It really struck me that a turnaround had been reached when the bulkhead went back on the frame. Maggie's rebuild had, by necessity, been divided into several separate jobs, the frame, the bulkhead, and the engine. I worked away on all three at the same time. Now, all the separate jobs merged into one. Fortunately, the bulkhead was not warped from the welding, and it bolted right up. I used hot dipped galvanized bolts.
Restraint is a virtue at this point. It is easy to get over exuberant and say "Ah, this will be good enough." Maintaining a watchful eye over quality workmanship without drifting into meticulous obsession with details is a line that each restorer must draw for himself. How far you delve into precision craftsmanship in reassembly should be governed by your goals and plans for the vehicle's use. If you want a concours restoration, know what that entails. It does NOT allow engine conversions. If you just want a durable everyday Rover, that is a valid goal as well, and it frees you up in the endeavor. Fortunately, a Series Rover derives it's character from owner modifications and a life of hard work. A few bumps, scrapes and modifications do not detract from the authenticity of the vehicle at car shows and such.
At this point, I busied myself reconstructing the wiring and hydraulic plumbing. Both have a hard to get at area in front of the passenger footwell. That was my take off point. I replaced everything.
The brake plumbing has two brass fittings. One, the five-way, is NLA from Rover suppliers. You can, however, get the same part from Victoria British for an Austin Healey if your's strips out. The part number changes from time to time. Just ask for a catalog for a big Healey.
Making the prefab brake lines adapt can be tricky. The middle line is only available as a 109 line. I looped it in the middle in an attempt to decrease it's length. Hopefully this will not create a bubble trap while bleeding. If it does, I will cut the line and reflare it to remove the excess.
I rebuilt both master cylinders, and all the slave cylinders, then installed them. Bending the spaghetti work of lines about the hydraulic towers is tricky. You do not want to kink the lines, and the flow should be downhill to the master cylinders. I use teflon tape at the joints. I had to fix a leak at the fitting on the bottom of the "tin can" reservoir. I used copper washers, inside and out, and then sealed them with acid core solder.
I installed new shoes, and cleaned up the drums.
I used sheathed trailer cable through the frame to the rear. This cable has four wires encased in a rubber sheath. It is exceedingly tough.
Next, I moved on to the dash. I stayed pretty much original in the center, but added a Stewart Warner oil pressure gauge, as well as a Stewart Warner ammeter. I installed a Jaeger tachometer in the panel that once covered the later style wiper motor. I had traded my late wiper system for two working early motors. My late motor did not work, and I felt kind of bad about that, but the fellow insisted. I am still devising a method of attaching an early "banjo" steering wheel to the later column. Where there is a will, there is a way........

If you did not bag and tag during disassembly, You have some surprises in store for you. The care taken in disassembly is regained now as speed in reassembly. If you have a lost part, Take heart in the knowlege, It will be found in the last place you look. So look there first. This advice is brought to you by The Bayou Rovers Brain Trust. For more of this legal CYA stuff, click here. |
