Mr Maker strikes again!

I couldn't get hold of a starting handle easily (£100 seemed to be the asking price) so I made one from 5/8 steel and shaped and welded the dog on the end for less than a tenner (£10), as I need to turn the engine over regularly now to keep the oil going round.  Afterwards I spotted that some Alvis starting handles are tubular..... a good idea to transmit the torque. So I had to machine up a centre bearing...... I may turn a nice Oak and brass handle too!  The starter was rebuilt some time ago but I didn't fit it because of the fear of flooding from our river.... time to do it now as I want to be able to start and run it.  I needed to make the flat plate cover with six holes in it, that seals the starter housing as it was tatty and replace the cable from the starter to the solenoid.  The original solenoid still works but I decided to replace it with a modern one for reliability the cable though was another matter. Firstly I sent for one off ebay with ready made ends and the tiny thin one arrived.  Then I measured the original and did the maths, somehow ending up with 70 square mm cross section that would take 485 amps!  What turned up (in the picture would jump start a lorry..... and certainly wouldn't wiggle out of the starter housing to join the solenoid, which on mine is bolted onto the housing. I have spotted that some cars have the solenoid fastened to the chassis near the steering box and a flexible lead across to the starter...... but I decided to leave mine as it came.  A phone call to my auto electrician friend (I should have done that in the first place) ascertained that 40 square mm cable capable of 300 amps plus would suffice....... so I have ordered one.  The big one I shall use to join  the two batteries across the back of the car so it is not waisted...... it will be next week now before I will be able to start the engine "on the button". Posted by FLYJCW 25/05/2018 18:15:20

Again John,  Well done. Do you have a completion date in mind or this that asking too much??  Regards,  Richard Melbourne Posted by RichardWallach 27/05/2018 06:35:53

Thanks Richard...... I would like to set a target date but I have learned that it is too difficult to predict how each stage will go.  I have just checked the "to do" list and discovered that I haven't put the split pins in the 12 tiny bolts that hold the prop shaft on....... well I have been putting it off.... I'll do that "after tea" I thought then I discovered that I had put them back the wrong way so they will have to come out and be reversed before I pin them.... It is urgent now as when the floor is finished I would need to crawl underneath.... at the moment the task is relatively easy.  I want to run the engine a few times and thoroughly warm it up now it has got a radiator to ensure there are no knocking bearings..... It seemed OK with short runs.... necessary without water...... If I have to rebuild it I would like to do it before the body is on.  I thought of stripping it whilst it was out of the chassis.... with race or rally cars I wouldn't think twice but as it is an old engine seemingly running Ok with good compression and an horrendously expensive gasket set.... I decided to "let sleeping dogs lie".  Now completion looks possible I am wondering if I should have rebuilt it anyway?  Cheers John Posted by FLYJCW 27/05/2018 12:19:23