Barry Brown

16 August 2019 at 09:53 #53048

I have successfully used molasses ( trickle) to un seize badly rusted cast iron pistons stuck in the bores of an old Motosacoche engine. Like vinegar immerse for several days or longer and gentle heat may be beneficial.

Barry Brown

25 September 2018 at 23:51 #52867

Well David , I am sad to say I threw in the towel . I do not regret the experience and enjoyed doing what I could but found the obstacles overwhelming for my amateur skills .In spite of this I renewed my membership as I think the club is one of the best I have ever been involved with. Maybe there is a Rapier in my future,although it would have to be “turn key” or close to it!
There is a positive note to this story in that the car is in England with an enthusiastic club member and I am sure it will be restored to it’s former glory ! Stay tuned ! Cheers,Barry
Meanwhile, back to working on old motorcycles ,my first love.

Barry Brown

25 September 2018 at 16:47 #52864

Not sure if the Molyslip product you are referring to is the same that is available here in Canada but I suspect it is and I can tell you from 35 years of using this product in the differential in my 1936 modified Ford panel truck it is the “bee’s knees” I fully rebuilt the differential all those years ago and being a “quick change” racing unit with coupling gears the noise emitted was horrible. On advice from the manufacturer, Frankland in Florida I added some Molyslip and the problem was solved . Well over 200,000 hard miles and all gears and bearings remained as new. That said I would not put it in an engine.

Barry Brown

18 April 2018 at 11:43 #52745

That sounds like a bargain .I would just clean that up , check all systems and drive it as is.

Barry Brown

2 April 2018 at 00:27 #52708

I believe it was this “gull wing motors” car I was offered not that long ago from a chap in Oregon ? for even less money. I thought it was a bargain and as you say it still looks quite reasonable. I thought it would sell quickly as it appeared it was being offered to other Lagonda club members as well. I suppose the location put off most potential buyers.

Barry Brown

13 January 2018 at 21:02 #52632

I imagine these have been sold.If not please advise.Thanks, Barry

Barry Brown

7 January 2018 at 16:58 #52623

Whew ! I will have to relay this info to the judges at Pebble Beach if they want to deduct points ! LOL Thanks Laurence !
I also had the steering “tube” chromed on the advice I got on this forum but of course have now seen many others that are just painted ! To think I am just at the preliminary stages of my restoration. I do like the look of the chrome and it is properly triple plated. I have the article in “The Automobile” on Sir Malcolm Campbell’s blue M45 but there are no engine or interior shots . I am curious to see what they did with chroming on that beauty.

Barry Brown

5 January 2018 at 11:51 #52619

Thanks Laurence. I’m not sure where I saw the spokes chromed. I have been using “restored” google searched M45’s as reference and the closer you look the more variation becomes evident. I will just leave them as I like the look. Cheers, Barry

Barry Brown

4 January 2018 at 22:50 #52617

Here is what I diid.It was labour intensive. I shaped 44 small washers and brazed them in place. I then had the rim powder coated as a base and painted over . I had the spokes chromed which may be incorrect but if so the damage is done and it looks good to my eye so the next owner can paint over it if they want!

Attached files

Barry Brown

4 January 2018 at 13:22 #52615

I’m had no idea this mundane subject would become so interesting ! And now, the great inventor Leo Baekeland is involved!

Barry Brown

3 January 2018 at 22:38 #52611

good point as I did see some minor corrosion on the very top leaves near the tips but not enough to worry about so I just snipped a few inches off. The gentleman in Cleveland who made new gaiters for me suggested greasing everything and then wrapping the leaves in bandage before installing the gaiters I have remnants of the original gaiters and saved the button grease fittings which I will install. maybe the sheets of plastic you are talking about are teflon. I have seen adverts for modern hot rod springs using teflon buttons

Barry Brown

3 January 2018 at 17:37 #52609

Great advice Bill ! Yes I have carefully polished out any ridges and rounded the sharp corners on the ends. I have also had 4 new main leafs made .I have assembled the front springs and used the zinc interleaves as well as a special marine teflon grease. I also made new “guides and brass “rollers” . New bronze bushings at the rear of the front link and new silent bloc bushes and pins in the main leafs. They look great. One side of the rears had the bronze buttons on the 3rd 4th and 5th leafs from the top so I have made up enough new ones for both sides. Both rear leafs also had the zinc interleaves so those will be assembled as the fronts. Now if I can just get my shop pellet furnace working again I will be back at it! We had over a week of minus 35 ish C , unusually cold for even here.

Barry Brown

2 January 2018 at 01:07 #52603

there were some discussions on this topic on the AACA site .Quite interesting history lesson anyway.http://forums.aaca.org/search/
just type in Dewandre in the search box

Barry Brown

31 December 2017 at 21:28 #52601

Keith, That is sad as I had always thought of the UK as the last bastion of all that is good.! How naive I was. Last April I went into an ASDA giant store in Stafford and spotted evidence it was just another Walmart in disguise. There are a few towns in Canada that have refused Walmart and maintained a fairly vibrant town centre. Walmart actually shut down one store in Quebec because the employees had unionized but as you say that is not the trend.
Bedford Mills was never what one could call a proper town. Even at it’s height of 200 population it was just a collection of sawmills, a grist mill and finally a hunting and fishing lodge. Now it is vacation country.Great roads for motorcycling and in the future Lagonda driving ! Cheers, Barry

Barry Brown

31 December 2017 at 13:35 #52599

Not Lagonda related but I see you are in Bedford which is where the 3 brothers who founded “Bedford Mills” were from. Happy New Year