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Restoring HB9116754 Lemans

New rocker arm shafts from RootesParts (From Netherlands-to-USA) and resurfaced rockers from Delta.
rocker shafts copy.jpg
 
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This video has the clearest explanation of pinion depth and backlash effects that I've seen
Jan
 
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I did some gear patterns on this factory stock diff for the Lemans. It was dissembled and cleaned. The pinion bearings & carrier bearings look fine, so no replacement bearings needed. The gears look fine too.
So with everything torqued down, I did some pattern checking. If you look at the drive side pattern it is near the toe (acceptable), with no oil. With oil, I expect the backlash to decrease and the pattern will move toward the center, so I think this is a good pattern....and this is with factory shims
Jan
gear_pattern.jpg
 
The Lemans, 25% overdrive unit repair is coming along fine, but I found a problem in the planetary gears where one gear was binding and hard to turn. The problem was a bad needle bearing in that planet gear. I found a replacement for the two bearings and ordered them from McMaster-Carr.
The brass rod I made to press out the two bearings using my Dake arbor press.
(By the way, the 25% ODs have the double gear planets, while the 32% ODs have a single gear planet. 32% ODs were used in the early S-I Alpines)
Jan
Here's a look at the planetary carrier:
planet_gear.jpg
 
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These ODs can be the trickiest things to repair and also getting new parts. I had to find new ball & needle bearings, 32% clutch cone (very different to the 25% clutch) and small miscellaneous pieces. One guy here in the States has some parts and another vendor in the UK is the main supplier. The ball bearings look to be made in china. There's some shimming required on the annulus ball-bearing and I had to make those shims.
Again, I'm working on two ODs on the bench:
ODs.jpg
 
These ODs can be the trickiest things to repair and also getting new parts. I had to find new ball & needle bearings, 32% clutch cone (very different to the 25% clutch) and small miscellaneous pieces. One guy here in the States has some parts and another vendor in the UK is the main supplier. The ball bearings look to be made in china. There's some shimming required on the annulus ball-bearing and I had to make those shims.
Again, I'm working on two ODs on the bench:
View attachment 33626
My od was rebuilt in UK but never installed. I bought this from the estate of Wally Swift who was a good friend for 40 years.
When Wally’s Tiger got hit I took the car apart, got the engine rebuilt while another club member did the body work and got the car painted!
 
The OD transmission is complete now. I fab up a sheet metal dust cover to cover the hole under the shifter. The factory slips on a rubber cover and they get eaten up over 60 years. The sheet metal replacement is what I do on my rebuilds.
Jan
Sunbeam_OD_Trans copy.jpg
 
You do nice work.
Thank you.
I received three new wire wheel hubs on Thursday Dec 6, after some delay in US customs. (Sunbeam Spares Co. Ltd in the UK)
I noticed a few things with the new hubs. The front hub hasn't been machined for an O-ring like the factory hub. The hub on the far right is a NOS factory stock hub, and the new front hub is missing the O-ring groove. Also, they didn't counterbore the threaded hole to make room for the factory shoulder bolts. Luckily, I did it on my drill press. The rear hubs were missing the counterbores and I did them too:
The counterbore was only about 3/32" down in the thread. That's enough to clear the shoulder.
Jan
new_hubs copy.jpg
 
Thank you.
I received three new wire wheel hubs on Thursday Dec 6, after some delay in US customs. (Sunbeam Spares Co. Ltd in the UK)
I noticed a few things with the new hubs. The front hub hasn't been machined for an O-ring like the factory hub. The hub on the far right is a NOS factory stock hub, and the new front hub is missing the O-ring groove. Also, they didn't counterbore the threaded hole to make room for the factory shoulder bolts. Luckily, I did it on my drill press. The rear hubs were missing the counterbores and I did them too:
The counterbore was only about 3/32" down in the thread. That's enough to clear the shoulder.
Jan
View attachment 33668
Jan,

There are quite a few significant design differences between the factory hub and the new one... Overall length of splines area, O ring, counter bore, taper to the mounting flange and maybe by the photo overall depth...

Would be worth finding out if these are the MWS hubs...and maybe supply your photos to them and ask the relevant questions.

Is it possible they are supplying the MG midget hubs modified to fit as a replacement?
 
Finishing my Lemans CARLOTTI steering wheel today. Doing the engine turning on a new wheel center.
I had these new wheel centers laser cut out awhile back. The originals all get broken. The flexing fatigued the soft aluminum that they used.
Now epoxy gluing on the wooden grips.
Jan

lemans_wheel copy.jpg
 
Very nice. Except the maschined knurls I followed the same process for my HLM repro steering wheel earlier. The woodwork & varnish was applied/done by a professional though. He polished the wheel center. Turned out nicely even though the varnish came out a bit dark. Hope you have the proper wooden wheel center cover/ Carlotti sticker too ;-)
 
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I have the Lemans Carlotti steering wheel refinished today. Three coats of Cromax (Dupont) HC-7776S ChromaClear, sanded between coats.
(I do have the small Carlotti sticker)
CARLOTTI_wheel copy.jpg
 
Superb job ! Looks as if you reused/refurbished an original wood rim. If so I wouldn't call it a repro, but a resto with improvements.
The thicker alu center is definitely mandatory since the original ones are almost all cracked after 60+ years.

By the way: How did you secure the wood rim halves - wooden dowels ? That's another issue with the original design- they all become loose...
 
Jan,
This brings back memories when you and Ian had the stainless steel spokes made. Ian gifted one to me for my Le Mans project. I did the engine turning and used the original wood rims. It is still showing well (finish is a bit worn) 16 year later.

1736100393870.jpeg
 
The trophy store (where the sheet was made) charged me by the 8x10" sheet, so I gave them a Corel Draw file that was full of Carlotti stickers.
Jan
 
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