Rhyd ('64 Hornet

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Rhyd ('64 Hornet - Elsie)

Other Bits & Pieces

Sunday, 13 December 2009 17:17

During the 6 months that I've owned Elsie, I've also replaced all the tyres, rear window seals, radiator rubber, water pump, both fuses, air filter, battery (including fitting it back to front - everything still worked except the fuel pump and radio), heater tap, choke cable, accelerator cable, sidelights and headlight. I've also had to fix problems with the boot lock, boot floor, door catches, interior light, both fuses, brake fluid leaks, mixture, engine steady and radio.

I've already got a new Freeflow exhaust manifold, inlet manifold, carb, air filter and exhaust back box to fit. The valve steam seals are worn, and I'd like an uprated head to go with the manifolds, exhaust and carb updates. I'm also looking for new driveshafts to give enough clearance for the exhaust, which means I might as well go for Cooper S brakes and reverse rims while I'm at it, with some nice Yokohamas to finish things off. The suspension needs replacing too...

I only bought her as a runaround while I replace Lola's rusty panels!

Brakes

Sunday, 13 December 2009 17:14

After fitting all the new brake parts, including a new master cylinder, I still wasn't happy with the brakes. As Rich and Woody seem to enjoy fitting brake lines, we set about replacing the lot. At about 3am, we finally realised the problem was due to a worn backplate allowing movement in the brake adjuster when under pressure.

After stealing even more bits from Lola, Elsie had working brakes again.

Brake Shoes

Sunday, 13 December 2009 17:03

Elsie always pulled to the right slightly under braking, but on the way to work one day, she suddenly started pulling to the left heavily. I thought it best to take a look so jacked the front end up and removed the wheel and drum to find that the brake shoe had disintegrated! Most of the wheel cylinders were corroded and leaking too.

I borrowed some of Lola's brake shoes to get home, then quickly ordered all new drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and a 5 new tyres as the rubber was starting to perish.

Exhaust

Sunday, 13 December 2009 16:43

A while later, the exhaust developed a few leaks, partly due to being old, but also because it was hitting the rubber-coupling driveshaft bolts. Despite Shaun's best efforts, there's just not enough room so the new exhaust still fouls the driveshaft bolts - at some point I'll be swapping driveshafts.

Carb Leak

Sunday, 13 December 2009 16:33

After a while, I noticed the fuel was disappearing a bit too quickly. A quick inspection under the bonnet revealed fuel leaking from the base of the carburettor - it had been fitted with a twin carb jet which sits at the wrong angle so doesn't connect to the float chamber correctly causing a leak, and the pipe had kinked restricting the flow.

While fitting the new jet, I decided to check the float chamber...

Collection

Sunday, 13 December 2009 16:22

As I was planning to take Lola off the road, I needed another car quickly before the MoT expired. Luckily my uncle had a Hornet for sale, and one phone call later I had an even older car to play with - a 1964 Wolseley Hornet Mk II. Elsie's been in the family for 16 years, and before that belonged to a relative of Lola's previous owner, so in a way they're related.

Apart from the sticky choke, slight overheating, having to get used to the direct change gearbox and nearly getting taken out by a caravan twice, the drive home was fairly painless.