Thread: 1955 S1 86" addition to the stable

All of the original black badges I have seen have had a machined sort of finish showing bare ally on the letters and bordering oval. It looks like the letters have been resprayed at some point, maybe it is an etch primer undercoat?

After something like 20 years of being stored, the '55 has started and runs!
I bought it off eBay as a "non-runner", but the PO couldn't tell me why it wouldn't run - just said it'd been stored with his late cousin for 12 years and he thought it was at least 8 years prior to that when it was parked up. Basically all I've done is fit new LT (spark plug) and HT leads, clean and gap the spark plugs, clean and gap the points and strip, clean the carby and wire a switch directly between the battery and the coil. (The wiring is very "miced" in the instrument panel and I don't want to start with a fire). The flexible fuel line between the fuel pump and the carby leaks like a sieve (and I couldn't get the fuel pump to work) so I mounted a small bottle directly to the carby and poured a little fuel in. Choke on, a bit of throttle and away it went! The racket brought the missus running out from the house (no exhaust after the first part of the header through the guard). I didn't run it for long because the radiator and cooling hoses are not installed, but long enough, and a few times, to know it's a runner now.
I'll post a picture later of the set-up under the bonnet.

Very happy John B

Whoo hoo too
If it had a rusted chassis beatup body buggered diffs blown g/box but the engine starts, who cares, its got a heartbeat.

Here's the test run set-up. Not exactly lab conditions - not unless you're a Dr Jeckyl type anyway. (That might be the case for Klonk, with his reference to a heartbeat in the little monster Flash):


New spark plug leads and HT lead from the coil:


Missing a few bits of the cooling system ...:


... But have fuel and air going straight to the carby unhindered.


Fuel, spark and air is the recipe yes? The quantities don't matter so much with an old engine like this so just throw them into a cylinder and stir.

My plan was to get it running s I could advertise it as running, but now that I got it running, I'm starting to think ... hmmm ... The trouble is it's "Dakar budget" just sitting there in the garage.

Ah! I looked at those picture for ages, it saved me a walk in the moonlight to get my lot of series one, eyeball fix for this evening .

.

Well did it start John? The vacum advance looks u/s but you have done a nice job on the carby. Mine would fire up very easy and idle on gravity feed even though it wouldn't rev until i fixed the fuel pump.Once you drive it around the yard you will want tyo keep it. I got my top rail from Radfords now need a good sheety to weld it on. Then the bulkhead can go back and things will start to move. I am going to buy a full new set of nuts and bolts from the UK .

Originally Posted by Defender Mike

I got my top rail from Radfords now need a good sheety to weld it on.

Mike, find someone with a spot welder with long arms on it and spot-weld the new panel in place; that is how I did mine,

Cheers Charlie

Originally Posted by Defender Mike

Well did it start John? The vacum advance looks u/s but you have done a nice job on the carby.

Originally Posted by JayBoRover

Choke on, a bit of throttle and away it went! The racket brought the missus running out from the house (no exhaust after the first part of the header through the guard). I didn't run it for long because the radiator and cooling hoses are not installed, but long enough, and a few times, to know it's a runner now.

Not sure why you say the vacuum advance looks u/s. It's fine. That is to say it's connected at both ends and the engine revs and idles no problems.
Yep, I suspect things will change when I get to take it for a drive. Unfortunately the eBay seller I am trying to buy hoses from doesn't seem to want to replay to my request for a quote. Anyone know where I can buy some coolant system hoses from? Also now need the flexible hose between the fuel pump and the carby.
Ciao
John B