Well done! Did you ever get any definitive explanation as to why the wise men (assume they were mainly men) at BL Sweden changed the brakes? Can’t remember if you’ve done the clutch hydraulics yet. Otherwise you’re in for another BL Sweden treat…
@paullundgren6319 Yes, a subscriber who worked at BL says the brakes were actually fitted in Longbridge and there was a regional requirement to do so. Exactly what those requirements were, i have no idea. As long as I can get spares, that's all I care about 😁 The clutch hydraulics have all gone in the bin and were replaced with LR Defender parts!
That’s interesting! There has to have been some legislation around self-adjustment then! Not totally unrealistic - we had some pretty odd special rules in the mid-seventies, not least when it came to pollution (perhaps more understandable though than the rules of wipers etc.) I remember in the mid eghties, when Switzerland adopted similar pollution laws - suddenly it was possible to buy more interesting vehicles again! At the moment I’m waiting for me steering-rack to return from refurbishment at the Kennedys. Together with a leaking, refurbished already, hydragas unit… Then it’s time for MOT finally! Also just ordered a Blaupunkt retro stereo, and some nice speakers… Had planned to not do that, not least because it never had one. But I want one. And that’s one of the good things about this kind of car. Though it is rare, I don’t consider it a mortal sin to cut open a dash for a period-looking stereo-unit.
@paullundgren6319 Go for it! Those Blaupunkt units look great. I'm sure you'll be on the road again soon. I'm rebuilding the brake calipers now and renewing the lines and flexis. Then it's "just" displacers, steering rack and exhaust 🥵
With the ignition on, unplug the wire to the temperature sender, then ground it. That will tell you what is the maximum reading for your guage. That will help you know what is warm and what is scorchio. Mine only goes half way. Fuel gauge is the similar, goes to 2/3, for me. Something to do with the voltage regulator in the back of the dash cluster, but swapping with other 2nd hand ones has not helped.
Your rodent theory for the rust makes a lot of sense. Before you put your soft furnishings back in, I'd recommend puffing some talcum powder on the bulkhead and inner arch above where you've done the repairs and leaving the car out in the rain or under a hose pipe for a while because the other thing that can cause that rust on Allegroes and Princesses is a leaking windscreen seal, best to rule that out while you've got everything apart really. Some paint and seam sealer over those repairs should see you right for a good while given how the car is kept and if you feel you need more practice with the welding you can always come back and do it again later ;)
Thanks! I'm fairly sure the window seals are all shagged but am choosing to ignore them 🙃 If I can just get it tested & registered it opens up the possibility of driving it to an old car wizard's backyard (there are many around here) and getting some help with the more tricky repairs. And yes, I totally subscribe to the "can always weld it again" school of thought! Cheers.
Sunderland's finest! Tbh Nissans are the cars I've never had bother with in around 250k driven miles. Nice to see the project moving along...bloody customs issues! Regards Ian (fixing assets)
I see you managed to get the pivot shafts out of the rear suspension units on this one, they can be a real nightmare. Good that it can keep you busy while you wait for parts too, it's all good progress.
You’ve got the subscribers because you’re doing interesting stuff. I’m just thankful that I don’t have to do what you’re doing, but I am wrestling with a reluctant AP auto gearbox which you don’t have to!
I feel that particular parts lottery pain very keenly. You'll get there though, that's the important bit, and there's never a shortage of jobs to be getting on with in the meantime is there? If all else fails there's always chips.
You’d think that the sliding movement of both inner and outer CVJs would make removal off the splines straightforward, but if the car had been static for some years, I guess that’s where your difficulties were based. The bump and rebound action of the suspension geometry should have kept it mobile on the splines; I was also expecting that it had fused with corrosion but there didn’t seem to be any evidence of that. Good effort!
Thanks! I forgot to mention the inner boots had all perished so moisture had got in the joints. Lots of evidence the car didn't move for a very long time so yes, a combination of factors.
It is looking very good. The underneath looks daunting and makes me think, I wonder if it'll be worth wax-oiling the chassis/sub frame on my van. Not sometihing I have don'e before. I also have a long list, but I'm pretty sure it is a lot shorter than yours. That said, in April, France will be introducing a compulsory contrôle techinque for all sans permis vehicles (basically an MOT). So that'll open another can of worms I'm sure... Unfortunately my van is older than 2017, which is the cut off point for the first batch of vehicles to be dealt with.
Waxoil is definitely going to help if you're driving on salted roads. I think you need to be a bit careful if corrosion has already started because covering that in waxoil can actually accelerate the process. Might even be better to just see what the inspection says first, rather than poking around yourself because you'll definitely find things - the question is always is it an actual problem or just an ugly bit of rust.
As a fellow Allegro-with-headlightwipers-owner I’m very happy to see this subject finally getting some much needed attention on RU-vid! I do believe they were added locally by BL Sweden in Gothenburg, and not on the production line. Towards the end of the 70s I think they bought systems from Volvo, the Allegro wasn’t imported anymore by then though. Getting my own Allegro back on the road, I really enjoy your videos! Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words and extra info! Still a lot of work to do before she's back on the road. Best of luck with your recommisioning! By the way I already have the Ford wheel cylinders for the weird bespoke rear brakes. Going to install them soon and maybe do a video about that. Cheers 👍
Was that really the best British Leyland could come up with for a headlamp wash wipe system? Its absolutely terrible even Lucas Prince of Darkness would be ashamed of that jerry-rigged setup.
To the @Rev': That's the first time I've actually seen a t**d polished...fine MIG work. I had noticed the U96 dive planes previously, they'll be useful come the great flood! I don't know the horsepower she's achieved yet but it looks like they left hair in the exhaust system. The bin men took their time collecting (I wonder why?). Yes, attention to the brakes would appear to be a wise option and whatever you do save all the BL boxes...they could become more valuable than the actual part!
Looking good. I hope you get on well with the neighbours. LOL It is impressive how you've found a plan B and got things working. Have not deleved into the technical side of my vans engine since I bought it. I suspect I will be very much in the deep end. The Kubota is a very much simpler engine compared to the A series? in your Allegro!
The neighbours are fine. They always ask about the Allegro 😇 But I'm going to sort some kind of exhaust out ASAP even if it means bodging the old one back on. I've no experience with any engine apart from the a series but from the spec I imagine the Kubota is even simpler. 2 pot diesel and probably just about movable without an engine lift.
@@ProjektAgnetha I did write a reply, but somehow it disappeared. My neighbour has restored a couple of Italian cars. So there tends to be a lot of engine noise from over there. So I tolerate the reving noises minus exhaust from him. Latterly a few years ago he was working on a Lancia Fulvia. He asked if I could liase with a Lancia body parts manufacturer in Wales, as he couldn't speak English. So I had fun ordering various panels for him. As for the engine in my van. I really wouldn't know where to start. So far I've only tackled the sub frame as there were a few spots of rust on it. Have owned the van 5 years, so last year thought it might be a good idea to have an oil change done. That was done by the local garage. Mostly it has been reliable. About 2 years ago I replaced the battery, as that supplied by the dealer was obviously on its last legs. This year I changed all the fuses. So there aren't the starting issues I once had. Still have to do a preheat, then generally it starts first time.
I've patched up the old exhaust and will install it next week. Don't want to push my luck! As for the megabreadvan engine I wonder if beyond servicing it needs any maintenance, so long as it starts 9/10 and doesn't clag the entire street? When I got the Allegro I was recommended to do a complete engine rebuild but I soon learned the more stuff you unbolt the worse it gets 😂 So I did the cylinder head rebuild and anything else that needed to be done, but unless something really goes kaplunk I'm not touching it again. It's simple enough working on old engines but the hours involved are significant!
@@ProjektAgnetha Good luck with the exhaust. I presume it is now difficult to buy replacements? Like you I don't want to go into the realms of the unknown. So stripping an engine down will be beyond me. In theory, this engine is supposed to be a good second hand one. The original blew 3 months after I bought the van from the dealer. Unfortunately after the 3 month guarentee. The original engine had a staggering 88,000km on it. The dealer found a second hand replacement at 28,000km - which of course I had to pay for. Effectively I paid nearly the value of the engine, but without labour costs. Then of course I had to pay transport costs. I saved a bit on that as they got their quote wrong and I refused to pay the difference (they can't make up a new price afterwards can they?). Anyway, I'm assuming the engine is good. It hasn't had a problem these last near 5 years and it isn't like I do a lot of distance.
If the smoke persists it's probably the piston rings stuck in their grooves. I have seen this several times in the past. If so try filling each cylinder with original Redex and leave it in there for a few days then spin the engine over with rags over the plug holes to remove the remaining redex from the bores. It will be a bit smoky when you start it but after a while being left at a fast idle it should clear. Redex is much more effective than diesel or other lubricants. Give it an oil change after this as well.
The rings and possibly cylinder walls aren't in great condition. I'd dumped some oil in the bores beforehand so it might just be that burning off. Time will tell. It needs a radiator first before I can run it up to temp though!
Very nice work Tim. A few years ago I helped my dad rebuild a VW T4 diesel turbo that I had managed to blow up (pulley bolt sheared off on the M1) . Its a great feeling isn't it, that first time it fires up
Tim, I have a contact in France who used to be the Austin Rover parts manager in France and has a shed load of parts which may be useful to you. I have a list of the items so let me know if you want anything and I can check to see if he has it.
Nice work! I remember seeing these on the roads in the UK in the mid 70s. The estate was very much the 'cool' Allegro model - a nice piece of design work. Did you ever see the original design specs for the Allegro? Very stylish looking as presented to the engineers by Harris Mann, with the same sleek, wedge-like shape of the Princess! Only trouble was the E series engines envisaged for the car wouldn't fit into the engine bay, so a hurried redesign sadly meant the car became something rather tubbier. The estate version retrieved some styling dignity, at least.
Thanks for the comment! Yes the original concept would have been amazing - sadly not to be. But I also think the Estate design is more true to the original concept. It reminds me of the Scimitar - just a bit more pocket sized!
