Aprilia Diary

[simonandjuliet]

Ade, 23 yrs ago - that's about the last time I met you so, to me, you look the same ! PGY has the foot pedal so maybe the oiler will just stay in the toolbag and look nice .... 23 years ago I could pick up an Aprilia engine and gearbox, but not with the rad attached - maybe that's why I've got backache now !

Noel, thanks for the list and diagram. I have rewritten my letter to Santa. Re the wheel brace, the spike is used to 1) remove to the hubcaps or 2) stab the next person who says that the Aprilia looks like a Beetle from the back !

Thanks for the offer of a greasing nut, I think Ron Francis is going to help me out with a few bits, including the grease nut, but if not I will drop you a line

New Wire

In order to run a new wire to the boot to supply the pump, I had to take out the seats and mats. As always this means you cannot overlook the other things that need to be done. It was done with some trepidation because the floors look to be in reasonable nick from underneath, a couple of plates but nothing drastic.

On inspection, the front floor has had a big plate set in, but has holed again in one corner, so will have to be repaired properly. However in true "TimeTeam" fashion I have uncovered it, recorded it, protected it and covered it up again and it can wait until I can buy the bits and have another 3 days to deal with it . The rear floors are remarkably good - the driver's side will need a small plate along the sill but the other side is perfect. So all cleaned up ready to protect and paint. Mr Boom would be very disappointed that there wasn't more for him and his "best-friend" to do !!

The original rubber mats are still pretty good but the rear carpets have suffered so will need to be remade

The rear seats are a dilemma, they are not perfect, but are they bad enough to re-upholster ? I think not, but it will take a while to restore them and try and get the water stains out. The labels state " .... APRILIA , 19 0TT 1948" so that gives a pretty clear indication as to when the car was built. I can't imagine the interior has been changed

Hopefully the new pump will arrive tomorrow so I can put everything back together. It is our 10th wedding anniversary in 3 weeks and I have promised we will take the Aprilia for our trip away

[lancialulu]

Simon I sent you a PM re fuel pump...

I have also just taken my seats out to get to the side panelling and trafficators etc. It is IMO a good idea to waxyol everything from those access ports. I took had a dilemma on the underside of the seats as the cloth had torn away, but with some judicious re nailing they look quite good and original. I didn't see any labels however.

Tim

PS your paint loss under the number plate does not correspond with the pivot point for the support which is under the Lancia Aprilia light???

[simonandjuliet]

Tim
I remember your car when Frank James had it. It was a delightful car belonging to a real gentleman. I look forward to seeing it again !

Re boot lid stay, maybe mine is lower, but the bottom part of the bracket is about 1 1/2 inches below the number plate light. The problem is exacerbated by the lead repairs to the boot lid - you would not want to drop it on your head. My old Aprilia (YRV) had and alloy boot lid which would lift off its stay with a strong breeze.

Pump and bits arrived today so there's tomorrow's job

Interior

A couple of before and afters. I spent a fair amount of time using a steam cleaner to remove the old water marks - not perfect but much better so I think I will keep the rear seats and re-upholster the fronts, door cards and replace the rear carpets and sill covers. I think these would probably have been rubber originally but the carpet lends a bit of luxury !

The floors look much better painted, just hope it's dry enough to re-assemble tomorrow

I also repainted the loom covers ,battery cover and bulkhead panel - if I take it off/apart I try and deal with it .......

If I'm lucky we can go for a drive tomorrow !

[fay66]

Simon,
 thank you for posting the update and photos and she's coming on well, but the last photo has me completely foxed, what am I looking at?

Brian
8227

[simonandjuliet]

Sorry Brian
It is the Aprilia photo quiz !

Not really, I uploaded the photo in error and then didn't know how to delete it ......

What it actually shows is the area under the dash, driver's side with the foot lever that operates the suspension oiler. Not a particularly interesting photo, but I am trying to take photos of every inch of the car so if I work on something in the future and forget how it goes back together I will have a record.

[lancialulu]

Simon

My foot oiler has become just that - a foot oiler!!! Another little job (don't suppose it is that easy to overhaul) to do after the current one of replacing the interior after investigating and fixing the carrello trafficators. They now have 21st century led lighting as I can't source the 30x6mm 12v festoons. (Any ideas anyone??). It's not that I am slower than youin doing these jobs but time is taken up playing with my new toy - A Gamma Coupe!!

Tim

[DavidLaver]

That steam cleaner has worked a treat!!  Tell me more...

Another thought for the seats: do you remember the bench front seat from your/my B20?  It had some rather nice period loose covers with map pockets.  Perhaps that might be an answer?

David

[fay66]

Sorry Brian
It is the Aprilia photo quiz !

Not really, I uploaded the photo in error and then didn't know how to delete it ......

What it actually shows is the area under the dash, driver's side with the foot lever that operates the suspension oiler. Not a particularly interesting photo, but I am trying to take photos of every inch of the car so if I work on something in the future and forget how it goes back together I will have a record.

Simon,
Thanks for the explanation but I still can't work it out always a good idea to take lots of photos as it's not the first time I've taken something off and forgotten how to put it back
To delete a photo, click on the Additional options, then where the information is shown in the attach box, highlight, then click your delete button.

Brian
8227

[simonandjuliet]

Tim
Would love to see details of the trafficator fix, I will need to do mine as well. Once I've got them in pieces I will scour the vide-greniers for bulbs
Sorry about the oiler - maybe try the steam cleaner on your loafers .... impressive machine !

David
re steamer - Bit scary at first as you disappear in clouds of vapour, but it doesn't wet the fabric too much and really shifts the stains. If you don't scrub too hard with the brush it is quite delicate

Back on the road

The bits arrived and have now been fitted. The pump in the boot fits neatly in the corner and is currently wired to run all the time. It is a solid-state low pressure pump and will self prime and has an inline filter on the tank side. It ticks quietly and you do not notice it once the engine is running.

I fitted all new 8mm braided pipe and clips leading to the original pump (which I dismantled and cleaned) , which then feeds the filter and pressure regulator.

So I now have a "new" tank filter (made from the mesh of a stainless steel colander and copper wire), inline pump filter and bowl filter so hopefully any future muck will never reach the carb.

One strange thing,  initially I was surprised how loud the pump was, the ticking could be heard across the garage and on inspection the noise appeared to come from the horn !
As you can see, my homemade filter bracket (R4 bumper iron and rad stay cut and welded) is bolted onto the horn mounting and I thought that resonance was causing the horn to sound. In fact, what was causing it was the pump feed being on the same circuit as the horn. New feed from another fuse and all fixed , and quiet.

After a number of trial runs all seems to work well - a trip down the motorway will be a real test.

[DavidLaver]

I like the thread on the top of the carb.  Not seen that before.

Good luck!!

David

[simonandjuliet]

It's like bumping into an old university friend you shared a flat with years ago - more than 25 years in this case, and you just slip back into the old ways; the banter, the memories and the fun

Driving an Aprilia is fun and like many old Lancias, you adopt a certain style of driving. In this case you slip your shoes off, wind down the window, pull the starter lever, select first and away ....

Aprilias are neat cars, you get to know your passenger in the way you knew your flatmates, up close and personal. Great in winter because like our house in Liverpool 8, there is no heating.
I find my feet are too big to wear shoes and be able to heel & toe, similarly I always open the window so you can stick your elbow out to get more purchase on the wheel for tight corners, because you have to drive an an Aprilia with gusto. The gearbox is a delight, the steering precise and the brakes powerful but requiring a good squeeze.

50 miles along empty country lanes brings it all back !

A good test to see what needs to be done, because as well as our anniversary, Mathilda and I are going to join Lancia Club France for a jolly around the Corbières in early June. This should be entertaining because Mathilda will just have turned 7 and there is a map book to follow. I suspect that if there was an iPad version we would be fine !

[Scarpia]

your right about the elbow out of the window but i supect the climate where you are makes this somewhat less of an issue...

[Sliding Pillar]

Simon, I agree with you discription of Aprilia driving, I too drove one recently after a gap of many years. For me it is just the way in handles in the bends, even when I was going way too fast for any given corner it just went where it was pointed. Oversteer and understeer are not words in the Aprilia vocabulary. Truly the integrale of the '30s

[simonandjuliet]

Took off the grill to fit a LMC badge. 5 minute job really.......

However the shutters were a bit sticky, so cleaned up, light paint and oil all the moving parts before refitting. While I was at it I made a new adjuster to tension the cable (brass bolt drilled along its length) and fitted a new stainless inner cable and clamps

Quick description of how the shutters work - radiator heats up and a wax core expands pushing out a rod which then pushes on a lever at the side of the rad. This pulls on a cable connected to the top of the shutters and thus opening them.

Simple in theory, expensive in practice

They are very effective, when fully open they provide very little restriction to air flow. The large round hole in the baffle at the bottom is for the horn.

All nice and clean now - so much for a five minute job !

[simonandjuliet]

After a few outings, I felt there was a little hesitancy in the pick up especially after "hard" braking and sharp cornering - often suggests low float level or sticking float valve - then, one morning she didn't start on the first turn. Quick tap on the front of the carb (above the horizontal needle valve) and all was well.

So, decided the problem may be low fuel pressure following changes. Half a turn on the pressure regulator to increase the pressure (factory set at 2 psi) and no probs since

Also changed the vertical door rubbers prior to LCF outing. It means that my daughter is less likely to fall out.  And more importantly not damage the doors !

Just have to get the family used to correct door opening procedure - close the back door first / open front door first , then it is much more difficult to accidentally initiate air brakes

Shutters working well after cleaning