203 in progress

Not sure mister Rambo. My 406 may have holes but it's tubular instead of U section. Another possibility is I've stuck them on upside down. Is there a right or wrong way for them to go? I have asked this before, and asked Spectrum Rubber too. It seemed I did it right, but maybe not. I thought the U should be inverted so it doesn't collect water and crap but it would squish better the other way I think[till it filled with dirt].
No, definitely thinking about glueing them flat.
 
luthier said:
Not sure mister Rambo. My 406 may have holes but it's tubular instead of U section. Another possibility is I've stuck them on upside down. Is there a right or wrong way for them to go? I have asked this before, and asked Spectrum Rubber too. It seemed I did it right, but maybe not. I thought the U should be inverted so it doesn't collect water and crap but it would squish better the other way I think[till it filled with dirt].
No, definitely thinking about glueing them flat.
Click to expand...

take a pic of what you have
 
Luthier,
The windmills of my mind are telling me that the seals on the 203 were on the door opening and not the doors?
Anyone??
 
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Wildebeest said:
Luthier,
The windmills of my mind are telling me that the seals on the 203 were on the door opening and not the doors?
Anyone??
Click to expand...

Mostly on the door, except for the B pillar edge this is on the pillar.
Graham
 
Well I nearly got it historic regoed for a start, but then I was a bit bothered by a small oil leak at the engine pulley.
Mal told me it would have a stuffed front main so I dropped the motor out.
Today I have all the problems with the engine laid out in front of me.
First thing, the head is pretty well stuffed. The waterways have corroded way past their original design and I don't think the head is worth dealing with. It also had oversized exhaust manifold studs fitted along the top row, which didn't matter except I always thought that manifold was also a bit suspect.
Happily I have the head off the old motor with the extra oil ring, and that head looks fairly intact.
I have another head as well but it's a long way from home at this time.
Anyway next thing is the pistons and sleeves.
There were three broken rings as I removed the pistons, the top one on each of three.
But the bore is standard and there is only a very tiny score on one bore and no discernible lip, so I think it's right for a new set of standard rings. The pistons appear undamaged. I'll obviously check this out thoroughly before I'm convinced.
The front main is cactus with corrosion plus the weird notching that they apparently get from crank flex.
The rear shows a few signs too while the middle looks OK as you would expect.
The big ends look great and I may reuse them. Bigends and mains are marked M .3 so I gather this is the final grind for this crank. Still if I can get a new set of rings and bearings without a grind or a new sleeve set I'm happy.
Pics later.
 
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Will be looking for a set of .3 undersize bearings. Did someone say they might have a set for sale?
 
bearings

Hi Dan,
Ask Vintage Imports on ebay.com for big ends, they have connections in Beruit and Israel which is where my last lot came from They had front mains separately for $67 some time ago, might have some left

de Franzose. on net have .3 sets 69E


cheers
Colin
 
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luthier said:
Well I nearly got it historic regoed for a start, but then I was a bit bothered by a small oil leak at the engine pulley.
Mal told me it would have a stuffed front main so I dropped the motor out.
Today I have all the problems with the engine laid out in front of me.
First thing, the head is pretty well stuffed. The waterways have corroded way past their original design and I don't think the head is worth dealing with. It also had oversized exhaust manifold studs fitted along the top row, which didn't matter except I always thought that manifold was also a bit suspect.
Happily I have the head off the old motor with the extra oil ring, and that head looks fairly intact.
I have another head as well but it's a long way from home at this time.
Anyway next thing is the pistons and sleeves.
There were three broken rings as I removed the pistons, the top one on each of three.
But the bore is standard and there is only a very tiny score on one bore and no discernible lip, so I think it's right for a new set of standard rings. The pistons appear undamaged. I'll obviously check this out thoroughly before I'm convinced.
The front main is cactus with corrosion plus the weird notching that they apparently get from crank flex.
The rear shows a few signs too while the middle looks OK as you would expect.
The big ends look great and I may reuse them. Bigends and mains are marked M .3 so I gather this is the final grind for this crank. Still if I can get a new set of rings and bearings without a grind or a new sleeve set I'm happy.
Pics later.
Click to expand...

Cranks can go to 0.8 and I think even 1.1 or 1.3 can't remember which.
Hans Fischer in Germany has bearings I think.
Front mains can be remetalled if they are of the white metal type, that is the ones without the spacer washers.
Graham
 
Looks good

Hi Dan

What I see is great but for historic rego your seats will need to be 30 years old.

so nothing newer than srs1 505 in Pug seats.

Robbo
 
You remind me of my 203/403 days again. That bloody front main. Surely the second most unreliable part on the TN3 motors. The worst in my experience is the water pump which used to fail at every owner change, obviously a factory design to test the mettle of the owner. If you passed the test reliability was yours.

Greg
 
Well the motor is in every bit imaginable. The block was cracked between the cylinders once the sleeves were taken out.[I don't claim responsibility cause it looked dark and old when I spotted it.] I've got another block to use which is at the reco shop sitting in a bath of acid. The head was no good, as there was too much corrosion and the front welsh plug behind the water pump was held in with some kind of bog and some screws. I had a good head to spare and this is also at the reco man, having hardened exhaust seats fitted.
For anyone in the Newcastle/north of Sydney area I have found the place to go. Lee Meares in East Maitland, is one of those engineers that you enjoy dealing with.
The crank came up to specs for one undersize and I have a set of bearings for it. The water pump was rebuilt with a lovely shiny stainless impeller. But there were three broken rings and the bore and pistons were worn out.
So I have a sleeve kit on it's way from Fransoze.de.

The crank plugs were removed as well as the weights and the threads were cleaned out by Mal Goodwin with his special tap.

As yet the gearbox is still sitting in situ, but will soon be out for a look at selectors and rear mount.

The clutchplate was worn looking but measured 8mm. I'm told they come in 8mm and 10mm. If I can track a good 10mm one I'll fit it. Otherwise the old one was going well.

Also I have yet to send the oil filter casing to Graham Wallace for the machining to fit a spin on filter. Sorry Graham, should have that posted this week.

I will document it all with the camera as I reassemble, but now I'm in a bit of chaos with a lot of other things round the property.
Cheers and thanks again for all the kind words and advice.
 
203 steering wheel

Hi Dan ,
what about using bog to build a rim on early steering wheel?

Gordon M made a mold for the rim but it has disappeared

is there a better material apart from expensive epoxy 2 part and devcon ?

Cheers
Colin
 
Colin, I don't mind using the good epoxy for that job as I have it in stock for guitar making. It is very strong and I think will last well. The only bit that's a real challenge is the centre with the screw thread. I'll have a go at casting that. But again I'd prefer resin to bog for that application.

Today my piston and sleeve kit arrived from Fransoze.de. It all looks very nice, except it turns out to have that extra oil ring below the gudgeon pin. I'm still happy although I believe it may cause a slight reduction in horsepower. I'm sure it will help with oil consumption however and having brand new bores and pistons is such a treat. What's the current theory on running a new engine in? I might actually start a thread with this question.
 
Running an engine in has many theories. However my two bobs worth that I employed after a new piston and sleeve set for the CX. Drive it hard, don't flog the guts out of it but give it some work to do, vary the load. That will mean the rings will get bedded properly etc. If you pussy foot it they may never bed in properly

To have a fast car, run it in fast...

I like your move to a spin on filter just when some new cars are returning to the cartridge type. The memories of oil going everywhere when they were changed....
 
ianrobbo said:
Hi Dan

What I see is great but for historic rego your seats will need to be 30 years old.

so nothing newer than srs1 505 in Pug seats.

Robbo
Click to expand...

I just noticed this. Ian, don't worry, I have the original seats still in her and may leave them there for some time. Definitely at least until after any kind of rego has happened. I'm actually more inclined to get full rego though, but historic should always be an option. I was only toying with the idea of the 406 seats.
Thankyou for the warning though.

Anyway tonight I'm pretty excited on the Toots front because I now have the engine bits back from the engineer. I had hardened exhaust seats and new welsh plugs in the head plus a small shave and a valve setup.
The block sat in acid for a fortnight to clean and it all looks pretty immaculate. Tomorrow I have a free day to start the rebuild. Wish me luck. I haven't put one of these together since about 1979.
Doubt it will be done in a day and then I have to go to Melbourne but I'll document the process with the camera and post pics once she's a goer. Perhaps I'm being a little superstitious but I just want to hear that hum and do the first run in before I show the gory details.
 
Thankyou Flash. It was exciting today. I got the crank fitted and then introduced the pistons and sleeves to the con rods whereupon I fully assembled the cranking assembly. I've always lusted over those new sleeve kits so seeing them in the block is a real buzz. I am taking the advice of the engineer to wait till it's put together somewhat before spraying paint on the block, to avoid the possibility of getting paint in the works.
Tomorrow I'll get a bit done but then I'm off to Melbourne to see my old dad and pick up the 56 model 203 from Mansfield and bring her home. She'll be a nice yard sculpture. Not sure, lots of rust there, but may be another goer.
mg1149wtw.jpg
 
I managed to get the 56er back home with the help of a friend. It was a fairly hard trip in a few days, must be getting old, but we made it. Lots of good parts but it's way past a resto. A shame, from the outside you might be deceived. But door pillars swing in the breeze from the bottom, and sills and doors are eaten out . Maybe not beyond Catshamlet, but certainly past my skill level. However parts of the floor will make nice donor inserts in the 49er and it has a smiths heater for my 53 model and an original radiator and motor for the 49er and the seat frames will restore, plus a very nice front spring and set of 404 wheels and probably a 403 brake setup.
So bits all round, and some very straight guards.
Here are some pics:

img1335.jpg


img1374.jpg


Meanwhile back at the ranch the engine rebuild continues. Got the gearbox onto the engine to drop in together, but waylaid because of a failed helicoil on an exhaust manifold stud. Waiting for the next thing up, some solid self tapping thing, that I hope will work. Otherwise next step will be a stepped down machined stud that will be loctited into eternity.
 
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