Mr Bumble's Rebuild

[Phaeton]

Ever since I had the panniers finished by somebody else & the method of fixing the hinges got screwed up I have never been happy, the problem was they leaked due to the hinges being laid flat, you can see the gaps in the hinges in these images.

So last year on the Wales trip Simon (Esdebe) gave me some pond liner & with this years trip looming & the chance of my camping gear getting wet I though I'd better do something. I drilled out all the rivets on one side & put the pond liner on top. I then used some thin Ali strip to hold the liner down & re-pop riveted them back together. Don't think it looks too bad either.

But when it comes to pop riveting this is my new BFF amazing piece of kit.

Other side to do tomorrow & then put my new/old seats back in & he's usable again.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to do anything with Mr Bumble until after my daughters wedding on the 6th October. So I did what any red blooded man who is the master in his own home would do, I waited until she went out & snuck into the garage. Didn't get a great deal done as the lad who bought the Swift GSi turned up to collect, but got the rear bumper off, wheels arches, shock absorbers which wasn't bad before it went dark.

Pictures not to good unfortunately

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well things took an unexpected turn yesterday, I was at work & our system was being a right pig, I was getting server errors trying to read/write to the database & was getting seriously hacked off. I was also dealing with the French, which are never easy to deal with especially when in a bad mood. So as a distraction, I took refuge in the land of opportunity that is Fleecebay, unfortunately/fortunately I was tempted by a little red thing that had only 12 minutes to go & despite my better judgement my fingers hit that BID button. Guess what I won it!! So straight after work, I had my son run me the 10 miles to fetch it, it's still taxed & MOT ran out yesterday so was able to drive it home, it seemed to drive okay but there is a tapping noise coming from the top, which I may or may not look at, but now I think apart from some bent steel I have everything I need.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Not much of an update, been messaging guru welder Steve & decided what I need to change the frame. I have ordered a length of 6m tube, cut into 1m lengths with a 90 degree bend putting in the middle of 4 & at 60/40 on the other 2 came to £80 & will be ready for collection next Wednesday. I think I have enough tube for the down pieces & will have a look this weekend to see if I have enough 25mm box, I suspect I will need another piece.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well looks like I'm past the point of no return

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

So Jill's off to Butlin's with the girls, the daughters wedding went well so I now have clear space until the bathroom redecorations start. So time to get the modifications started again. So first thing was to look at the MGF subframe, which mountings are 2" wider then the width of the buggy, so whilst deciding on the best way forward I noticed another set of mounting holes on the subframe, presumably they were used for the Metro the the subframe was originally designed for.

This is where they are for the MGF

This is the other set

So i moved the mountings into these holes & now the subframe mounting are inside the buggy.

I made a jig up for the mountings

Then transferred this to the buggy

Here are the mountings on the new buggy mounts

Then offered up the subframe, at this pomt I noticed 2 things, 1 the new mounts fouled the subframe & they were too long.

So they were chopped back, modified & redrilled.

Subframe much closer now

So that was Saturday's work,

On to Sunday.

It's a bit organic, I had some tubes mandrel bend to pick up the shock absorber tops like Steve hasd done, but when I offered them up, it didn't look right, I left I wanted a bit more frame. So I stated by adding these in.

Then added some down tubes

Then made some shock mounts, there is one at the other side but must have forgot to take a picture of that one to bore you with.

Then after a clear up I pushed the buggy all the way out to get a full profile picure, shame the Fiesta is in the background, but I think you get the shape.

Then the reason I couldn't go with Steve's method of putting the tank in a separate extended unit. Even with this I'm going to struggle to shut the door once I make a bumper. I may have to see if I can gain a little space ay the front, by moving the lower half of the garage wall.

 

[Phaeton]

Just a little more done, removed the old selector from the buggy (now in For Sale section) then looked at the new selector, it was very wide & very deep so I've cut off the sides & then shortened the big weight a little. Only dare take about 1" off but it lowers the whole thing. Started to cut the stick itself down & then stopped until I get the cables reattached as I'm not sure how much pressure you'll need to select gears. Figure on attaching the front of the mech to the cross member & then welding in a rear support.

Very small update but all forward movement so far.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Gear change slimmed down a bit & lowered brackets made & mounted,

Then onto the handbrake, mounts fabricated for the lver & then the bracket for the cables, I measured 3 times & still managed to get it in the wrong place, need to cut it off & move it back an inch.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Still slow going at the moment, but try to do at least a little bit each night so that I cannot be accused of being a SLACKER been trying to decide what to do about the electrics, whether to follow Steve & use all the MGF stuff or go a different route & keep the Acewell which I think I'm going to do, seems a bit more bodgey & more my style Been playing with the hydrolastic pipes & have individualised them, got the connectors from the local hydraulics place, they reckon they should be good to 400psi. Last night I had a mobile mechanic call in & pump the suspension up, so he is now sat on his 4 wheels correctly, one of the pipes had a slight weep but nipped the jubilees up & it seemed to stop, but will see when I go out later. The hydraulics firm did mention that if they didn't work then bring them back & they would crimp on a blank, Jon the mobile mechanic suggested that I just get a pipe put between the 2 & effectively make the back one circuit, apparently there is a MGF with a Honda Type-R running around with this method.

Whilst I was waiting for the mechanic I took off both rear calipers as the handbrake was seized, cleaned up & freed off.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

After the green wee episode the other day, I followed Andy's instructions & cut off the pipes & welded up the valves, should have done that in the first place but without mistakes we don't learn anything. Today when I got home Mr Shittylink had delivered me this

So this evening valves put back on & then pumped back up to 350PSI

Also had a play with trying to make some bracketry to hold the upper firewall but couldn't get it to look right or if I could then it was too close to the head, I would like to leave enough room so that if/when the head has to come off it can be done without having to drop the subframe & take the engine out.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well I open the garage doors today hoping that the pixies & fairies had, whilst I have been SLACKING finished off all the jobs, guess what? the little b*****d's hadn't. So he was pulled out into the sunshine & lifted off the floor onto 4 axles stands all I managed was to finish the water pipes, they need fastening to the floor & then filled with water to check for leaks, but at least it's progress. He's now going to live outside for the next 5 weeks, which is all I have left to get him back on the road if I am to get to Stoneleigh in him, that way hopefully I can do a little each night. I still have the bathroom to finish, all the long tiresome fiddly bits which take AGES. I also have to put back down 20 yards of oak flooring which I had to lift due to a burst pipe, it's going to be tight.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well managed to get a couple of hours today, between the rain showers, first was to put the fuel tank back into the buggy then make & mount the bracket for the fuel pump & filter, run the lines back to the tank.

Then fit the Latvian wheel spacer/adaptors so I can fit the MG wheels onto the Mini hubs

Then finally chopped up the old exhaust system & bonded it to my Fireblade silencer, had a nice R1 silencer which does have that bracket sticking out, but it made of soem weird metal that my mig doesn't like to play with, the sparks were bright white when I cut it with the angry grinder & it ate disks like they were going out of fashion. Clearly it's not to Steve/Rich/Max's standard but as long as it doesn't leak & pass the MOT I don't care.

Hopefully now the lights are drawing out, I can get a bit done, next job is rear nerf/bumper, which will get me a place to hang a bracket for the silencer & work out where the lights will be. Then it's wiring.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Had a really frustrating day today, managed to clear up my chores yesterday so should have had a full day on the buggy. But best laid plans etc. put the whole MGF harness into Bumble using the theory get the engine started with all the wiring & then remove what I don't need. But I can't get the immobiliser to come off, the alarm/immobiliser light flashes, press button, light stops flashing, switch ignition on, alarm goes off, switch off press button alarm stops. GRRRRRR

So a day wasted & still no nearer, can't see me getting to Stoneleigh at this rate, now on the look out for a Mems, 5AS & a fob

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well bend me over backwards & call me Susan, he LIVES!!! Eventually got the immobiliser sorted & now the engine turns, sparks & fuel pump runs, won;t start no fuel or water, but we're on our way

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Just to add, I got him to fire & run on ezistart but he would not keep running, note to self on next build ensure you plumb the fuel pump in the right way, DO NOT try to take fuel out of the manifold & send it back to the tank, engine won't run that way.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Bit of an update, managed to almost get 2 full days on him this weekend, it's surprising how time goes when your're having fun, but looking now it appears very little to show for it. After the success of managing to get the immobilsier off I've been stripping the wiring out, decided to mount the normal clocks for now for speed, so made a bracke to mount them & the fusebox. Still more wiring to remove, but need some heatshrink to make a neatish job, still thinking about digital so this maybe temporary. Did some work on the rear Danny bar, really want some down tubes as well so he lifts me off the floor rather than doing damage to the exhaust, this also gives me my positions to start working out where the rear lights as going.

After the debacle & embarrassment of fitting the fuel pump the wrong way wrong, bloody thing should have had an arrow on it. As soon as that was changed he started straight up, so last job of the day was a quick road test, so wheels on & dropped to the floor. Off I shot up the road & at that point it suddenly dawned on me that I might not have any brakes since it's been stood 6 months, luckily there was something, not a lot but it did slow me down enough before the fence. So they clearly need looking at before the MOT

I also have another annoying little problem, the dip/full beam stalk won't come far enough forward to latch hopefully hot air gun & coax it backwards slightly to give more room.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well after the debacle at the MOT station a couple of weeks ago when after filling the petrol tank up it was pissing out of the sender unit I decided to get a new tank made. Now as I'm a leper over on the North East side of the country & the resident mobile welder lives on the North West I had to find a local fabricator to make me one. It does look nice & has a flange for a VDO so I may have a working fuel gauge when Simon finishes modifying one for me.

So if anybody wants a behind the seat tank, I have my old steel that will need welding up, but is the right shape to take patterns off etc. Yours free for the cost of carriage.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

VDO was on the large size but the right price so I cut it from

Down to

Yes, Max just like Bumble my workshop is a total mess as well

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Well 2nd attempt to get Bumble MOT'd, arrived at 8am are required, put him onto ramps to get emissions, was sat there for about 10 minutes when suddenly water started pouring from underneath, one of the jubilee clips had decided it didn't want to hold the pressure FFS. So test aborted whilst I sorted that out, but when we started again the emissions were stupidly high, the limit of CO2 is 0.20% [tested as cat] mine is 5.4% suspected head gasket, even if he'd been very very lenient & tested it as the 1985 engine it would still have failed. So I know what I am doing this weekend.

There is also a bush on the bottom arm of the rear suspension, which will be an advisory & a imbalance on the rear breaks just within the limit, but I suspect there must be a bit of air in from when I changed the caliper.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

So decided not to take the head off, but fitted new plugs, leads oli, filter etc. took it back yesterday & now it's ok on CO & Lambda just out on HC double what it needs to be. Gave it a good thrashing in lower gears to warm it up thoroughly & whilst being left on tickover for 15 minutes during the test it boiled over. So looking into why, if you pull off the brown temperature sensor wire the fans should kick in, they don't, this also controls the fuelling for the ecu so it looks like there's a wiring fault.

But anyway went out this morning to look at the wiring only to be greeted with a leak from the water pump, so I think a FOR SALE post is in order, had enough.

Alan...