The
following technical tip is reproduced by kind permission of Kit Car magazine as
part of Gerrys' Tech Tips series. We shall be
including one 289 relevant tip from Kit Car each issue. If you are impatient,
back issues can be obtained at 25% discount by mentioning that you are a member
of the 289 Register.
If you have a technical tip that would help other members, please consider
forwarding a copy to Kit Car. You never know, you may get it published and
acquire national notoriety!
The original Aces,
prior to Cobra production, used the rectangular Lucas L542 rear lights, which
were borrowed from the Hillman Minx - the same lights were also used on some Jensens and London taxis.
This type continued to be used on the 289 Mkl, nearly
all the 289 Mklls, the 289 FIA, the early 427 Mkllls and all 427 SCs. Later Mkllls and a few of the last Mklls
were fitted with lights borrowed from the Hillman Imp.
The original L542 rectangular lights are occasionally still available, but they
are becoming more expensive. Replica versions are now made, they do not have
the part number embossed on the plastic lens, and the stainless steel rims do
not fit quite so well.
A relay
was used on original cars to operate the stop filament as a turn signal
flasher. This is not, in my opinion, very safe in today's traffic conditions
and a safer option is to use a small additional period-type indicator with an
amber lens - such as an L488.
The other problem with the L542s is that they tend not to be very bright.
Because there is no backing plate, most of the light is used to illuminate the
boot - useful when looking for your jack or tool kit at night, but not a lot of
use to the cars following you.
The answer is to fabricate a simple box from polished aluminium
or stainless steel, to encase the rear of the light in the boot and cause it to
reflect out through the lens. This not only increases the brightness
considerably, but it also protects the bulbs from all the junk in the boot.
If you are
unable to find lights from your regular suppliers Hawk Cars stock them. They
can be reached on +44-1892-750341.
(Note this plate is now available from Hawk already fabricated)
Build
experiences
John Read
Thank you for a superb newsletter and also taking up the gauntlet, a task only
for the brave and slightly unhinged. Being ever so slightly unhinged myself
(one has to be to build a 289) 1 found the Hawk very necessary therapy after
eight years of working with 250 mad, mad women.
If anybody out there is thinking about building a Hawk, think no
more, do it, for if I can build one anyone can.
I found the boss of Hawk cars, Gerry Hawkridge, a
true enthusiast and tremendously helpful. The product has an easy to follow
build manual and if you have the ability to listen well and take the occasional
bollocking Gerry will save you time and money.
MGB vs Jag back axle
A debate that I am sure will go on ad-infinitum. I chose the Jag set-up with Avo shockers and endorse
Having experienced several BN2 Healeys, a charming
DB2/4 Aston, TRs 2, 3 and 4, and several MGBs, the live axle can put the Japanese emblem on ones
gusset in the wet.
Brakes
I also agree with brother Pilbeam on the subject of
servos. They are expensive and something else to go wrong. I have adapted Vitesse 4 pot calipers (£20 at the breakers yard) with MGB
V8 discs at the front and paired them with the monstrous inboard discs of the
Jag at the rear. With the obvious advantage of unsprung
weight I find the stopping power firm, gentle and progressive without any need
to wear diver's boots. The balance is good, with bias to the front plus no need
for the extra expense of a compensator valve.
Engine
I have a 3.5 Rover with 202 (fast road) Crane cam purchased from J.E.Engineering together with more compatible needles for SU carbs as advised by this very helpful and knowledgeable company.
A child of six can strip and rebuild an SU carb. Set up right an SU can handle anything up to 220/230BHP.
Polishing, porting and skimming the heads can give subtle BHP and with short valve guides and Vitesse valve springs, power with reliability can be achieved.
The oil pump is adequate but can be easily upgraded with a stronger spring and
new valve from Real Steel for under a fiver. Two basic and very necessary mods are:
1. An acrylic cam button from Real Steel.
Once the timing chain has stretched a bit there is nothing to stop the cam
floating. This can start wear on one side of the cam and is one reason for the
short life of this item. This also stabilises the
timing, helping performance and reducing erratic tick-over. My sweet little 3.5
will tick over like a sewing machine at 500-800 RPM It gives tremendous
performance and returns 28-30mpg on the urban cycle and up to 40mpg at motorway
speeds, as true as I am riding this camel!
Suffering the same disease as brother Fry I too have enjoyed many
joyous moments stripping and rebuilding exotic and simple engines and have
three divorces to prove it! Having no experience with the V8 Rover/Buick I was
amazed to find how simple and basic this powerful and loveable lump is. No
wonder a V8 was
I hit the plastic and bought three and was terrified to find one
with a main bearing bolt in the sump. The rest were finger tight. The other two
engines had slack main bearings so over to Real Steel for some advice which
brings us round to the second necessary mod.
2.
The problem of permanently locating the main bearing caps is easily solved by
fitting a £50 stud kit. The studs are fitted into the crankcase before the main
bearing caps. The caps are then fitted and the nuts torqued
down to a massive 100psi, about double the standard setting.
These simple and inexpensive mods plus full balancing
and lightening of the flywheel can turn a good engine into a great and reliable
engine (I hope).
It took
me three days to pluck up the guts to press the black button. On doing so I did
not realise that my long suffering partner was
standing at the exhaust end with a tray of tea and digestives. The explosion
took place with a V8 roar, the tray went skywards and when the smoke cleared
all that was left of my beloved was a pair of high-heeled shoes with a pair of
knickers draped over them. Seriously though, apart from a reasonable tool kit
an understanding wife is a must.
Heating problem
On starting mine it boiled and shot anti-freeze everywhere. This was solved by
raising the header tank as high as possible, and then running a rubber pipe
from the header overflow down into an Allegro plastic
type expansion tank fitted with a 131b cap. Together with an MGB V8 thermostat
housing (£20 from Moss) will keep the water flow low from engine up to the
header tank and the same from the radiator to header tank.
Top up header tank, fit 13lb cap, 1/4 fill plastic expansion tank, leaving the
cap off and start engine. There will be bubbles and farts from the expansion
tank. When they stop the system should have bled itself. Fit the cap to the
expansion tank and off you go.
Differential ratios
Eddy Rees of Ward Engineering rebuilt my diff. and hubs at a very reasonable
price and also advised me on the best ratio to use. 3.54:1 gives me a first
gear that does something and a top gear that gives low revs and effortless
cruising. Eddy is one of this turbulent industry's nice guys and will do as much
or as little as your needs are. I purchased a 3.3:1 diff. complete from a
breakers yard for around £50. I fitted my own UJs,
rebuilt the calipers and fitted new discs. Eddy changed the ratio to 3.54:1 and
I assembled the drive shafts and wishbones using new needle rollers. Adding
Gerry's sub-frame the complete assembly was quite heavy so I made up a small
trolley, put the whole assembly on it and wheeled it under the car. Don't try
to lift the diff. assembly up to the car or your scrotum will turn inside out.
Jack the car up on the middle chassis area and bring the car down onto the
diff. Using this method is a piece of cake.
I don't pretend to know it all, nobody does, but if I
can be of any assistance please give me a call.