1959 4cv Restoration in North Carolina USA

I took the universal joints apart. Everything was cleaned and put back with moly grease. It was a lot of work. When putting the gearbox together a few days ago, I took John's advice - I removed the studs and put them back with locktite to prevent leaks.

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Similarly, it's a good idea to get a nice boot that goes over the gear linkage joint and seal arrangement at the front of the gearbox. It's fiddly to replace when in the car, so keeping dust and grit off the shaft is one good idea!

Thinking about it, I don't think I've ever actually tried to wash moly grease off anything!
 
I will have a gaiter on the gear linkage, but it will have to wait until I place an order with one of the French suppliers. My current question is this: Is there a rubber pad between the rear spring and the top of the crossmember? There are two rubber pieces on each side (at the top) for the rod that limits axle travel. There was no piece of rubber between the spring and crossmember, not even little left over bits. My ETAI 4cv book shows the following, but I don't see a rubber isolator in the catalog of any suppliers. I have a couple of left over Toyota rear strut mounts that I could make into spring isolators if I have to.

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Stan W said:
I will have a gaiter on the gear linkage, but it will have to wait until I place an order with one of the French suppliers. My current question is this: Is there a rubber pad between the rear spring and the top of the crossmember? There are two rubber pieces on each side (at the top) for the rod that limits axle travel. There was no piece of rubber between the spring and crossmember, not even little left over bits. My ETAI 4cv book shows the following, but I don't see a rubber isolator in the catalog of any suppliers. I have a couple of left over Toyota rear strut mounts that I could make into spring isolators if I have to.

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I don't remember ever seeing a rubber pad between the top of the spring and the cross member. It's easy to see why the Dauphine and then R8 models are so much smoother and quieter than the 4CV.
However, my parts manual shows a rubber moulded cone with a hole for the limiting rod, so there you go. There are two different rubber pad arrangements for the top of the cross member. Neither top nor bottom is exactly high tech! I reckon it would be a good idea but of course you'll increase camber a bit which isn't very desirable!
Thanks for the question! I'll have to ask around now. Good you have that ETAI book - it's very useful. PR685 is what you need too. It's the big yellow parts manual, the last of them. I think someone out there is selling them on CD.
 
The transmission and axles are now ready for re-assembly. The wheel bearings and seals are new. The transmission has all new seals and gaskets. I know the shiny finish is a bit over the top, but it is durable and easy to clean. Besides, all that paint and clear coat will magically repair any wear inside the gearbox!

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Very nice, and I see you have the negative camber gearbox housing. Should have noticed before. Excellent. It's a huge advance on the paintwork underneath mine, that's for sure.
 
Stan W said:
I know the shiny finish is a bit over the top, but it is durable and easy to clean. Besides, all that paint and clear coat will magically repair any wear inside the gearbox!
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I think we have something in common. I too love shiny paint. Paint everything, I reckon.:jig:
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Hi Stan,
Axle boots will be easy, I have been an Off-Road racer in a past life..... and with the fancy suspensions it was always difficult to get the rubber boots to last. So we made them out of leather, much more durable than a rubber boot, and once they have grease inside they are fully water proof. I started using them on my Dauphine when an apprentice.

Ray
 
Sunroof said:
Yes there is. It gets dirty, then stained and then I am so disappointed all the work was for nothing.
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You use the wrong paint. Rattle cans are not quality. Get some real paint ......

Ray
 
geckoeng said:
Hi Stan,
Axle boots will be easy, I have been an Off-Road racer in a past life..... and with the fancy suspensions it was always difficult to get the rubber boots to last. So we made them out of leather, much more durable than a rubber boot, and once they have grease inside they are fully water proof. I started using them on my Dauphine when an apprentice.

Ray
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You know a stitched-on leather boot hadn't occurred to me. Lateral thinking. Kudu or springbok?
Sunroof said:
Yes there is. It gets dirty, then stained and then I am so disappointed all the work was for nothing.
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Mr Shoji cleans it again I think. I look under mine occasionally and it always looks about the same so I don't get upset. I'm really most concerned to see no drips. My R8 doesn't drip but there is a hint of oil at the trunnion housing (those threads...), just enough for it always to be filthy but no worse. So I close my eyes to it. She's a working girl after all.
 
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I have used POR 15 under several cars and it does look great and doesn't chip etc. Some of my cars just have black tarry glup. But oil leaks and mud are a pain. I hate cleaning cars even the topside so underneath is not something I do too often if at all. I wish I had put drains in the floor under my hoist so I could use a pressure washer without water going everywhere but out the door. Mind you all my registered cars are satin black or with gloss parts underneath and with a good clean, do look ok and as John said they are working cars not show cars. I used a rattle can or two on my Discovery and actually it still looks pretty good.
 
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I use rattle cans sometimes, but usually put clear coat over the paint. I don't think the original 4cv air filter is very good. I would like to put a modern filter inside the original housing. Does anyone know how to remove the cone shaped wire filter from the top of the original assembly? Also pictured is my rock tumbler. I don't use it to tumble rocks, just parts and dirty golf balls. All hardware and most anything else that will fit goes through the rock tumbler and comes out clean and shiny. I use a jumble of small hardware as my tumbling media for steel parts. The barrel is filled with water and dish soap. I have scraps of shoe sole leather for aluminum and brass parts. I always wanted a big tumbler, and starting the 4cv project gave me a reason to go ahead and get it built.

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I'd like a tumbler, never thought of it, great idea.
 
Stan W said:
I use rattle cans sometimes, but usually put clear coat over the paint. I don't think the original 4cv air filter is very good. I would like to put a modern filter inside the original housing. Does anyone know how to remove the cone shaped wire filter from the top of the original assembly? Also pictured is my rock tumbler. I don't use it to tumble rocks, just parts and dirty golf balls. All hardware and most anything else that will fit goes through the rock tumbler and comes out clean and shiny. I use a jumble of small hardware as my tumbling media for steel parts. The barrel is filled with water and dish soap. I have scraps of shoe sole leather for aluminum and brass parts. I always wanted a big tumbler, and starting the 4cv project gave me a reason to go ahead and get it built.

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I have the earlier, dry element filter alone. Not sure about USA, but our later cars had dual filters, with a dry element piping air to an oil bath filter. Both my early type and the later dry filter canister can accomodate standard paper filters, the original filters being pretty ordinary at best for fine dust. The later ones are almost the right size for a SAAB 900 filter and I found a paper element for my earlier one in the end. I guess you just have the single unit you've shown in the photo? You might find a paper element that fits with some foam padding to seal it.
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The tumbler idea got me thinking. Perhaps a brass tumbler would be good for cleaning small parts, the sort used to reload ammunition.

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Stan W said:
I use rattle cans sometimes, but usually put clear coat over the paint. I don't think the original 4cv air filter is very good. I would like to put a modern filter inside the original housing. Does anyone know how to remove the cone shaped wire filter from the top of the original assembly? Also pictured is my rock tumbler. I don't use it to tumble rocks, just parts and dirty golf balls. All hardware and most anything else that will fit goes through the rock tumbler and comes out clean and shiny. I use a jumble of small hardware as my tumbling media for steel parts. The barrel is filled with water and dish soap. I have scraps of shoe sole leather for aluminum and brass parts. I always wanted a big tumbler, and starting the 4cv project gave me a reason to go ahead and get it built.

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We have a company here called Uni Filter https://www.uniflow.com.au/ that make custom air filters to your specs, there must be a similar company in USA that does similar products. Usually works out cheaper than buying replacement paper filters in the long run.

I like your tumbler, a great way to clean parts. I have a media blasting cabinet here.
 
Have a word with K&N make fantastic stuff and all are serviceable.

Ray
 
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