Nods news , A fixorage happened

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Tue Nov 02, 2021 2:05 pm

Yours is still one of my favourite Imps, Dave.

Keep up the great work. And keep the forum posts coming.

IM

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:08 pm

Just a thing ive discovered .
Noticed yonks ago the oil pressure on the Singer when hot was not as it once was and seemed to be around 45 PSI . On top of that stone cold it only reached 50PSI on start up .
I discounted the main bearings and pump as hot tickover is 30PSI so well gooder and up with the best ive seen.
Anyhoo having changed on the oil yesterday and getting the same result I fitted another pressure relieve valve - just another factory spec standard one I found lying about in the drawer of never ending random tat .
Result this morning was 57PSI on stone cold start up so a rise of 7PSI but still under the 60PSI max.
Not got it hot hot as yet but it seems promising .
Conclusion is the spring in the old relive valve was getting weak.
Result I recon

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:53 pm

Perhaps that's why folk fit adjustable ones? As the engine wears you nip under with a spanner and screw it down a bit more?

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Wed Dec 29, 2021 2:46 pm

Been for a 20 mile winter hoonage on country roads - really expected it to be more covered in mud .
Self cleaning maybe

Anyway Shes running superbly and needed a good blat

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Wed Dec 29, 2021 4:14 pm

Back yet again to interior mirrors .
Andy G sorted me out a great dipping 70s mirror for Barnaby which is perfect for it - so thanks again .
A while back I also got hold of and old Lucas one for the Singer but somehow it just didnt look right in the Singer - me being over fussy again .

Anyhoo a few weeks back i bid on and won a very tatty small , smoked glass mirror listed as a " vintage European '
Well it took a fair bit of modding to fit the Imp stem , Had to make a new rear fitting plate ( used brass ) and a shim to get the tension right so it was adjustable but didnt move whilst hooning .
Well its absolutely bl***y brilliant .
Not sure how as the glass face is flat but it gives you a really wide angle rear view - it seems to squash the view slightly top to bottom - much like cinemascope used to on films and being quite long gives a full rear window image , not only that its smoked glass so anti dazzle .
Ive no idea what its off of but recommend it if you can find one , anyone any clue as to what if off id love to know

Uncle Henry · Post by **Uncle Henry** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:55 am

Nice one, Dave. Presumably no maker's name even ? Looked a bit ropey to start with but fab after you've worked on it !

AG

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Thu Dec 30, 2021 9:56 am

Uncle Henry wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 7:55 am Nice one, Dave. Presumably no maker's name even ? Looked a bit ropey to start with but fab after you've worked on it !

AG

Nothing on it at all

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:52 pm

At the risk of turning this thread into a boring blog we did 65 miles in the Singer today - just for a sea view and fish and chips
Normal service will resume if ive got something that needs fixing

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sat Mar 12, 2022 2:25 pm

Not done much to this thing lately however I have changed the mounts on my " hide all the guts plates " from spire nuts and self tappers to riv nuts and stainless bolts .
Gave it all an extra coat of paint at the same time

African Imp · Post by **African Imp** » Sat Mar 12, 2022 3:11 pm

That really is very neat, they will all want the same now!

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Thu Mar 31, 2022 7:37 pm

Nothing much happening , however as its running and driving perfectly I treated it to a badge linked to its reg plate

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Apr 03, 2022 2:37 pm

Had a go at the rear side window rubbers with that tyre stuff - same issue = black runs .
These are again factree ones as i cant use the slimmer ones Frank Schoenberger made as the cars not had a full respray so the paint underneath is very discoloured .
Anyhoos after about 6 applications which all soaked in number 7 came up shiny and looking much betterer

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:21 pm

Pratting about again.
Stainless engine mount cover thingy ( the brushed stainless bit on the rear panel ) - easier that repainting it

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Thu Apr 07, 2022 6:38 pm

Picked up a Caernarvonshire and Anglesey motor club badge .

No holes drilled and two minutes to take it off.
These badges are very much a 60s thing so that and the fact its Anglesey related means it kind of fits in

Also altered the top screen tint with a strange " never seen before " shape

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Thu Apr 07, 2022 9:15 pm

Everything including the kitchen sink

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Apr 10, 2022 11:56 am

I periodically check voltage readings on both cars to test for voltage drop - This time the Singer .
Well it looks like im loosing 0.17V at the ignition switch which i think is acceptable given Lucas ignition switches

moose · Post by **moose** » Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:34 pm

Is that idle voltage you are measuring at the alternator ? If so the engine is idling very smooth for the meter to sit where it is.

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:27 pm

moose wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:34 pm Is that idle voltage you are measuring at the alternator ? If so the engine is idling very smooth for the meter to sit where it is.

Hope not , voltage would be too low - ON tickover its 14.38V

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:28 pm

moose wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:34 pm Is that idle voltage you are measuring at the alternator ? If so the engine is idling very smooth for the meter to sit where it is.

Hope not , voltage would be too low - ON tickover its 14.38V

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:11 am

Styling exercise
Bumper over riders delete

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Fri Apr 15, 2022 12:29 pm

No no Chamois are supposed to have them

People will start saying its an imp deluxe made to look like a Chamois if you're not careful

Uncle Henry · Post by **Uncle Henry** » Sat Apr 16, 2022 9:44 am

Mines an Imp deluxe (basic rubber carpet etc) made to look like a er, um, well ....Stan.

ps ON for my vote, Dave.

Grahame59 · Post by **Grahame59** » Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:07 pm

Front possibly looks cleaner sans overriders but rear is def better with them, especially as you have the export/Spring special towel rail. And, as Peter says, a Chamois should have overriders.

So, my vote, put 'em back on!

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sat Apr 16, 2022 7:02 pm

Pic of it oot and about sans over riders

bazzateer · Post by **bazzateer** » Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:16 pm

I like it.

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Wed Apr 20, 2022 5:52 pm

As the ones fitted ( Nexen ) had hit 10 years old ive had the front tyres changed . Ive got Yokohama A539s fitted , same as on Barnaby ( 175/60/13s ) ,
Fitter was stunned as to how good the wheels were - only 5 grams out on the passenger side

Both mounted correctly too with the red dot by the valve ( but only if you have a red and yellow dot _
Info here
https://www.tyrebaydirect.com/tyres-exp ... ellow-dot/

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon May 23, 2022 6:44 pm

Singers dipstick ( which happens to be a Van / Husky one ) has a habit of slowing coming oot the tube , its vibration not excess crankcase pressure , My brass remade dipsticks seem to be worst for this , most likely not enough spring in the brass .
Anyhoo ive gone back to a steel factory dipstick and invented a spring effort to hold the bother in place - wont work its way out now

Also cleaned up the alternator supporting doofer wot I made .

Bobbycham · Post by **Bobbycham** » Mon May 23, 2022 8:08 pm

Assuming you didn't actually write the word (bother) in there Dave
Noticed it did that on my earlier post today

GJ Bob

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Mon May 23, 2022 8:54 pm

Must be the new updated anti social word correction feature

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon May 23, 2022 10:06 pm

Bobbycham wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 8:08 pm Assuming you didn't actually write the word (bother) in there Dave
Noticed it did that on my earlier post today

GJ Bob

Twas B - u - g -g - e -r

Bobbycham · Post by **Bobbycham** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:53 pm

Yes thought so , not inappropriate use of the word, in my opinion.

GJ Bob

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:56 pm

John said he had been through it all and cleaned it up, must be what he meant

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Tue Jun 21, 2022 5:34 pm

CNC bits and bobs we are playing with at work

First off engine mount

bazzateer · Post by **bazzateer** » Wed Jun 22, 2022 7:44 am

Looks good, shiny newness!

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sat Sep 17, 2022 5:07 pm

So experimenting again .
This time on the Singer .
Way way back in 87 when I got it it had rear mudflaps fitted - well I say flaps

but the reality was bits of rotten rubber screwed to the arch .
These I removed but left the holes - a few years later I did get some NOS flaps which i fitted however 20 years later these too fell apart - back to just the holes again

Anyhoo as this thing is gonna get some use and as im sick of stone chips on the lower rear valance ive come up with some " mini flappage " thingies.
Made of plastic the same colour as the car and held on with plastic clippy things these " might " help a tiny bit , plastics quite bendy so cleaning behind em wont be an issue - besides they will come off in minutes .
Looks better without them however it might help with the chips

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Sep 18, 2022 2:14 pm

As it appears to be almost impossible and equally expensive to get a working transaxle I thought id give the Singers " never been apart " one an oil change - its been many years .
Barnabys rebuilt one is still fine so ATM I actually have two that work .
Go figure

bazzateer · Post by **bazzateer** » Mon Sep 19, 2022 11:58 pm

You have nice flaps Dave.

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:40 pm

Bit of a dash unclutter
Looks like the steel top part of an old binacle dash pod does make a half decent looking switch panel

. Instead of paint i covered it in vinyl cut from a knackered door trim top so it matches

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Oct 09, 2022 2:57 pm

Final piece of the final piece of the Singers interior fitted .
Its a Sparco interior light from the 60s ive fitted to the space left for it on the Binacle dash top switch panel i made last week .
Its fitted with an isolated / insulated earth which it now gets from the door switch so it comes on like the roof interior light .
Live is from the interior light main switch , with this i can turn the interior ( and boot light ) permanently off which is how it is most of the time in summer .
Anyhoo thats it , doin no more to it this year although im very happy with how the panel came out .

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:32 pm

I think ive made the most over engineered external condenser holder oner ever

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Fri Dec 02, 2022 1:19 pm

Further to the different bleed valve I fitted on Barnaby ive found some brass brake bleed nipples so have done the Singer .
Ive run it up and its leak free , i think its a better set up however ive only got two of the NTP to UNF adaptors and these seem to be made of unobtanium - otherwise id do the block drain as well

EDIT AN3 is 3/8 UNF

so you can get em

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sat Dec 03, 2022 1:52 pm

Antifreeze testing.
Singers at 45% so good for - 19˚C
Barnabys at 35% so good for - 11˚C
Il drain a pint oot of Barnaby and add neat antifreeze , should mix up when driving and boost the mix up a bit

Uncle Henry · Post by **Uncle Henry** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:21 am

I've got an antifreeze tester I'm ashamed to say I've never used. I will pull my socks up and give it a whirl later on.

UH

Uncle Henry · Post by **Uncle Henry** » Wed Dec 07, 2022 7:33 pm

"Later on" should have occurred today, as I was out in Stanley. As seems to feature more and more, I forgot. Completely slipped my mind, possibly because I started off with a bat flattery, and it took 20 minutes to get his mojo going. Like me, Stan doesn't like the cold it seems.

[Must try harder]

UH

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Fri Dec 23, 2022 2:48 pm

I done a fixorage

Whilst the rear window frame on the Singer is perfect and rot free the hinges were very worn , I guess after 50 odd years thats a given .
Anyhoos I managed to get a short length of the brass bar they used on these ( 3/16 ) and replace both of them.
Passenger side would gradually work its way out , factory ones are peened over at one end . Instead of doing this i cut a thread in both ends (2BA ) , Made up 4 small nut like doodabs and fitted the bars using these - thread lock and dot punching to lock them off .
Did the whole job in situ and it only took a few hours . Hinges work perfectly - esp. because they are now full of grease

Uncle Henry · Post by **Uncle Henry** » Fri Dec 23, 2022 8:00 pm

Nice tidy job, Dave. Better make a batch

Andy

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Fri Dec 30, 2022 4:24 pm

Ooot and about in the rain today , roads are a tad muddy but who cares . Leaving em sat for months on end causes nothing but trouble IMHO .
Anyhoo 46 miles and it ran perfectly - need to curb the heater a bit though - way too hot for me as is

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:53 am

This might be a controversial mod as basically im hiding something rather than do it properly .
Well I have done it properly previously and quite a few times .
That is sort out the paint on the battery side chassis leg doodab .
Somehow I keep twit the paint on it and over a few years it just gets chipped again , being a light colour it all gets a bit messy
looking .
Anyhoo Ive covered it in black plastic using trim clips in the holes already there from factory to hold it in place .
Had to think a bit laterally and even do some " remoulding " with a heat gun .
By the by anyone know why the holes are on the drivers side leg but none on the drinkers side .
I give you bodgery at its finest

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 12:03 pm

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:53 am This might be a controversial mod as basically im hiding something rather than do it properly .

By the by anyone know why the holes are on the drivers side leg but none on the drinkers side .
I give you bodgery at its finest

Probably to support bracketry for when export wet air filters need to be better supported?

Dave ' Linwood ' Lane · Sun Jan 08, 2023 1:51 pm

Passenger side done to match , bit of lateral thinking as i didnt want to drill any more holes