Dutton Dementia

[Mick O'Malley]

There has been a brief hiatus in cave focused activity, as Mrs Blackbird has set up home there and is patiently sitting on her clutch. Even were it not illegal, I wouldn't disturb her.

Regards, Mick

[Mick O'Malley]

Sometime mid-week Mr Squirrel had eggs for breakfast, so the cave is now free again. Hurrah!

Yesterday I decided to bite the bullet and swap the differential for my 4.1. To improve access I turned the frame around and set to work in the sun. Starting on the off-side I removed the wheel, then the spacer, together with its pillar bolts. The drum only needed gentle tapping to come off, the shoes offered no resistance, so I now had access to the screws (three only in place!) securing the retaining plate. They were a little fiddly, being masked somewhat by the flange, but were soon off. I suspended the backplate with a loop of the ever-useful paracord as I didn't want to disturb any of the braking gubbins at this stage. I replaced the drum back to front as an impromptu slide hammer and the half shaft was out. Repeat for near side.



Pessimism dictated a drip tray in case any hypoy was left in the banjo, and I cushioned the cross member with a chunky fleece before sitting down to attack the retaining nuts (again, three only). The one at the top not having been bathed in oil dribbles was very rusty, as was the stud. Unfortunately, it was a Nyloc, one of my pet hates, so I could get neither a socket nor a ring spanner onto the meat of the hex due to the casting masking its bottom side. Aaaaaaargh!. An open-ender proved ineffectual, even after a blast with the blow lamp, so I gave up after giving it a good soaking with penetrating liquid. I shall resume with mole grips later today.

Regards, Mick

[Mick O'Malley]

Other tasks taking precedence yesterday, I only returned to the cave this morning, brimming with enthusiasm and determination. I adjusted the mole grips until a mighty heave was required to lock them in place. Lamping the errant nut until the burning nylon and penetrating oil fumes half choked me, I applied gorilla strength to the grips. They rounded the nut even further. OK, re-think. Fetching my smallest cold chisel, and sharpening it on my bench grinder, I chopped off the cage containing the remains of the nylon and set to driving the remains anti-clockwise with lump hammer blows until the still hot nut yielded. Hurrah! I then wormed into position to release the three remaining at the bottom. These turned out to be barely finger tight . The copious gasket goo (no gasket!) offered little resistance and the drip tray proved its worth!



It then dawned on me that, although I had the new gasket, half inch AF nuts were sadly lacking, so it was back to the keyboard for their purchase and this update.

Regards, Mick

[Mick O'Malley]

Thinking about next weekend's Kit Car Show, just up the road in Malvern, I thought I'd dig out some 80s memorabilia . My first show was in '87, by which time I was DOC magazine editor, and we had just shy of 100 cars on our stand! In those days one was issued a windscreen sticker (which poseurs like me kept in their Phaeton for a couple of weeks).



In the same happy memories box I found entry and camping tickets for Le Mans. The first couple at least were in my first Phaeton, subsequent ones in my matt black Dutton Sierra, dubbed 'The Stealth' by compatriots.



For the first few visits we camped at the sites within the circuit, then discovered Hunadieres behind the restaurant outside the circuit half way down the Mulsanne Straight (sadly by then ruined, IMO, by the addition of chicanes). At this site you just turned up, pitched your tent, and a guy came round with a book of tickets. A much nicer site altogether,



Happy Days!

Back to the build: I searched high and low for the diff gasket I'd bought at the same time as the 4.1, but without success so bought another which arrived yesterday. I now have all the necessary for this job, Monday it is! I'd decided a week or so ago to renew the half shaft bearings and bought same. An inquiry of the ever helpful Stroud and District Motor Club FB group for an engineering workshop who could fit them elicited a response, and later this morning I'm taking them there (ten miles or so) for the job to be done. The proprietor said he's very busy and wouldn't get around to it for a couple of weeks. Not a problem with plenty of other jobs to be addressed down in the scorching cave.

Regards, Mick

[Dpaz]

Great stuff, it's nice to read some chat on the forum. Especially about yesterdays.

[Mick O'Malley]

Having suffered something of an enthusiasm bypass, the grey windy outlook, and spurred on by Dpaz's encouragement, I decided to delve into the memories box and post some more retro drivel .

These four relate to my first Phaeton. A neighbour just down the lane kindly lent me the use of his garage for the first two weeks of the build, during which I managed to clap on the suspension and steering, and drop in the petrol tank. It was then towed the 100 yards uphill to the village hall car park, handily opposite my gate, where I completed it over the next two and a half years at the end of a wander lead, mainly after dark. The multi-coloured bodywork was what Tim Dutton referred to as "Multi-coloured, suitable for spraying", this option resulting in the princely saving of 25 quid which paid for the 'B-Type bonnet and front wings' (i.e. Lotus Seven style) option.

Next is my dash layout which I hope to replicate on my current build. The DOC badge was designed by my good friend who was a close neighbour in those days, and something of a mentor as he was (is) DOC member no.9.

The third was taken at the Caen ferryport on arrival for the '88 Le Mans. Seems only one of us spurned sidescreens...

The last was on the way back from Le Mans in '91, the Phaeton now sporting Lotus themed colours and scrapyard front wheels, bought as I couldn't afford new rubber for the 5.5Js, having just had a third storey built on my cottages.



The four below are of the frame of an engineless B-Type I bought for a hundred quid in maybe '92? I'd already dismantled it when a Rover V8 engined project became available which I snapped up, passing on the B-Type (for what it had cost me) to the above mentioned friend. We motored over to Kent one Sunday in his Mk II Escort Ghia (which he later kindly loaned to me for a year when I was separated and penniless) where he bought a Lotus 2.2 litre slant four to put in the Dutton. 30+ years on they are both still lurking untouched in his shed. The B-Type's frame hasn't fallen apart because the joints are brazed rather than welded.



If only I had a scanner...

Regards, Mick