I think that's the main motivation for the design, it was used in a lot of English cars of the era, it's simple and cheap to build, and by using longer or shorter tubes and cables you can configure it for any width car. My E-Type uses the exact same system, and it has three wiper arms......they just added another wheelhouse in the middle.
That system is favored by hot rod builders. Easily adapted for many an installation. Stand wiper arrangement for the whole Brit car industry it seemed like.
I am reading this thread every time you update it. It's a great project, and for once I am making no comments because I am just sitting back and watching the perfect resto/rebuild. Keep posting just they way you have been, I am enjoying this thread.
Ha! Today the rack goes back in at last, I already installed the steering wheel drop bracket....then it will be more cleaning and painting and wiring repair in anticipation of the rest of my parts arriving sometime mid-next week. Tomorrow I'm supposed to receive my red rubber grease (I wonder if anyone here knows what that is?) so I can carry on rebuilding the master cylinders and clutch slave.... (that should be a big enough hint!) :biggrin5: I had to go to Ebay to find some as no one at any parts houses here seemed to know what I was talking about - even one of the "old guys" at NAPA didn't know what it is, and those guys generally know all the old stuff. I'm headed down to Home Depot this AM to buy a couple more light fixtures so I can mount them right over the engine compartment - with as much lighting as I've added to my shop, that's the one spot that seems dark. See how much darker it is over the hood of the Jag in this pic? OTOH, a light right over the hood doesn't help unless you take the hood off, as it blocks all the light when it's open!
Ever shop should have a tube or Girling red rubber brake grease. Bet it is branded Castrol now. You are making good headway. You'll have your Mini done in less time it took me to do the timing belt job on my Not N MG. Are you working flat rate or by the hour? :wink:
Unlikely......I still have SOOOOOO much to do...... But, today was a landmark day, I actually got to put something back on the Mini! I reinstalled the steering rack, and I also installed the steering column drop bracket - the two jobs sorta go hand in hand as you have to rotate the rack to match the new angle of the steering column. The drop bracket allows you to lower the wheel so it's not such a bus-like driving position. I've also been spending time fixing and rerouting wiring, but I'll wait till the engines in to show pics of that, not much to see at this point. I got an email today that the rest of my parts order should be here on Monday - Yay!
Nice work Dave. Hope the boss gives you the weekend off. Maybe take the Jag out for a back road romp.
When we had an MB 190 the wiper was the best part of the car. Cleared the whole windshield, more should look at that design. Really enjoy watching the progress on this thread. Keep showing the excellent work!
Today I found where the artful bodger has been at it again, the rt inner fender had been cut and bent up to allow someone to change a clutch without pulling the engine. While a time and money saver, it makes a mess when they don't repair it correctly. Instead, they just ladled on a layer of bondo and stuck it together.......sighs. So I cleaned off the detritus, took a cutting wheel up the slit to even it out then welded it back. This sheet metal is very thin so all you can do is weld a tiny spot then move away a few inches and do another. Eventually you connect the dots.... In this pic you can see where someone has been at it with a welder too. I'll grind those welds down and linish them back while I'm in there. I'll put a skim coat over it and prime it and it will be structurally sound if not pretty. However, this means I'm going to wind up painting the entire engine compartment after all.....
Man I really hate Art the Bodger.:incazzato: He sure does get around. I've seen his work on my cars. Buzz was lucky you found him & are getting him well again.
Today was a day for catching up on the neglected "Honey do's", such as mowing, trimming, cleaning, vacuuming, laundry etc. I did manage to get in an hour or so at the local Micro car show, and I did a little more parts cleaning on Buzz. I also got his front shocks repainted. One of the frustrating things the Artful Bodger did was brush paint some primer and paint under the fenders, and while he was at it he got it all over everywhere - the shocks, suspension bits, the fresh air tubes that run at the top of the inner fenders and so on, I've spent a lot of time removing those drips, splatters and gobs off of everything - it's not that I'm OCD, it's just that unlike Edd China, I can't put dirty, greasy, oversprayed, goobed up parts back on a car...as long as they're off the car I might as well give them a bit of sprucing up. I'm spending a lot of time money and paint on sprucing......:blush2: DHL left me a message that they will be delivering tomorrow, so that's good news. I just wish they could give me some indication as to when, so I don't have to sit here all day waiting for them. The last three deliveries were all pretty late in the afternoon, but you watch - if I run an errand in the morning, that's when they'll come and I'll have to wait yet another day!
Yes that one is wayyy over the top & not my cup o tea. Pretty amazing the amount of chroming done. Me I prefer the look of good honest raw aluminium.