[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Also it had a badly made mild steel rear brake drumout of line with a 1/2 inch of brake shoes visible!!! Had to have an aluminium one cast around a steel liner.

An aluminium brake drum with steel liner? Wow sounds like this car was way ahead of it times. So I guess aluminium was used extensively in the car rendering it much lighter. Must have been quite quick compared to cars of the time.Would the diff/axle housing be of aluminium too?

I don't think even modern cars today have aluminium brake drums

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by DKG

I don't think even modern cars today have aluminium brake drums

3 of my humble Fiats have aluminium brake drums

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

3 of my humble Fiats have aluminium brake drums

Wow that's impressive. I really didn't know this about the Fiats. Are you aware of any other cars being sold today that have them?

PS: Reason why that's impressive is as you may know one of the challenges in improving handling is to reduce the unsprung weight. So along with alloys, if even the hubs are alloys then I can see what benefit that would have on handling

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by DKG

Would the diff/axle housing be of aluminium too?

No cast steel, The brake drum liner had pairs of small holes all around it so the aluminium, when cast, penetrated the holes, further locking it in place though when it cools it shrinks tight around the steel liner.
I saw a 1950s Triumph motocycle racer last week which had a quadruplex roller chain shrunk on to its front brake drum to help stop it expanding when hot!!

[Julian UK]

Two pictures of the Lucknow 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B’s engine before restoration.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Two pictures of the Lucknow 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B’s engine before restoration.

Did Delhi have the facility of pressure testing blocks and heads for leakages? I remember a Delhi restorer telling me a Mercedes engine he restored proved a nightmare due to this problem. I don't recall him telling me there was a facility to test.

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by DKG

Did Delhi have the facility of pressure testing blocks and heads for leakages? I remember a Delhi restorer telling me a Mercedes engine he restored proved a nightmare due to this problem. I don't recall him telling me there was a facility to test.

I always pressure test every cylinder block/cylinderhead/petrol tank/ radiator by blocking all the holes with rubber bungs or soldering a plate and a tyre valve in one of them then pressurising them (only up to 8 psi for radiators or tanks) immersed in a tank of water. Then you track down the bubbles sometimes it takes many attempts. But its very essential. I also had a pressure testing hand pump set for testing assembled cars.
I think they had major problems because the Mercedes cylinder block was part of the crankcase so it was huge and you'd need a big tank. You can do it out of a tank by wetting the surface and watching the bubbles but its much better to immerse the item in a tank. With some tanks you have to fight the buoyancy to keep it underwater. I did my 2 motorcycle tanks in the bath at home when my wife was out.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

I always pressure test every cylinder block/cylinderhead/petrol tank/ radiator by blocking all the holes with rubber bungs or soldering a plate and a tyre valve in one of them then pressurising them (only up to 8 psi for radiators or tanks) immersed in a tank of water. Then you track down the bubbles sometimes it takes many attempts. But its very essential. I also had a pressure testing hand pump set for testing assembled cars.
I think they had major problems because the Mercedes cylinder block was part of the crankcase so it was huge and you'd need a big tank. You can do it out of a tank by wetting the surface and watching the bubbles but its much better to immerse the item in a tank. With some tanks you have to fight the buoyancy to keep it underwater. I did my 2 motorcycle tanks in the bath at home when my wife was out.

Now that's a tip everyone restoring an engine should follow.

Julian its obvious you've had some of the most rich experience in restoring these exotics. There's a possibility you may have encountered mistakes in the beginning and learnt to avoid them as time passed.

May I urge you to start a thread on a guide to restoration. This could be a simple to follow list of checkpoints all restorers should follow. Mistakes during mechanical overhauls are time consuming and expensive to correct. Sometimes a simple check can save yourself huge headaches later.

We could start with the engine, the gearbox, differential, the brake system, the electricals, the steering, the chassis, and suspension items

Please do consider sharing your experiences and knowledge in this form so many others in time to come can refer to the checklist to avoid mistakes and improve their restoration effort.

[Julian UK]

Welcome to the home workshop advise centre
If you are having problems I can help with:

Tools


Problems with those nasty British cars]


or with servicing them


Financing your project


Paint solutions



Tyre challenges



Lowering your suspension


Raising your suspension


Turbocharging your project


Special bodywork conversions



Interior design


Widening the track


Stretch solutions for those larger families


Whatever the challenges I am here to help with realistic solutions.
[FONT=Arial]Watch this space[/FONT]

[Julian UK]

No but seriously though, if any members have specific problems, I would be happy to help as I do understand the challenges faced by undertaking this type of work in India, but at the end of the day its all down to available infrastructure and when that isn't adequate to provide a solution then its a matter of financial capability in sourcing parts and services from abroad. Every restoration problem has a solution (relative to the circumstances of the car owner) sometimes its practical and economical within India, sometimes it isn't and I always found over 20 years in India that sometimes one just has to import in order to achieve an effective solution to a problem, it can get expensive, (but sometimes it can be cheaper) so it depends on 2 main factors, the value of the car and the love and desire of the owner which sometimes can justify the expenditure. Every restoration problem has a variety of solutions, it all depends on the perception of the owner of the car.
Please pm me or post, whichever.
Regards to all.
Julian

[Julian UK]

Here's a picture of another different Alwar Hispano-Suiza. It has different mudguards and bumpers to Alwar 2 or 4, but it also has a "Tickford top" as does Alwar 4.




Another one, anyone know who it went to?




And this, though it didn't come to India it reminds me of the Alwar Lanchester 40/50, pictures of which available elsewhere here.



By the way, I really loved the Garbage truck debates
on this site posted over the last many months,
I really appreciated them greatly.

Picture Source : The 3 B/W Hispano-Suiza photos are from The Legendary Hispano-Suiza by Johnnie Green

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

And this, though it didn't come to India it reminds me of the Alwar Lanchester 40/50, pictures of which available elsewhere here.

It appears like the owner actually copied the Alwar Lanchester, looks quite like it

[DKG]

Are not the following pictures of the same car?





To me they look to be of the same car. Glad its survived. Albeit a case of over restoration (looks horrendous). Its so obvious the best standard for restoration is to return it to the condition it was in when new!

[JayD]

DKG, i confess, i don't know anything about these cars, but love reading through your thread! But don't the two cars posted above look like different ones. Im sayin this coz i feel there is a small difference in size of the passenger cabin and roofline. Or is it just due to the way the pics are taken?

[DKG]

Originally Posted by JayD

DKG, i confess, i don't know anything about these cars, but love reading through your thread! But don't the two cars posted above look like different ones. Im sayin this coz i feel there is a small difference in size of the passenger cabin and roofline. Or is it just due to the way the pics are taken?

Lets look at them closely, do you see differences? I was looking at the door design and the lamp etc and felt its the same, but I could be wrong. Please share your observations

PS: Isn't this wonderful that you sitting in Cochin and me in Hyderabad are able to look at something at the same time and have a discussion? Wow, the magic of TBHP!!