B10*2283

[williamcorke]

A couple of months since the last update on this project and a lot has happened since then.

The temperature discrepancy between the banks turned out to be timing related (Chris's suggestion) and both sides now run at very similar heat levels, but the exhaust at the rear of the car is still hotter on one side than the other. As one bank is running richer than the other (based on plug colour) sorting out the carb settings might well also sort out this remaining temperature worry.

The car's 'snagging list' is being chipped away at... this weekend half a dozen things were crossed-off, but 2 or 3 added. I think. Roughly 25 done and 25 to go, but realistically I know that there will always be things to be done on a car this age.

The photos below show the car as it is now - drivable and generally going quite well though the engine is as I mentioned running too rich and wetting plugs, so the carburettor set-up still needs to be worked on. There is a replacement carb on the car since I last posted, the fitting of which has sorted out the engine’s reluctance to rev. I’m still not sure what the issue with the first carb was. The Solex PAAI 40 doesn’t have much in the way of adjustment. Beyond the idle mixture screws and idle adjustment for the butterflies, you are into changing jets. At least that’s what seems to be the case but I’m not that familiar with these carbs and am still learning how they operate.

The trafficators are next on the rebuild list, hence the holes in the front wings.

The first of the photos is of the car in Sweden in 2004, from the ebay listing where I first spotted it.

I currently have the Swedish numberplate (from 1962 when the car was last on the road) mounted, but presumably the DVLA will, once the car has been through their test, issue an age-related UK one. Does anyone know if it's possible to apply to keep the Swedish registration? I assume not, but no harm in asking. I know the club can help people keep old UK registrations with cars.

[Sebastien]

William, beautiful photos of a very nice, early car.

The Italians love the early Aurelia berlinas, with their trafficators in the front wing!

I saw that you were rebuilding it with a B12 engine, which is fitted with the big Solex 40 PAAI carburetor. It is in my opinion the ideal Aurelia engine, powerful, and lots of torque low down. Also tremendously reliable. Will be a lot of fun in the lightweight B10 body.

My question: do you also have a B12 gearbox fitted?
If you kept the original B10 gearbox, you will be able to start in 2nd everywhere, and maximum speed will be 70 mph, with a screaming engine. This is what happened when I got my B50 cabriolet, 2,3 liters, many years ago. I had to source a B12 gearbox, to get the long legged car I was looking for.

[williamcorke]

William, beautiful photos of a very nice, early car.

The Italians love the early Aurelia berlinas, with their trafficators in the front wing!

I saw that you were rebuilding it with a B12 engine, which is fitted with the big Solex 40 PAAI carburetor. It is in my opinion the ideal Aurelia engine, powerful, and lots of torque low down. Also tremendously reliable. Will be a lot of fun in the lightweight B10 body.

My question: do you also have a B12 gearbox fitted?
If you kept the original B10 gearbox, you will be able to start in 2nd everywhere, and maximum speed will be 70 mph, with a screaming engine. This is what happened when I got my B50 cabriolet, 2,3 liters, many years ago. I had to source a B12 gearbox, to get the long legged car I was looking for.

Thank you Sebastien,

The car does still have the original B10 gearbox fitted. It is quiet, has a nice shift action and - a related issue - the clutch has a very nice feel and doesn't seem to have any problems handling the engine's torque.

That said, I've so far only had the car up to 80 kmh / 50 mph on a first shakedown run.

The gearing is low with, as you suggest, no need to use 1st unless you were on a hill, and as a result the car is remarkably accelerative, in a way that is quite surprising and almost out of keeping with its size and appearance (but not if you know about what's under the skin). A year or two ago I looked at a chart of the final drive ratios of the various different Aurelia 'boxes and (from memory) it seemed that there was about a 10% difference between B10 and B12. I'll check the figures again. At the time I decided to to build up and use the B10 for a while with the original box and see how frustrating I found the gearing. I don't have a 'spare' B12 box, but I do have a spare 6th Series B20 one, which I hope might be able to be traded for a B12 box if I go down that path...

[Sebastien]

Agreed, the difference in gearing is not much. As you wrote, less than 10%.

However at 120 km/h, something like 75 mph, with a B10 box in 4th you are reving at already 4000 RPM, while with the B12 one it is 3650 RPM. Which means that if you still want to push on, you have more under the foot! It is also easier on the ears.

Effect also noticeable if you are in 3rd, at 80 km/h and want to overtake.

Conversely, one advantage of the B10 final drive ratio is that you will use 1st gear less, which is also good for the ears, and the straight pinions. So you get a kind of an all-synchro 3 speed gearbox!

[williamcorke]

I think I'm right in saying that Tim Burrett has fitted an overdrive to his B22, between the engine and clutch. Tim is a great expert and engineer, but I’m not interested in going that far in the quest to reduce engine speed. I had already been coming to terms with the thought that I would effectively be driving a '3-on-the-tree'. Given the torquey nature of the engine the number of gears doesn’t necessarily matter, but top gear ratio always does.

The slight irony is that the shift from 2nd to 1st while moving is much nicer than it was on my (floor change) 6th Series B20.

[GG]

Car looks great WIlliam!

Not too much to add to the gearing discussion, but just some personal experience.

Using a B20 s.4, 3rd gear was THE master overtaking and performance gear (50-70mph), and then drop back into 4th. (see Nigel Trow's intro essay in Shield and Flag on the glories of 3rd gear in a B20)

In the s.2 with its different ratios, and the 2 liter motor, 4th gear gets much more of the higher end work - say 60 mph +.

That said, both are right on for the motor size, something clearly tested at the factory.

[chriswgawne]

Looking good William. You have a  real Q car there.
You know my thoughts on the B12 transaxle issue and also the associated clutch issue but as you say, best to get a few miles on the clock then maybe reconsider.
Your car is my favourite Aurelia saloon colour by the way.
Chris

[Parisien]

A tribute to you William, great to see you're just down to a snagging list, very satisfying, yet another Aurelia saved and a B 10 too.

P

[williamcorke]

A tribute to you William, great to see you're just down to a snagging list, very satisfying, yet another Aurelia saved and a B 10 too.

P

Thank you Frank, but the 'just a snagging list' isn't necessarily minor tasks... for instance, one of the rear wheel bearing still needs to be changed. Peter Harding will help me to do it (he has the tools) but he refused to attempt the job without the suspension attached to the car, so the car will be driven to him, whining bearing and all.

And snag number 48 on the list is 'World Peace', which while only a bit more complicated than an Aurelia berlina restoration will probably delay completion of the project :-).

[williamcorke]

Yesterday I drove 100km in the car (now MOTd and insured, though the UK registration hasn't been processed yet). It was a cold - 4 celcius - and wet day but the heater works well and is quite effective at clearing misting from the inside of the windscreen. Pretty sophisticated stuff for 1950.

Final stop on the way home was a supermarket car park.

The snag list isn't getting much shorter as there are nearly as many additions as things ticked-off, and some of the fixes still required are not minor... but I can tell that it's going to be really terrific once the main ones are completed.

I'm going to finish this thread (started December 2011) and start new ones for any specifics that might be worth sharing or where I need help.

[Parisien]

William, your B10 gets nicer the more often you photograph it, great to see it pass milestone after milestone. It does look very neat compared to the modern hulks either side.

What else is on the snag list, how did you find working through the snags to date?

P

[stanley sweet]

The paint and interior is a lovely combination. It does look very delicate and elegant among the 'hulks'. But I suppose it's the hulks that let Prince Philip and the other occupants survive pretty much unscathed. So we'll never see such pretty styling again.

[williamcorke]

The paint and interior is a lovely combination. It does look very delicate and elegant among the 'hulks'. But I suppose it's the hulks that let Prince Philip and the other occupants survive pretty much unscathed. So we'll never see such pretty styling again.

That is a consideration. My wife said on Saturday that she wouldn't go on the Motorway in it. Not the easiest car to fit belts to, like any pillarless Lancia saloon. What experience to people here with Aprilias etc. have with seatbelt fitting? I can't see the point of having a lap belt in the front - your head will still smash into the wheel/dash in a frontal collision.

[GG]

we fit belts on the B20 with bolts in the floor behind the seat. They are not such a major disturbance and the bolts can be removed at a later date. Keeps passengers happy, even though the "head on dash" or the Aurelia steering column remain as issues, but they are not discussed.

[Neil]

William, the car looks great you will have to bring it to the Surrey pub meet in a few months time, I hope you get suitable registration from the DVLA not that get any choice, just the next available one for that period, unless you source an alternative registration, but that is more cost.