Thread: The Ultimate FC

just a up date.
New sparkplugs and high tension leads are now fitted to my stolly.
The Jolley Engineering electronic ignition is fitted too.
The electronic igniton has transformed the B81 Rolls Royce, runs much better and shows how poor the standard twin points set up was.
Today I took the beast for a local run as it now seems to be delivering the goods engine wise.
Top speed is just over 40 mph and climbing up over humps and short walls etc takes some getting use to as the the nose climbs skyward and then lurches over quickly dropping on to the front wheels while lifting the back off at the same time.
I have to sort out the gear shift as it is very stiff and a host of other small problems.
I will post pics the next time I take it for a run.
I still have to do ignition timing which must be done by road timing it as there is no timing marks on the motor and no way to static time it as the distributor runs excessively retarded at idle so the motor can be hand cranked.

To road time the beast requires two people.........one to drive in the cabin and another brave soul to set the distributor in the cargo bay without being sucked though those two huge cooling fans.
I have been checking out the rust in the cabin , needle gunning and painting.
Luckly the cabin rust is only minor and no major repairs are required other than a non urgent need to remove the windows , treat rust and reseal them.
The cargo bay and rear body work is a different story and I will have to do major replating work if I am going to swim it.
Fitting the electronic ignition took all weekend because of the need to run a extra wire though the suppressed ignition harness which is only designed to take one wire.
The good news is I got to understand the wiring though the suppression filter, and ballast resistor....all sealed in water proof housings etc.
The Stolly is not to bad to work on if you realise how to tackle the job.
The hard part is climbing up and down every time you need some thing, or fishing out the spanner you dropped in the goo in the hull.
The throttle linkage has been reset.
I suspect the stolly because of the good top access is much easier than its amoured cousins.

New Parts I got from the UK



I got some new engine oil filters, but I will be doing a spin on oil filter conversion to the original oil filter housing to save costs .



I think I can convert the gearbox and filter filter to spin on in time too.

I purchased 12 new tracta joint boot covers


and a spare disc brake caliper even thou there is nothing wrong with my brakes, as spare caliper seals are no longer advailible and having a spare makes it easier to get seals made if required.




It should be noted the stalwarts were fitted with 4 pot hydraulic disc brakes in 1959 at the same time they became a option on high performance cars and it broke new ground to fit modern type disc brakes to a truck at that time.
They work extremely well and are a waste on something that only does 40 mph.

Here is a view of the top of the distributor cap.....it bolts over the breaker plate and main housing of the dist which is made of brass.


I dropped the tail gate for the first time and found more work.


I found another little bracket on the tailgate.......I dont know what its for.

Over Xmas I was able to travel to brisbane and check out the other stolly in Aust like mine.
It was rust free compared to mine
It has all the CES and brackets as well as a full radio kit.
Mechanically it appears to be in about the same condition.........it is what I must work towards........mine you I did spot a small rust hole or two.
Its good just to see another stolly the same model and compare notes.
Queensland will not let the owner drive it on the road......which is a real shame.
I will get there and swim my stolly.......its only a matter of time.
My shopping list now is
Boiling vesel and power cable
CES and brackets
Crank handle
Radio gear
After driving the beast down the road today the noise in the cabin requires a headset.
On the wish list is inter wheel set drive disconnects.
I am happy the stolly is good enough to drive to the next local air show or ANZAC day etc, so I can show it off.
Finding someone to ride shot gun is not a problem and people just follow the thing around in there cars just trying to get another look at it , or to pull me over and ask what the hell it is.

These are the old points backing plate which was removed for the electronic ignition.
It looks like I have two spare ignition points now for my B40 BSA.
It is worth noting the standard points gap is very small , so the slightest wear on the points caused problems and the fact that one set of points worked one set of 4 cylinders and the other another 4 cylinders and the points must therefore be timed exactly to one another.




Now that I am going to drive the beast a bit , I will have to replace the maze of coolant hoses too.
Ron

I have been doing research into the water jets used on the stalwart.
In 1959 when the stalwart MK1 was being designed and after the water jet idea was tested on prototypes of SARO-gill design.
Dowty had UK patents on the Hamilton Jet which itself was still in its early design stage and it was a little bit of a first to use the water jets on a amphibious vehicle , let alone swinging the jets on their sides for side entry of the water.
Mr Dowty had it all tested in his own dam at home.
The steering and reversing design was simple and slightly ahead of other jet designs of the time and done in house at Alvis.
Water jets for military is now a big market and the stalwart showed the way.