Recent Posts

1

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Ace Overriders

« Last post by B.P.Bird on Today at 11:43:13 »

J,
Very interesting. Just goes to shew what variations exist on these early Aces. I cannot think of any reason why A.C. would have left the overriders off or any reason why the first owner would have either ordered the Ace without overriders or removed them after delivery. The most common reason for not having overriders was competition - why carry the unproductive weight ? Is there any evidence from the first owner's son that the car was raced or rallied, or that was the intention when '31 was ordered ? Your photographs do seem to shew a mounting bolt at the front, but no evidence of the mounting holes for the distance tubes at the rear. Of course there should have been mountings of some sort, regardless of the overrider question, as both the front and rear mountings also tie the body to the chassis.
Something new every day in the world of old A.C.s.....
B

2

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by Robin A Woolmer on April 20, 2021, 19:57:07 »

Moss Gearbox spares  in SC parts web shows an O ring on the pinion housing & they do have paper gaskets for the end cover, i assume these would be similar for the AC Moss Gearbox!

Robin

3

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by AEX 31 on April 20, 2021, 17:49:30 »

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your input. I’m using Millers Classic Sport 20w50 oil in my gearbox. I did check this with Billy Bellinger that built the gearbox, he also does the gearboxes for Jaguar Classic, i.e. the ones that are used in the D-type, XKSS amongst others, and if my memory serves me right he said this oil would be fine to use. I’ll double check!

I have been toying with the idea of using a thicker oil, but people in the know has told me that it probably wouldn’t make any difference. Again, I’m lost here!

So I’m still struggling to understand why this has happened. However I did speak to a mechanic here in Sweden that has worked on other English cars from the same era and he claimes that the speedometer problem I’ve encountered is not that unusual for sports cars at least from the 1950’s.

So I guess, it would be interesting to hear if anybody else, ever has had this problem with and AC engines Ace with a Miss gearbox?

Thanks Nick. Any other thoughts anybody?

Thanks. Jonas

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Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by nicksonsticks on April 19, 2021, 23:08:16 »

Hi Jonas, I'm finding my self tuning in each day now for the next episode of "oily speedo", desperately hoping for another clue to help us find the culprit!......
I have had a thought which could be a possible cause, or if nothing else one more thing to eliminate. Oil foaming, I'm guessing that when you changed the gearbox you would have also changed the gearbox oil. Is it definitely the correct oil?  Not just the correct viscosity but also the correct specification, modern oils have lots of varying characteristics, for example some oils will have anti foaming additives, others high detergent qualities, others may be be particularly suitable for brass synchro, (GL4 for brass not GL5).
I'm fairly new to the world of AC's but I'm sure there is someone on the forum who could let you know the best oil to use.
Hope this is of help.
Nick

5

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Ace Overriders

« Last post by AEX 31 on April 19, 2021, 20:36:14 »

Barrie,

Thanks for posting and may I say that 22 looks very nice indeed. An overrider question that I have been wondering about for years is if my car AEX 31 ever had any overriders fitted from new,since when restoring the car, no real traces was found.

Now 67 years after the car made its way to Sweden I was fortunate enough to get ahold of some images from the first owners son, now himself in his mid 70’s.

The images clearly shows that there weren’t any overriders fitted the first summer of 31’s life. One of  the images shows the car with Swedish import plates, something that it only would have had for the first week or so.

Interesting no?

Jonas

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Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by AEX 31 on April 19, 2021, 20:22:28 »

Barrie,

Thanks again for helping out with this. Please see the attached image showing that the speedometer does indeed run clockwise. I believe the masses of silicone was put there when I had the old gearbox refurbished in England some 20 years ago. The work was done by a reputable firm that possibly had stumbled upon this dilemma themselves?

I have discussed this with another AC enthusiast and as much as I would like to find out the reason for the oil making its way up the cable I have now decided to try and stop the oil at the start of its journey. Hopefully fitting a minute lip seal at the end of the drive shaft will do the trick.

I will certainly post an update as soon as I have tried this. The seal I have ordered is 15 x 10 x 4 mm and won’t be with me for another week. Some slight machining to both the brass drive shaft housing  as well as on the end of the srive shaft is, god willing, the solution.

Jonas

7

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by B.P.Bird on April 19, 2021, 12:56:36 »

Jonas,
I just had one last thought: That little speedo drive housing on the end of the tailshaft housing is bolted on and therefore must have a gasket in place. Supposing that Moss 'box gaskets are not readily available it seems likely that a gasket was tapped out and whilst doing this it would be quite easy to omit a breather vent hole which would then be blanked off upon assembly. One would suppose that a vent path would still exist via the tailshaft bearing unless the addition of a first gear synchro. block obstructed this. Entirely conjecture I fear, but it could be the kind of error chain that gives rise to unexpected results
Barrie

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Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Oily speedometer

« Last post by B.P.Bird on April 19, 2021, 12:37:10 »

Jonas,
Well as silicon sealer was not invented when the gearbox was designed it seems a safe assumption that it should not be there now. Of the three speedo. drives we have now photographed there is a common direction of the scroll and two of them are clear of silicon or any other gunge. This being the case the only variable which would affect a pumping, rather than an, as intended, 'sucking' action, would be  direction of rotation. Clutching at straws here, but please confirm that the speedo. needle, in AEX 31, does rotate clockwise as viewed by the driver. That is 0 mph at eight o'clock, 60 mph around twelve o'clock and 120 mph at four o'clock.
As the problem was not present when using the original gearbox there must be a difference between that and the substitute 'box. You say that synchromesh has been added to first gear in the replacement gearbox. Possibly this modification has blocked an internal vent so that the rear tailhousing assembly cannot release internal pressure except by way of the speedo. drive ?
Perhaps it would be wise to overhaul the original 'box in case you have to change back to it: Improvements to original factory specifications can often turn out to be anything but......
Barrie

9

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Aceca battery tray

« Last post by bex316 on April 18, 2021, 22:48:40 »

On LHD cars it is on the same left side which is not ideal as the steering shaft above is in the way. You have to lower and lift the battery across it.

Jerry

10

Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Aceca battery tray

« Last post by nicksonsticks on April 18, 2021, 15:11:12 »

Hi Manuel.
I've attached a photo which should help, this is on a 1960 Aceca Bristol, the photo is taken from under the car and you can just about make out the battery terminal, behind the n/s/f wheel area. This is an original UK right hand drive car, not sure if a left hand drive would be a different location?? or if the AC engine version would be different?? Hope this helps a bit .
Regards

Nick