TSU 306 - the restoration begins

[Cassino]

Didnt mean to ignore the air or grease tips. Sound good, but I am unsure about where and how to screw grease gun or compressor in (which I don't have anyway)

When I did my front brakes, the wheel cylinders were pretty much stuck (pistons), after taking them to a motor cycle workshop ,their airline could not move them.
I popped them in an old Chip pan fryer. with water on the hob.....and after some heat they popped out, differential expansion, I guess?
If you do the master cylinder, that can be a right pain in the bottom!....but its really getting it out, and getting it back...Good luck.
Ian

[chriswgawne]

Sorry to interfere but if it were me, I would definitely fit new  flexible brake hoses. You say they are a few years old and certainly over time they have a tendency to collapse. They aren't expensive and to fit them now would be a piece of cake.
Chris

[simonandjuliet]

**** Warning - Appia Consortium Advert ****  !!

We had a new batch of flexi's made for the Consortium a couple of years ago - they aren't expensive !

[sd39]

I will certainly get those flexis!

Anybody got thoughts on the water pump issue?

It is amazing how much of a difference heat expansion makes!

[sd39]

Quick question, should I be using a special grease for the water pump?

[nistri]

Ideally the calcium-based special grease for water pumps; however, a good quality lithium grease should be ok, Andrea

[sd39]

thanks, helpful

Some progress made this weekend

Water pump is assembled and fitted: we shall see how it fairs when the car is running. I got a spare from Jim incase it still weeps.

Machined front drums are ready.
Brake shoes have been returned, very nice, and no rivets, so will last a bit longer

I managed to get rear left brakes and hub on, quite a fiddly job.
Next weekend I will do the rest and bleed the system
 

[lancialulu]

Brake shoes have been returned, very nice, and no rivets, so will last a bit longer

Bonded shoes - dont run them any lower than you would if they were riveted. I have had a bonded shoe de-laminate causing interesting results on my Transit van..... It still has a few mm left to wear..... One side of the axle was locked solid....

[chriswgawne]

I always specify 'bonded and riveted' - I am a great believer in belts and braces particularly where safety is concerned.
Chris

[sd39]

Oh, ok, I will keep an eye out once we get moving! Thanks for the tips

[sd39]

Bad back last weekend

Yesterday I sorted a few things. Photos below show water pump grease poking through three drain holes; hubs were thoroughly washed and dried and packed with greased, with cap put on until ready to put them back on; alternator bracket fabricated as per Don Cross’s diagram; rocker covers almost prepped for new crinkle paint. Phew!

[sd39]

Another good day today.

Fitted rocker covers, which I think look great!

Put all the brakes and hubs back bar the front left one which I managed to strip one of the shoe hinge bolts. It was not in great shape to start with, but even so, I feel a clot for doing that. I have emailed Jim to get a replacement as predictably none of the hundreds of bolt I have (admittedly mostly Fulvia) are the same.

 

[sd39]

Hello!

Have made some progress in recent weeks

The brakes are all sorted now, exhaust is now all on, all the rubber hoses have been replaced, rear shocks have been replaced: the Spax ones were built to the spec of a previous Appia Consortium order, K65EE0 Custom Telescopic, and are significantly less substantial than the ones I have taken off. I have also bodged a hole in the wing. Remember the body of this Appia is basically shot and uneconomic to repair, and my brother and I are in the process of sourcing a much better unrestored S3 car without so much rust (fingers crossed):  more on this in due course hopefully. So the plan is to make this one more or less presentable, use it, whilst we then get a fresh body shell sorted. I am in the process of repairing the neat little flexi/canvas/rubber radiator brackets, and am waiting for the right copper rivets for the job.

Jim and Don have been helping with the alternator and I now have a very expensive Racemettle lightweight one to put on. I am just waiting on the machining of a bush sleeve so that it hinges on the bottom bolt appropriately. Malvern rebores are doing this little job for me (they did the front brake drums which were scored), along with welding a bit of threaded bar to the broken air filter so this can be tightened up properly, and a bit of welding on a Fulvia window runner channel. Then I need to attached and wire the alternator up. I might get an auto-sparky to do this.

So in short, I am very close to being able to use the car, which shall be interesting, particularly as I still, like many people, have no where to go because of this strange immobility we are all experiencing.

[sd39]

Back from my holidays in Sweden and in the garage this weekend. The alternator is wired up. A local sparky who seems to have done a good job; at least the ignition light goes out. Radiator on, final checks, and it started very promptly, which isn't bad after, what, 3 months? Maybe longer. Anyway, I suppose if I can get it started after 10 years, a few months isn't going to be an issue.

So, took it for a quick spin; first, second and reverse used. gear linkage much better. Brakes work. Steering wheel is in wrong plane. Oh well: should have marked it! Water pump leaks whilst spinning. So I guess the surface that the seal spins on wasn't good enough. So I'll have to get the spare one I got dismantled and rebuilt. Will be able to use the car locally a bit regardless, since water loss not drastic. Will get it insured and off SORN.

Very pleased

My brother and I have also bought another S3 sedan! This is a restoration car, but the bodywork is much much better than ours and the plan will be to strip, repair and paint the new one, and then rebuild the car using best bits of both. Our car, which I explained from the outset is not economically repairable bodywork wise. More news of this new S3 when we have it in Worces.

Also effected a good repair on the radiator support straps. Very cheap Chinese copper rivets (couldn't get them in the uk), and rubber/fibre webbing of 12mm thickness, which was also a bit tricky to track down. I will paint the metal ends tough satin black. Need to get a radiator specialist to braize or otherwise fix the bracket for the other side.

A pretty solid day.

 

[sd39]

News Flash!

Eddie and I have bought another Appia S3 Sedan. Our car is not economically repairable, so we were always on the look out and we have got a much more plausible body to repair. So I will be starting to strip it very soon