Hillman Avenger Turbo

Thanks for the input. I'm not sure what you mean by the bit above. The clamp is as per Stealthstylz' drawing on the previous page.

My thinking behind the non fencing of the plate is that it's only held in by one 5/16 bolt. I'd have thought (and I may be wrong) that the thread would strip in the block before I get significant deformation of the clamp. I didn't measure it but the material I used for the clamp is in the 4mm ish range at a guess.

Nonetheless, I'll have a think about whether to improve it. The car's back together now so access is once again minimal, and I'm reluctant to pull it apart again. Any changes will have to be to the clamp itself for now.

Just read this from the start, great fabrication and welding skills. I will need try harder in future. Keep up the great work and updates. Norman

A very dodgy image may help explain what I was thinking

Brackets 3 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

Image 1

what I see happening in the arrangement at the moment is the majority of the force generated by clamping the bolt up, will be effectively lost through the bracket into the casting underneath. The bracket will be clamped hard on its flat face, but it wont be imparting much load onto the manifold. Mainly as the section is slender compared to the length of the span, so it will likely flex, with good movement opportunity around the red arrow points.

Image 2

My suggestion is weld on some rod etc. on the bottom face of the bracket this way the bolt will pull down on the bracket, but it will be stood off by the rod. This will force a reasonable moment onto the bracket and increase the clamping force onto the manifold. To do this thought you will need a vertical fence on one or both sides to up the "beam" strength of the bracket (the purple bit). it will put a bit of a point load on things, but I doubt it'll be significant.

You could likely get most of the effect by welding a washer onto the bottom face of the manifold side of the bracket and thinish strip of steel at the end behind the bolt.


If there's concern about strength of threads etc in the cast iron (or ali) then hellicoils are great. Easy to do with a drill and tap and really improve the pull out strength as the weak material has a lot larger tapped hole bitting into it v's the size of the item that threads in to the helicoil.


Just to echo others, its a great thread. Are you on ASOC as well? I used to have a few avengers / sunbeams and post up there, but having found retrorides I moved over here years ago.

Got you, i'd miss seen that.

I've still got a part finsihed avenger (spaceframed, AWD, with engine under the dash) but its been on hold since I got the morris... so about 10 years.

I've also got a sunbeam fitted with a V6 and AWD, but its not done more than been started in the last 8 years.

I sold all the spares and spare shells off ages ago to Big Mal on here.

I have been getting the rest of the bodywork sorted on the Avenger so that I can paint the main shell.

My Dad bought a Mirka sander which is excellent, so I've been using it on the roof to prep for paint.  There were 4 spots of damage in a square on the roof, where I can only assume someone had previously had a roofrack fitted.  These needed panelbeating into shape and there were a few other spots which were a bit pitted so they got ground back.
















Next I need to finish de-rusting the back panel around the numberplate recess, then the back window needs to come out and I can rub everything down properly and apply filler where needed.  I'm starting a new work contract on Monday so progress might be a bit slower unfortunately.

Did a bit more today on the back panel.

There were a couple of ropey sections.

IMG_20200614_144432 by Chris Witkowski, on Flickr




I could do with knot-wheeling the rest of it to make sure it's ok and remove the rest of the corrosion.  I left it for today as it's collosally loud and I'm sure the neighbours had probably had enough.

I might give some of them a try Jono. The boot seems to act as an amplifier for the knot wheel. Nobody has complained but I'm very conscious of the racket I'm making.

You can try sticking a sack of sand down behind the panel, with a sheet of metal between then. The mass should help dampen a bit

Our (American) verbiage may be different but have you been using a glaze/stopper/fine build filler (on top of the "regular" filler) before primer? Not the single stage stuff which comes in a toothpaste-like tube, but a product that uses an activator? John