Fleet addition

[Chris Spencer]

I purchased the ex Ken Brown Javelin last summer with the help of Keith who knew of the car and had helped Ken with a few problems on it, it's quite a sound example but like most cars there are bits & pieces to be caught up with. Keith helped sort the brakes out which had all seized and at the same time we converted the system to synthetic DOT 5 brake fluid - I tidied a few of the cosmetics up and the car was just ready in time for the Goodwood Revival where it was pressed into service. The car has a recently rebuilt engine and clutch and did a sterling service has a taxi throughout the event.

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HUJ receives attention in the Clements workshop prior to the Goodwood event

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New tyres replaced the perished 25 year old ones

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Paint damage to the N/S/R wing was repaired The car was restored by Ken about 25 years ago and remains in fairly nice condition - I will be making further improvements but using the car whilst doing so.

[Chris Spencer]

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In memory of my late step father I decided to livery the car with the old business that he ran for a substantial time back in my home town - using the original font style, four digit telephone number etc - the sign writing is in vinyl lettering and can be removed at any time but I think it adds a little bit of character to the car - so I intend to leave them on during my ownership.

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TAXI !

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Complete with period outfits for the event

[Chris Spencer]

So apart from general servicing the car has pretty much wanted for nothing and has probably covered some 2,000 miles since purchase - but one of the carbs is leaking, and the choke is not brilliant, radiator has a minor weep to it too. With this in mind the carbs have come off and are with a certain Mr Clements for a rebuild - Keith can sort this for me - my free time available for the cars has been severely limited over the last year with much of my time spent working away from home. So with the carbs off and being sorted - I will drop the radiator out and get JCS to rebuild it - I am very mindful that in a couple of months the car is off to the Netherlands so I want to ensure its reliability before we leave.

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Pictured is the original carbs off the car & the carburettor rebuild production line at Keiths

[Chris Spencer]

On my visit to the Clement Jowett empire today - these were waiting for me

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Keith has fully rebuilt these and dam fine they look too - just have find a little time to bolt them on

[Keith Clements]

It amazed me that Chris was so pleased with the car's performance with these carbs. If it is no better with these rebuilt carbs then I will give up!!!

The two were not a pair, one being without a C number. The main problem was a float in one being half full of petrol, so the yellow marker was used to put a cross on that. There was a dent on it and it did not really move well in the chamber. Neither did a replacement, so the chamber was bent back into shape carefully with a piece of scaffold pipe and some wedges, followed by some fettling with emery cloth. The chambers are quite malleable, so care needs to be taken in storage and handling.

Both needle valves had 1.4 mm of washers under them, so this was reduced to the correct 1mm. One valve was 1.6 mm, so this was replaced with a 1.5mm.

Some of the jets were the wrong size and two were slightly clogged. Their sizes were checked with smooth ends of a set of jewellers' drills. I am not totally sure whether the jet sizes are actually mm sizes or whether they are nominal. Some more research may be necessary here. I will also check the accuracy of my drills next time! They do come from China! The jets were all set to the same spec. for C1334. Choke 23, Main 90, Compensation 50 (one was 70 and one was 50 and slightly blocked), slow 45 (one was 50, one was 45 and was tight on a .45mm drill), Capacity 2.6 , Progression 100, valve 1.5 (one was 1.6), washer 1 ( both 1.4, reduced).

One emulsion block was different as it had a tab on it, so changed so they were the same. (This might be an issue and the float chamber might need to be replaced. Indeed a complete new carb might be in order, if correct balance cannot be acheived.)

The bodies were soda blasted and the steel bits grit blasted, masked and spray painted. The brass bits and threads of screws were buffed on a fine brass brush. One body seemed to be sand cast (or perhaps left out in the elements for a long time) and required a coarser buffing to polish it.

One vacuum take off hole had a stripped thread. This was retapped. I am looking into purchasing some thread inserts and will try to find the correct ones for this hole and the petrol intake which is often stripped also. An alternative would be plastic metal which I have sucessfully used on a water pump as there is not much meat to play with when redrilling for the insert.

The odd carb had been previously rebushed so this was left. The other was very worn on throttle and choke spindles. The choke was worn so much, it failed to operate the throttle advance. The body was rebushed as explained in the 'Garage Additions' thread. New spindles and a butterfly were assembled and tested for free movement and return with the springs. the slow running jet and throttle stop (and choke to throttle rod) were adjusted for a tuning starting point. Future rebuilds will be tested on the engine test bed but Chris can have a go and call me if there are issues!

[Keith Clements]

I started to do up some carbs for Rupert Knapton yesterday and managed to find some C1334's in the pile.
It took about an hour to strip them with some of the jets being difficult to remove.

Whilst examining these I noticed that the jets were different to those fitted on Chris's so I phoned Zenith Carbs but they could not help. Mike Allfrey's Parts List Page 78and Mike Allfrey's Zenith notes and nothing else in our library covers the spec for the C1334.

Just tech bulletin 91 in Bob Jones compilation which also mentions C1164 as an equivalent.

It is inadvisable to attempt to fit any other Zenith carburettor than that specified, as
Zenith’s have performed extensive tests and the carburettor giving the best overall
economy and performance has been fitted. The correct numbers for the 30 VM 5 series of
carburettors as fitted to the Javelin are C1334 and C1164. The only difference between
these carburettors is that the C1334 has two screw holes at the back just under the choke
butterfly for a choke cable-securing bracket. Check that the screws are in position
otherwise the choke will not operate at its correct efficiency.
Further references - Jowetteer November 1968 P.108 Carbs. and coolers
March 1969 P.31 S.U. your Javelin.

This is the general tech sheet.
Search for Zenith on this page to see how to tune the carb.

Having three carbs alegedly C1334s and to the same spec I decided the jets I had changed to make them the same on Chris's were wrong. I have updated the previous post and will correct the mistake on Chris's carbs!
Half and hour of soda blasting on the aluminium bits, followed by polishing made them look as good as new.
The choke and throttle spindles were cleaned and examined and the bores for them tested for play with new spindles.

I bought some silver solder (expensive ) on Monday and will try to repair some of the spindles.

[Keith Clements]

So a few more days on carbs with an interlude yesterday to prepare the garage for moving Rhowina (Peter's Jav) to the NEC . Lamerod (Jack's Jav) was on the apparatus we use for moving cars which will be needed, so I made up a frame to attach 4 castors onto and fitted that under Lamerod. Also put castors on the engine dismantling and rebuild frame, so everything is easy to move. Also put castors under the Bradford display engine that Jack has the task of restoring.

Back to carbs. I fitted the correct jets to Chris's carbs and then proceed to clean, soda and grit blast, polish and paint five C1334 carbs., hoping to get a couple good enough for Rupert. The main problem areas are jets and springs which can deteriorate and are not available new.
There are five different springs, 2x slow mixture, 2x slow throttle, 1xthrottle return, and 2 different choke return.



The throttle and choke shafts are nearly always worn. I have a couple that have lost half their original diameter!


Those with little wear I silver solder. Others I replace.

The bodies are then bushed on the choke and throttle and then fettled to get the desired clearance and free movement. You need to clamp the choke spindle which is split with the correct washer so as to get the correct clearance.

There are also two types of throttle spindle, one being 45deg out of phase with the other.



I include here a picture of the return spring which is only on the side without the choke throttle advance rod.


One important point is to fit these two screws.


You can see pictures of the finished carbs from all angles here.

I reckon it now takes me 6 hours work per carb, with some difficult ones taking longer. But many, many more hours were spent researching and experimenting.
The equipment used is extensive including cleaning tank, soda and grit blasting cabinets, lathe, mill, press, gas bottles for silver soldering and releasing difficult parts, reamers, files, special screwdrivers, wire brush polishing buffs.

[Forumadmin]

Amy and I stole Chris's Jav last night after a trip to see Saracens scrape through to the Premiership playoffs. Scrape is the word as after the full league season 3 teams ended up on the same number of points, with the same number of wins and so it all had to be decided on points difference. Luckily Sarries managed to score 68 points in this match and thus beat one of the teams fighting for a place. This team, Exeter, beat Sarries last week at home so they are a bit miffed at not making the playoffs.

Anyhow the reason for stealing the Jav is to use it to take Peter up to JAW. But before that it needs some some health treatment at the salon. The exhaust was found to be blown in three places and had a broken support above the diff. Probably all those speed bumps in Holland.

The brakes were pulling to the right and this was found to be fluid on the shoes. So a new wheel cylinder is called for. At the same time I will change the wheel bearings as the inner was floating in its hub housing!

[Keith Clements]

The Javelin now has a repaired exhaust, sealed for life front wheel bearings and new front brake cylinders. Two of the bearings had rotated in their housings so bearing fit sealant was used to prevent such in the future.

There was also a modification on the brake pipe distribution piece which had a pressure switch inserted. Not a bad mod except this switch protruded 2 cm below the chassis so if hit by a speed bump would wipe out the brakes. I have managed to work the unit up so only a few mm are protruding and since the unit is now floating , if it is hit, it will not break off.

Speed bumps are getting more aggressive and more frequent (Holland having a forest of them). On a Javelin, the clutch operating rod protrudes dangerously low down and could be caught , so be careful.

The exhaust on Chris's car had been hit by a speed bump so some re-siting may be advisable when the new one is fitted.

Make sure brake pipes and hoses are protected, as well as other cables.

These bumps also stress the rubber stops on front and rear suspension which are often missing on cars. If they are not there then stress fracture of the chassis and suspension components is likely.

[Forumadmin]

This seems to be a common problem on Javelins but what is the cause.


I measured the gap between the upper link plate and the chassis on both sides. 2.5 and 3.5 cm between where the bottom edges of each intersect.




How do we move the diff over? Could it be the length of the panhard rod is too long or wrong thick rubbers or their assembly?



I cannot see anything wrong with the above unless it is the panhard rod length. I think that early, late and Jup rods are different lengths so am about to research if that is the cause.
Could it be the upper link torsion bar rubber or assembly?

The offside wheel rubs on the wheel arch going around a corner. There is also a nasty tramping and clunking at the offside rear under braking with a full load that I am investigating. I have externally inspected all bushes and link arms and cannot see anything amiss. The diff has some play and the rear brake was adjusted a little tight and grabbed the drum slightly. Possibly the handbrake might have applied itself due to some geometrical action under braking and a heavy load...but I am clutching at straws.

[Forumadmin]

After checking the alignment of the rear to front wheels using my patented square bar method, and checking the diagonals between king pin grease nipples and bottom of rear lower links, I then checked the lengths of the 3 panhard rods in the garage. All different!
I tightened up the one on Chris's car by about 1.5 cm, so it must have been very loose. This made little difference to my alignment bars!
I disconnected the panhard and used the hydraulic body jack to gently push the axle over. It moved a little but not enough. I then noticed that the spacing of the lower bolt fixings was different on one side as well as having non standard rubbers. Closer investigation showed the spacer that supposed to pinch the metalastic bush was on the shock absorber mounting side!

So off with everything with the transmission jack under the diff. Removing the metalastic bush which had rusted on was no easy task, taking over 3 hours. I made up a puller, tried heat, which meant I could get at the inner metal sleeve as the rubber melted. Then used a chisel and drills to split the thick bush. Wow a very difficult job. Copper ease please next time you assemble.

Off out with Jack, Amy, Marcel and Anna now for dinner so will post pictures tomorrow.

[Forumadmin]

Marcel and Anna have just left promising to have their pre-war ready for Bodensee (Lake Constanz) Rally.

Just about to collect Roger and Coleen but thought I would post the pictures taking yesterday.


The sample torsion bar was 735mm between the faces that take the washers. The 722mm is the minimum distance between the washers at each end which is where you can measure 'in situ'. The distance between the washer face and tip at the diff end is 57mm and at the chassis end is 48mm.

But the one in the Javelin measured 693 mm, a lot less than 722mm between washers, so is this one from a Jup?
The Early Javelin. Measured 563 between washers and 656mm overall.


and different fixing to diff


The wrongly positioned spacer

[richard turner]

The track on a Jupiter is slightly wider than the Javelin, might this cause some problem? In addition on my Jupiter there was damage to the upright mounting from the axle commensurate with the car having been slid into a curb at some point. It might be worth a check! regards Rich

[Chris Spencer]

I am so happy that Mr Clements is retired - he finds time to get things done that I don't stand a chance of getting done - and once he is on to something he wont give up until its sorted - 'Stubborn Sod' - just like me I suppose - its a mutual thing and it works both ways for us - I sort the panels & paint on our cars - Keith sorts the oily bits - and I see it happening all the time with other fellow members in the club - throughout the country - it also happens in other car clubs (I have been a member of several over the last 35 years) but not to the extent that I have seen with JCC - it's just one of the things that make this club rather 'UNIQUE' - lets make sure we keep that way

[Forumadmin]

How it should be: