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A few years ago I fitted a newly rebuilt VH44 from a southern firm on my 59 Fc with standard brakes.  I have never been happy with the hard pedal on hard braking  but assumed that is normal.  Today I checked the vacuum to the booster - all good. It is plumbed correctly.  Contacted the firm who suggested to drive it with the vacuum clamped off.  I removed the hose and blocked it off.  The braking on a hard stop was softer and a much better pedal feel. They will service it for me if I send it to them.   Is there something I have missed or is the unit faulty?  Just want to be sure that I have not missed anything.

One suggestion the firm made was that the diaphram is most likely faulty. This being caused by the petrol fumes being drawn off the vacuum feed at the base of the carby. To prevent the fume damage I should do like they do on the red motor and draw it from the inlet manifold near number 6 cylinder. Anybody heard about this?

Now that is thinking outside the square Gary.

Hi all,

For reasons unclear, some bot has been absolutely hammering this site all month, consuming vast amounts of bandwidth. It's probably some AI model, I suspect.

I have made some changes to try and deny it access. If you encounter any weirdness with your access to the site, please let me know.

(And yes, I appreciate depending on the weirdness, you might not be able to access the site to let me know.)

Apologies in advance if there are any unforeseen impacts, but the current consumption is absolutely unsustainable.

cheers
RET

That's uncanny Rob, I've had similar issues and the repair piece was more or less the same size 



But no doubt your repair will outlive mine, love your work

Rob,

I continue to be inspired by your skills and your repairs. Reminds me when I was a young fella having a "hotted up" XB Falcon. The exhaust leaks made it sound better than what it was. Nothing like some tin moulded to the contour of the pipe, some mufler putty and some hose clamps. The repairs would outlast the rest of the pipe, which would fall apart arount it.

I look forward in following future updates on your current project.

Cheers Rod

Well, well.

I have taken the slave off the box and clutch fork covers off. It is definitely something inside as the first thing I noticed the the minimal gap between the back of the fork and the gear box house. I would say 4mm. This would not allow an inch travel when the cluch is depressed. I had a look inside to the best of my ability and I don't think the folk is bent when comparing it to another I have.

When I replaced the clutch I also replaced the throwout bearing. I have a hunch that this may be the problem as I have a feeling reading about differences in these. Anyway it is only conjecture as I will need to remove the engine to investigate anyway.




Have a ripper. Cheers Rod

Distraction, or, Life With Old Vehicles -

It's yearly inspection time for my Humpy.  The last few years I've been pleasantly surprised that the garage hasn't failed it for the exhaust system.  This year, with registration on the point of expiry, I decided to do something about it.

Any normal person would have replaced the entire system.

The muffler-to-tailpipe join was, shall we say, lacking in places.  I estimated how much needed to be cut out of both, cut a piece of 1.2 sheet to length, converted 1-3/4" to proper units, multiplied by 3.1, cut the piece to width, bent it into a cylinder, realised it should be 134 mm, not 154 mm, and cut the offending 20 mm out.  I sliced the pipe off the muffler at a welded seam, tacked the homemade pipe on, tacked the remains of the tailpipe on, and trial-fitted the muffler in the car.  So far,so good.  I welded the pieces together.  Now the tailpipe is probably the 1950 factory original, so it is very thin.  And that's where it has no holes.  Which I fixed with sheet and my best air-welds.

The exhaust pipe needed a couple of postage-stamp repairs, as did the muffler.  Easy in comparison.

And then last night, about sunset, I fitted the system, with clamps in place and finger tight - and -

Vertigo.  I am not as good at working under cars as I used to be.  Fortunately this afternoon, moving slowly and deliberately, I tightened all the nuts up, and pronounced my emergency repairs successful.

They'll probably last five years or more.

Rob

I am glad I am not the only one to have had a plate in back to front. Interestingly 30 odd years ago, I pulled the box off the motor, thinking it may have been loose flywheel bolts. You would have thought I should have been more observant at the time for the wear on the bolts. Nope, put back together and the knock continued. It wasn't until I pulled the motor for this current rebuild, that it was evident by the wear on the bolts that it was in back to front. How the clutch even worked was beyond me as the pressure plate had significant damage to the internals, not the facing. As for now, I surely hope it's not in back to front Rob. I was a like a carpenter, "measured twice, cut once". But who knows with me. Time will tell.

Last night I used your "wiggle" technique on the pedal pushrod. I am more than confident now that the end play is correct. All this means is I am one step closer to a bend clutch folk.

Thanks for you offer of clutch folks. I have a few but not sure of type and condition. I just need to find them.

Have a ripper.

Cheers Rod

Ladies and Gents,

I’ve now done four separate batches of the improved cooling gaskets. The last three times, I got inundated by people wanting a gasket after orders had closed. I am a sucker for a sob story, so on-sold from my own stash. This time I got clever, and ordered some extras for the latecomers.

• The background and technical testing for the gaskets is here: The black art of cooling grey motors. Subsequent road testing of the gaskets has shown that they work as per the testing.
• If you order one of these gaskets, there is no warranty at all – non from the supplier (Gasket Solutions), and none from me. You take your own risk that the gasket does not fail and/or lead to other damage.
• Your gasket(s) come sealed in plastic, packed between two pieces of 7mm ply, and wrapped fully in packing tape. I include a copy of the NASCO instruction sheet and a warning sheet (so you don’t put them in upside down Miss Jane).
• The cost breakdown of the gaskets is as below:
Supply of a gasket to me: $137.50
Plywood packaging to send it to you: $5.50
Postage to you: $25.00 (I know postage will vary but I don’t have the patience to bill everyone individually based on location).
Harv profit: Nil
Cost of a gasket to you: $168.00
• I’m happy to combine postage if you want more than one gasket, or band together as a club. I’m also happy for you to pick them up from me in Western Sydney without postage. So:
If you want to pick gaskets up from me, they will cost you $137.50 each, regardless of how many you want.
If you want me to mail you one gasket, it will cost you $168.00.
If you want me to mail you two gaskets, it will cost you $305.50
If you want me to mail you three gaskets, it will cost you $443
If you want me to mail you four gaskets, it will cost you $580.5
If you want me to mail you five gaskets, it will cost you $718
If you want me to mail you six gaskets, it will cost you $855.50
• I’ll run out the spare gaskets by helping the stragglers, and then will have no gaskets for a while. I’ll wait until there is enough noise, and then get another batch done. I do this to help people out, and have plenty of other stuff of my own I should be doing… it could take me a year to get another batch done once the leftovers are finished.
• If you want one or more gaskets, please PM a name and address to send it (them) to, and will send you payment details.

Cheers,
Harv (deputy apprentice gasket scraper).

Clutch in backwards.  Been there, done that.  Which machines arc-shaped grooves into the heads of the flywheel bolts, and as my grandfather (a fitter/machinist) was wont to say, "None genuine without this mark".

And now I remember.  The spigot bearing collapsed (early Humpy), and I had to take the clutch off to replace the bearing, and when I put the gearbox back, the clutch adjustment was way off, and I wondered why that was, as I hadn't replaced anything.  Started the car, went to reverse off the ramps, and it made an awful racket as I let the clutch out.  Said a few choice words to myself about paying attention, and then did an engine-out to fix my mistake.  It took less time than working under the car.

Sorry, but I have to ask: Is your clutch still in backwards?

If you confirm that your clutch fork's bent, I have a couple of the indestructible forged FX-FJ ones.

Rob