OK, so I thought I’d do a bit of an update on this project. The boat’s been put on the back burner for the moment.
Since Sue got the car in September, we’ve been buying parts that we know will be needed later on. Most of them have been sourced from The States, which we have sent to R&R in New Jersey, then shipped to the UK.
We have had a bit of a change of direction with the top end of the engine. Originally I was planned to use a big valve cylinder head and a pair of new Stromberg 97s, but whilst buying some other stuff, in his country, I got offered a Derrington/HRG cylinder head. This is a seven port, aluminium, cross flow head for BMC “B” series engines. There were approx 1000 of these heads made between 1958 and 1974, so reasonably rare. This one is number 78, made in July 1958, so right in the period for this car.
So in Oct/Nov I gave myself up and bought it (quite a few beer tokens). I did come with an inlet manifold though.
"Met"amorphosis
"Met"amorphosis
"Met"amorphosis
Once I’d got it home, I discovered what I though to be a crack in the top. If it was, I was in the s***. It was bought as seen, and I couldn’t afford for it to be a very expensive door stop!!
I had it pressure tested, and sure enough it was cracked (frost damaged probably). Now this head had been through the works about 7 years ago, new valves, valve guide, leaded valve seats, springs and fixing studs. I had never been bolted to a car since. So what to do?
Here’s the crack ……………….
"Met"amorphosis
This crack needed to be ground out for welding …….
"Met"amorphosis
Then took it to a buddy of mine to be TIG welded up ……….
"Met"amorphosis
It now required machining across the rocker post mounting platforms ……….
"Met"amorphosis
Now to make sure it wasn’t going to leak, I took it to a company in Slough (they specialise in impregnation sealing castings) …
http://www.ultraseal-slough.co.uk/So we now have a very expensive, but serviceable cylinder head rather than an expensive door stop.
I have also managed to purchase, off eBay, a pair of right in the period SU carbs to fit. Once I’ve cleaned an rebuilt these (I have the kits already) I’ll put some pictures up.