Brads Tiger

[garyf]

Hi Brad

I've never used these people myself but they've been going years, they may be able to help?

https://www.quickfitsbs.com/classic_cars_seatbelts.php

[Brad1380]

Thanks sent them an email.

Bit of progress, a bit of a set back and a bit sideways.

Exhaust all cut and tacked up.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ibyz60q7710m7 ... 4.jpg?dl=0

One of the reversing lamps blew its bulb so i have to take out the fuel transfer pipe to get to the fasteners for that, think i will get some LED's instead of bulbs as i really don't won't to be doing that job again.

Trial fitted the rear wheels and kicking myself for not trimming the wheel arch lips now as i think there's going to be interference problems.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7mwaxi3ai6ono ... 9.jpg?dl=0

[Brad1380]

Exhaust in, just need to check for clearances before final tightening.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dsn74urxumcp6 ... 5.jpg?dl=0

Some of the tube sections were not quite perfectly round after welding so this tool sorts it all out.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zote1xl3e3c9 ... 4.jpg?dl=0

I was wondering why it was taking so long to do then did some calculations and its at least 150 inches of TIG welds.

Top tip, if you need an exhaust, get someone who does exhausts to do it.

[Brad1380]

Can anyone post a photo of how the soft top goes around the hood bins nearest the seats, i've seen videos where they say don't screw that section to the hood with the smaller ali extrusions but they don't have hood bins?

[Brad1380]

Looking at it again, i think that section just flops over and is held in place by the 1/4 hood bin?

[garyf]

This link to the Sunbeam Alpine Channel should Help Brad?

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=su ... M%3DVDVVXX

[Brad1380]

Thanks Gary but they don't have hood bins, which is the bit i need to see.

Anyway that's on hold for the moment as one of the windscreen catches exploded under tension.

So moved on to the diff pinion seal which i saw was leaking when i did the exhaust, lots of agro getting the nut off ended up as 160 bar with the windy gun set to no.4 and connected to the compressor high flow circuit, but now the flange won't move, already done two pullers in, so been heat soaking it with an hot air gun to try and free it off.

RR

[Brad1380]

So the new windscreen hood catches have a slightly different profile and they wouldn't fit my catches, wasn't expecting that but soon sorted out.

Trial fit
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mhyo4hz6zn2ty ... 8.jpg?dl=0

Fitted,
https://www.dropbox.com/s/w06f6acjrzv6r ... 3.jpg?dl=0

i used self tappers initially at the hood bow in case adjustment was needed, but it wasn't. Also after a week under tension the centre webbing strap had stretched so that was re-tensioned.
Not a bad fit, the hood is taut every where, i'm happy with that, going to leave it fastened up for a while so it takes the shape as it was hard to close the catches.

[Brad1380]

Fitted the matching tonneau cover
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t8wtc9lb3bg8b ... u.jpg?dl=0

This is why i was getting a wet knee when i tried the washers.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wwq0odjan2fb9 ... r.jpg?dl=0

Seat belts back
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gds0eq8i4k4fi ... s.jpg?dl=0

Engines been standing for a while so primed it up again.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8augq9vhqb7x ... e.jpg?dl=0

[garyf]

Looking Good , you can't be far off finished now Brad?

Did you get the Seatbelts sorted at Quickfit?

Regards

Gary

[Brad1380]

Yes i did and they did a nice job too.

So as usual some forwards progress and some not so forwards.

First up was not getting a 12V supply to the MDS unit when cranking that was my mistake as wired to no.4 on the ignition key it should have been no.2.

Then put the dizzy back exactly where it was after priming the oil pump and lots of bangs and blow back out of the carb, (i actually turned the garage lights off so i could see the flames, must have been 2 feet high) so static timed it and the engine had been built with the dizzy 180 out, sorted that out and a small leak from a heater hose.
Fired up again easily and getting to temperature under revs when the radiator let go.

Let it cool down and started to strip it down and found that the 14 inch (actually 13-1/2 as i had already trimmed it) derale fan had opened up when revved and contacted the MG steering rack, the cause of the leak, a bit of fan blade in the rad.

Umm, pride dented, wallet a bit dented as the ali radiator needs specialist to sort out but at least it wasn't at speed on an open road which would have toasted the engine.

Ordered a 17013 instead from the States, thats a 13inch high flow derale, postage is more than the fan.

Replaced the oil gauge, so fun job not, put it all back together and the indicator light was on? Took the dash off again to get to the flasher and the new foreign made unit has a fault, put in an original old lucas one and it worked fine.

Exhaust clearance seems to be ok, though hard to tell with all the noise going on i need to wear ear defenders when she is running and thats with flowmaster 50's fitted.

[Brad1380]

Radiator repaired, 13inch heavy duty derale fan fitted this time and the engine run up again.

As before the engine didn't like to idle so it was difficult to get it running then get the strobe gun on it before it stalled out, i checked for air leaks and couldn't find any plus there was fuel in the carbs so a bit strange.

The tacho wasn't working so after looking at MSD's web site they recommended a tacho adaptor for RVI systems, so fitted one of those and instantly the engine was a lot smoother, turned the idle revs down and got her timed in with the strobe, happy days.

However the tacho still wasn't working so dash off again, wired in another RVI tacho i had and that worked, so a problem with the Tiger tacho then.

Rigged up a dizzy and coil on the bench wired in to the tacho and a drill to spin the dizzy up, no readings, so stripped out the tacho and with the help of a diagram from the internet started working through the components. I couldn't find anything wrong until i got to the earth path of the last component which was high to case, cleaned that up and the tacho worked fine.
Its not easy at first to see where the earth path is, but there's a strip under the large resister to the mechanism.

Put it all back in and now we have an engine that idles and a working tacho, nice.

The ammeter isn't working so that's up next plus a weeping oil cooler fitting.

Tyres have arrived so they need fitting and the brakes are on but can't find the pads so ordered another set.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2dnsnoc7wbifo ... o.jpg?dl=0

[garyf]

The inevitable teething problems but it sounds like your getting there Brad

When do you think you will taking the car for the first drive?

Regards

Gary

[Brad1380]

Hi Gary,
this year is target, work permitting.

Got the Ammeter working on the bench, as far as i can tell it was the needle touching the front case, hell of a job getting it back together.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/txbges2rtz60v ... o.jpg?dl=0

Pads have arrived and fitted, tomorrow is bleeding the brakes.

[Brad1380]

Spent a few hours checking all the brake fittings, found a problem with one female connector being too long and not sealing, sorted that out and filled with fluid.
After a dozen pumps the new master cylinder kicked in and promptly leaked at the output connection.

Took loads of things off to get to it and it seems the supplied 7/16 unf pipe fitting is too short and bottoming out on threads.

Its never easy but i do get the feeling this Tiger is too used to 49 years of garage sleep time and is resisting me.