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Feb 21, 2020 19:44:04 GMT
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I'm still genuinely in wonder as to quality of the Jowett. Safe to say they were a whole 'nuther league above the rest of what Britain was producing at the time? Martin Buckley's feature in C&SC comparing a Jowett with a Lancia seems really appropriate; both designed and manufactured by people who thought their products deserved elegant and durable engineering solutions. I'm so impressed. John John - Now I know that Jowett is my preferred marque and I have to also say that the Javelin is also my preferred model BUT for a mid 40's designed car there is absolutely nothing that comes to close to it from any other manufacture of a mid size family saloon of that era - a well set up Javelin is a really, really nice motor to drive but so vastly underrated & overlooked by others who have never travelled or driven one |
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Feb 21, 2020 19:44:26 GMT
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Such impressive work in so many areas....many thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts and results with us.
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Feb 21, 2020 20:12:13 GMT
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 First job today was to trip into Newbury & collect the wheel rims from the blasters  I also need to big these guys up - excellent service as always - turned the wheels around in 24 hours - very fairly priced & personal service  Choke & bonnet cables are back from being refurbished - new inner & outers but using the original knobs - choke knob is somewhat discoloured though  A few mins session with a little 1500's wet & dry soon had it looking the colour it should  Now fitted to the dash but they still require connecting up in the engine bay  Main focus for today has been on getting the door cards completed - seen here with the scrim bonded to the backings  Top tip for when using aerosol adhesive on the backings is to have a loose piece of card or paper to spray the aerosol on against - otherwise everything gets covered in spray adhesive  Progress  More progress - but what is the cut out for in the front cards  This - Is a hinged drop down arm rest that when not in use folds flush into the door card  Mrs GN made me new covers up and I just had the tricky job of swapping the internal support plates over without damaging the new covers More tomorrow |
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Last Edit: Feb 21, 2020 20:17:12 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 21, 2020 20:24:47 GMT
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Just to add to the Like button, I want to say that I like this progress.
Panels look good, as do the cleaned up wheels.
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Feb 21, 2020 21:03:33 GMT
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GN, another question,
I know you've told us that the lovely Mrs GN is a pro in the costume/film/theatre world, so I imagine she has the right gear for making stuff, as we see when she helps with an automotive project. What kind of sewing machine(s) does she use? I've been watching youtube vids of people doing auto upholstery and they often have "walking foot" machines (I'm in the US, not sure if the terminology is the same). Same kind of Heavy-Duty machinery in use at Grumpy Towers? No hurry for an answer. Thanks, John
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Feb 22, 2020 19:53:46 GMT
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GN, another question, I know you've told us that the lovely Mrs GN is a pro in the costume/film/theatre world, so I imagine she has the right gear for making stuff, as we see when she helps with an automotive project. What kind of sewing machine(s) does she use? I've been watching youtube vids of people doing auto upholstery and they often have "walking foot" machines (I'm in the US, not sure if the terminology is the same). Same kind of Heavy-Duty machinery in use at Grumpy Towers? No hurry for an answer. Thanks, John John - She runs 2 industrial machines in her workroom - well actually make that 1 has she has sneaked one of them into my office - those and an industrial over locker do most of the work - set up correctly and with the correct needles fitted the 'Typical' will happily go through single layer carpet (like on the Javelin door cards) if you have the machine set up correctly and you take your time - used industrial machines can be had in the UK for a few hundred pounds via the electronic media sale sites   She also has a heavier duty walking foot machine that is currently in storage that will happily stich through dense pile carpet or several layers of thick leather but these machines are difficult to source used and when you do find one it will likely to be a premium price unless a vendor is unaware of what its capabilities are - but if you can find a cleanish used industrial machine it will do most of a vehicle interior once its set up correctly |
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2020 19:24:20 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 22, 2020 22:16:23 GMT
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Amazing job as always Chris and big thanks for the continious effort to find time to post your work. Always looking forward to new postings from you.
I also did the interior of my rover P5B. I made the door cards, carpets and lots of other trim panels. I also had a look at industrial sewing machines and also the walking foot ones for the heavy duty work. Like Chris states they come up for sale second hand but here in holland prices started at 600 euro and i have no knowlegde of those so was not sure to buy a decent one and also had no experience in working with these and setting these up correctly so i hesitated buying one. I also believe that i would need one with a stepper motor as these have torque on low speeds and as i am not experienced, i would need to work on low speeds. I ended up buying an old Singer hand sewing machine. These are simple to set up, cheap (i payed 65 euro for one. Mine is at least 60 years old but these Singers are so well buid that it only needed a clean and some grease and oil. These can stich bindings on carpets, a few layers of thick leather. you have to guid the material well as these are no walking foot and it takes a lot of time but it worked well  Needles and other spares for these antique Singers are plenty available and cheap Having a partner with experience and professional sewing machines like Chris, will definetly work a lot quicker but an old singer also does the job pretty good
Peter
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Thanks GN and Peter. Guess what? My wife has that exact old Singer, a hand-me-down from her grandmother. I'll ask for some lessons! Best, John
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Feb 23, 2020 20:33:19 GMT
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 Now on to final preparations to allow the door cards to be fitted - first job was to refit the check straps complete with new cotter pins  Then to lubricate all the door operating mechanisms with white grease and ensure that everything worked / didn't catch etc  Then on with the cavity wax - treating the entire internal shell / frame of the door  I taped over the drain holes on the bottom of the door and I like to literally flood the door shell - its messy but so very worth it  I use a product called Dinitrol ML but there are loads of cavity wax products in the market the vast majority of which have NO recognised laboratory or field testing data to prove that they are any good at what they claim - I hear stories of people thinning products down with engine oil get a viscosity that creeps etc - all nonsense in my book - just purchase the correct product that comes with defined accreditation - Dinitrol & Bilt Hamber are the 2 suppliers that I am aware of that supply such accredited products  The fold down armrests could now be fitted to the front doors  Only fitted to the Delux models  Vapor barrier - its just a sheet of polythene glued to the door shell - these were not fitted originally but this simple sheet of polyethene prevents water ingress to the door card - water will always find its way in past the weather strip on any make or model of vehicle - it then drips down and creates a splash effect the rear of the door card which then suffers / warps  Then the door card could be fitted - the two countersunk screws to the bottom corners replicated has per the factory fitting - new escutcheons for the door handles - window winder handles are not the best but Bill has the plastic knob detail on order for them  A painted metal frame fits around the upper frame section - but I have yet to refinish these so they are left off for now  I then worked around the car completing the doors with the same process    Offside completed    Nearside completed  Offside footwell trim is dead   New backing made & trial fitted  Created the hinge with a piece of expanded sheet pop riveted to the panels  Applied scrim to either side of the panel for insulation  Then bonded the vinyl to the face side  Fitted  Repeated the process for nearside - seen here completed / fitted & the carpet kick section fitted I will work the areas tomorrow with the heat gun to tension up and remove any minor wrinkles in the vinyl More tomorrow |
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2020 20:43:00 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 24, 2020 15:35:26 GMT
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Chris, what adhesive/sealer do you use on the vapour barrier? I have to do the same job on my Humber. The weather has got in and trashed the door cards.
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-(
2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap
V8 Humber Hawk
1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD
1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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Feb 24, 2020 16:38:55 GMT
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Chris, what adhesive/sealer do you use on the vapour barrier? I have to do the same job on my Humber. The weather has got in and trashed the door cards. I have used the same adhesive has used for the rest of the trim on the car - it needs to be an adhesive with high temperature resistance - think about how hot the inside of car can get in summer is the reasoning - use just any old adhesive and it will let go when the sun comes out - let me know if you need to know of a stockist |
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Last Edit: Feb 24, 2020 16:39:14 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 24, 2020 21:22:48 GMT
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A day of bits & pieces much of which is not really image / photo type update material  Drivers door handle - these are so very rare (fitted to the Javelin / Aston Martin DB 2/4 & a rare coachbuilt Bentley - you can still purchase them new - just £650 each) - Bill had supplied a rechromed handle that he asked me to swop over to the original lock base  Lock base is pitted - the door handles are chrome over Mazak which tends to pit quite poorly with age  Completed the last of the wiring which included a new harness for the windscreen washer pump (Javelins were not fitted with windscreen washers originally) Flasher relay - Bill wanted warning direction lamps fitted to the dashboard - I have the left the under dashboard wiring loose for now until the system is commissioned & proven  In advance of applying the underbody & cavity wax treatments I sealed all the welded repair areas along with the underside wing seams  Then started on filling the fluid systems on the engine  And became immediately unimpressed with whoever had rebuilt the engine - water was leaking from everywhere  Just bunged a couple of O rings with a smear of sealer onto the water transfer connector between the engine & the heads when what it really requires is a proper gasket - I made a couple up and refitted it  Topped the system up and the other side started to leak - this is bloody annoying - I know for a fact that he charged several £k's to rebuild this engine - apparently someone of repute who normally builds high end spec exotic race engines - well whoever he is his work is sh!t - it takes next to nothing to run a Javelin engine up out of the vehicle and obviously the lazy sod could not be bothered - I just sincerely hope that I am not plagued with oil leaks to the same extent once I get the engine running  Next was water pouring out of the water pump vent (it shouldn't) this is a very expensive rebuilt pump (£450) again by someone else - its not really my problem but I detest having my time wasted by other so called professionals Half a day wasted - rant over - time for a beer  |
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Last Edit: Feb 24, 2020 21:23:33 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 25, 2020 11:54:51 GMT
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Not heavy on the gins while SWMBO is away?? I have the last of this to finish.  Not technically a gin in my eyes, but tastes pretty damn good with tonic!  |
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jamesd1972
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,920 
Club RR Member Number: 40
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Feb 25, 2020 14:10:22 GMT
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Is the engine builder an expert in Jag's or similar and building other engines as well ? If you don't know the marque peculiarities then suspect easy to get it wrong - but no excuse if you are charging the same high rates for it.
Reminds me of a time a garage was recommended on the basis that the mechanic used to work for Rolls Royce, great I said but I don't have a Rolls Royce so what use is that !
James
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Feb 25, 2020 17:00:30 GMT
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Hi Chris,
As stated by everyone else, brilliant work and thank you for taking the time to explain the processes and methods you employ,
Always looking forward to reading the updates,
Nigel.
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BMW E39 525i Sport
BMW E46 320d Sport Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 325 Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 320 Cabriolet (Project car - currently for sale.)
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Feb 25, 2020 19:38:52 GMT
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loving the re-trim diaries, really detailed and satisfying
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Feb 25, 2020 20:32:21 GMT
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Not heavy on the gins while SWMBO is away?? I have the last of this to finish. Not technically a gin in my eyes, but tastes pretty damn good with tonic! I have plenty of choice to go at   Amongst which are several bottles of bought in slow gin  I do however have just one bottle remaining of the batch that I home made a few years ago - sloes from the hedgerows at the bottom of the lane - steeped for a year - its a really fine medicine - I really ought to think about a fresh batch in the near future |
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maf260
Part of things
Posts: 532
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Feb 25, 2020 23:50:52 GMT
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GN - apologies if this is a dumb question -
"I taped over the drain holes on the bottom of the door and I like to literally flood the door shell - its messy but so very worth it"
Do you leave the drain holes blocked with the cavity wax or open them again after you've applied it?
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If you want to slap some 'medicinal use' labels on them and ship me some for testing I won't stop you.  I like a good sloe. |
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GN - apologies if this is a dumb question - "I taped over the drain holes on the bottom of the door and I like to literally flood the door shell - its messy but so very worth it" Do you leave the drain holes blocked with the cavity wax or open them again after you've applied it? You would want the drain holes to do the job that there were indented for and drain any water from the bottom of the door - I leave the tape over the holes for several days has the cavity wax will solidify / firm up but I then remove the tape and always make sure that the drain holes are free draining - the last thing that you need is a swimming pool in the bottom of your doors |
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Last Edit: Feb 26, 2020 8:43:30 GMT by Deleted
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