Messages

16

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Re: Vintage Six exhaust system

« on: December 04, 2019, 09:58:26 »

Dear all,

Many thanks for your advice on this.  It's often the things that appear the simplest which turn out to be the hardest.  It's no great surprise though - the things that were missing when I bought the car seem to be the things which are hardest to find!  I certainly do not have the pipe bending facilities or fabrication skills needed to do this myself. Will have to look into bespoke options I think.

The car isn't currently in my possession so I can't check details.  I take it the silencer is mounted towards the front of the car where the twin pipes from the manifold bend under the bulkhead?  Can anyone provide me with the dimensions (length/diameter) of the silencer?

Many thanks,

Geoffrey

17

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Vintage Six exhaust system

« on: December 02, 2019, 15:57:24 »

Dear All,

I need to get an exhaust for my '29 Six (Aceca).  Can anyone advise on how to go about this?  I've been told that the system for a Triumph Spitfire is suitable.  The engine is running on triple SUs but is otherwise original.

Many thanks,

Geoffrey

18

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Audley End on Sunday

« on: June 14, 2019, 10:44:01 »

Hello All,
I was hoping to bring my AC to Audley End on Sunday, but it's not going to be ready (new halfshaft currently on the lathe...), so I'll be trundling down sedately in my Austin Seven.  It would be good to put some faces to names and have the chance to talk to other vintage AC owners.  Are any intending to attend?  Hope to meet some of you on Sunday.

Geoffrey

19

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Re: Vintage steering boxes

« on: April 29, 2019, 18:53:31 »

Hello, and thank you for your responses.  The quote came from David Wakefield's "Vintage Buyer's Guide" in the ACOC members area: "Steering by Weller patented box (but actually a close copy of the Marles design)."

It sounds like that may be incorrect - and in any case, that no steering box used on an AC was sufficiently similar to the Alvis 12/50 for it to be of concern in the matter of cracked shafts - so thank you for your reassurance; we will be leaving well alone (but checking for leaks!).

I tentatively hope to see/meet some of you at Audley End on 16 June.  It'll be a bit of a rush as the engine's not in yet, and needs running it, but fingers crossed.

Geoffrey

20

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Vintage steering boxes

« on: April 17, 2019, 22:15:17 »

Evening all,

I'm seeking some reassurance from more experienced members re the steering boxes on vintage ACs. In one of the docs in the members area the AC steering box is described as a close copy of the Marles of the period. (Interesting note, if my researches are correct, John Weller's brother was involved in the design of the Marles box).

Im also an Alvis enthusiast, and a Marles box was used on later vintage Alvises. A few years ago there was veritable panic among the membership of the Alvis register regarding hidden cracking of the shaft inside the steering box.

My (obvious) question is: Is the AC steering box known to have similar problems?

All guidance gratefully received.

Geoffrey

21

AC Weller Engine / Re: What happened to John Weller?

« on: February 09, 2019, 19:02:59 »

a spur-gear drive is combined with a warp drive.

I would love to hear more about 'warp drive' - both Google and Wikipedia make that seem and inviting prospect in a 90 year old car!

22

AC Weller Engine / Sourcing new pistons and liners

« on: February 09, 2019, 15:24:45 »

Hello all,
My 1929 AC six engine is now reduced to its component parts. All is good so far, apart from the pistons and liners, which are really too old and worn to be worth re-installing.  I would be grateful for any advice fellow members have on the best sources for pistons and liners, and what compression ratio I should be aiming for in the former.

Thanks!

Geoffrey

23

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Re: Vintage AC Six for sale

« on: December 14, 2018, 17:05:48 »

That's all very interesting - thanks!  I have lots of correspondence and invoices from the Quick era.

Thanks for clarifying re the S F Edge Specials.  Where does one find this stuff out?  I've bought a few books about ACs recently, but the detail on the Vintage models always seems rather scant.

I don't yet know the state of the back axle, since the car was not running when I bought it.  The best I could do was check engagement of the gears and feel for backlash - which is prodigious by Austin Seven standards, but I understand this is to be expected with a transaxle with wormdrive.

I've read about the strengthening that can be carried out to the aluminium diff carrier and will plan to do that if it hasn't already been done.

For a 2 litre car on 19" wheels I thought 5:1 sounded a bit low (even an A7 managed a 4.9:1 axle at that time!).  Happy to note that is not the case.  However, it is my intention to use the car for touring, possibly continental, and longer legs for the main roads would be handy.

Do you know if anyone has tried fitting an overdrive?  The bit of open shaft between the clutch and the torque tube looks a convenient spot; but, of course, it's in front of the gearbox which would be a little unorthodox and might make gearchanging interesting.  Any thoughts?  Alternatively I might look at changing the final drive.  But in the immediate term I just want to get it on the road as it is and reassess on the road.

That old photograph is great.  I have a hat just like that...  Interestingly I think I can make out a temp gauge on the radiator.  The dashboard on my car is painted black and has a full set of Smiths dials, all matching, silver backed and very similar to those I've seen on Alvises of the period. 

Both the temp gauge and the spare wheel were present when the car was last on the road (as evidenced on photographs I have found on the Web).  Neither were present or available when the car was bought by its last owner - that is all I know.  Even if I revert to a rad-mounted gauge, I'll still need something to put in the hole in the dashboard!

Thanks for confirming that coil is probably right - I will continue with the existing coil/distributor in that case.

The engine has the inverted tooth-type chain.  A lot of work has been carried out to refurbish the bottom end and I understand that a conversion to a more modern chain would require that to be un/re-done.  I'm more that happy to keep the original type chain, but would like to think, when the time comes, that I would be able to find a replacement.

24

Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Re: Vintage AC Six for sale

« on: December 12, 2018, 18:22:37 »

Hello!

I bought this car and am now engaged in the necessary works to get it back on the road.  I would be very interested to hear from any previous owners who may be lurking on the forum.  In fact it has quite a full history file, going back to the 50s, so I know your names and where you live(d)!

One thing I would like to know is what IS an S F Edge "Special"?  It's a term I've heard from various quarters.  I think some people assume that any car built during the time When SFE owned the company outright is somehow "special"!  I think it's plenty special enough without any such designation.

The three carbs are not original - the file contains the invoice for their purchase in the 50s.  The engine has been supplied with coil ignition rather than magneto - but I guess that may have been becoming the norm by 1929?  I think I read somewhere that coil became standard for the Magna the following year.

I've put the engine in the hands of a professional.  I might trust myself to put the engine together on an Austin Seven, but the stakes feel rather higher with an AC 6!  Once that is dealt with I'll turn my attention to the back axle. Does anyone have a view on back axle ratios?  The buff form states 5:1, which seems a little bit low to me.

The body work and fittings are a bit battered, but can be dealt with once the car is back on the road.  The car is also missing its spare wheel (19" wire wheel, Rubery Owen centres) and the Smiths water temp gauge.  If any such are hanging around in anyone's collections, I would be glad to have the opportunity to acquire them.

Last, the timing chain has had a clean bill of health, but I'm aware that the original type are hard to find, and I would be keen to acquire one to go on the shelf for a rainy day.

I very much hope to make an appearance at the national gathering on May 19th.

All best,

Geoffrey