Life with a Gamma

[DavidLaver]

Oh - as an alternative to a 3-4K bill how about buying a copy of Alan's book?   I've one on order and will post a mini review when it comes. 

Not that I'm a broken record or anything - but there's always the option to tidy the scabs in the "Haynes manual 2 page colour spread" style.   That's a lot quicker and easier these days as a random orbit sander is so cheap while "back in the day" it was a tub of elbow grease.   It won't last forever but you might get five years out of a repair like that.

David

[fay66]

Hi Harvey,
As David says, much better to use than store which can cause all sorts of problems from seized brakes to flats on the tyres.
If you wear a hat coat and gloves when you go for a run, you can leave the windows open and freshen the interior as well


I try to take "Fay" out 2 to 3 times a month on dry days and go for a 30-40 mile drive, that gets everything nice and warm, blows out all the cobwebs and dries out any damp in hidden corners, the rest of the time she lives in an airchamber in a concrete lock up, but I would also be loath to leave her out open to the elements in winter.
Certainly David's thoughts on leaving any work until after enjoying it through the winter makes a lot of sense, having the work done in the early spring will hopefully mean you have it back on the road for the summer and the AGM

Brian
8227

[Harvey]

The car is garaged anyway, as my parking permit allows me only one car parked in Bath at a time. The problem is with the wet weather - I fear the cosmetic rust turning into something more worrisome. Also, my lack of workshop space / time / ability (lethal combination) makes it difficult for me to do any substantial work on the car. The car is parked with the handbrake off, and I'll be visiting often to start up and move the car on private land in order to minimise the problems associated with leaving a car to stand.

(The car is at my sister's house - about an hour from me, and in the opposite direction to most of my work journeys).

[DavidLaver]

This stuff is very thin and wicks in so I expect would get under lifting paint.  

http://www.bilthamber.com/hydrate80.html

It dries to a black satin and will bind dusty rust togeather so while a blast with a wire brush (in a cordless drill?) is best it isn't necessary.  To start with I was only applying it to wire brushed surfaces, but when there's a bit left in the jar you experiment.  They don't advise it as a coating as such, but my own experiance of a slow moving project is that it "stops the rot" and hasn't deteriorated in six months.  I think their comment was "ok for a week or so".  

Water based, so no problem to leave a little "artists" size brush in a jar of water on the shelf next to a little pot to decant it into.   My supply of "little pots" is the bottom cut off a supermarket milk carton - the big see-through kind rather than waxed paper.

Its a balance between it sitting and getting worse - and being used and getting worse.  Perhaps plan a Sunday run every six weeks or so?

David

[fay66]

This evening the car is going into the garage for the winter, to avoid the salty horrors of a British winter.

Alan Wesson kindly dropped by to look at the car yesterday, and in order to sort all the rust scabs (none believed serious or threatening) it looks like a £3,000 - £4,000 job.

Can anyone lend me a fiver?

I know their not cheap but I can certainly recommend an Air chamber ,mine fits inside the garage with just enough room to get down the outside of it to change the battery over, I bought mine from www.hamiltongrouponline.com about 8 years ago, and although it cost £350 at the time it's been worth every penny at less than a £1 PW; I don't think that "Fay" even in the concrete garage would have survived otherwise, they now do a much better one called Cair-O-Port which has outside framework very much like a frame tent, and the interior storage bit hangs from the framework, which is held up by a internal frame of fiberglass poles that flop about a bit as the frame is not really stiff enough.
It is much more user friendly than the ones that are kept up by air pressure build up from the fans.
I run the 2 fans( the new has 3 fans) using a couple of 85AH leisure batteries which are swopped over once a week, but it's much easier if you have mains power.


Brian
8227

[Harvey]

I started the Gamma for a winter warm up just now. Turned over about 10 times before catching, and running smoothly. Can't wait for warmer, drier weather and a proper drive.

[Harvey]

I had to charge the battery as the cold weather had drained it. Re-connected on Sunday morning and started up no problems. Now counting down the days to 1st April (road tax starts) and hoping for dry weather. 

[thecolonel]

""GIRL""

you can't beat driving a Gamma in snow BRILLIANT.

[fay66]

""GIRL""

you can't beat driving a Gamma in snow BRILLIANT.

What about big & blouse Scandalous that there not classed as Historic.

Brian
8227

[thecolonel]

I think you mis-spelt  Hysteric   

[Harvey]

I'm not worried about the handling - just the bodywork!

[Harvey]

A frustrating day on Wednesday. I took the car to Tanc Barratt for the cambelt change and had a great drive there, cruising at 60 on the M5. Sadly, it all went downhill after I arrived.

The first cambelt tensioner bearing that came off sounded dry and rattly. The part's not available from the consortium, so I had to resort to expert advice from the usual sources (thanks Geoff and Charles). Unfortunately, Tanc was aghast at Charles' solution of injecting oil behind the seal and urged me to go for a replacement, or at worst a refurb. Having optmistically driven there expecting to drive home again afterwards, I was somewhat stressed!

The end result was that Tanc re-assembled the original parts, and I drove home again. £137 labour, and £35 fuel for a day trip to Kidderminster. I could think of better places...

So - back to square one, and pending investigations into replacements or refurbishment. Tanc was very uneasy at how long the bearing would last - almost to the same level as the consortium experts are in being relaxed about the same. I would have liked to have followed Charles' advice, but Tanc's professional standards wouldn't allow him. (Not that I am complaining - his attitude is correct!) I'm going to risk the trip to Bristol for BIAMF, but then park up and await advice.

Still, the Gamma Restoration Fund creeps up every month, so if the engine doesn't explode before autumn, then I'm planning to put the car in for the bodywork repairs.

[Thotos]

 Tanc re-assembled the original parts,

Does that include re-fitting the old belts? That's not a good idea and I am surprised a professional like Tanc would do that. Cam belts should always be replaced once the tension is released so he should have fitted the new belts on the old bearings. I can understand his refusal to 'bodge' a bearing repair because if it failed in six months time you could have claimed he didn't do it correctly. But please believe me that Gamma tensioner bearings will last for a long time and close to forever even when dry and noisy. The usual problem with tensioner bearings is that they can seize and cause the belt to snap but I've never heard of a Gamma bearing seizing even though I've heard plenty of rumbling Gamma tensioner bearings. New tensioner bearings on their own (i.e. not on the carrier) are still available but quite expensive, I paid £45 each for mine a few years ago.

[Harvey]

Second attempt on the cam belts next Wednesday... but locally this time.

[Harvey]

With the cambelts sorted, the Gamma is out for the weekend. I'm at my local tyre fitters having the wheels balanced. It seems that the wobble might be because at least one of the wheels is slightly buckled. If so, I think I can live with a shimmy at 70 - I rarely go that fast in her.