Chapter 50 Restoration Assembly, Week Twenty 4/30/2007

Rather than using the original Smiths heater, I am taking advantage of more modern technology and substituting a two speed heater available from Cape International. The heater unit integrates the hot water radiator as well as the fan blower. I had installed the heater unit previously and the time had come to put the demister hoses in place. These install basically as on the original.

Demister hoses

The next task was to install the hot water heater hoses. The kit is supplied with brass step down joints as the interior diameter of the hose at the heater and at the control valve is larger than the hose that connects to the heater control tap on the motor and the water return pipe.

Heater hoses Step-down

Heater hoses Step-down

Heater hoses through Firewall

The wiring for the ground connection and the power to the two fan speeds is sadly visually obvious from the interior seating. To obscure the wiring a bit, I ran all three wires through a length of heat shrink tubing.

Then the Cape heater water control valve was connected to the original heater control panel by a short length of bicycle derailler cable. Since I am using the overdrive switch to control the two speed heater fan, the switch on the heater control panel is available to control the original Smiths blower to bring fresh air into the passenger seating area. Whether the new heater works any better than the Smiths unit, I don’t know. We will see come next winter!

It was now time to move to the boot to install the Armacord and fuel tank. I ordered my Armacord kit from Heritage Upholstery. I began with the vertical piece through which the battery cable runs and then moved to the right and left pieces that fit the rear inner quarter panels. I brushed on Weldwood contact cement for the adhesive on the body components and used 3M spray adhesive for the back side of the Armacord.

Boot Armacord 2

Boot Armacord 5

The left rear wheel arch was difficult to cover without some minor buckling. I was not entirely satisfied, but in this case, my less than perfect fitting will be covered by the spare tire.

Boot Armacord 6

I then installed the vertical rear Armacord panel. In addition to gluing this piece in place I installed three pop rivets as original. I also installed three #8 stainless self-tapping screws and trim cups through the Armacord and into the rear bulkhead wall.

The two spare tire wood blocks and tie down hardware were then installed. I am using Michelin ZX 175 tires that required repositioning of the left quarter panel block, raising it about 1/2.” I made a new longer and thinner wooden block for the rear bulkhead so that I could continue to use the original mounting holes.

Armacord rear bulkhead

Spare Tire Stop Extension

Chapter 20 – Cleaning and Trial Fitting

July 3, 2004

Boot Armacord Liner 

Test installed the boot liner material from Heritage. Won’t be gluing it in until after the car is painted. Everything seemed to fit fine and the material looked great. 

3M spray adhesive is claimed to work well. Install before fuel tank, but after the fuel tank strap brackets are affixed, and before the battery cable fixture is added and before all wood blocks are secured. Be sure to put holes or cuts in fabric.

Install the cardboard fuel neck cover after the tank and filler pipe – will need to drill three holes after material is glued in.

I reboxed everything and stored it in the coat closet downstairs.

The panel install order is below:

1 Battery cable vertical panel – glue

2 Left wheel well curved panel – glue

3 Left vertical wall panel – glue

4 Right vertical wall panel – glue

5 Left floor well – glue

6 Right floor well – glue

7 Back vertical wal -l glue

8 Rear shroud panel ?

9 Floor Panel – not glued

Boot Liner 1

Left Wheel Arch Panel

Left Floor Well Panel

Right Floor Well Panel

Fuel Pipe cover

Floor liner Panel

I didn’t think about getting the hylomar sealant in the fuel tank when I sealed the sender unit gasket. I will need to replace, clean, and reseal more carefully.

Fastened both tapped plates that secure the rear wings to the superstructure to the body temporarily. They may not be in the right location.

Wing tapped bracket

Air Control Assembly – Installed the front left air control assembly. It did not fit real well due to some bending done by Martin but after some convincing the job was accomplished.

Fresh Air Assembly 1

Fresh Air Assembly 2

Fresh Air Assembly 3

July 11, 2004

Heater Installation 

I purchased a modern replacement for the original Smiths Heater from Cape International. The heater is basically the same footprint, but it incorporates the fan blower making the original fan blower extraneous or irrelevant. The provided mounting plate to the cold air box was installed upside down and backwards which threw me for a minute. After reversing the plated the heater installed nicely using the four #10 x 1/2” original mounting locating screws.

New heater 1

Heater Cape Int 1

Heater Valve 4

I drilled a slightly larger hole in the included water control valve control arm to permit the installation of a cable connector with tightening screw to secure the wire and cable sheath.

I could not figure out how to connect the water control valve in a way that would permit using the dash control slide knob as originally intended. Instead it works exactly in reverse. Oh well, small price to pay! 

Replaced the original cable sheath and wire with a bicycle brake cable for smoother operation of the slide control to the water control valve. Worked nicely. 

Heater Valve 3

Heater Valve 5

I received a new Smiths heater blower from Hemphills that proved to be a very nice replica of the old one. I installed a the new blower on the fender superstructure. 

Blower and hose

Heater Blower Mounting

Heater Blower Hose 3 inch

The new blower will now be used to “push” cold air into the passenger side of the interior. I purchased a new air control assembly typically used on the left side of the car. I cut off the mounting flange and inserted it into the ait tube.The right hand knob on the heater panel that used to control the heater can now be used to control fresh air into the cockpit on the passenger side.The cable clamp must be located just as in the photo accessible below the car to get the maximum movement on the air control valve. I need to get some nylon mesh to screen the front air intake. This will give a very “neat” and elegant installation. The cold air will empty just above the parcel shelf in the interior. 

Heater Hoses

Heater Hose Assembly

Inverted Control Cable connections

I used band hose clamps which cut into the duct hose so when I install the final time I will switch to the wire clamps as used on the car originally. The 4” hose could be approximately 1” longer on final install and the 3” hose could be slightly shorter. I discovered that one needs to clamp the 3” hose to the blower before tightening the blower to the inner fender. 

The wiring connections are used as originally fitted. Green and a green/brown wire connect to the two black wires on the dash slide control. The single green wire from the harness connects to the blower on the wheel arch. New wiring and a switch will be added to control the new two speed heater.

Cut the two demister hoses to length and installed them from the top of the heater to the dash superstructure. 

Heater demister hoses

Heater demister hoses 2

Fascia Installation  Fit the fascia to the body. Mounts with four chrome screws and nuts at the corners. One additional screw mounts on the face of the fascia through to the body in the top center. Another locates the brace from the firewall. Upon installation I discovered that the steering column contacted the bottom of the chrome ring surround in the fascia so I moved the column mounting bracket to a higher securing hole on the column brace. 

Steering wheel new setting

Fascia Instruments

Heater Control Panel

Filed the edges of the control panel very carefully and improved the fit to the fascia considerably.

Heater control 1

Heater control 2

Blanking Plate – Installed the blanking plate on the right side of the car to cover the master cylinder mounting holes for a RHD car. Used #8 1/2” sheet metal screws into four J nut fasteners. The original plate had tar paper on the back side to seal and insulate, so I will need to do something similar on final install, after the final paint is applied.

Blanking plate install 2

Blanking Plate install 3

Fresh Air Contol Cable – Passenger Side

Drilled the small hole in the firewall next to the tach cable grommet to 5/8” and added a rubber grommet to run the new cool air cable through the firewall. 

Hole for cold air cable

Hole for cold air cable 2

October 15, 2004

Gearbox Cover and Extension Installation 

The original gearbox cover and extension were unusable due to rust. I ordered a new extension panel from Kilmartin and a fiberglass gearbox cover from British Car Specialists. While the cover seemed to be a good fit and will certainly be cooler than the original metal cover, the extension panel did not fit over the Smitty bell housing for the Toyota transmission conversion.

Gearbox cover 1

Gearbox cover extension 1

I trimmed the extension panel and then fitted it to the firewall bulkhead. I first placed 1/2” weatherstripping on the bulkhead and then drilled the mounting holes needed – three per side – to secure the panel to the bulkhead. I then drilled two holes in the cover footing to screw it into the frame.

Gearbox cover extension 3

I measured the distance from the metal driveshaft tunnel to the center of the shifter – 13.” Then I installed the cover and measured the same 13” distance and marked it on the cover. I drilled a small hole in the cover just to check the proper location with the shifter. I then drilled a 3 1/4” hole in the center of the gearbox cover for the center shifter. Location was perfect! I used a rubber boot and mounting ring from an MGB as suggested by Smitty. This required drilling 4 small holes for #8 stainless screws.

Toyota shifter installed 2

Toyota shifter installed 1

Now that the gearbox cover was properly located I drilled 4 holes into the frame or floorboard on the right side of the cover and 5 on the left side and fastened the cover to the floor. 

Gearbox cover 3

I was then able to establish what would become the permanent relationship between the gearbox cover and the extension panel. I measured and drew a template for the floor and measured the distance from the top of the cover to the top of the extension panel – 7 3/8.”

Finally, I recreated the assembly on a piece of 1/2” plywood and secured the panels to the plywood. I added an extra mounting screw on the floor tab of the extension panel to help steady the panel.

Gearbox cover assembly 1

Gearbox assembly Cover 2

 

Chapter 3 – Disassembly

Windscreen Wiper Motor and Wiper Box  

Removed the three mounting bolts in the bottom of the wiper motor. Disconnected the three wires from the junction. Removed the lateral brace from the steering wheel column to the left body wall (two bolts). The three wires are green, green and black, and black and connect through the grommet hole below the choke hole in the firewall to the primary wiring harness. The two large chrome nuts are removed from the wiper box shafts and the shafts can be withdrawn under the dash. The motor and wiper boxes can be removed along with the connecting cable by sliding it above the steering wheel toward the passenger seat.

Wiper Motor Mounting Bracket, posts and grommets

Wiper Motor and Rack

Wiper Motor Wiring Snap Connectors

Wiper Motor Wiring in Engine Bay

Wiper Motor Wiring to Fuse Box

Wiper Rack Wheel Box

Wiper Rack

Wiper Wheel Box

Water Temperature and Oil Pressure Gauge 

Used a 5/8” box wrench with a slit in it to go around the capillary tube to loosen the nut around the sending unit on the engine head. Then withdrew the capillary hose through the grommet hole in the firewall below the I.D. plate. Loosened the oil pressure line from the back of the gauge and remove the gauge from the interior.

Water Temp Capillary Pipe

Oil Pressure Pipe

Heater Control Panel Refurbishment

We had several examples of these panels from donor cars and assembled the best parts to make the panel below. Ordered a new face plate and knobs.

Heater Control Panel

Heater Controls 1

Heater Controls 2

Heater Control Electrical Connection for fan