Huey - RHD Single Cab

[ProfessorWheeto]

:lol: Didn't think anyone would be reading this cover to cover! I'll be keeping an eye on the progress on your DC.

And today's progress, had a trip over to my dad's workshop. Ended up with this...

Still a work in progress, will be finished off tomorrow morning all ready for bus stop over! (Otherwise I've got nowhere to sleep!)

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Well as lunchtime approached on Friday there was still sewing to be done, but come friday evening...

Stayed on with no flapping at 70mph, and then was battered by wind and rain at stop over but no leaks, no draughts and so much more comfortable than the crappy old tent!

Crimpy pretending to be a guard dog..

All packed up on sunday afternoon

 

[gninnam]

Looks very good and glad it worked as your sleeping area

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Before Christmas the van developed a fault, the generator light was flickering at idle and getting brighter as the revs increased.

I guessed the brushes might have been to blame, but when I tried to buy replacements it turns out the alternator I'd fitted was a late model one and none of the usual suspects supplied replacement brushes. Luckily I found a supplier that was just up the road from me.

http://www.volksgoods.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I honestly can't reccomend Peter at Volksgoods enough, a man with a real passion for VWs and a extensive knowledge of vehicle electrics. I don't think there is anywhere that could better the prices or level of customer service. So after a nice chat and a cup of tea I took my £2 brushes and fitted them.

But as is usually the case the fix wasn't that simple. Peter had suggested that if it wasn't the brushes it could be the power diodes inside the alternator. The cost will be slightly more but still 4 or 5 times cheaper than an exchange unit at trade price from GSF!

So today the engine came out to allow removal of the alternator.

Wasn't expecting to find this though!

And with the engine out I could inspect how its faired since the resto

Turns out the boots on the carb manifold were split, one of the engine mounts I replaced during the resto has failed and seperated and the fuel hoses, although looked fine had gone brittle. I think I last replaced the fuel lines a year to two ago, so another reminder to all you guys on here to change the fuels lines regularly!

I knew I had some bits to look at when the engine came out but wasn't expecting all of the above, especially replacing parts I'd bought brand new and fitted only 4 years ago during the restoration. Once again it makes you wonder about the quality of reproduction parts on offer to the VW community, there really is a lot of overpriced, poor quality ***** out there!

My fan housing had worked loose a while back, in retrospect I should have theadlocked the tinwear screws, but on inspection the fan also appears to be warped so this too requires replacement. Just got to take the alternator to work so I can clamp it in the vice and get the windy gun to crack off the fan bolt.

All in bits and just enough room to get it in the garage whilst the Herald sits awaiting new tyres, carb and exhaust!

Should have another project arriving soon that will become my daily, the Micra is my missus daily now and I spent yesterday valeting her Corsa ready for sale.

 

[gninnam]

So typical of these - start one job and leads to another etc

Fingers crossed you get it all sorted

 

[Airtime]

Maybe a silly thought, but is it possible vibrations from the warped fan caused the alternator stand to break and the fanhouse to come loose?

Good luck with fixing things! 8)

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Well funny you should say that, one of the mechanics who works in the unit next door to my work is ex volkswagen mechanic and he said he had never seen an alternator stand break but thought it could have been a stress fracture caused by vibration from a warped fan. This has made me think that I'm better off finding a second hand fan because I'm not sure if there are any good enough quality reproduction ones out there.

He also told me that his record for a clutch change on a bay was 45 minutes from driving it on the ramp to taking out the workshop door for road test! I don't think I'll ever attempt to match that time!

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Well I got my alternator back from volksgoods http://www.volksgoods.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
All sorted and for a price a fraction of what I thought I was going to pay for a new alternator. As Peter had suspected one of my diodes had melted, luckily just the one and down to old age. He had told me that sometimes three go at once and its caused by an earthing problem usually when people get their tinware and other engine bits powder coated which was interesting and something I'd never heard about.

So I'm just waiting for the snow to clear so I can get the engine back in!

I did however collect my new project that will be my daily...

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Well the engine in back in. Struck it up and the Generator light went out which was what I was looking for.

The fan I got from GSF, can't say I'm thrilled with the quality, doesn't spin exactly true which is a worry but its not on a performance engine so I'm hoping I'll get away with it.

In the end I replaced:
Engine bar rubber mounts x2
Fuel Lines & Filter
Carb Manifold Boots
Fan
Alternator Pedestal

The rebuild did give me the oppertunity to correct some little mistakes I made when building it up the first time, I think I'd got to the stage where I was getting a bit burnt out with the project and all the engine issues. Today I managed to get from a long block to a installed running engine in 4 hours and replaced all the fuel lines. Not so much fun installing the engine on my lonesome but needs must! Only things left to do is a quick check of points and timing and stick the bumper back on, and then get down the local tip of get rid of all the crap that's been accumlating on the loadbed ready for when its driveable again!

It's also looking like the van will become my daily again, my other half now drives the trusty Micrap, her Corsa is up for sale, and the Cube is nearing completion but is a few weeks away yet.

For those of you interested, someone has smashed its back door in (fnarr fnarr)

With a new tailgate fitted it became apparent how much it had moved

So I worked my magic on its backend (fnarr fnarr!)

The worrying part when buying the car was this door gap that had closed up because the rear quarter panel had moved

But with some careful pulling of the back panel, boot floor and a chassis leg it came good

And the hound likes being in the back much more than the Corsa!

So its well underway, I've also been faffing about modding the front grill and lights, wheels will be getting painted next weekend and hopefully the body won't be far off.

But I'm happy to have the van back up and running!

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Well drove Huey to work.

A couple of points from today:

1) GSF Engine Bar Mounts are total crap. Avoid at all costs.

2) Huey has become a giant flame thrower and I'm not too sure why. I've replaced both exhaust clamps as they were knackered but it wasn't kicking out flames before. I've double checked the points and timing, so I've only got two possible causes I can think of. Carb preheat manifolds might be leaking as I've disturbed all of that taking the carb manifold off or the carb was set up when the carb manifold boots were split, so now its all intact the mixture is too rich.

Either way its fairly impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2aDAUdbXhE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
[youtube]g2aDAUdbXhE[/youtube]

 

[dubscum]

that's cool, leave it for burning saxo's plastic skirting off at traffic lights

 

[sjc]

that will be because the manifold boots where split so i would imagine the carb was set up on the rich side to compensate. Now its no longer got an air leak it will be running rich hence unburnt fuel in the exhaust

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Sorted the flames, new gaskets on the joint between carb pre heat and exhaust manifold, jobs a good un!

Ran it down to the Brayford for camper day and was photographed actually cleaning/waxing the van :shock:

Got the knackered old fence from the garden and a load of ivy to take down the tip at the weekend though so normal service (using and abusing the van) will be resumed!

 

[Wixie1968]

Choc wants to know when you are gonna slam it and get ya hair cut!!! :lol:

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

:lol: Never and never! How is he? Haven't seen him for ages!


In Huey news, the starter solenoid started sticking, from cold rather than the usual from hot problem. So removed the starter to strip and clean it........however when removing the wires from the back of the solenoid I disconnected the neg from the spade connector, but when I went to undo the nut on the pos terminal there was a crunch noise as the wires, nut, terminal and half the bakelite back came away from the solenoid body. Arse biscuits.
So, another trip to Peter at Volksgoods http://www.volksgoods.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (again who I can't reccomend highly enough) to drop off my starter. Just need to go and collect it now.

Cube is roadworthy now too, just odds and sods to finish on it.

 

[67westy]

I'm quite liking the look of the cube :lol: I'll be keeping an eye out for it round town

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Starter motor is back in and working a treat! Glad to have Huey back on the road! Just needs a clean up as I'm booked in to the classic car display on Sunday 1st at Waddington Air Show

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

I'm quite liking the look of the cube :lol: I'll be keeping an eye out for it round town

Just read your van is in for paint, you should have come had a chat! Just turned this out...

Got a stag to do now which is making the mrs ask when I'm going to start on her Herald! :shock:

 

[67westy]

That's looking nice, is it staying around Lincoln? Didn't realise you did buses over there, thought it was mainly newer stuff

 

[ProfessorWheeto]

Yeah it lives in Birchwood.

Well because of my restoration background the boss has been taking on resto projects and at the start of the year we got a second workshop a couple of streets up from our main one. So most of the time I'm in the second workshop and all the long term projects, crash damage and welding jobs go there and all our "bread and butter" quick turnaround stuff goes to clayton rd.

In the past 18 months we've done a Lancia Fulvia, 3 MGB GTs, 2 Ford XR2s, Bay, Jags of various ages....