The Restoration of My 1960 Austin Healey 3000 MkI HBT7L4422

Post-Restoration Modifications and Maintenance

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 07:06:01 -0500

Subjects: Modified Side Curtains, Part 2

In my continuing quest to improve on the design and therefore functionality of the side curtains I have recently experimented with aviation vents. I saw this idea on a Cobra Forum posting and thought I would give it a try. The vents are made of clear acrylic and cost all of $15.00 a pair. I ordered them from Aircraft Spruce http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/snapvents.php Snap Vents, #05-01179, $14.85/pair. Click on “Vent” to link to a series of images showing the evolution of my side curtain experimentation.

Installation is literally a “snap.” I located where I wanted to the vent to be (avoid interference with wing driving mirror), and then drilled a 3 1/4” hole in the Lexan. Smooth the edges with a file and/or sandpaper and then compress the sides of the vent a bit and snap it in place. That is all there is to it.

Subjects: Carpet Spare Tire Cover

It is one more modification that does not represent originality, but I just didn’t like look of the bare spare tire in the boot, even if it was new and clean. I had Jerry Smith at Classic Upholstery make a cover from black marine carpet. It looks very close to the wilton wool carpet in the interior.

Subjects: Modified Side Curtains

I currently have brand new sidecurtains. They fit reasonably well, have new clear plexiglass that slides easily and the new aluminum frames are blemish free. In other words they look about as good as side curtains can look.

However, with my 7,000 mile cross country trip next month, I am looking for a way to modify the sidecurtains so that they are not so noisy. Even though they are new, they still rattle like crazy. The two plexiglass panels bang together and make a real racket.

Tim Moran and I have been working independently on a modification or redesign of the side curtains to address a couple of issues, but in my case primarily the noise.
I decided to use an old set of aluminum side curtain frames as the basis of my project. I cut the top and rear upright out of the frames so that I could slide a new piece of Lexan (one piece) into the frame. The inside track of the frame is wide enough to accept the 1/4" Lexan. I suppose that I could spend some big bucks and have a fabricator make a chromed brass channel for a frame, but I didn’t have time before my trip. The other reason for modifying the original frame is that it allowed me to just insert new rubber seals to seal the side curtain to the exterior of the door. I used Lexan because it is much stronger than plexiglass, and it can be drilled without fear of cracking.

I also used the two original brackets that mount the side curtains to the inside of the door. For the rear bracket (as the photo shows) I inserted the bolt for the top fitting of the bracket through a hole I drilled in the Lexan. I then made a pattern for new glass and had a glass shop cut my Lexan. I am pretty satisfied with the one-piece side curtain glass.

I wasn’t completely satisfied with the solid Lexan panels so I made an additional Lexan panel with a hinged section so that I could let in some fresh air and pay the tolls at the toll booths. I got my idea for this from Tim although our concepts are bit different. I used an acrylic hinge from McMaster-Carr. http://www.mcmaster.com/#11565a12/=1dshce The acrylic hinge is not as flexible as the polyester that McMaster-Carr offers, but it is completely clear.

I took the car for a ride with the new glass and I can only imagine that it must be very similar to a BJ7-8 now. Absolutely no rattling or wind buffeting and actually very little wind noise - quite comfortable.

To hold down the flap, you can see in the photos that I made a little metal tab from 12 gauge steel, 3/4" wide. I rounded the corners and glued a piece of rubber to it so there is a buffer between the lexan and the metal. When the flap is in the upright position, you cannot see the metal tab as it is hidden behind the side curtain rear bracket. When the flap is down you just rotate the metal tab upward to hold the lexan flap. See photos.

I gave the hinged lexan panel with flap a road test also. Like the one piece lexan windows, the one with the fold down flap also functioned quite well. A little fresh air and no rattling. The air intake is limited. A larger flap would bring in more air I am sure. It is all a matter of personal taste.

Subjects: Rear Seat Parcel Shelf

I will be making a coast-to-coast trip in “The Bloody Beast” in the summer of 2009. It will require that I carry along with me everything I will need for a month. Of course, space is at a premium in a Healey so I have looked for every opportunity to expand storage space. I recently thought about how I might obtain more usable space in the interior of the car.

The occasional rear seats in the BT7 may make for lovely seating for small children, but they do not provide a level platform to store items you might wish to transport with you on longer trips. Later models of the Big Healey have a fold down parcel shelf behind the front seats, so I thought why not in a BT7? What I came up with does not fold and
frankly you must commit to having it in place, or not, when you start a journey. However, it is easy to add or remove from the vehicle.

A pdf file of the project may be seen at BT7 Parcel Shelf.pdf. Higher resolution images may be seen at: parcel shelf

Subjects: Luggage Rack Plexiglass Boot Lid Shield

I have a Cape International luggage rack on “The Bloody Beast” and I am very pleased with its looks and functionality. However, the curvature of the boot lid makes it quite possible for items carried on the rack to rub against the paint with the possibility of ensuing paint damage. This is especially true if you desire to carry something like folding chairs that are not completely flat. To protect the paint I developed a folding transparent, (and waterproof) plexiglass shield shown below. The folding joint in the plexiglass allows me to fold the glass in half for easy stowage in the boot when not in use.

The hinge folds 180 degrees. Ordered from McMaster-Carr, 11565A11, Clear Acrylic w/White Polyester Middle. Plexiglass is 1/4” thickness and is quite rigid. A pdf file of the project may be seen Luggage Rack Plexiglass.pdf. Higher resolution images may be seen at: http://homepage.mac.com/linwoodrose/PhotoAlbum81.html

Tuesday, December,30, 2008
Subjects: Fuel Gauge Dampener.

Every Healey owner experiences the erratic swings of the fuel gauge needle. Zims Autotechnik, www.allzim.com , 1804 Reliance Parkway, Bedford, TX 76021, 800-356-2964, sells a little electronic device (see image to the right) that mitigates the needle swing. I believe it was originally conceived for the Porsche 356. Steve Gerow shared this little tip. I ordered one, installed it in a few minutes and sure enough it works! $19.95 for the part. Fuel Gauge Dampener instructions.JPG are provided, but Steve’s photo tells the whole story!

Sunday, December, 28, 2008
Subjects: UpBeat Audio “Boosteroo T-794 Volume Booster.

While generally pleased with the Creative computer speakers in my iPod based sound system, it did leave something to be desired on the volume side when traveling at highway speeds. dphilippo from the British Car Forum mentioned using a product called the Boosteroo made by Up Beat Audio. I purchased the model with and AC plug and USB power adapters. It works like a charm. Well worth the $24 from Amazon for increased listening enjoyment!

Friday: June 27, 2008
Subjects: Radiator steel shroud.

I am not experiencing any overheating problems - I am already using the 6 blade stainless steel fan from British Car Specialists and an aluminum radiator, but I decided to install the two piece shroud that BCS sells to see if it might help cooling incrementally. I also thought it was a good safety idea as I didn’t like the fact that the edges of the fan blades are exposed to anything (a hand) that might come close to that area in the engine bay.

Because my radiator is not stock, I had to make some slight alterations to the shroud pieces, and I added two locating bolts to attach the new shroud to the shroud already welded to the radiator. Perhaps it is my imagination, but it seems to me that the new shroud improved cooling in the range of 5 to 10 degrees. Overall, I am pleased with the addition for safety and cooling.

Thursday, May 29, 2008
Subjects: Soft top and tonneau.

I ordered my soft top and tonneau from Robbins. Charley Darley, a BT7 owner from the Capital Area Healey Club recommended Brownings Upholstery in Manassas, VA for soft top and tonneau installation. Although Brownings is located about two hours away, I thought I should try to use a shop with Healey experience, so my son, Scott, and I made the trip to Manassas. I was glad I did as the installation of both components was accomplished with professional results.

Sunday, May 18, 2008
Subjects: 3M Ultrashield, Capesport luggage rack.

3M makes a product called Ultrashield. It is a film that protects the body and paint from road nicks and scratches that will inevitably occur. Once applied it provides an extremely hard barrier from road debris and sheet metal.

Since I don’t have a bumper or apron on the front of the “Bloody Beast,” I decided that my car was the perfect candidate for Ultrashield. The closest installer was located in Richmond, Virginia, about a two hour drive from my home. I trailered the car to Richmond and had the installation completed in about a day and one-half. Cost was $600. Due to the curvature of the front shroud, the Big Healey is a challenge to any installer, but with patience the job can be accomplished with very little visible evidence. I am very satisfied with the final product. The image at right is a short video of the installation process.

I wanted the paint to get good and hard before installing the Capesport Luggage Rack. I really like this rack because it sits very low on the boot lid and parcels on the rack will not block vision unless they are stacked fairly high. It attaches to the boot lid hinges and has stainless straps at the bottom of the boot lid with rubber gaskets to prevent paint damage.

Thursday, February 28, 2008
Subjects: Fuel Filter.

I had a fuel filter connected to the Masters fuel pump but had always planned to add another under the bonnet just before the fuel entered the carbs. I made a little bracket from some aluminum stock, pushed the filter into it and mounted the bracket/filter on the manifold stud used to secure the front SU carb. I cut a new piece of stainless sheathed hose to run from the filter outlet to the fitting on the carb. I used a Purolator Fuel filter #F10024, as it was small and offered a “clean” look under the bonnet.

Assembly Continues, Week Sixty

Mon, 4 Feb 2008 21:06:01 -0500

Subjects: Soft top, tonneau, drain tap, plug, side curtains.

After doing some research on the soft top, I have decided to order a Robbins top and tonneau. I was originally going to use the Sun-Fast cloth material, but have decided to use the material that is closer to the original vinyl. They should arrive this week and then I will decide if I will do the installation myself or get a professional to do the job.

I have discovered that the original drain tap on the left side of the motor leaks and I cannot seem to get it to stop. I ordered a new one, only to discover that it leaks too! I have decided to put a plug in the block in place of the tap.

I have new side curtains and I began the task of fitting them to the car. The RH curtain, although tight in the rear did mount successfully. The LH curtain, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to want to fit properly. I will “play” with it next week and see what I can work out.

Assembly Continues, Week Fifty-Nine

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:06:01 -0500

Subjects: Hardtop.

I began some work on the hardtop. The first step was the installation of the aluminum trim and cant rails, followed by the headliner and finally the rubber seals and the windlace. The article prepared by Roger Moment and the photos provided by John Homonek were a big help, but I discovered that advice on hardtop restoration was very limited, so to help others in my spot for the future, I kept a diary of restoration progress. It is available at this web site location: Hardtop

Assembly Continues, Week Fifty-Eight

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:06:01 -0500

Subjects: Doors, aluminum wings, exhaust clamps, exhaust system, headers, big bore pipes, sound system, tops, tonneau.

Jeremy Turner came by the house and helped me make final adjustments to the doors. The fit is good, but not quite as nice as I would prefer. The aluminum wings just don’t fit as well with the doors as the original steel wings, but as my wife, Judith, says, “only you and a concourse judge will see that the fit isn’t perfect!”

After finishing up the doors, I put the exhaust clamps on the exhaust system. With the headers and big bore pipes, the exhaust note is a bit louder than the original system, but it sounds great and I can still hear the sound system over the rumble!

The tops and tonneau are the only components that remain. I must say, it feels pretty good to take a look at the Bloody Beast in the driveway. I know it will be even more gratifying to get the Healey out on the road.

Assembly Continues, Week Fifty-Seven

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:06:01 -0500

Subjects: Windscreen, 3M caulk strip, post pad seals, windscreen frame seal, post mounted driving mirrors, “rainbow” wipers, fluid reservoir, intermittent wiper rheostat, electric washer pump, bonnet, striker pin assembly, hood latch support bracket, anti-rattle spring, bonnet latch remote control rod.

The windscreen was a very tight fit! I suppose that it should be to minimize leaks, but it took some tugging on a drift through one of the lower mounting holes in the stanchion and a lot of pushing to finally get the uppermost capscrew to thread into place. The RH side didn’t require any shimming, but the LH did. You do want to make sure that there is no undue force on the stanchions or you might end up with a broken glass! I added a little 3M caulk strip under the post pad seals and between the windscreen frame seal and the post pad. I decided to run the seal under the post pad, though consulting with the “experts” resulted in at least three ways to do this job: under the pad, between the pad and the post, and cut off flush with the pad. I am using post mounted driving mirrors from Cape International, so they were mounted at this time and tightened through the posts.

After finishing the windscreen, I fixed the original “rainbow” wipers with new rubber to the wiper posts and following the addition of some windscreen washer fluid to the parcel tray mounted fluid reservoir tried out the wipers. All worked fine, including the intermittent wiper rheostat and electric washer pump I has installed previously. The kit from Ed Esslinger also turns on the headlamps when the wipers are activated - a requirement in many states now.

Next was the installation of the bonnet. I first removed the striker pin assembly so that I could have the bonnet lie flat in the surround. Four 1/4” bolts with the heads to the outside are used to fasten the hinges to the bonnet hinge brackets. This process took some adjusting to get things right and at least one assistant is essential! After getting the bonnet lined up I re-secured the striker pin assembly to the bonnet and adjusted it and the bonnet latch support bracket to align all. The anti-rattle spring was then connected to the hood latch remote control rod and the bonnet release mechanism was tried with success.