Engine bay rejuvenation

[simonandjuliet]

First two "loomlets" finished, tags cleaned up and ends soldered onto the conduits
 

[simonandjuliet]

A bit of time on the Aprilia today.

The bulkhead shroud has gone back in and it shows the nice (to my eye) contrast between the black and green body colour

First job was to find a replacement insulation/anti vibration layer. I didn't want to refit the wadding because it absorbed water. I found this closed-cell, self-sticking foam and made up the thicknesses so it gave support in the key areas. Not pretty (sorry about that) but it hopefully won't be seen again for another 75 years !

The shroud is held in place by tags and screws. Some of the original domed screws were missing so I have used new countersunk screws where they are less likely to be noticed - blob of black paint and they'll be fine

On that note - does anyone have a source for the correct domed, flat screwdriver headed screws (photo of correct vs countersunk) - the countersunk are easy to get , but I can't find the domed

Lastly, I cleaned and painted the inner wheel arches and trial-fitted the front looms

Hopefully I can do a bit more tomorrow

[simonandjuliet]

Problem uploading photos .... I'll add as soon as internet permits !

[Sebastien]

For screws, I have used successfully BAFA in France:
https://www.bafa-sa.com/nos-gammes/

They have a big choice, and deliver to non-professionnals.
The lentil-headed slotted screws are available in stainless steel, or zinc-coated. Stainless I have found works well.

They also I think have domed - slotted!

[simonandjuliet]

Thank you, I don't know this company, but here are the screws that I am after ....

[simonandjuliet]

Hopefully I can upload the other photos - problem due to dodgy internet when you live in a small village and there are storms all around you !

[simonandjuliet]

Beginning to get an idea how it will look

The only real change that I am making to "the look" is that I am using split pins to hold the knurled nuts together rather than scrowl pins. So much easier to take on and off. I will take a better photo of this detail tomorrow

Some of the insulation still needs to be tidied up

I've not gone mad with the identity/info plates , I like the used look - nb note the spelling error on the lubrication plate, reproductions have sometimes corrected this and I think it's a mistake - chek it out (sic)

[tzf60]

Great job, Simon 🙂
I like the satin black finish - as you say, it goes together well with the body colour.
 
Tim

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Tim, to my mind it is looking better and better as I add things !

As part of the renovation, I am going through the brakes, because to be honest, that is what started the whole process. I have found that the whole system is "gummed up" with a kind of "jelly"

This isn't the sort of crustiness that you get with a slow brake fluid leak that you occasionally find under a dust cap, but a glutinous mass everywhere !

I had the brakes "professionally" rebuilt before the car came to France and there is something not right. They worked well for a while but after some time of lay-up they have blocked. It doesn't feel like moisture because there is no corrosion or seal damage, it feels more like an incompatibility of brake fluids

I am not too concerned because I am stripping and cleaning EVERYTHING, flushing all the brake lines and replacing most anyway. Then refilling with a known, quality brand of brake fluid - I am not tempted by silicone in this instance

Has anyone come across this issue ?

Anyway, enough of that , here is a photo of a cleaned up master cylindre !

[chriswgawne]

I have experienced something similar when I inadvertently added a small amount of silicone brake fluid to a Dot 4 filled system. I also used a silicone grease when assembling the wheel cylinders, primarily because I believe the silicone grease has a better resistance to moisture ingress and I was trying to protect the exposed aluminium bores on the 'airside' of the pistons/seals from corrosion.
Bits of 'jelly' formed so it all needed a good clean and purge and I went back to Dot 4. No damage was done.
Chris

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Chris, sounds very similar - so maybe a silicon grease ??

I tend to use a smidge of red grease when assembling

[chriswgawne]

Thats what I have always done Simon but over the years I have realised that with little use, the aluminium Aurelia wheel cylinders can corrode and then the linings wear and the cup seal starts to get close to or be in contact with the corrosion. So to stop that I used silicon grease which I believe (?) to be more waterproof than the red stuff.
I obviously used too much so these days i smear some silicon grease AFTER I have assembled the wheel cylinder to keep it away from the fluid as much as possible.
On reflection I think I also had the same problem on my Fulvia GTE when I was did some work on the brakes when re-commissioning it.
Chris

[simonandjuliet]

This little project is going into hibernation for a couple of months whilst we get the other projects finished for the "Epoqu'Auto" show in Lyon

The cabrio needs the wings fitting and a door panel made, then she will be ready(ish), the Ardea needs to go back on her feet and be painted - but the Appia furgoncino is ready to go .....

The brake master cyl and reservoir have been refitted, the suspension reservoir repainted and fitted, plus new oil seals in the steering bow before it was cleaned and repainted.

Interestingly (to me !! ), the bottom oil seal is different to S1 - when I have a moment I'll list the dimensions for the different oil seals and bearings

[simonandjuliet]

This little project is going into hibernation for a couple of months whilst we get the other projects finished for the "Epoqu'Auto" show in Lyon

The cabrio needs the wings fitting and a door panel made, then she will be ready(ish), the Ardea needs to go back on her feet and be painted - but the Appia furgoncino is ready to go .....

Gone into hibernation for a couple of months  ..... more like retirement, but anyway, this is about to peek its head of its burrow and see what happens

Watch this space !

[simonandjuliet]

Been enjoying some garage time and restarted the wiring and refitting some of the other bits

The wiring was very tired with the insulation breaking down risking short circuits, indeed some of the wires had already been by-passed. It is a bit of a rat's-nest behind the fuses and dash, so slowly working through it with the aid of the wiring diagram (more on that later)

Re-using some of the bigger eyelets - they need to be sweated off, then re-soldered. Most of the aluminium numbering tags can be re-used as well, just needing a very gentle cleaning with a fine wire brush

New pipes for the suspension and it's beginning to come together