Weasel Tinkering

[AlanBartlett]

Well would you believe it. After trying it out on the battery last night to no avail. Usually if you just but the battery + to the battery and T to the neg the gauge should go to full without resistance. I thought I would just connect everything up this morning, sender, earths to battery all out on the bench to see what happens as a last attempt before I would search for another gauge. To my amazement it all worked! The arrow on the gauge rising and falling with the sender unit moving up and down. So not really answered my question, but have solved the problem. Electrickery at its finest!

[Keith Clements]

Probably the earth return.

[AlanBartlett]

On the subject of Breathing and Breather valves. I've just got around to changing the one the Weasel just to make sure its all correctly working and not clogged up. The vains there were in there are of a different design to the usual ones I've seen from JCS and in the instruction books.

Here is a photo. Is this an original? Or a home made effort?

73372358_10163809179305354_2600435829658615808_o.jpg

[AlanBartlett]

A few photos of progress on the weasel. Having spent what seems a couple of months of making the hood frame up. I visited Ken and the Cornish weasel back in November to see how far out my guessing measurements were, which I'm surprised to say they were not too far out. I've also found a place to keep the side screens as they seemingly had no where to go, now neatly stored behind the rear seat. The frame and side screen compartment are now finished. The hood alterations will be done in the new year by the trimmer. I'm now looking forward to moving on to the next piece of the weasel puzzle which will be fitting the wings after the xmas break. I'm a little curious about the engine mountings, mounted on rubber, I thought by 35 they would be the cylinder shaped oil filled type?

[BarryCambs]

The car looks to be coming on a treat now, but I understood Weasel Tinkering was made illegal at the same time the fox hunting ban came into law?

[k. rogers]

Well done, Alan, you've done very well - I think tinkering with your weasel has always been frowned upon!

[AlanBartlett]

A few more updates of the illegal and frowned upon Weasel Tinkering. I managed over the time off over Christmas to get the other front wings off the car and loosely marry up the proper Jowett ones. I've not spent the past few weeks adjusting them to fit. A bit of repair welding to do on the running board mountings but now happier with the fit. The bonnet had been cut along the front corner to match the non original wings and plated over with corner pieces where the front catches should be, luckily the old holes are still there, this is something I will address in time. I hope to have the wing mounting sorted for February so I can then get them painted.

Another job I've been tackling is the rear light mounting. Having some non original add on lights attached to the rear wings, which I've taken off in favour of the right pork pie type with another number plate bracket. Things are progressing well.

[Keith Clements]

Ready for Revival?

[AlanBartlett]

Hoping so, if I can get it back together in time and reliably roadworthy.

[AlanBartlett]

After many miles of trundling. I've been having trouble recently with gears. The gear lever slop is still present despite my efforts of remaking the peg that holds the ball of the lever in place. Without the pin in place there seems to be a lot of up and down movement inside the housing for the lever. My guess is there is a large amount of wear in the top.

There is a cup washer in the bottom and appears to be hitting home when put into place with large cone spring underneath, but there is large amount of "slop"
Has anyone else had this issue? What have they done to rectify this? Either a top "shim" to take up the play. It almost wants a new top socket or housing although the rest of it is fine. I've looked at the lubrication diagram which shows the bottom cup & spring but nothing for the top. So I gather these were just a machined fit inside.
Perhaps a solution could be taking off a little material from the inside of the housing where the cup washer stops to bring it up further to make a tighter fit around the ball?

Any thoughts?

[Tony Fearn]

Hi Alan.
I see that you've sorted the pin out, but you didn't say whether you sorted-out the recess in the ball in which the pin sits, although this shouldn't have anything to do with the up and down movement you mention (in my opinion).
As you know, the cone spring is very strong, so rather than machining the housing where the cup washer is 'hitting home' how about grinding the outer rim and/or the top of the cup washer, if this is possible. It probably won't need much, just a few thou.
The spring would then be strong enough to push the gear-lever ball further up the turret.
I've never had to do this, and I don't even remember a cup washer in the gearbox lid, but it's food for thought.
Anyway, I might just have a 4-speed gearbox cover somewhere, (I can't promise), but it could be as worn as the one you already have.
Tony.

[AlanBartlett]

Hi Tony,
I did sort out the recess at the time of making the new pin. As a solution I managed to press the bottom recess of the cup slightly upwards a small amount to bring the gear lever ball up further into contact with the housing. I also re greased it lightly. Along with dressing the pin a bit more to go further into the ball. All put back together now a definitive change of gear.
Next on the agenda is sorting out the Reverse Gate.
Does anyone have a photo of their set up in regards to springs and how it goes together? My saloon doesn't have one, but with the lack of play now in the gear stick. The selector reverse is now even more easier to engage!

[k. rogers]

Have a look at mine st Powderham, Alan!

[AlanBartlett]

Having spent the summer running around with it, enjoying many miles roaming around the countryside. The engine is showing signs of being tired, a little lacking in power, a tinge of blue smoke and various noises which sound a bit ominous.

As I have no idea when the engine was rebuilt, I've done my best to keep it going which it has served me well though as off season approaches now would be a good time to start building up another engine to go in its place.

With the Lorry came a spare "stationary engine" Which I would imagine was going to be donor for the eventual rebuild of the lorry engine. So my plan is to rebuild with some parts from here. Though I have a few queries. So here they are.

Do the Stationary engines share the same crank & camshaft as a normal road going pre war? Having not had one apart I was wondering what they share? Obviously the casting/casing is different, oil filler and later lugs on the front. Though I have a spare 8hp crankcase stripped ready to build up.

For the rebuild I was planning to see what my options are in regarding to making the engine a bit more "sporty" Probably quite impossible being a Jowett, but the aim would be to get the best engine I can assemble using the best of what Jowett had designed. I've been chatting with Ken about the changing of camshafts for a Bradford one for slightly more output? Any other thoughts?

My Autumn/Winter project!

Alan

[ian Howell]

Alan: -

Watching with vested interest,