For those following the saga of my little Herald restoration...
The past two weeks have seen great things happen. I took last week off from
work, and ended up in my garage for about 14 hours a day, putting the little
car back together. I finished the drive shaft, the engine is in, despite the
hoist rope snapping, and the engine doing a free-fall of about a foot...(onto a
wooden chest that had been serving as defacto workbench) I had been the ever
nostalgic restorer- I was using the same rope hoist dad used for his Herald
engines... Not any more! The engine went in nicely after replacing the lifting
hardware with a steel cable come-along.
I spent the past week installing the electrical system. I can say with full
confidence, that it looks good, and might just work. She has been converted to
negative ground, and an alternator, however, my alt. mounting utilizes all the
original generator mounts, and looks factory. I can switch back with very
little effort, save for he regulator and generator wiring... New fuse box was
added. All lights work, turn signals, 4 way flashers(added), brake lights. The
windshield wiper motor I rebuilt last year failed, however, but I blame myself
for its total failure. I tried to run it installed, from the battery charger.
10 amps. The thing refused to budge, and I just about cooked it. Didn't dawn on
me for a couple days that was the problem. However, a quick trip to the
junkyard provided another from a 948 saloon. I tore it down, cleaned and
rebuilt it. It works fine. (I spent a couple minutes washing the windows-
squirt washer on, enjoy the wipers doing their thing...)
The horns are not as yet installed, they are from a TR3, and I just cleaned and
painted them. I added a horn relay to the wiring mix.
Front seats are in, but not tight, belts not in yet. Rear seat is still being
assembled. Carpet is in for the most part. Dash is in place and looks great.
(The fuel gauge read backward at first. Then I switched back the wires I
swapped for the negative ground conversion. Now it works properly. I give up)
The rubber bumpers went on, in the "pinch and roll" method, but I decline to do
any more of them! I tried trimming one to fit, now I think I'll need to replace
it as I don't like the result. Westley's Bleach-White will definitely be in use
for many car washes to come...
Just have some odds and ends to tidy up, the tranny hump cover, hood frame and
hood, and the front badge. She is almost there!
I expect to start and drive her tomorrow, no top, doors empty of windows...
Just a test drive. I deserve it!(She has been registered since last week)
More as I get a chance to writer,
Scott
64 Herald 1200 Convertible
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