Achieved my New Year's Resolution

:)

Having put the engine and gearbox back on the chassis 

I have achieved my 

New Year's Resolution.

I am delighted.


,

a Landmark Day - Engine in!

Follow this link (with sound on) to the engine running in its test bed.

Here's the day, nine whole years ago that the engine came out.

gearbox

Clutch on

I have never played with a clutch before, so this was a special day. Especially simple was replacing the thrust bearing. What a cute bit of design that is...positioned in the actuator with two very simple springs. 

click for clarity

We centred the parts of the clutch with a spline on the gearbox input shaft from another gearbox - an ingenious idea of "B-series" Colin's. He lent me the shaft for the job.

Martin and I loved this technique for simplicity and think that any enthusiast who hooks up with others in an owners' club ought to be able to find someone who has an input shaft they can borrow for the purpose.

Clutching

"B Series" Colin got me a clutch plate, clutch cover and thrust bearing, which I collected today. Turns out he got them from NTG, who have sold me a number of parts over the years. I forgot to order some clutch-to-flywheel bolts, so Colin is going to look some out for me next week (together with some of those locking pieces - whatchermacallits ....like a washer across two bolts), which means we won't put the engine in this week, as hoped. But it may be as well anyway because Martin has an early morning airport run tomorrow and I have to source a single castle nut for the back axle.

While I was there I also got my engine sling mounts, which Colin had forgotten to put back on when he serviced the engine. He is going to service my carburetter as soon as I give him the nod.

The short delay gives me time to clean the greasy, claggy deposits off the gearbox housing and to take the old mounts off .

Little by little, it is all progress :)

Shocks on

We didn't get on with the van until late today because I went flying instead. (You will remember that flying put this project on hold for four years!)

Martin and I put the shocks on.

We were going to put it down on its wheels today until, leaning on one back wheel revealed that it did not have its castle nut on the end of the axle!! Goodness knows where I put that, so tomorrow I am off to the MG parts place to see if I can get some, along with some hydraulics banjos.

Clutch

I just heard from B-Series Colin. He has the clutch, thrust bearing etc ready for me to collect...probably Thursday. And there is a fair chance the engine will go back on the chassis on Friday, now :)

Gearbox will need a de-greasing first.