RUMCars Forum
General Category => RUMCar Mart => Topic started by: inacoma on February 27, 2008, 07:42:14 PM
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Hi
Obviously i couuld ask the H.K. club, but thought I would aske the Rumcars Team first.
Has anyone got a spare petrol cap that they would sell, or does anyone know what else is the same?
Thanks
John
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Alo Alo! Have we aquired a Hienkel then John? Sorry I cant help with the filler cap.
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I have one - which sort of petrol tank is it - there are two types - one is quite common and the other qiute rare, I have the common type, I need the photograph of the opening.
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Hi Everyone.
Yes i have got myself a 1958 Heinkel.
Has an M.O.T. and is in good condition. has a later engine (Honda Helix) fitted, so runs as an automatic.
Also has original engine etc.
I have had it for just over a week, but have been waiting for the insurance to send a cover note (took 8 days) before I could tax it and give it a drive, so I could let you know more.
Took it out yesterday late afternoon, It went fine for the first couple of miles, went round the block a few times with one of my mates in it. then I dropped him back home and decided to go another couple of miles to where I work to drop some paperwork in. When I went o pull away it died, petrol run out I presumed as I knew it was a bit low. It still had petrol though, so i presumed it may be too old as the last owner hasn't used it except to get it M.O.T.'d for about 2 years.
Anyway mixed in some new unleaded as thats what it runs on and off I went again, with wife and no.2 daughter following in the Ford Focus. About half a mile down the road it conked out again.
At this point the local kids all arrived and started laughing and asking what it was could they buy one etc. luckily after a couple of minutes it started up again and went O.K. for the next 2 miles to get home.
When I got home I realised I had lost the petrol cap, I have got my work to look for it and they have found one that sounds like it but it's been run over and is a bit flat now.
Will have to clean out carb, plug etc. and check everything else over at the weekend.
I haven't had a 3 wheeler before (lots of 1950's A30/35's) there are no major loose bits on the wheels and steering, but it seems very very vague and wanders and threads a lot I presume this is normal,? but will probably get someone else who has one to try it out for me when I meet up with them.
Hi Mike thanks for the offer and info on the cap, here is a picture of the filler hole :-
If it's a match let me know how much and I can send to your Paypal account
Cheers everyone
John
X
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Hi
Sorry wrong picture, this is the complete car UBY 684, for any previous owners
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Hi John
Yes I have got one to fit this - no charge - just let me know your address and I will send it to you - Mike
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Hi Mike
Thanks you are a STAR ;D
Just shows how good it is to have the forum and what a great help everyone is.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
John
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Congratulations John. It looks very tidy indeed! Maybe just some bumpers to finish it off. I'm sure you will get over the teething troubles, at least you have the option of having it serviced at a modern motorcycle/scooter shop on account of the honda engine. Will you be concidering changing it back to Heinkel power or sticking with the scooter engine? Congratulations again, you are now a proper microcar driver!!
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Hi Bob
Thanks, I am very "chuffed" ;D with it
I think I will leave the engine if it works O.K. and settles down. I have to go back to pick up all of the engine and ancilaries, probably over the weekend, and will have a better idea of what would be needed if I want to reinsatate it. I was told that it was changed to aid reliability, so could be the engine was due for a rebuild and some work anyway.
Done the sensible thing as the car has had a fortune spent, and then the owner lost interest, it's not been used for last 2 1/2 years as the next owner had it in a garage at the bottom of a steep slope and couldn't move it around as unfortunately he has had a heart attack.
Repainted and interior retrimmed, but not overdone, just looks like a car that is a couple of years old.
Bumpers would be nice, if anyone has a set?
Going to buy or make a trailer next, as the only one I have is 4 foot x 8 foot box.
John
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It's amazing how many jobs you can get done at home, when you are off ill
Got a picture now.
Only taken just over a year to get around to it
;D
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Nice one John, I love Heinkels, will Acomas ever get a look in again!
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Hi
Any microcar will alway have a chance ::)
John
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Hi John
Part sent to you this afternoon - should arrive over the weekend - Cheque the tyre pressure I've found this to be the cause of the cars "skittish" behavour - the front tyres shoud be 22 lbs and the back tyre 29lbs - thats with a standard engine. Another cause might be the rubber mounts holding the engine to the bulkhead - its easy to check this just jack up the rear of the car using the bodywork not too far just so as the rear wheel is clear off the ground then push the rear wheel and see if the engine wobbles. I hope that this has been useful to you over the past 35 years I have driven my Hienkle/Trojan about 50 - 70,000 miles all accross Europe, I seldom use a trailer - Bubble cars are for driving.
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Hi John. In addition to what Mike has said, the problem could also be the rear tyre. Are you still running on the scooter tyre that came with the honda engine and transmission? If so scooter tyres are not designed with the wall stiffness required for use on a car,what happens is the wheel moves from side to side on the tyre thus causing the car to wag its tail as it goes along and playing havoc with the steering! This is a common problem with messerschmitts, a proper car tyre might solve the problem. Equally likely is what Mike suggested and the engine mounts could be two soft for the job of carrying the back of the car, its much heavier than a scooter. This is often the problem with engine conversions, any fool can graft one on a car but few follow through with all the other necessary modifications to really make it work properly. I'm not saying yours hasn't been done properly John but its worth a look.
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Hi
Thanks mates, I know one problem straight away, I have the front 2 tyres way over inflated, one had almost no preassure at all, so wizzed them up to about 30 lb as soon as I had driven it back from the other side of B'mth.
Both of the fronts are the Trelborg ? make ones that are like the old crossply tread, and I'm not used to 3 wheelers, so some of it is probably me as well.
Any other tips appreciated.
Ta
John
P.S. Will check on the other things at the weekend.
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Hi John
To add to what the others have said, I once had a Morris Minor van that relied upon a pinhole in the petrol cap to vent the petrol tank. I changed the cap for one with a lock (during petrol rashoning) which had no vent and so as the tank emptied it created a vacuum until the pump could not suck the petrol through, and the engine stopped. Taking off the cap let in air, the engine started and off we went again for a few miles and then it stopped again.
It took me some time to realise what was happening, but once I had, and changed the cap for the correct one, all was OK.
Your story sounds very similar, so perhaps you may have suffered the same problem.
Chris T
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all petrol tank caps should have a vent hole for the reason you mention,often polish blocks the hole up etc.
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John, your straight line driving is nothing to do with it being a three wheeler and you not being used to it. A three wheeler that is set up correctly and driving on original equipment will steer in a line the same as a four wheeler. I would try the tyre pessures first and then look at the other things suggested. Cheers, Bob
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Hi
I think you are right, the back tyre is probably very low on pressure and the front 2 over the top, the symptoms seem to be what you described, bob.
Cheers everyone.
Will keep you posted.
john
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for comparison,a Reliants tyre pressures are around 30 at the front(where all the weight is)and 25 at the back,so you should have more pressure in your rear tyre than the front ones :)
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Hi John
The front two tyres should be Trellabourgs - there the right size and they are on a few of my cars - I've been thinking about your petrol problem, and I've never heard of a heinkel tank having a vacoum inside it - mostly people tend to fit an inline filter on the down pipe - it does not work on gravity feed tanks - SO IF YOU HAVE ONE TAKE IT OFF - that will save you cleaning out the carburettor at the weekend - incidently I noticed your rear tyre was under inflated in the picture the tyre pressures I gave you are correct for a Heinkel - happy driving.
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Hi
I think the fuel was probably past it's best, at least 2 1/2 years old that the bloke I purchased from knew about, so fingers crossed that with a new load mixed in it will be O.K.
Rear tyre looks too soft to me as well, I have the hondas workshop manual and service guide so will check that in the light tomorrow if the rain stops a bit.
Petrol cap has already arrived, been fitted, and is in better condition than the old one ever was so :) :D ;D
A MASSIVE thanks to Mike, what a hero
Will let you knoe progress, weather permitting.
Cheers everyone.
John
X
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Hi all
I got the tyre pressures O.K. on the Heinkel today and it's like a different car. ( having read the Honda Helix workshop manual, the tyre pressure is suposed to be 32 PSI. under load, so I presume that 5LB was a little bit underinflated )
Mixed in a further gallon of new petrol, which with the one I did on Weds. it almost filled the tank.
I did about 20 miles all around Bournemouth and Christchurch areas this afternoon and it went without a hitch.
Great to see the faces of everyone who probably hasn't seen one for years
Keep up the good work with advice and tips everyone, together we are the A TEAM
John
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Congrats John! Just teething troubles after all then! Im so pleased it was nothing serious. I was in Bournmouth or should i say more Poole yesturday and I was keeping an eye out just on the off chance of seeing the new red local attraction but it wasnt to be! 5psi? I can just imagine that rim swaying from side to side on the tyre! Have you decided on what your first rally will be? Cheers, Bob
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Hello John, glad to see you are making progress. Did that first photo you posted go in the H?T mag recently? It looks familiar. That's a lovely car, hope to see it sometime. I wish this forum had been going when I restored my Trojan, but I also did get a lot of help from Goggo, including an engine re-build.
I have a nephew who is at uni in B'mouth, so if you ever get wild response from a tall afro'd lad in a 1970s blue VW Beetle it will be him
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Hi
The photo's not in the last 2 that I have just been sent, but I have a big gap before that and then a lot of old ones from a previous owner, so not sure.
Everywhere you go you get people waving, pointing and smiling.
My wife says they are just laughing at me and it has nothing to do with the car though ;)
John
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Have you experienced all the horn blasting yet? You will be toodleing along the dual carrageway minding your own business and someone in the fast lane will draw up alongside and blast their horn at you, after you have jumped out of your skin and wondered if they are warning you about a wheel falling off you realize they are just being friendly! Please dont do that !!!!!!!!
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Hi
Yes I have had this, and because the car is new to me I am a bit wary of the mechanicals until I have checked it all out and driven a fair distance.
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I never tire of all the waves, smiles cameras etc when driving my Trojan around London. One time I noticed a VW camper in my mirror driving wildly through traffic behind me. He followed for miles and eventually caught up with me at traffic lights, driver leapt out all thumbs up and camera. Best fun is going over Tower bridge when all the tourists are around
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It must be realy great when you are driving something that is realy rare.
A lot of people have a stab at guessing, Ie.
Nice Messerschmitt, Isetta, bubblecar or er!!!!!!!! my teacher/ auntie etc. had one of them.
Bob, how do you get on with something like an Inter or other rare beastie ?
I should think everyone must just say what the hell is that ?
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Its much the same reaction as when I'm in a messerschmitt or my wifes old Berekely, I'm afraid that most young people in my area are very rude and disrespectful, many leap out in the road infront of me thinking oddly that because its a small car it wont kill them when it hits them, I find the best thing to do is lean on the horn and head straight for them! Older people who remember microcars and far more respectful and I often have a chat at the petrol station or outside tesco's. As I say its much the same in a rare car like my old Noble except for that people get the identity wrong and say "cool heinkel" or in my first Inter it would be "Oh a messerschmitt my dad had one of those" ect ect. Unlike Marcus who sounds like a bit of an exibitionist if you dont mind me saying so old mate, I wish people would just ignore me when I'm on the road, its hard enough concentrating on driving a car like a schmitt without people acting like lunatics all around you. Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man! I do have a laugh with our milkman though, when he sees me coming down the road he always crouches beside his milkfloat and pretends to gun me out of the sky!
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Yes Bob you are a grumpy old man, but who cares. ;D
Is the milkman using a real gun ?
John
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Well this is true John, its why I have no friends, Boo Hoo!!! Your still a novice John, give it a couple of years and they will have ground you down, if however you find that you still crave attention you could try wearing a fez whilst driving! Sorry Marcus , couldnt help myself!
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My old Velorex (Grotbag) got a lot of attention and dropped jaws from people who could not believe it was on the road because much of its "bodywork" was torn or completely missing. One biker asked if it was the car from the brilliant film "Mr Hulot's Holiday", but i told him that lovely Jalopy was probably a Salmson and had 4 wheels. What, never heard of " Les Vacances de Mr. Hulot"?????
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I do indeed remember the silent film, saw it with my parents in the 60's. Here's some trivia about the film, I have mentioned before that I played guitar in a shadows tribute band and according to Hank marvin [the real one] He and Bruce Welch wrote the tune Foot tapper for the theme of what was to be Jacques Tati's next film but it was rejected so the shads released it as a single and the rest is history, all this will only make sense if you are a Shadows fan! Its a great film Marcus!
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Your tales about the reactions of passers-by reminded me of the days way back in the very early '80's when the 'Sidcup Bubblers' used to travel to Burford in convoy through London, across Westminster Bridge, up the Euston road on to the A4 and Oxford and beyond. Comments from bus queues as you waited for the traffic lights to change, Japanese tourists taking photographs on Westminster bridge, etc, etc. However, the funniestcomment I remember was made on our way home from one such excursion. As usual we pulled into the first petrol station just outside Oxford to take on supplies for the long journey home. There were about five cars altogether I think including a couple of Heinkels, a Messerschmitt, an Isetta and a Goggomobil . Edwin and I were filling up and the attendant pointed to the 'Scmitt and said whats that and we told him it was a Messerschmitt from Germany. Just then the Goggo pulled in - 'Cor that's a tiny car, is it a toy' says he. 'No, its Goggomobil from Dingofling' said Edwin. 'Oh yes' was the response 'and I'm Father Christmas!' and stomped off. I don't think he believed us.