Block water inlet

[MichaelElsom]

At long last I am hoping to get the engine and gearbox back in CLM. I have been contemplating the water inlet/drain tap for some time on the bench and dislike it every time I look at it. It looks as though it was originally used on another model as there is an additional piece of tube tacked on to the vertical part. This has been blanked off - I won't say how!
Looking at Mike's photograph of the offside of the engine when he removed it, I can see that his casting is aluminium - mine is (?) bronze - and his looks similar to the ones currently listed at Cavalitto. Those are threaded internally - ?to take the drain tap casting. I can't see a ready way of detaching the drain tap casting from the body of the inlet on mine.
Quite apart from anything else, the operating arm for the drain tap is cleverly designed so that every time you check the dipstick, it has a tendency to knock the tap arm with obvious potential results.
Any ideas gratefully received - a certain chain driven car is nearing the time when it will (I hope) hit the road and I can revert to matters Lancia after far too long.
If I am clever enough, I will attach Mike's photo - hope he doesn't mind and you can see the part I am talking about.

[Mikenoangelo]

Yes I think mine is a Cavalitto replacement. It is fine although I did have a few problems with the alignment of the fixing bolt hole with the stud projecting from the block, mainly because the boss inside the block  had been drilled out to take a stud which was oversize at the inner end. Nothing which could not be sorted though. My tap lever is also a bit vulnerable to unintended consequences! You could fit a small modern globe type tap and avoid the original long lever. One useful alteration is to fit a short bit of tube from the outlet of the tap to which you can add a length of plastic pipe to direct the draining water through the hole in the undertray, but do fit the plastic pipe before you reinstall the aluminium elbow to the engine as access with the engine in the chassis is very difficult.

I think bronze for this fitting is a good thing as it is far less susceptible to corrosion but aluminium is what Cavalitto are offering.
BTW your addition of my picture came up as an icon which had to be clicked before the picture could be opened. No problem with using it.

I did have a look at your car a few years ago when on the VSCC Light Car rally with our Salmson. I'm sure you will enjoy it when it's back on the road - they are super little cars.

Mike

[MichaelElsom]

Thanks Mike.
The forum rejected the original format in which I submitted the photo as an attachment and when I attached it as a Pdf it didn't appear in the body of the text!
My drain tap has a short length of copper tube attached to it which neatly directs the water away as you suggest.
I am hopeful that the original tap lever can be shortened - once I have worked out how to detach it.....
Incidentally my request for a price from Cavalitto has been met with the same delays that I see others have experienced.

[JohnMillham]

The extra pipe is probably for a heater connection. I have a heater fitted to mine. Let's hope we can have an "Augusta get-together" on or near October 6th. again this year.

[Raahauge]

Both my aluminium water connections were corroded beyond repair so I made patterns and recast in brass, you are welcome to borrow the patterns.