TECHNICAL
JOTTINGS It is suggested that you visit http://astonuts.free.fr/ as that site has some very useful and interesting information |
Subjects covered below
The Tyre Monologues Soundproofing Turn Indicator Switch Spare Wheel Tray Clean by Tumbling Oil Filter Assembly Leather Straps |
Centre Arm Rest Bonnet Badges The French Connection Jacks Under Bonnet Lamp Production Details Table Rust Bust a Must |
Hubs that Don't Fail Girling repair kits Longstones Tyre Discussion SKF Bearings Reference Table Rebuild a Marles Steering box |
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THE TYRE MONOLOGUES To get the file click HERE
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SOUNDPROOFING
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TURN INDICATOR
SWITCH Every car
manufacturer uses bought it parts from Lucas, Girling, Salisbury and
such. So a part may be used on several different cars and this results in
different parts suppliers charging different retail prices for the same
part. This leads to a wide range of retail prices, so if one is
restoring it is important to shop around. Problem is that it is difficult
to match a manufacturer’ part number to a car maker’s number. One part
proved difficult to find was the indicator switch used on the DB 2/4s -
part number 51431. There was a lot of substitution by previous
owners - mine was a sort of three position light switch. But happily
we acquired a Lucas 400E manual and a rumour that it was a Lucas part
struck gold. The Lucas part number as used on may cars is 31250 TPS
1 and one is the MGA. So if you want one you can order one from Moss
Motors (part number 162-400) or other suppliers.
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SPARE WHEEL TRAY It seems that this item, like many other, varies from model to model......and probably from car to car. Mine was quite considerably beaten up and the steel rack which cradled the tray was a nice brown speckled rust colour. Taking it to bits was a chore as it was riveted like there was no to-morrow - 166 rivets in all. I had to use an angle grinder on some rivets, while others just sheared off with a big screw driver and a FBH. When apart, I had the rack powder coated, black of course, but the tray was another matter. The corners had split and my friendly welding expert could not mend it as it is made out of magnesium-aluminium alloy. He tried everywhere but could not find any welding rods for this alloy and all attempts using other rods failed. But he did straighten it out. The tray was soda blasted to clean it up and then I used that metal weld goop, J-B Weld, to repair the corners. I was told that powder coating would adhere to it as it had metal content. And when it came back from the powder coating shop - it had! Thanks to many photos I assembled the bits and I hasten to add this was more difficult than one would suppose. Because of the bashing the holes did not line up, but judicious use of a drill fixed that. I used stainless steel nuts and bolts - all 166 of them. These are violent over-kill I know but I do not have the tools to do proper rivets - and pop rivets are ugh! It now looks rather splendid, vastly over engineered but definitely splendid. Barrie Robinson AMFC |
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CLEANING BY TUMBLING | |
One of the nasty chores when one is in the restoration process – not quite as nasty as forking out hard earned gold, but definitely nasty. When I restored my Austin Healey I hand cleaned every nut and bolt because I wanted the car to got back together as really really original – so no new strange fasteners. I also wanted them cadmium plated and thus they have to be nice and clean. So when I started on the DB 2/4 I realised that replacing BSF nuts and bolts was going to expensive and sometimes there are no replacements available today. But this meant another arduous task confronted me. In a flash of brilliance I bought a tumbler thing through a not very co-operative Harbor (sic) Freight. They will not ship to Canada for some unreasonable reason (I get tons of auto parts from other US companies).
I found I could buy big bags of silver (silica) sand and crushed walnut shells for disgustingly lower than touted by the “grit” suppliers. Sand from a building supplier and walnut shells from the pet store. I kid you not – the pet store! They sell it as kitty litter and is cheap !
My first tumble was a bunch of bolts and their accompanying nuts. The result was brilliant as the photo shows, so I did more including various other bits. I did know that walnut shells polish rather than clean and obviously less abrasive. So I tried it and the result was nicely polished bits. However, cadmium plating does not require this treatment and I looked around for other stuff, I had taken the fuse holder cover off to find a very scruffy inside. So I tumbled it in walnut with very satisfactory results. So good, in fact, that I need not buy another. The most interesting point is that bakerlite/plastic base came up like new. I have been using “Great Knob” (www.britcot.com) to restore bakerlite with great results, but the tumbling seems to do just as well. It seems you can chuck in an electrical part and, while not damaging "soft" parts, it will buff up the brass and other metal parts.
My Harbor Freight tumbler, 2 6lb drums, died after about 100 hours so I got a new one. It was more expensive than the HF one and I thought it would be better – it is not! It has not broken down yet but it is crude – doesn’t even have an on/off button.
But I thoroughly recommend this method with the proviso you
get a good unit – one you can return easily if it breaks
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This fuse box after tumbling with crushed walnut shells
This is the fasteners after tumbling with white sand
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OIL FILTER ASSEMBLY |
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Oil Filter Assembling - all cars fitted
with cartridge filter
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LEATHER STRAPS
Several models were delivered with leather straps in the rear luggage area. It would seem that they were used to strap down suitcases. It has been extremely difficult to get a definitive specification for a standard issue set of straps as there was probably no such thing. Alban has done a splendid job in providing detailed measurements of the straps found in his MkIII but there is no proof that they were delivered with the car. Obviously a previous owner could have had them made. If anyone has any more information on this subject it would be appreciated if it could be submitted to the Club. Hopefully the accompanying photos are of interest. |
There are
other photographs available some of which have detailed measurements.
These photographs are available by emailing the Club
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CENTRE
ARM REST
We have to thank Alban again for his meticulous work on providing measurements for the centre arm rest for the MkIII. There are many other photographs with not only lengths but angles as well. There is sufficient information to enable construction of a replacement to original specifications. |
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BONNET BADGES
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A DB 2/4 MkI No. LML 785 with a bonnet badge showing the plinth |
With plinth and behind without plinth |
After much discussion the
membership have arrived at what is considered the correct badges for the
Feltham cars. This in relation to badges bearing "David Brown"
and those not having this illustrious name. The application is a follows
DB2
No David Brown There is the question of when the plinth was added. From the photos one will see that some badges had plinths so more research is needed. The outfits that make new badges cannot always make the badges with plinths or repair any of the badges. One of the difficulties with finding which badge goes with which model is that the Aston factory were not scrupulous in keeping parts strictly within a model range. Also the incorrect badge may have been used in restoration, or after some yobbo had stolen the original off the vehicle while parked. The usual manufacturer of these badges is J.Fray Ltd. It has been said that these badges can be repaired by dentists or by mixing nail polish to te right colour, applying then smoothing down carefully with sandpaper/steel wool. But it these methods may not be very appealing to the fastidious. |
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
For those who have a DB 2 or DB 2/4 MkI sold new in France, It would have had the Majestic Auto badge installed under the rear registration plate. So if you have bought such a vehicle and are short of the Majestic badge you are in luck. Alban Chaignon has re-manufactured the original badge from the information that he has gleaned from a few sources. These badges were fitted on the car when it was sold as new and “Majestic” was notated on the original build sheet as the “Agent”. Thus a correct restoration will need the Majestic badge. Alban can supply the brass badge for 60 Euros but the purchaser has to have it chromed. |
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JACKS
There has been some activity within the AMF Club regarding which is the correct jack that fits which model. Rather than composing a section here it would be far better to give the directions to a most comprehensive source as below |
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This site is highly recommended for all sorts of information on the Feltham built Aston Martins |
UNDER BONNET LAMP |
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Some cars had an under bonnet lamp and replacement parts seem to be scarce. But Affair de Steel has made a couple for me. Their URL is http://affaire-de-steel.com.
1 aluminium lamp = 110 € + 20 % Vat 5 aluminium lamps = 440 € + 20 % Vat
Alban Chaignon AMFC
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PRODUCTION DETAILS TABLE by George Ormsby AMFC
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RUST BUST A MUST Bill Jacobs AMFC |
Darren Davies
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GIRLING REPAIR KITS
These kits will fit the CB type Master Brake Cylinder; They all fit that 1 inch bore cylinder. If you have trouble finding one the kit is also used on Land Rover models 107& 109 (long wheel base) from 1954 to 1966. The PowerTrack banner is on the Parts
and Services page - They have Girling stuff.
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LONGSTONE'S TYRE DISCUSSION PRE 1963 TYRE OPTIONS by DOUGAL CAWLEY of LONGSTONE TYRES DB Aston Martins, are arguably the best sports cars of the day, and until 1962/3 they fitted the same size tyres as all the other top marques such as Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar etc. Because this size is needed for the best cars, Michelin set themselves the task of manufacturing the best possible tyre. With these 50's performance cars in mind they produced the Michelin Pilote X 600WR16 which is a tall period looking tyre designed to keep steering light with a tread pattern that can move water efficiently. The Pilote X has rounded side walls with writing on the side designed to look like tyres of the period yet built with the best modern tyre manufacturing technology to keep the road noise down to a minimum with brilliant handling characteristics. The Dutch company Vredestein make tyres in this size. Vredestein tyres are proving very popular with the XK Jags as a cheap tyre but this tyre only has an H-speed rating (130mph) Importantly with classic cars a tyre should be designed to give you, as the driver, the feed-back you need to make the experience of driving your car pleasurable, instead of the numb experience you could get if your car ends up fitted with a modern tyre carcass designed for power steering and modern suspension. Michelin also still manufacture the original radial tyre - the Michelin X. This tyre is closest to the original cross ply in shape and will keep your steering as light as is possible when fitting a radial. The Michelin X is its own worst enemy in that they last for ever and people may well have driven on a tyre that is 50 years old! The Michelin X is available at the same price as the Vredestein and for a more steady driver (speed rating 112mph) is a very nice option, keeping the handling the way it should be while at the same time being gentle to your wallet. Avon make the TurboSteel - another good sporty option. If you want to slightly lower your car and have a big foot-print the Turbosteel is for you. Considering Aston’s long standing relationship with Avon the TurboSteel was tempting until Michelin produced the Pilote X and the re emergence of the Pirelli Cinturato gave us better options.
You wouldn't give Marylyn Monroe, Marge Simpson's hair style. So the exciting news for cars such as these is the re-mergence of the Pirelli Cinturato 185VR16. This is the only genuinely period tyre available in this size with a suitable speed rating (V 150mph) this was a hugely famous tyre in Europe and it was the upgrade tyre as it had the advantage of being a radial tyre but it was also progressive so it was the perfect tyre for road and track, just like an Aston.
These Cinturato's have just become available again exclusively through Longstone Tyres (www.longstonetyres.co.uk 0044 1302 711123). there is a special offer on the Cinturato's. The Boys at Longstone will ship them free of charge, and if you mention your an AMOC member you will get a club discount.
SKF BEARINGS REFERENCE TABLE This table has been compiled by Philippe Bernard AMFC
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REBUILD A MARLES STEERING BOX This instruction set has been composed by an Aston Martin Feltham Club member and is based on experience with a rebuild. Any enquiries can be made to the Club. As the article is four pages long it has been set up as a PDF file - Click HERE to get the file
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