Rebuilding Sid

Few days off work and I’ve locked myself in the garage. Not getting much done, but that’s not the point!

Not strictly true because Sid now has twiddly bits!!!!

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And he also has his face on

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Even a shroud

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Other bits you can’t see include the fully working hand throttle and vacuum tube for dizzy and even the vent flaps.

But running he is not.

Does anyone know what size the core plug is at the back (top) corner of the block? I think it’s the heater take off. The manual says 3/8, but the hole is much bigger, more like 5/8 so the brand spanking new plug i have don’t fit.

It’s an 8:1 head which may be different, the other head I’ve got has a smaller plug

3/8 BSP..... and you can buy them at super cheap auto.

Different to the manual which says BSF and the old head I’ve got.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cadas

3/8 BSP..... and you can buy them at super cheap auto.

Different to the manual which says BSF and the old head I’ve got.

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Just out of interest how did you workout the plug size without taking in the whole head.....

Cheers Paul

Micrometer across opening gave me 15.5mm, which gave me a couple of options on an imperial thread chart

Then.

Kids plasticine modelling clay on a lollipop stick to take impression of the threads [emoji1]

And then a thread gauge.

Only works on big threads though....

Work is interfering with Sid time again so progress slow.

I’ve been learning to metal bash aluminium which is great fun. Shrinking ally using heat and compressed air is a bit like magic, you heat it, it expands, you blast with air and you see it move before your eyes.

One wing is nearly done, I’ll post some pics later.

In between work, managed to finish the gauges.

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They had seen better days.

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All got the same treatment, sand blasted, new studs welded on and painted. I got new seals from eBay ( painfully expensive) but they were correct and fitted perfectly.

And voila!

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Refurbished switch as well. I have few more bits to fit, the spare Landy had the original accessory sockets and a full set of lights and I think an original switch for top right, just need to tidy them all up.

Other end of Sid this weekend. Finally found somewhere to media blast the body panels, they have most of the front end in their workshop so I get to play with the back end.

Also took Sid for a chug up and down the drive.

So, tailgate... it’s the only one I have and it’s seen better days.

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I still think Sid was a breakdown truck at some point and tires going in and out the back caused some damage.

That and the bloke who had an unhealthy relationship with a rivet gun.

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The rest of this is not for those of a nervous disposition

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Capping came off easily enough, rather battered.

The top and bottom section are held on with a mixture of rivets and spot welds.

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The bottom rail is toast, as it’s only a couple of folds I’ll make up a new one.

The main panel is only a simple
Box, I’m trying to decide whether to make a new box, or try bashing out the old one, it is Swiss cheese but am getting very good at tig welding holes ( rivet guy!) Replacing it means taking the ends off and the braces so about the same amount of work. I think I’ll send it all for media blast and decide after. Some of the tears in the ally look like they will be tricky to weld.

The rest of the day was spent straightening bits. Top rail and capping came up a treat, although the capping takes some bashing, panel beating with a 3lb lump hammer.

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Rubbing strips also done, these and all the trim bits will be getting hot dipped Galv

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More tailgate work, have to get a shift on now as I’m picking up body panels from the blaster soon.

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Fabricated a new bottom rail
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The old one was beyond repair, I’ve m base the new one up in 1.6mm to give it a bit more strength

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Fits nicely, shame about the state of the main panel

[emoji848]

First set of panels back, https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...23ddfac762.jpg
Definitely worth doing, I can now see every defect which I couldn’t before. Finish is ok, they used a very light garnet so the panels are quite smooth.

Took the next lot in but with today’s news in south Australia I’ve no idea when I’ll get then back.

Prezzies came in the post today as well.

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New loom from Bruce Sharma, looks to be a nice bit of work, and colour matched to Sid!!!!

I think I spent longer getting stuff ready to do in lock down than it actually lasted. Better that than the other though.

Tail gate saga continues. After deciding the tailgate looked rather shabby against my shiny new repair panel there was only one way to go.

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Part way through forming the main panel.

Again I’ve done it out of 1.6mm (because that’s all I’ve got) so it will be rather stronger than the original, but jeez.... those folds raised a sweat.

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Mocked up with all the frame pieces. Since this photo I’ve cleaned the rails up and straightened them, I’m now going around TIG welding the bits of damage, most of which fortunately is hidden and was stress cracking in the corners.

Should get this nearly done this weekend, next tricky job is transferring the reinforcement that supports the hinge bolts.

And working out which holes are rivets and which are spot welds.

Tailgate progress

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Reinforcement fitted. I had to pack these out with spacers. The reason being that the hinges on the new rear chassis member I welded in some months back must be slightly wider apart than the original ones, this has meant that the hinges on the tailgate needed to be spaced 10mm further apart.

That’s about as far as I have got, I’ve been working out how to spot weld the panels back together. Not easy in aluminium. I think I’ve found a technique.

So I moved onto something else.

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Loom going in. It fits really well, this is very well made and looks brilliant in the matching colour scheme.

It pays to lay the whole thing out on the floor and work through the diagrams and notes before starting to put in it, there are a lot of separate looms and bits and pieces.

One thing I have realised, and not sure if this is correct. This loom is as per the original, which appears to leave the starter motor circuit through the starter button permanently live.

Not that it can be started without a key, but seems unusual