'Tina' 1972 55 Estate - Back on the road.

[quadecz]

After a load of work Tina, my barn find 55 Estate, went through her first MOT since 1980 today. It was probably also the first time she's been down the road under her own power since then as well so the trip to the mot station was a bit nervy despite the amount or recommissioning work done on her.

She seemed to drive fairly well: the transmission settled down after a couple of miles and seems to work OK. After trying to use the old belts to polish up the pulleys I realised they had gone so rock hard they were making the primary bonce about units mounts so I fitted the new belts before I went on the road. Time will tell how long they last as there is quite a bit or corrosion on the pulley faces. I did emery cloth them as smooth as possible before the belts were fitted though.

I didn't go over 40mph to give everything a chance to settle in and I have rebuilt the engine so I want to run it in gently. Now all I need to do is replace an erratic starter motor and get a tax disc. It hasn't had its taxation class changed to historic and I think this now has to be done at a post office, last time I did this it was at a DVLA office but they've all closed.

[33grinder]

R E S U L T !!!

Well done that man!

Look forward to seeing Tina at Essex DAFs HQ sometime in the not too distant future...

[mattsdafs]

Very well done and good to hear that all 4 55 estates are now on the road...we will have to make plans to get them all together for some photo's
Talking of pics,can we see some of Tina please

[quadecz]

Thanks guys. I'll take some pics this weekend hopefully. I need to give her a very good clean and start running around in her locally to get everything bedded in then I think a trip to Essex to introduce her to other Dafs will be a good idea. Don't get it into your heads that she looks too smart though; there's a fair amount of surface rust and its going to be a while before I can sort the bodywork.

[thebear54]

she has to look a far sight better than this poor bugger...



Well done with TINA. Anxious to see some piccies soon.

John

[quadecz]

Not a busting lot better John, just a bit cleaner. Plently of TLC needed and a blow over with some rattle cans.

[quadecz]

So this weekend we clocked up a good few miles in Tina and so far all's well except for one problem: the nearside front shock seems to be hydraulically locked, it hardly moves. Once its compressed it takes for ever to expand. Has anyone had this happen to them? I'm guessing its valve gear has got gummed up. Are the shocks on this the type that can be dismantled and cleaned out or are they the type with the replaceable inserts?

[pauldaf44]

Jan 19, 2014 20:38:40 GMT quadecz said:

So this weekend we clocked up a good few miles in Tina and so far all's well except for one problem: the nearside front shock seems to be hydraulically locked, it hardly moves. Once its compressed it takes for ever to expand. Has anyone had this happen to them? I'm guessing its valve gear has got gummed up. Are the shocks on this the type that can be dismantled and cleaned out or are they the type with the replaceable inserts?

Not sure on a 55 but on a 44 they can be cleaned out I know ive done it.

[quadecz]

By the way, here are some pics I took of Tina today.

[quadecz]

Thanks Pauldaf, what oil did you refil the shocks with?