Author Topic: old number one  (Read 973 times)

guest274

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old number one
« on: 16 Feb 22, 10:54 am »
I didn't know whether or not there was a car built by Morris. Old number one , although originally conceived as an MG, it is as far as I am concerned a Morris as it is built on an altered  Cowley chassis with a Cowley bullnose and is badged as a Morris.
So that is my inspiration car. First step is the ladder chassis so what better than a ladder.

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Jimr1999

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Re: old number one
« Reply #1 on: 18 Feb 22, 01:14 pm »
Seems as sound a choice of materials as anything Morris, have you laid out the chassis yet?
... You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #2 on: 18 Feb 22, 04:02 pm »
A bit more done. At the moment my time is spent 75% thinking and 25% doing. The chassis brackets for the springs are done, made out of an old double strap gate hinge. They are 23" centre to centre and the leaves are 23", giving the bend as in the pic's. The arch is 4 1/4" but it may change. I have yet to make the eyes for the spring ends. There is no moveable bracket as is done with normal steel springs as the HDPE bends to soak up the deflection. I am still confident it will work. One set has the leaves bolted together and I am trying out a more normal method using  clamps as in the picture. I have only made one so far. The chassis rails are spaced apart at 400mm at the moment. I am not sure of the final dimension. The springs will have a locating hole at the centre to receive a locating pin of some sort.    That's it for now.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #3 on: 26 Feb 22, 04:09 pm »
Just about there with the HDPE springs. I have altered the rear brackets from rigid to pivoting. Much better.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #4 on: 01 Mar 22, 07:11 pm »
Welded up the axle from 40mm box with a 3mm wall. Cut them at 16 degrees to match the king pin inclination on the yokes from Gemini. I also added a 5 degree caster angle. As I have mentioned in the thread "top hats", I have struggled to assemble the two tubes and top hats, so much so that even clamping them in the vice or with a G clamp it was difficult. In fact I broke one of them but I have used a piece of HDPE in place of the bit that broke off. Larger diameter outer tube would be better with a bearing or oilite bushes. When I changed the stub axle bearings I couldn't find any crush tube with a 17mm bore, so I cut the 15mm ones along their length and increased the gap and consequently the diameter that way. The springs seem to be working OK so far. I have attached some pictures, but I will add some detail pictures tomorrow. 

David F-R

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Re: old number one
« Reply #5 on: 02 Mar 22, 08:21 am »
I've just made some crush tubes for my wheels, 22mm x 18mm bore, from 25mm bar. They just fit my c90 wheels.
I'm not quite as green as I'm cabbage sounding.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #6 on: 02 Mar 22, 08:53 am »
I take it you have a lathe.

David F-R

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Re: old number one
« Reply #7 on: 02 Mar 22, 12:07 pm »
I take it you have a lathe.

Yes, like me it's very old but serviceable.
There is tube of the right size on Ebay. I just happened to have quite a bit of 25mm dia. bar
I'm not quite as green as I'm cabbage sounding.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #8 on: 10 Mar 22, 09:14 am »
A bit more progress. The cross members are in. I was originally going to weld them with those aluminium rods which look great when used by someone who has had a lot of practice, but the brackets were the better choice. I made them by cutting up some 3" x 3" box section. No need for crush tubes as the brackets span the full width of the rails. I already had the pillow block bearings from a chainsaw mill that I made a couple of years ago. They are 1" so will need shims to fit the 25mm axle.

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #9 on: 20 Mar 22, 12:31 pm »
I had been confident about using HDPE springs up until the point when I had four wheels on the chassis and sat on it to locate the seat position. They collapsed, which surprised me because they seemed to have a good amount of resistance. So there you have it. You don't know until you try. I am now using the jump springs which seem to be performing OK. I still use HDPE in places on the chassis. The spring brackets have HDPE spacer s to save metal rubbing on metal.

The axles have been repositioned so many times to allow for this and that. The rear axle is now under the chassis having been over and through. It is spinning on pillow blocks that I already had. They are 1" bore so a bit of shimming is needed. 

The engine arrived so I have been trying to locate that on the chassis. Then the torque converter arrived. It only took 5 days from US. I was pleasantly surprised. Now that it is on the engine there is more moving it about trying to get everything in the right place.

RhysN

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Re: old number one
« Reply #10 on: 20 Mar 22, 04:21 pm »
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I appreciate your trying.
We must avoid torturing our brains with false problems, it occupies but it can annoy. In jest!

guest274

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Re: old number one
« Reply #11 on: 01 May 22, 03:02 pm »
An update on my CK. It's running and steering and braking (just). The floor is 20mm shuttering ply bolted onto the chassis from underneath using coach bolts. The seat is also 20mm ply and is hinged to give access to the oil filler/dipstick and the on/off switch. Steering column made from tubing off a 6ft table. steering wheel is 2 pieces of 6mm ply glued together. I am hoping to finish it with cedar round the circumference. Track rods are aluminium tube tapped for 8mm track rod ends. 
The body is next. I don't foresee any problems with it except for the bullnose. Anybody got any ideas how to achieve that shape?

Jimr1999

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Re: old number one
« Reply #12 on: 01 May 22, 03:06 pm »
Coming on well MorrisGarage! Brings a whole new meaning to ladder frame chassis  :) You will have that done before long at that rate.
... You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead.

Adrian

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Re: old number one
« Reply #13 on: 02 May 22, 01:12 pm »
yes, ts looking very good. The ladder idea is a cracker.
I would like to make an observation regarding the steering linkages however. I think the manner by which you have fixed the track-rods to the steering knuckles on the hub has a couple of safety issues. The bolt linking the track-rods to the hub is far too long and the feedback torque will bend it badly and after a lap or two will break it apart by the steering hub. Steering will be very imprecise too. 
There is a very wise 'rule' to follow in this area and that is to make all linkages as short as possible and NEVER weld anything if at all possible. Looks like you have welded a bolt to a bolt.
I'm sorry to say it but I think you need to re-think your steering design.
This is one of those areas where you can run into trouble because your making great progress on everything else and suddenly you have painted yourself into a corner as it were. Don't be disillusioned by this, many of us do it al the time! I certainly do, right now I have a similar issue with the exhaust.
Great job though!
:>)
 

Essentially, the same rules apply to the brakes too.

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Graham Hill

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Re: old number one
« Reply #14 on: 02 May 22, 01:37 pm »

The body is next. I don't foresee any problems with it except for the bullnose. Anybody got any ideas how to achieve that shape?

Jim Tanner made a smashing job with the Dodge by using his old helmet !