69 404 restoration

The wiring looms are all connected and tested, to ensure there were no dead shorts in the handiwork. A tedious job by yourself. Each loom was rechecked, then added to the next in the line and so on and the process started again. When they were all joined a final source to end-point test was done. The new looms with readable numbers, made the process a lot easier. (Being colour blind is a handicap)

Handbrake cables have been installed. A full set of rear and primary cables. The new cables were shorter than the old stretch units, thus making the task a little tougher than expected.

Motor ancillaries are almost complete, but I’ve decided to rebuild the original distributor. An aftermarket one had been purchased, but it’s just not the same as the original fitment. Along the way some new internal components have been sourced and what is available will be pilfered from an assorted collection of spare dizzies. Spindle pushes mainly.

old dizzie.png
refurb.png


Same goes for the aftermarket fuel pump. The replacement’s diaphragm lever sticks out too far (At least 5 mm). I am guessing it was for the earlier models that had the Bakelite spacer. A new top housing for the Guiot is coming from France. No idea when it will arrive. Something about a virus…. If all else fails, one of the spares must work?

Does anyone know why, there are two different length priming plungers (camshaft to pump)? One is 50mm and the other is 48.75mm.

Looks like I will have to fabricate the expansion box and attach it to the automatic intermediate pipe, which was purchased by mistake. The complete sections are available in France, but again no shipping of large items at this stage.

Usual story at the local muffler shops, if it isn’t new or off the rack, they weren’t interested. A good friend has a well-equipped engineering/fabrication shop nearby so with his help, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

The carpet for the car has been purchased. Thanks to Graham Wallis for the heads up about the original fitment name/type. The search began.

Two outlets were found who had products similar to the original carpets. After discovering I was looking at the same product, I settled for the local supplier.

Gibbon Group Architectural Flooring Solutions – Brendale (Nth Brisbane area)
(They are wholesalers, who will sell small quantities to auto restorers)

PH 1300 245 404

https://gibbongroup.com.au/product-search/?fwp_brand=tretford-cord-carpet

100 x 100mm samples are available. It is priced at $63.00 per square Meter ($126 per lineal metre)

They import and sell a product called Tretford. It is 80% Mongolian Cashmere Goat hair, 15% Nylon and 5% Viscose.
Their Charcoal and Anthracite colours are both lighter shades of Grey rather than black. The Anthracite is the closest to the cars original carpet colour. However, a shade lighter.


3car.png


As luck would have it, they had a small quantity of a now discontinued line, called Midnight. Which is almost perfect, they only had 6 metres left. Due to the direction of the pattern and the layout of the pattern within the car, four metres is required to do the job. They made an offer on the six metres, that couldn’t be refused.

comparision 2.png


If I cannot find a good condition original vinyl boot liner, the excess should fit nicely in the boot.



As a footnote; the other company was charging $340 per lineal metre for the same product.

Cheers,

Dano
 
Wow that's expensive at $340/metre raw. My woolen carpeting was custom made for my 404C by a guy near Victoria BC at a total cost of $500.

The stuff you bought looks perfect.
 
Wow that's expensive at $340/metre raw. My woolen carpeting was custom made for my 404C by a guy near Victoria BC at a total cost of $500.

The stuff you bought looks perfect.

Hi Mike,

Your price sounds like a real bargain!

The sales assistant at Gibbon's, was amazed at the $340 price. She and a colleague were 100% sure, that the sample I had was their product.

Dano
 
Been pre-occupied with work of late. Have done a few odd jobs, but not much has been happening. Powered up the instrument cluster in the car and found a couple of the bulbs (LEDs) weren't working. Turned out to be dirty contacts on the bulb holders. Happy with the end result.


dash led.jpg
 
Been pre-occupied with work of late. Have done a few odd jobs, but not much has been happening. Powered up the instrument cluster in the car and found a couple of the bulbs (LEDs) weren't working. Turned out to be dirty contacts on the bulb holders. Happy with the end result.


View attachment 123495
Did you have to do much work with dry soldered connections to get current through ? Have you gone complex and made the LED's dimmable?

Very envious, my dash lights are wonky - I am plotting an assault on my dash to get uniform lighting bit currently distracted by battle with injection and misbehaviour in oil pressure sender (or pump )

Andrew
 
Did you have to do much work with dry soldered connections to get current through ? Have you gone complex and made the LED's dimmable?

Very envious, my dash lights are wonky - I am plotting an assault on my dash to get uniform lighting bit currently distracted by battle with injection and misbehaviour in oil pressure sender (or pump )

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Found out last night that the LED's do not dim. They are similar to the LEDs used as in the image below, which by design maintain a constant voltage (?)

dash led.PNG


After talking to the guys at OZLED today, I am now working on version two. Watch this space. If V2 doesn't work, I will stay with the current one, as Mike Tippet said, standard dash lights are rather dim.

I will continue to use the same bulbs in the other instrument lights. i.e. indicators, oil pressure light, high beam etc.


We live and learn or a little knowledge is dangerous. Take your pick.

Cheers

Dano
 
I remember putting higher wattage bulbs in mine, which definitely helped. Pre-LED days. I would never dim the instrument lights except on long rural night drives.
 
Mightn't work that well. Those globes have a regulator of some sort built in, and ones I've looked at have been switch mode. Amazing at the price, but I don't think they'd get on well with PWM.
 
Mightn't work that well. Those globes have a regulator of some sort built in, and ones I've looked at have been switch mode. Amazing at the price, but I don't think they'd get on well with PWM.

My foray into led dash lights was to solder a led and series resistor onto the manufacturers dash PCB. Some positions needed two leds. This worked a treat and a pwm controller worked fine.

None of these fancy bulb replacement assemblies were used.

.
 
What a beautiful noise!

This was the first turn of key. A little rattly, but it was the last thing done for the day. A huge vote of thanks for Stew, for talking me through ( He was in Sydney) how to fix the timing issue. Back tomorrow to find the rattles.


The last time it ran! (12th May 2012)


Today (25th Jul 2020)

 
Last edited:
That is music to our collective ears and the engine looks great. Congratulations Dano.
 
Been tinkering with fitting the LED lights. So far so good. Tomorrow should see all the lights installed and working.

Tonight, the incandescent side parking bulbs were converted to LEDS. Initially the plan was to try and incorporate the original grounding clips, but that idea was quickly ditched. A couple of issues with grounding, made this necessary. The two pack primer and top coats do not allow the clips to bite into the metal to generate a ground. There was also an issue with the spring steel earth clip, being attached to the the LED cathode (ground) lead. This means that two wires (positive and negative) will be used to complete the required circuit. The earth wires will be secured to a suitable position on the dash frame.

The workings of the incandescent bulbs were removed from the brass holders.

20200803_200249.jpg


Small holes were made in the sides of the holders to allow cathode leads to be soldered to the holders.

20200803_200346.jpg


The LEDs used were, 'White 10mm LED 5000mcd Round Clear 'with 430 ohm resistors, which were soldered to the anode leads.

20200803_200143.jpg


Once all the necessary soldering was completed, silicone was inserted through the base to hold everything in place and to prevent accidental electrical shorting.

20200803_201718.jpg


End result.

20200803_201953.jpg


Tomorrow, after the silicone has cured, the two wires will be encased in heat shrink and terminals attached.
 

Attachments

  • 20200803_200143.jpg
    20200803_200143.jpg
    58 KB · Views: 163
  • 20200803_200346.jpg
    20200803_200346.jpg
    42.4 KB · Views: 154
Last edited:
Dan, I am most astounded at your lack of Big Black Gloves, wiv Mekanic ritten on. How come you not wearing?
 
Dan, I am most astounded at your lack of Big Black Gloves, wiv Mekanic ritten on. How come you not wearing?


Have a set, but very hard to break old bad habits.
 
Almost have the lights sorted. Having an issue with the dashboard indicator light, its not illuminating and the rely doesn't make the loud clicking sound. I'm thinking it has something to do with the LEDs within the dash. The exterior indicators work perfectly. Will consult the web...
Had to redo one of the side lights. Even with all the care in the world, somehow I still managed to short one. Within Mark II, the Anode and Cathode leads were encased in 3mm heat shrink, then packed with silicone. problem solved.

20200805_100516.jpg
20200804_141320.jpg
20200805_124853.jpg


Installed the NOS interior hood light. Feston bulb replaced with an LED. With that sort of light being emitted, one won't have to hold any book etc. up near the light to read it. Happy with how it sits neatly against the hood lining.

20200805_125400.jpg
20200805_161830.jpg
20200805_133315.jpg


The head lights produce ample light. Will need some aligning later.

Front lights - https://youtu.be/j-3u4Ky7ho8

Indicators - https://youtu.be/OMAPL7OG90M

Might replace the front indicators with a lower light out put, they appear a little too bright.

Headlights Pakers/low/High -
 
Why won't the horn work?

The original horn was dead and clogged up with crud etc. It was completely stripped and repainted a while back.
Spent part of the day on reassembling the horn, but it won't make a sound.
  1. A multi-meter confirmed that current is running from the positive input through the coil and to earth on the body.
  2. The points were filed cleaned using a fine points file
  3. Current ceases when the points are opened.
  4. All appropriate insulation washers are in place.
  5. No shorting to body
  6. When the horn section (top) is removed the vibrating metal diaphragm will bounce freely.
  7. When screwed together it doesn't work.
  8. It will only emit a sound, albeit more like a squawk, when loosely screwed together. No tension on the screws or lid.
  9. With the 6 screws are just nipped, there is nothing.
What have I done wrong or what have I missed.

I'd appreciate any advice.

Cheers

Dano
 
Top