Homer the Foundation just took possession (donation) of a very early 1960 MK2. Know you are working on the first (converted) one. Car is in wonderful condition but it is not a one owner and there are some very odd features we would like to check against your car. If you wish we can do it through private mail to avoid follow ons! One example is the brake fluid failure/ handbrake lamp. It is glass and correct--except it is green. The second is the car has O/D and the correct nacel but no warning lamp in the nacel. It is located on the facia. Any thoughts?

Foundations latest patron!

 

Hi, happy to answer any questions, will open another thread so as not to hijack TilleyJon's thread.

 

Hi,

In response to a request from the Coventry Foundation I can confirm the following:

My car has a red brake warning light, I assume they made these lights in difference colours for difference purposes like this one from an Austin Healey Frogeye

It may be that this car came with green originally but I would doubt it as it wouldn't make sense (i.e. why would a warning light be green rather than red or amber?).

I'm afraid I can't help with the overdrive warning light as my car is an automatic.

I hope this is of help.

 

Thanks--what I wondered--I see no change of parts so most likely a PO item.

 

Homer how is the air cleaner set up on your car? Is/was there an outlet on the inner fender for a flex pipe? Currently this car has an "S" type air filter housing but it clearly had an oil bath under the wing.

 

It does have the hole but it was changed to the paper element filter which is noted in its development history.

 

Thanks what we needed to know.

 

Currently a PO installed a filter from an 'S' which Jose may have when we collect the correct part. I never understood the 'S' design of pulling the air almost directly from on top of the exhaust manifolds.

 

A lot of old British cars pull air off the exhaust manifold, I think warmer intake air helps economy (certainly that's why it was done on the Mini and Metro).

It's only the start of Autumn here but I had to scrape the ice off my windscreen at 6:30am.

 

Depending on how early it is you may also find:

White pips on top of side light's rather than red.
Pressed steel top suspension wish bones rather than cast.
Front seat front mounting screwed on rather than welded.
Accelerator pedal hangs from top not fixed to floor.
Recessed sun visors
Indicator lever on right hand side of column.
No heater control valve on heater.
100 PSI oil gauge usually missing as they were swapped when new.
Narrower steel wheels.
No seatbelt mounts not even in the B pillars.
I seem to recall the headlining has one less bar if you have recessed sunvisors.
The door window frames lack the support piece.
The rear panard rod lacks the triangular infill piece.
The brake reservoir is metal.

 

Homer you are dead on with all. The pips are new so no go there. I had not done many miles in an organ pedal car but after a couple of hundred miles I can see why that was changed! Have a request in for build date but must be in 59. When we rec. it will let you know. Thanks for the help!

 

Well Homer your car and the Foundation's were probably near each other at the dawn of the model. We have confirmed that it was the 55th LHD 3.4 L car built (5 Nov. 59) and it was the 98th body of any displacement. All numbers match and the oddity of it being a 3.4L yet delivered to the US has been answered as it was a military overseas sale--to a base in Japan or it was ordered in Japan (that part not clear). That said it is now certain the car would have had the oil bath filter system even though a 3.4L. Thanks for your hints.

 

The S Type/420 is not supposed to draw air from the exhaust manifold. It should draw cold air via a convoluted pipe from the front of the car. Support bracket/hoop for the pipe is attached to the front of the engine. Frequently & unwisely discarded.

 

What are the wires on the left hand side of that picture at the bottom?

 

They are plenum chamber drain tubes.

 

To be clear ~ In very cold climates drawing hot air into the inlet might slightly aid warm up/stumble from a cold start. But as soon as combustion generated heat exceeds ambient & certainly at operating temperature the engine will benefit from the coldest most dense inlet air possible. This will achieve maximum power or fuel saving in whichever form you wish to take the greater "efficiency". Obviously with the correctly balanced fuel for ambient conditions. (typically winter vs. summer gasoline)

 

Spot on Glyn

 

You are both correct and we are more confused on his air cleaner than before. While we said it was an 'S' cleaner it has a trumphet on the intake--not a pipe. So this is either some well don modification or it fits something we can not find in any catalog. Pics soon.

 

Remember that late 240's & 340's came with this air cleaner. Not 3.8S or 420. Presume this is what you mean? I don't know whether it has the flow capacity for the larger engines.

 

Nope it is exactly like the 'S' with the exception that the end of the tube is a trumpet (flared) --still looking at SPCs.