The reason for my problem with the bubble car museum is not because of what the Heinkel is, but because the guy would not even talk to me about it. I am not complaining about the Heinkel, I did after all willingly get it, I am complaining about the total 'talking to brick wall' type responses I got from them.
Before anybody says, yes, I know, LEGALLY they are fully within their right to not tell me anything, since it was auctioned off and etc. But, how much of a mean person do you have to be to actually do that?
I mean, if someone called me up and said ''hey, I have your old VW coupe that you owned years ago, can you tell me anything about it'' I would at least TRY to remember who I got it from, and stuff. I wouldn't even dream of saying ''sorry you didnt buy it from me, i don't know anything about it, not my problem, bye''.
Its all very well and good that its possible to work out roughly where it came from from what you and other people said, but why would the museum not tell me that themselves? Thats what bugs me. All they had to do was say ''your Heinkel came as an incomplete shell from Mike Doofer who deals in citroens, and I took parts off it and sold it on'' or something along those lines. It would have taken that guy exactly 3 seconds and one breath's worth of oxygen, and thats it. Yet, instead of doing that, they chose to pretend to not know anything about it.
It doesn't matter what the car is, or it's condition. Be it a Heinkel, a beetle, or even not a car, I am not talking about the car, I am talking about their totally unhelpful attitude.
As for the Prinz, its coming along pretty well, should be road-legal as soon as I can get some brake cylinders.
Does anybody know what sort of parts the NSU owners club stocks, and what sort of prices? I emailed them asking about it, because I don't want to join just to find out that they only stock limited things and they are more expensive then getting them from Germany, asking them about their parts range, but they havn't replied yet. Anybody a member? On their site they say they stock everything needed to keep cars on the road, does that really mean what it says (I heard owners clubs saying that before and then it turns out that they only have a few NOS doors, some bushes and another seller's items re-branded and for twice the price :lol:). I don't really do the whole owner's club thing, as you know, but would join if they stock a lot of reasonably priced parts, as getting my freind in German to send me out parts all the time is inconvenient.
So far I need: All 4 wheel cylinders, master cylinder (if it's cheaper then the 90 pounds or so to re-sleeve the old one), fuel pump (or rebuild kit if they are rebuildable) and a clutch. I know the wheel cylinders are available from several parts stockists in Europe, but since they are unique to the Prinz they are quiet pricy.
I improvised a tool for pulling the brake drums, and got them off successfully without breaking them.
Also, it seems that at some point in the car's life, somebody majorly messed up one of the spindles, some idiot just forced a nut onto it, cross threading it badly. Luckily it mainley damaged the nut, not the spindle itself, and once I get a die in that thread, it should clean up OK. But, who the hell would do that to such a clean car?? Surely not the bubble car museum guy?
Does anybody happen to know how to change the clutch on these?