ALJ 164A Restoration project

[RichardTalor]

Hello everyone my name is Richard Taylor and having just purchased Jowett Javelin ALJ 164A I am undertaking a recommissioning/restoration having had a look over the car I found I have no battery tray just a shelf with a battery clamp is this the correct arrangement or should there be a proper box/tray set up any help appreciated and look forward to posting plenty of other questions over the coming months thank you

[Keith Clements]

Worth taking a picture and attaching it to a post so that we can tell if what you have is correct.
The battery is open to the elements so as to let out the explosive hydrogen, but obviously it needs to be secured, that is usually done by an rt angle bar pulled down by two threaded studs with a hook on the end.
Often the metal work around the battery corrodes due to the acid fumes.


Note you probably need to register and logon to JowettGallery to see this image. Even if you do not because the image has been given public permissions, I suggest you register on JowettGallery. See link at top of page.

Many pictures in TOPIC this album of Peter Pfister's Jav rebuild.

[Forumadmin]

By the way Richard you can change your user name (with a 'y') by going into your User Control Panel, profile, edit account settings .

[Jack]

Hi Richard,

Interested in what lead you to a javelin restoration, and what lead you to this car in particular. It is certainly a good challenge, and if you are keen on bodywork could be a fun one.

I'll take a pic of battery boxes for you when I am next at the garage, one thing I would strongly recommend is the battery and terminals being well secured, and wooden cover being in place - I have heard of several cars where battery or seat movement has lead to the springs in the battery shorting the battery, something which at best isn't good for the battery and at worst can lead to fire.

Jack.

[RichardTalor]

hi jack I have always liked the styling and this one seemed fairly sound and I managed to get it at a fair price a lot less than the asking price but yes it needs a lot of work always more than first inspection suggests my first intention was to get it running and on the road and carry out a rolling restoration but I don't think this will be possible as I have found some rust issues that prohibit being on the road so am looking at a full restoration I think.
hopefully this is a pic of my battery tray

20141104_113157.jpg

[Keith Clements]

That is about right Richard. Just make sure the bar and threaded rods are in good condition to hold it in tightly. Also check the resistance of the ground strap (preferably all the way to the starter motor via the chassis) and clean up the battery terminal clamps and starter button (relay) terminals. Voltage drop around this circuit is quite common and causes lazy starting. You can measure the resistance across the starter motor and then the resistance between the battery leads (with the battery disconnected and the starter solenoid button depressed). That gives you the resistance of the circuit to the starter via both the feed and return which should be no more than 0.5 ohm larger than the starter motor resistance.
If too much, clean all the bolt clamps and the bar inside the starter solenoid which often oxidises.