Messerschmitt goes to the road

[Big Al]

In line with their simplicity the Messerschmitt is already refreshed and to gain its ethereal tax 'disc' after a trip to MOTland. It took little more than a week to resolve issues.

Interestingly it does show up that it is not a British Spec car. Confirming what I suspected, that it was bought abroad, and bought back to Britain by a returning ex pat employee. Thus a 1959 car masquerading as a 1965. In the process it has lost its centre numberplate light for two indicators. The rear lights are a miss matched pair of numberplate light option standard Hella units. I will get a matched pair sorted. The front sidelights might have been put on later, but have the look of original equipment, being wired into the loom as they were, being an optional extra.
I also think it was in a hot country as the original paint has that classic baked surface, now painted over but showing through. So Kenya, Gulf States sort of posting. That would also explain why very little of the original rubber parts are left, and of them, most were rotten.

Doing a 'normal' microcar is so much simpler and quicker than taking on an unusual one, its almost cheating. Still once circuit and bumps are done, reliability established this car will be for sale as I do not need it. I do need space and a cash injection to move and sort out 3 Borgwards. In the meantime I should get some good Schmitting in.

[plas man]

as said by many before '' a picture says more than words'' .....


Alan

[Bob Purton]

I shouldnt worry Al that its not an "unusual" microcar, as you have pointed out in the past any roadworthy and driven microcar is unusual these days and we want to hear about it.
Yes a photo would be nice.

[Big Al]

Ah, and technology is apparently to the rescue. My camera has suffered loss of the PC chatty cable and the LED screen has crashed. It seems my phone has bluetooth and a reasonable camera. Therefore this means it is OK to do pictures direct to the PC. All I need know is those chums who decided this to show me how. If it is simple then I will use it. I bet it is not, though. Lots of poking tiny keyboards and 82 different procedures. I can make old engines work but electric gadgets just do my head in. We will see.

[plas man]

come on admit it - you've still got the Zenit E   
(Black & white as well !!!)

Alan

[Big Al]

Well actually there is a chest full of cameras. Box Brownie, Stereo cameras, 160 degree camera, Bellows plate cameras and a load of Leika stuff. However I never got into the photography thing so most of this is beyond my use and remains as collectors items. It was the previous generation's thing. Also some good cine stuff. A lot now pretty worthless, even as collectors items, as less people are interested. Bit like stamps. As a family we are not good at getting rid of stuff.....

[plas man]

i love cine , but tape out priced film so that was it . but still have the old kit , from the 3 turret brownie to the electronic Sanyo with the sound recorder you had to lug around with you , but the best of all was the russian Quartz 8mm (beaulieu copy)


Alan

[Big Al]

Now the own goals show up.
The Exhaust silencer does not fit, ancient MOC issue from days when a car with an exhaust was probably worth twice one that had none, A serviceable unit was made available which would now be unpopular. Like the GRP replica dome the car sports. No replacement domes in those days. The use of coach-bolts does not help to gain a good tight fit of the exhaust to the engine, either, so its jiggling whilst being very hail and hearty. Good Essex steel.
The petrol tap is a pretty new one, Nick Poll had some like these. Nice match if not 100% original. Sadly nearly destroyed because who ever fitted it struggled with the concept of the nut having both a male and a female thread so it pulls the unions onto a mid mounted fiber washer. This is the second such installation in a few weeks. What is it about fuel taps and ignoramuses? WE go to the trouble of finding really good parts and these gits destroy them. The noshing that has ensued has parted the filter element off the new tap. The gravity trap filter was never put in (either supplied, or you use your existing one from the old tap). The on pipe is blocked leaving just reserve to work. The failure was completed by the addition of an in line Bike, on/off type chrome switch to make up for a new tap that is facing the wrong way! Good grief!
The mal-fitted engine mountings, that failed on my starting the engine up, have seen off the Cylinder head stud. Fortunately its eventual sacrifice after much wear on the trumpet housing, has saved the ali casing elsewhere. Fortunately I got the broken remains out, as this had been fitted well. Turns out the top rubber mounting was some sort of bodge. The mid mount had failed sometime ago, to be replaced by a steel plate and some rubber rammed into the mid mount cup. The bottom mount had succumbed to time and strain. Such was the drop that the clutch cable was fully on since I started the car back in the early simmer. Thus the clutch lever was stuck, until I got it eased off again. The teleflex has been carefully treated and lubed with the oil and balloon trick. It now returns to centre like it should, nice. 
So hopefully all the issues of the mounts, and there total failure, and mine for not checking them first, are resolved. The tap needs stripping out so I need to find a temporary replacement in the stash - hmm, where were they? There are plenty of other grotty looking issues to sort out but they can be done while the car runs, hopefully.

Revisiting the flashers. The unit on the car was the correct 15w original. I have an 18w replacement on, but both exhibit the same odd effect. Moving the can changes the speed of the indicator (The 18w is slower than the 15w, as you would expect). The warning light bulbs still pop out after one flash and refuse to work again, yet will work as sidelights when mounted thus afterwards. It suggests a dodgy wire in the loom that has a leak to earth, or another wire. Cannot think of anything else that fits. Switch fault?

[Bob Purton]

Did you check the bulb values?

[Big Al]

Yes. We fly on all original bulbs, since I have lots of them stashed. LED were not really on the horizon then! Indeed it is hard to get low value flasher units. 21w by 2 trailer ones being about the lowest you will find in shops. That size bulb burns the lens on the schmitt, which was why the units were removed from German emergency appliances, the law requiring more powerful warning lights, and I got my huge box of 300 NOS units at autojumble. It will also be when Hella probably stopped making them. The British brake light continues, in modified form, as it is used as a marker light on trucks etc. 

[Bob Purton]

I think I may have already said that I sourced a 12v 21watt unit for single flashers from a tractor suppliers which suited the needs of the Bobette. Interestingly I have seen many electronic ones that will flash at the same rate what ever is connected up to them. I also saw one that has a knob you can turn to set your own flasher speed. I dont think finding alternative flasher units is going to be a problem at all in the future. Nice to have the correct original part though.

[Big Al]

I have a good quantity of the bang correct Messerschmitt/Heinkel/Trojan rear sidelight festoon rated at 3w, and which is shorter than the standard festoons normally seen these days. Problem is everyone has modified their rear light backplate for the longer 5w, as the 3w became unobtainium. So an original and rare part nobody wants! Not even the Clubs who should be stocking original spec equipment when it comes up. Perhaps the same could be said for 25w/25w pre focus bulbs, though. Hardly anyone wants to fit them, and prefer to uprate, or even change to a differing bulb system entirely. Why wouldn't you if your using the car. I am less sure about statics but then I am not sure many owners of those are really bothered about such accuracy to original either.

[Big Al]

Bringi8ng this up to date. The long period of wet and windy weather slowed down work on cars. But returning to the Schmitt over the weekend I finally resolved the various own goals. The induction assembly was over tight, yet had not got good gaskets thus creaing a mighty air leak. The carb itself had deformed enough to jam on the mounting studs. The whole system was serviced and the carb face made flat again. THe clutch lever on the engine was given its last physiotherapy with oil and is now moving OK. So that could be set up. The carb put back on I then found the choke cable to be a replacement. Fitted with an adjuster that will never adjust it as the cable is to short. So a right fight to get the plunger off, cleaned out, repaired and back on again. The teleflex meanwhile, the original probably, now returns to the centre on its own, nice.
The engine had clearly been moving a lot in its last use. The head stud was broken but fortunately proud of the casting so it came out OK. The exhaust however was loose. The damage had been done aided by use of a coach bolt on the bottom mounting. I doubt it was ever tight enough. So the only mount working, next to the air filter had failed taking part of the silencer wall with it. Thus destroying a pretty new silencer.
None the less it was time to start the engine to see if the rest of the work was up to scratch. The fuel tap had bunged up again. So that needed to be cleared. Means there is a good amount of muck in there to be flushed out. Finally with fuel fitted the engine barked into life. Despite the chilly day it was happy to tick over after a couple of minutes so not far off the right place.
Now to find a silencer and to repair a rather worn trumpet casing. The MOT can be booked.

The flashers. Never got to the bottom of this but a good clean of the terminals and mounting at an angle the unit likes seem to have solved 90% of the problem. So I think the unit is a bit loose inside its can and there are variable earths on the bulbs over time until they are all cleaned up. This would alter the power needed to flash, thus the speed of the flashing. The warning light, no idea save the suggestion of one flash and a small burn out on the contact area. There is not really much holding these bulbs in place.   

[Big Al]

Messerschmitt now has its MOT. Some messing around still to do for a good job. The Trooper got its MOT too. The BX 1.6 TRS Auto is running well with most bugs sorted out.
The Puddlejumper has swapped new owners, but remains sold and sadly will be heading out of the country since no one else here valued its unique history. It therefore did not need an MOT but was ready to go.
The Pod is in from the cold to be gone through and preped for sale. The BX 1.4 is on the starting line and first of is to decide if it is to be MOTed or not. Very cheap car and might suit selling off the road as this lightweights are something of an enthusiasts second car. An IC is due to pass through the garage.
Having shuffled the pack, there is a Peel opportunity available, offering an ID and some parts. A Bitsa Schmitt will be looming in the early spring. A further BX awaits the road. Must find the rest of the sidecar and several other large items to be made ready, like three bubblecar trailers - to be drawn by, not to be put on. All but the Trooper to be sold.
He who gets work done in the winter, gets ahead. Done I can get the next Schmitt done and the Bianchina on the road before the Borg arrive.