Damage limitation

Got the engine out today, The clutch release bearing had come off the operating shaft, one arm on the shaft was bent and one broken. The springs on each of the 3 clutch release levers that are part of the clutch pressure plate had all come off and were wrecked.

Not sure now if it was a failure of the pressure plate that led to the release bearing and operating shaft damage or the other way round.

Will be ordering new parts and switching to the later style clutch release mechanism and pressure plate; at the same time we will also be checking the fly wheel to make sure there is no distortion that could have caused the failure.

At least no major damage to engine or gear box.

62 details

Here is one more difference on the early 62s compared to later ones.

I never looked at the 62 handles properly when I took them off and when sorting through my collection of door handles to supply one to another T34 owner I noticed that the back of the original 62 handles in the finger grip area are hollow, where as all the later ones are solid.

Post 62 handle at top, 62 at bottom in the photo.

And one more thing

To solve some of the electrical problems on the car and remove the need for a separate switch for the windscreen washers, as the valve in the push button unit leaks, I bought a NOS switch unit which was of course very expensive but looked great.
It solved some of the electrical glitched linked to the resistor on the back of the unit but the new valve in the washer switch leaks equally as well as the old one.
If any one knows how to repair these then do let me know.

Happenings since May

It hasn't exactly been a smooth transition from restoration to on the road for my 62, in fact it's been more trial and tribulation.

On the way back from it's MOT after the VolksWorld show the rear driver's side wheel decided it didn't like being attached to the car and came off at about 30mph with the exception of one bolt that held the wheel to the car and stopped it scrapping along the ground. Outcome was no one injured, a damaged wheel, dented pride but no damage to the bodywork.

So having got over that I tracked down a replacement rim and will be prepping it to go on the car shortly.

Electrical problems have persisted, most of them now relate to the multi function instrument cluster and I will be swapping over the back of the unit to see if that helps solve the problems. I also had to swap the early MPH speedo back to the early restored KPH speedo as the trip meter kept zeroing back to 0 miles.

Subsequently has issues with the brake fluid proof hosing I bought to connect the reservoir to the piping and the joint between that pipe and the master cylinder pipe. It bled fluid profusely and I replaced it and bled the brakes which now seem OK.

At the VolksWorld show the car picked up a dent in one of the doors and at the same time the door lifter decided to part company with the window glass - will sort both of these problems at the same time. I will use a guy who does dent removal and then replace the window lifter and glass from my stock in the loft.

Finally - I was driving the car back from London along the A40, just before where it joins the M40, very busy in early evening and as I changed down gear the clutch release bearing, newly installed of course, decided to give way accompanied by loud banging and grating.

After 5 hours we were home, the engine is OK and turns over and the gearbox selects all gears. So hopefully damage is restricted to the bearing and shift lever inside the bell housing.

I have taken advice from ever helpful Luke at Terry's Beetles and will be switching the release bearing assembly and clutch to the later style with the aid of a conversion kit from Pete at Cogbox - more to follow on this as it happens.

Here is a picture of the car abandoned on the A40 with us safely out of the way.