Dutton Dementia

[Lucky@LeMans]

Depending on how far out they are could you fit an alternative bearing or get a spacer made up ?
Sounds like you have found an old school engineering shop, I'd give them something as thanks if you go back again !

[Mick O'Malley]

Originally Posted by Lucky@LeMans

Depending on how far out they are could you fit an alternative bearing or get a spacer made up ?
Sounds like you have found an old school engineering shop, I'd give them something as thanks if you go back again !

When I collected the half-shafts there was a young (well, to me ) lad only there. He said they were basically a garage: their only two machines were an hydraulic press and spring compressor. I looked at the brake drum establishment's web site and they have the lot! In their tiny reception area there were quite a few amazing CNC machined exhibits to admire.

The bearing is too fat, so when it's home against its register the retaining plate is clear of the axle's flange.

When the correct bearings arrive, as well as the half-shafts, I'll take my ally hubs with me for their bearing races to be pressed in - I don't fancy risking the 'socket and lump hammer' method. Yesterday I examined the existing front hubs and decided to remove the PCD adapters in case they were of use to anyone. Answer = No! I think they were not only machined from a neutron star but had stripped attachment threads.

Regards, Mick

[Dpaz]

Very soon you will wonder when you had time to go to work! Welcome to the club!!

[Mick O'Malley]

On Monday, the guy pressing in my bearings rang to say that the half shafts were ready, but that there was a problem with the hubs which I needed to see. Today I pootled over there and examined the problem. These ally hubs came from Merlin Motorsport, a thoroughly professional outfit based at Castle Combe which I have used a good few times. It seems that whoever programmed the CNC for this batch of hubs made a boo boo and machined some inserts in an attempt to correct their error. Sadly, these are too thick and simply began to crush under the press attempting to push the bearing race into a too small recess.



My guy was extremely apologetic, as he takes pride in his work and was clearly gutted to have to disappoint a customer, even offering to contribute to the necessary remedial work. We discussed it and agreed that I should take the offending item to Maynard Ltd (an absolutely top notch specialist engine machining establishment of almost 40 years' standing), not far away, for an opinion. There, the ever helpful staff pulled up Merlin's spec sheet on line, and using vernier calipers confirmed that it was indeed the manufacturer's error. Whilst I was there, the proprietor, who is THE Imp (and hence Talbot Sunbeam 930) guru, talked me through what goodies I would need to get the sort of sprightly road performance I would like. The piggy bank is going to take a hammering!

So, tomorrow I'm off to the offending emporium with the errant items to seek their proposals for remedying the situation. Favourite for me would be replacement!

Regards, Mick

p.s Thanks for birthday wishes .

[peterux]

That's very disappointing, hopefully Merlin will do the right thing for you.

[Lucky@LeMans]

Merlin are very good on the whole, used them a lot over the years.
Take them back and ask for their opinion. Might be worth giving them a call before hand and tell them you are doing a 100 mile round trip to see them specially !

[Paul L]

Mick - Very belated Happy Birthday wishes!

Sorry to hear you are having so many technical difficulties.

But I am sure you will get there in the end.

Good luck, Paul.

[Mick O'Malley]

I've also been very happy with them over the years, but yesterday all I got was complete intransigence from a supercilious jobsworth. Apparently it was all my fault for not buying and having pressed in (at Merlin) their Timken bearings. I lost patience in the end and motored back, pausing at Maynard, who agreed to perform the necessary machining and pressing in. This won't be cheap!

However, a little further down the road I dropped in on my ever helpful welder. His first job for me was to attach the flared end of the donor car's exhaust downpipe to that of my Mini van, into which I'd dropped an MG1100 engine and 'box. It was in '80 or '81 - he gas welded it and charged 40p! Anyway, his two sons now run the gaff and said to bring the Phaeton's frame in (another Dutton Towing Gizmo outing), together with the prepared metal, and they'd do it as a folding money foreigner. This cheered me up no end!

Regards, Mick

[Dpaz]

Far enough away to be out of temptation!

[froggyman]

Just caught up on your posts Mick, good progress despite the weather and hours of darkness. Have a great Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

[Mick O'Malley]

Originally Posted by froggyman

Just caught up on your posts Mick, good progress despite the weather and hours of darkness. Have a great Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Many thanks froggyman, season's greetings to you also. I'm off to Nuneaton in a couple of hours to collect my cylinder head . Looking on the bright side, it starts getting lighter in a couple of days .

Regards, Mick

[Mick O'Malley]

Nice easy pick up on Monday, went the quick way; returned down the relaxing Fosseway. Very pleased with my new acquisition: it's clearly been well stored. The seller knew his onions, good knowledgeable bloke to chat engines with .



Picture taken in its new home - my living room, as it awaits its distant installation...

Regards, Mick

[Mick O'Malley]

Once the festivities were over, I took the head to Imp Guru Mark Maynard who gave the casting the thumbs up, then stripped it down as I watched, persuading me of what needed replacing with new as he went. The considerable expense involved (supply and fit) will only need to be stumped up once my job gets to the end of the queue - not a problem as there's so much work for me to do on the project before firing up time eventually arrives.

I went and saw my MIG/TIGmeister on Monday and booked a 'foreigner' slot for Friday. The three intervening days were filled with much flap wheeling of the mating surfaces of metal and ensuring the rig, as shown below, was roadworthy.



The 12 mile morning trip to the workshop was uneventful, and work commenced with assembly of the engine mountings and the seat belt rear mountings frame. Once these were done attachment to the frame began. I popped the headlamp bowls on to draw the eye to their mounting stubs as seen below, together with the shiny new engine mountings. Some of the many many plug welded rivet holes are also visible.



This shows the 'virtual engine' sitting comfortably on them - a big relief that my measurements and design had been OK!



This last one shows that the seat belt mounting measurements were slightly generous , the upside down frame just snagging on the leaf springs. About a centimetre lopped off the errant outer ends will correct this.



Lots of flap-wheeling, de-greasing and painting of the frame are my next tasks.

Regards, Mick

[MartinClan]

Good progress!

Originally Posted by Mick O'Malley

Lots of flap-wheeling, de-greasing and painting of the frame are my next tasks.

Ah - don't envy you that task - it took me several goes with the Marlin chassis although it was grubbier than your Dutton one. In particular, as it had a Morris drivetrain, it was very very greasy and oily. I suppose on the upside that kept the rust at bay. In most places anyway....