BXProject

[docchevron132]

lucky fucker! For ym missed pipe, I got skinned knuckle and an award for continuous swearing!

[Philhod]

Continuous swearing was obligatory in the main Forge...as were thick ears and black eyes, if you weren't careful how you spoke to the blacksmiths.

[docchevron132]

yes, being around one of number up the farm can result in serious injury if he gets in a strop and there's anything to throw nearby...

[Philhod]

Never got to do much anvil work, but because on maintenance means you get spells with nowt to do, I got to work under the hammers quite a lot, learn great skills and knowledge about steels and materials in general.

I should explain, the "hammers" ranged from a small 3cwt Beche that you sat down to operate by a foot treadle and hit 3 blows a second. To a 2 ton Massey single leg steam, with a driver. There was also a steam 8 ton double impact Beche, where the top and btm blocks both moved. This was set up for drop forging all the turbine blades, with special dies set in the blocks.
This was a spectacular operation. The blade use went into the die at about 1500 degrees, the dies had been slopped with waste oil to stop any tendancy to stick. As the impact occured, there was quite a big bang coupled with a 6 foot tongue of flame from the hole in the center of the dies.
So you sort of, didn't stand in front of it

[docchevron132]

I would have, just for shits and giggles!

[Philhod]

Oh, you would have shit ok. They used to bring trainee doctors round to show them the dangers. Many a group legged it at the first bang.

Honestly It was a shit job on that. You could keep away from the flames but hot dirty oil used to spray you with each hit. You looked blacker than a "pit mon" at the end of a shift.

At least we had a bath house to take the worst off before you went home.

[Philhod]

Break in the weather today, so I went to do some BXing

K39 jobs complete now so I put the recently charged battery on after dinner.

It aint been started for over 16 months so I though I won't prime it or anything, I'll wizz it round on the starter first, to pump some oil round.
It must have done no more than 3 revs when it fired up, ran smooth on around 900 revs.
I let it idle for a few minutes then gave a few blips, little bit of black smoke as the fuel went in, immediately clearing.
It took about 5 mins for the revs to drop to a steady 800 and the top hose got hot. So, everything is working, lights, windows. sunroof, central locking, indicators and dash.
Going to get it back on it's wheels tomorrow and check out the hydraulics, power steering ok but not had any pressure on it as all 4 wheels in the air

[docchevron132]

ahh, good stuff!
XUD's are usually eager starters! When I put the first turbo lump in Phoenix I hadn't even connected the fuel lines let alone put oil in the autobox, I flicked it on the key, just to make sure it turned over really and I hdn't fucked it all up, and it fucking started.

[Philhod]

It moved about a bit when Liam started it. Then I noticed the wheels were going round.
He hasd only started it in gear!!! So it started on 3 revs with the full weight of the g/box in tow...Twonk!!!
Started first touch again this morning but it needed a liter and a 1/2 of green blood to get it off the stands and on it's ...err....feet sort of thing.

Only took a minute to rise, back first, then I took it through the sequence of L, M, H, VH and back 3 times. Swsitched off and left it for an hour while I had some lunch and it was still 3/4 up and no leaks.
Well there was 2 actually, very small occasional drips. I found one on the accy set up and nipped it up. the other is in the octopus area, probably a loose return, will check it out tomorrow.
Took the wind break off the sunroof and found 1/2" of sphagnum moss growing in the groove S/r working though.

I've also modified some Cit wheel centres to mitigate those Pug alloys....a bit.

[mat_the_cat]

He hasd only started it in gear!!!

I did that a few weeks ago - I was changing the front brake pads on the BX which I had up on my axle stands (logs cut to a length that I can *just* slide under when on high). Finished the job, wheels back on and time to remove the logs. So I lean in through the window, start the engine and put the suspension back in high. Next thing I know the fucking thing is driving off down the track with a couple of logs stuck underneath - the handbrake is of little use as I hadn't adjusted it yet. Fuck knows why I left it in gear as well!

Cue the amusing sight of a driverless car being pursued by me down a hill, trying to get my hand in through the open window to cut the ignition before it hits the fence...

[Philhod]

nother for the book

Fortunately K39 was on 4 (proper) axle stands with the btm of the wheels at least a foot off the ground, so it wasn't going anywhere. It just juddered a bit as it started

[Philhod]

All work on K39 now completed ans all systems working.

Big clean up starts now, inside and out, then it's ready for MOT

[Father Ted]

[Philhod]

I'll post some pics up when it's done. I already took some of the work in progress, but on my phone. The PC doesn't seem to want to let me download them for some reason, it lets me view them but won't download??????? fuckin technology

[Philhod]

I've found some Cit centres for those Pug alloys. They don't fit properly so I drilled and tapped the lugs so I can fit retaining screws.
Off to Screwfix now to see what I can find.

[docchevron132]

usually a tidy bird behind the counter that knows an awful lot about power tools!

[Philhod]

Got the tidy bird About 18, five foot nothing, but was more in to hand tools and undoing fasteners I got some stainless 6mil button head screws 12 lg, with some plastic washers.

Centres fitted. Don't look 1/2 bad either. Have got all the door cards off and windows down now and taken the rubbing strips off. I'm going to repaint the top black part of the window frames. Once we cleaned it all, the paint was showing white through all over the place.
I'm going to use Plasticote silk finish.
I already did the sills, rear 1/4 panel air vents and the pram handle with it and it has come out really well.

[Philhod]

Just a thought about those side vents.

The gauzy stuff inside had all perished and fell to bitz in me hand, so while I had trhe box off behind the vents I was looking at it and thought; it holds about a pint and there are no drains anywhere. What happens to all the water that must get in there?
Does it just evaporate?
I found some fine black plastic mesh I had left over from a job in the garden, so I cut a couple of strips and glued them to the box before re assembling.
Must say it looks the dogs

[docchevron132]

I've often wondered wqhere it goes, but the boot never seems to flood, so I assume it was designed well enough??

[Philhod]

Had a good look at it while it was off, as with everything on the BX it is really well engineered.
It goes uphill from back to front and also built on a twist. The 2 part outer grill is also designed to deflect most of any water aimed at it (tried it) the mesh that I have replaced the original with will let even less through and won't degrade either.

Got a very slight drip on the accy area somewhere but not found it yet. However it raises fully in 18 seconds and is about 1/2 way down after 3 hours. Ticks are occasional, haven't had time to stand waiting for the next one