What did you do today?

[R_D_Olivaw]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the tip. In case anyone else is looking this is the page you'll need

https://www.bresco.com/acatalog/Control_Cable__Rod_Clips_-_Metal_and_Plastic.html

It took me a while to find it, hence the link.

I think I may have misunderstood what the issue was with the motor so I'm going to have another go at fixing it when I get a free moment. It may not have been the brushes after all, but all the old carbon that had coated all the connections. I've cleaned it up and will see how it goes.

All the best,

Ian

P.S. That was a really good website you referred me to.

[R_D_Olivaw]

Drivers side electric window is now working perfectly, but I noticed that the felt from the track that it slides up and down has warn away above the door. Silicon spray helps, but the track will need to be replaced.

Does anyone know where I can get a new felt covered track from?

Thanks,

Ian

[Tony Hayward]

Ian

Here are a few websites to look at for the felt channel. Alternatively, the club may have this.
You did well to get the motor going, although they do seem to last well! Mine are untouched after 45 years and still work.

https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/product/ ... ow-channel

http://www.automobiletrim.com/window-channel.html

https://www.coh-baines.co.uk/categories ... -Channels/

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/categ ... ow-channel

Tony

[R_D_Olivaw]

Thanks again Tony.

I suspect my had not been touched for many years which is why there was carbon dust everywhere and the contacts were all black.

All the best,

Ian

[R_D_Olivaw]

Started work on my new bonnet latches today. I've made a bracket out of 1mm aluminium to hold one of my new bonnet latches and have attached the catch to the underside of the bonnet. Next step is to attach the latch to the bar at the back of the engine using some wood, to work out the correct spacing. Once I've got it all sorted I'll pop down to a local fabricator who I'm hoping will be able to take some measurements and make me two brackets for my latches.

Put a new piece of rubber around the drivers door. This is such a hateful job, which wasn't made any easier by a need to trim it. After closing the door and almost resorting to a crowbar to re-open it I realised I needed to do something. It's almost like the driver's door aperture is smaller than the passenger's.

All the best,

Ian

[Tony Hayward]

Ian

I presume you are referring to the rubber strip set into a channnel around the door frame. If you are, you need to trim it with a knife until it just touches the door aperture; otherwise as you say, it will be very difficult to open. I have never been sure what that seal is supposed to do, it shouldn't be a water seal or draft seal, that is (should be) taken care of by the clipped on draught seal. I gave up on the seal eventually. It won't stop wind noise, that is caused by the gutters.

regards
Tony

[keithgilbern]

My door was difficult to open and close when I fitted new rubber seals but after some use it is fine, it is not a job I want to do again getting the new seal to fit around the corners was the hardest part.

[R_D_Olivaw]

I've trimmed it and closed the door to get it formed correctly.

I think I'll put some vinyl restorer on it to make it a bit more slippery.

I can see I'll be doing this a few more times.

The irony here is the original rubber went in so easily!

[Gavin McArdle]

Hi Ian, there was no original rubber as Gilbern did not fit one from new. I bought up the last stock of rubbers that fitted best when I did spares, what Brian is supplying now is next best.
Gavin

[R_D_Olivaw]

Thanks Gavin.

I had assumed that the ones the car came with were the original one because they seemed to fit really well, but were a doddle to get in and out.

Maybe there is an art of getting them in, but having done it three times I'm none the wiser, though I did try stretching it to see if it would make it easier to get in. Unfortunately I tried this at the end and wasn't able to come to an conclusion.

The 90 degree bend is the tricky bit.

[Fareham GT]

Its never easy being a Gilbern owner, we are a unique and hopefully not a dying breed!

[R_D_Olivaw]

I took the car out for a test drive, having first duct taped the bonnet and new door mirror in place. Brakes are 100% fixed, but I am still not happy with how much the front end dives. I think I will be asking Brian for a second opinion next time we meet.

Regrettably I will need to move the door mirror, which is a shame as I had to cut a hole in the door to install it. I guess I have another reason to learn how to fibreglass.

The window motor I replaced the brushes on is noticeably quieter than the other one so I will be taking the other one apart to clean it up and replace the brushes.

[lennyb72]

I took advantage of the dry weather today and went out for a spin in the car. I dropped in to see Duncan Homan in Henleaze and then on to Portishead to visit Grahame Cross. I have nearly completed my first year of Gilbern ownership and i have enjoyed every single minute of it. Thank`s to Grahame for the coffee and homemade bun! Kevin. ` `

[R_D_Olivaw]

It's been a bit of a Gilbern weekend, and I'm pleased so say one without too much drama.

I collected the brackets for my new bonnet catches yesterday and fitted those. A relatively simple job in theory, but not so much in practice. I've still to cement in the new latches into the bonnet and wire the catches up, but they look like they'll do a good job.

My next job was to attend to some bodywork. The hole I cut into the door has been filled, but I need to sand it all down and prepare it for paint. The only mistake I made was to leave the utility room door open while I did the job. With a mask on I couldn't smell anything, but when I'd finished the job and gone inside I realised the whole house stank of resin. Luckily my wife is abroad at the moment.

I then attended to a crease over the driver's side rear arch. Once sanded down I could see that it had been repaired before, but the fibreglass was very thin which is probably why it had creased. I've patched that on both sides to build up the strength and will sand that down this week.

I started on the removal of the carpet as it was white with mould in places and soaking wet. I'll probably remove the seats and strip everything down when I get a spare moment.

I also stared on the dash removal, in order to get to the heater which no longer produces hot air.

The one pain point of the weekend was discovering I've lost the key to my locking wheel nuts.

[R_D_Olivaw]

New keys for my locking wheel nuts have been ordered so that little trauma will hopefully be a distant memory.

I've managed to get a few hours in during the evenings to continue my work on the body. The hole I cut in the door is now hiding behind some grey primer and looks to be invisible. Still work to do, but hopefully not too much in the sanding department. The same goes for the crease in the rear quarter above the wheel arch. Next step is the re-read my book on fibre glass to see what it says about gel coats.

This evening I started on the boot lid that had a poor repair done to it in the past, that resulted in the top left of it being about 1mm higher than the rest of the boot lid due to an excess of fibre glass. This has now been sanded reasonably flat and I'll have another go at it tomorrow to make sure the levels look better. I need to move one of the attachment points on the boot hinge as that wasn't straights for some reason, so some more fibre glassing to do. My family returns at the weekend so not much time to get the smell jobs out of the way.

A new base gasket for the carburettor has also been ordered so hopefully that will be back on at the weekend.

If anyone has any suggestions on heater removal please checkout my post under 3 Ltr Technical.