum jelly ...

Dippypud said:

Washing-up liquid will start rust, use a liquid hand soap if it is needed or good old petroleum jelly ...

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Good point it is a bit salty, never used do much harm on our bicycle rims, to be fair.

Make it Vaseline instead, then!

Dippypud said:

Washing-up liquid will start rust

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Even mild green Fairy Liquid?!

I didn't know that - and have nearly always used it. What's in it that's damaging? And is it just the more modern paints that suffer?

When mine had a replacement chassis (before I bought it) the loom runs along the outside of the chassis rail instead of through it.

Fairy liquid contains a high salt content. This is why you should use car shampoo and nit a bucket with fairy liquid in to wash it.

oh. I have been using fairy liquid since I have had cars

honolulujoe said:

oh. I have been using a welder since I have had cars

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Corrected

boguing said:

Even mild green Fairy Liquid?!

I didn't know that - and have nearly always used it. What's in it that's damaging? And is it just the more modern paints that suffer?

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Salt! Rusts metal like seawater!

blue beasty said:

Corrected

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Would probably apply to most of the Minor/Cortina/ Marina generation!

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately, the wiring stops dead with a clang, rather than getting slowly pinched, so i don't think soap/vaseline/grease/the wife's body lotion is going to help. I'll have to have another go, otherwise think about running it down the side of the chase rail as advised, id rather not do that though.

Anyway, here's some snaps of what I've been up to...

Fitted a new a new Exhaust System which exited on the drivers side. As mentioned, the old one went out the near-side but the new chassis had the mount on the driver so it had to be done. Its a standard Britpart system which seems reasonable quality an went together alright, in fact it was the Bearmach fittings which were the troublesome bit. We'll wait and see how long it lasts.

Got the Radiator and Front Panel back together and mounted on Chassis. I was going to strip and repaint everything as I went I just want it back together now for a rolling restoration.


Rebuilt the Pedal Boxes and got them fitted. The Brake Master is original but rebuilt with a kit and the servo repainted. The Clutch has a new Master Cylinder- cost dictated this really, a decent Brake Master is loadsa money. If it has to have new one soon, so be it.


Heater Matrix and Blower back in. The Matrix Housing came apart and the Matrix cleaned inside and out. I put it back together with what I thought was sealant but was actually some sort of Bondo equivalent... I hope it doesnt have to come apart again anytime soon.


Steering Box on the bench for rebuilding, together with some of the Brake Line kit. Most impressed with the Automec kit.

Some of the new wiring on the living room floor being labelled up ready for refitting. Just out of view is the log burner - far better than a cold barn!


I tried to get a load of this into the Chassis but the application was a bit of a nightmare. I couldn't get more than a few seconds without the plastic pipe clogging up. I was warming the canister regularly using a warn air heater but I wonder if the ambient temperature and the decompressing air was too much? I gave up after 2/3rd of one can, but I can always try again in the Summer.

So this is broadly where I'm up to... this is the most recent picture of the front end that I have. Beyond this, I have refitted the Steering Box, Column and various linkages all rebuilt with new Track Rod Ends.
Refitted most Brake Lines - with just 2x Master to PDWA valve, PDWA to to Front T-Piece, and PDWA to Rear Flexi remaining.
Refitted the wiper motor mechanism washer pipes.
The Main Harness for the wiring is in the bulkhead with most of the engine connections made, but I do need to refit the Top Dash so I can wire in the instruments, this will tidy things up dramatically.


Moving house and first child coming in the New Year, which I why I just want this thing back together. I better get a move on

Rubins4 said:

I better get a move on

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famous last words

looking good though, hope it goes well

Ive been finishing off the brake lines and have got them all in and mostly clipped up. I'm wondering if the line from the splitter valve to the front T-peice under the battery needs a clip too? At the moment it is not secured to anything. The pic below is taken from below looking upward. The pipe in the right hand port going to the left (front) is the one I'm talking about. If it needs clipping I'll have to 're-route it under the rear line from the left port so it's closer to the chassis. This is do-able but a bit of a faff. I'd rather just get a clip between the 2 lines where cross if that's ok for MOT, any thoughts?

I've been meaning to update this for a while...

I got the wiring to the back end in to the chassis as it should Top tip: Double up the bit of wire to feed it through, giving it a bit more strength to go over the reinforcements within the chassis. Also got all the brake lines and associated gubbins in and nipped up. Possibly sheared one of the brass threads in a union- time will tell.

Dash wiring is coming on reasonably, couple of questions if anyone can help (these bits of the circuitry arent' listed in the Green Bible and I've forum searched myself to tears)

Does anyone has a diagram or knowledge of the brake failure circuit from the 4 way brake line junction? (ie the think in the picture in the post above?)

What does the plug below do? It comes out of the rear loom in the engine bay. Red/Yellow - Fog lights? Pink...???

Is there a proper place from this bundle of earth points to go, down by the drivers foot well in the engine bay?


This is a indicator warning bulb out of the dashboard. The new loom has male bullet connectors which are too big to go in the back end of the bulb holder. I would like to get the correct new wire terminal connector to replace the bullet, but cant seem to ID the bulb holder. Failing that I might have to cut the old loom connections off with a inch or 2 of wire and crimp on suitable female bullets the receive the new loom but it seems a bit of a bodge.