1953 Slough Light 15, 802 XUD
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6th September 2015 at 8:34 am #4422
Anonymous
Dare I start a thread on this?
Thought I’d drive the car for a few weeks before the evenings drew in. No such luck, the brakes are just about non existent, so into the garage it went.
The more you dig, the more you find. I have that terrible sinking feeling. If Mrs. A. knew what I’d done, she’d justifiably string me up.
I beg you collective help and advice. I’ve started at the front (you have to start somewhere). Bonnet off. Wheels off, will hopefully do a deal with John Gillard for Slough rims to replace the pilotes. Wings off. What a job. The tail ends under the ‘Radwars’ rotten through. John can do the last 12 inches of the wings for £65, but here’s the question: I saw somewhere the TOC were getting some complete wings made. Are they available, and if so, how much?
Will pull the engine next, so that I can clean the engine bay. Clean and spray engine as well as replacing the timing chain. Does the TOC have an engine stand? Or can you just plonk it on blocks of wood?
Front suspension, drive and steering will be next. Rust, rust and more rust!
6th September 2015 at 9:09 am #6485I know that fibre-glass wings are available but not “new” metal ones. There are slight differences between the wings depending upon era.
http://tinyurl.com/pt8oow3
The wing end repair is a common job especially when they have been hidden by the wing ornaments for years.6th September 2015 at 9:15 am #6486Never buy the first one you see. This is true of all cars. So you bought it home on a trailer?
I am pretty sure that the TOC does not have an engine stand. You do need to have the proper equipment so you are going to have to find a TOC member near you that will lend you all that you need.
However make sure that you are confident that you will be able to complete the work and that you have enough room (and cash) to do the job properly.
6th September 2015 at 9:20 am #6487The best person to talk to Norman is your TOC Section representative (Jasmin Gagen?). She should be able to point you to someone who may be able to lend you a stand.
6th September 2015 at 10:37 am #6488Hey Norman
Get the workshop manual, plenty of places to get this, including the TOC website. It shows you how to put together a couple of engine stands out of wood. Not hard at all.
As Den says, to do the front end properly (mainly suspension, drivetrain etc) you need a lot of specialist tools. TOC in UK should have those, but in France I had to buy the lot but without them you are stuck. Always good to have the pullers for the front hubs though, at least you can do the brakes over and over again.This car is not rocket science but as Den says, you need to space to put those monstrous wings and bonnet somewhere. The engine is huuuuuuuuge too with that gearbox so when you pull it you will need an engine hoist and then the space to get it onto your stand. You cannot lift it on your own like the smaller cars.
I took my wings to a local bodyshop and he managed to straighten them and smooth them all out ready for final paint, cost me €200 each which was about the same amount for a decent second hand unit (if you can find them) and at least mine are the original ones, so worth putting the work into them.
But, I had no clue when I started mine and finished up knowing every part of the car….. great learning experience and now I am on to my next project…shhh, it is a renault 😯
6th September 2015 at 11:02 am #6489Norman,
Mike Tennant, who is based in Micheldean (Just to the west of Gloucester) sells fibre-glass Front and rear wings for Tractions and his prices are more reasonable than CTA .
Mike also sells various rubber components and gaskets for the Traction.
I think in the repair manual in the members only section of the website, drawings are included for an engine stand.
See http://traction-owners.co.uk/members_only/torque.shtml and then select “Spare Parts and Repair Manuals” and scroll down the page.The Username and Password on your confirmation of payment letter will give you access to the “Members only Area”.
Don’t despair over your purchase, there are bound to be issues with a vehicle that is 58 years old – it cant be all that bad having survived until now!
Also remember that many of those who are reading this will have experienced the “what the hell made me buy that”, I know I have !(1962 DS 19 that I owned for 10 years and only drove it 50 miles!!).
Finally, we are here to help you with your project and to share our knowledge and experience of the Traction.
So you are not alone!
That’s why I’m a member……..
6th September 2015 at 11:31 am #6490Thanks Alistair, your link would suggest fibreglass wings run out at around €440 ea. which may well make my steel wings economically repairable.
John G. has recommended a welder in Peterborough, Mark who is not far from me. I’ll ask him for a quote.
[attachment=1:202d24e3]802XUD_Lo_Res11.jpg[/attachment:202d24e3]
[attachment=0:202d24e3]802XUD_Lo_Res12.jpg[/attachment:202d24e3]6th September 2015 at 11:40 am #6491Den, sage advice indeed.
We are where we are. Once I start putting things back, as opposed to taking them off, I’ll probably feel a bit better!
I was drawn to the car because the engine had a recent overhaul and ran well. The gearbox was an improvement on my last Traction. Also, the car appears to be largely original, apartment from lights and the instrument panel, little appears to have been bodged/butchered.
[attachment=1:1u0d1yer]802XUD_Lo_Res13.jpg[/attachment:1u0d1yer]
Please ignore the shifting spanner. Not my usual mode of workmanship. Was used as an instrument of last resort!
[attachment=0:1u0d1yer]802XUD_Lo_Res14.jpg[/attachment:1u0d1yer]6th September 2015 at 11:45 am #6492@tripyrenees wrote:
he engine is huuuuuuuuge too with that gearbox so when you pull it you will need an engine hoist and then the space to get it onto your stand. You cannot lift it on your own like the smaller cars.
Thanks for the advice. Didn’t think it was so big. (Any idea on the weight of engine/gearbox combined?). In that case, will probably pull the engine, do the suspension, engine bay etc. and then drop the lump back in……
6th September 2015 at 11:47 am #6493@mpopka wrote:
Finally, we are here to help you with your project and to share our knowledge and experience of the Traction.
So you are not alone!
Thanks Mick, greatly appreciate that!
6th September 2015 at 11:56 am #6494Hi Norman
I did mine all on my own. I have a large garage and a hoist so had the room. I did put the engine on the bench and it didn’t break 😉Suspension and drive chain was the most difficult in my opinion. Lots of fiddly bits that you feel are never quite right…. but in the end they will be. Check out the earlier photos on my project (Barn Find).
6th September 2015 at 12:27 pm #6495@tripyrenees wrote:
Check out the earlier photos on my project (Barn Find).
I have indeed done so. A really interesting read as well as an excellent resource!
6th September 2015 at 4:12 pm #6496You could buy repair panels for the wing ends, CTA have them and I would think TOC Spares as well as Fransens will stock them then they just need welding on (coughs)
6th September 2015 at 7:59 pm #6497I have had MGs for years now they do rust. The phrase Might Get there springs to mind. I have been looking at what tools to buy and I am pleased to see the pullers I have will do this car too. Silly question are the sizes imperial or metric on nuts and bolts?
6th September 2015 at 8:13 pm #6498They should all be metric.
Of course one of the benefits of being in the club is that the “Specialist Tools” needed for your car are available from your local Section representative.See: http://traction-owners.co.uk/tools.shtml for details of the tools and your local section representative.
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