Ford Anglia 106e (LHD) Estate

[JPB]

Wow! Surely the red vehicle, whose suspension component is attached to the rest of the structure by fresh air, can't be driveable? Least of all in a straight line.

Is it just me, or are there at least twelve yellow chalk fails (if tested to MOT standard) in that single image? It'll need a really large tub of Cataloy to sort that out.

[Zelandeth]

Wow! Surely the red vehicle, whose suspension component is attached to the rest of the structure by fresh air, can't be driveable? Least of all in a straight line.

Is it just me, or are there at least twelve yellow chalk fails (if tested to MOT standard) in that single image? It'll need a really large tub of Cataloy to sort that out.

Remember some crackers when visiting our in laws in East Lansing. No inspections there. It's slightly unnerving being overtaken on the freeway by a pickup truck doing 90+ which you can visibly see bending in the middle where the bodywork is clearly all that's holding the chassis together.

Cars there commonly seem to be driven simply until they can't drive any more. Seeing cars where the sills and bottom couple of inches of bodywork are simply missing is a multiple times daily occurrence in that area.

[3xpendable]

Wow! Surely the red vehicle, whose suspension component is attached to the rest of the structure by fresh air, can't be driveable? Least of all in a straight line.

Is it just me, or are there at least twelve yellow chalk fails (if tested to MOT standard) in that single image? It'll need a really large tub of Cataloy to sort that out.

As Zel said. It's terrifying, they literally drive them until they won't drive anymore. GarageJournal has a forum thread entitled 'Cars customers brought into the shop' where there are even photos of people who have tried to make flexible brake lines using hose clamps and rubber petrol tube......

[Dick]

Wow! Surely the red vehicle, whose suspension component is attached to the rest of the structure by fresh air, can't be driveable? Least of all in a straight line.

Is it just me, or are there at least twelve yellow chalk fails (if tested to MOT standard) in that single image? It'll need a really large tub of Cataloy to sort that out.

As Zel said. It's terrifying, they literally drive them until they won't drive anymore. GarageJournal has a forum thread entitled 'Cars customers brought into the shop' where there are even photos of people who have tried to make flexible brake lines using hose clamps and rubber petrol tube......

Could you post à link?? Pretty please!!

[3xpendable]

Could you post à link?? Pretty please!!

I knew you'd ask so did try to find it, but it appears to have been deleted. That said, Reddit has a forum 'Just rolled into the shop'

https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/

Anglia is all back together! I had a hell of a time bleeding the brakes. A friend has a pressure bleeder so brought it over. Well for one reason or another we decided to try it manually first. The big mistake he made (unbeknownst to me) was he pumped the pedal before I had opened a rear bleed nipple, which is a huge no no apparently. So it appears it sucked up some air into the system which affected the fronts too. We couldn't get a good pedal. So the next day I elected to use the pressure bleeder. I had some bubbles come out but filled a jar of fluid each side and it still wasnt a good pedal.

Yesterday morning I decided to bleed the entire system so I took the front wheels off and did it all. Only 2 bubbles came out of a rear cylinder and that was it. Still a long pedal! I admit I was quite despondant at this point so called my dad. I was planning to have another friend come over and bleed the system manually again as I felt I had not other choice. Dad said before doing that leave the brake pedal wedged down overnight which I did as that will force all air up to the highest point (i.e. the master cylinder). I went out this morning and VOILA! A good pedal! I'm very relieved. I do have a small leak from one of the rear wheel cylinder fittings, so will have to nip that up (they go a LOT tighter than I thought they would).



A view showing how rust free the inner front arches are.



Next on the list is to fix the boot lock, and re-ground one of the front sidelight terminals (it broke off). My brother is coming to visit in May so we will be doing lots of tinkering then. The rear window seal needs replacing as it is so hard that the chrome trim has fallen out.

[3xpendable]

We had an unusual series of weather events recently including a lot of rain that have washed the majority of salt from the roads. The housing area I live in didn't get salted anyway, so what little salt was present was just residual from cars bringing it in from the main roads and totally washed away by the rain.

With that in mind, after I turned the car around on the dollies in the garage I gave it a final check over and fired it up for the first time this year! I backed it out of the garage and let it idle/warm up for about 10 minutes while checking all everything for leaks/issues. When all looked good I drove around our development for a few laps, then can back and checked everything over again (I'm paranoid that I've left something loose or done something wrong despite triple checking).

All was good so I repeated this a few more times and then just went for a short continuous drive around the neighbourhood to enjoy it. Surprise surprise, now it actually has rear suspension bushes that aren't worn through to the metal, it rides as quiet as a church mouse! It was really fun just to take it out and enjoy it once I got over the initial nervousness of 'Have I done something wrong during the rebuild?'

So in terms of work, that's about it for this winter at least. I have a few little jobs I am awaiting parts from the UK to finish such as the handbrake linkage along with fitting wing mirrors on both sides and period static seat belts (the fittings are there but they weren't fitted from the factory). I also need to cure the squeaky speedometer. I'm guessing the cable or head needs lubricating but I don't recall it squeaking with the original KMH speedometer, so any ideas are welcome.

In other news, this is why I was paranoid about the Anglia when it was shipped over:



Apparently it was headed to the USA from Germany and has 1100 Porsches and 189 Bentley's on board. They are toast.

[3xpendable]

A package came for me yesterday from the UK. New windscreen wipers, mirrors, handbrake linkage parts and period seatbelts.

I got to work fitting the seatbelts last night. The holes and nuts are there, but they are bunged off so I had to cut the floor mat in each area and ran a tap through the threads.





Finished off with grade 8 bolts, voila!



Now I had the rubber pad and cable circlip I could fit those to finish the handbrake mechanism off, along with new stainless hardware.



It was getting late so I called it a day at that point, but not before taking a look over the new minibike I've bought:



It needs a new fuel tank.....



Luckily they are cheap, and I drained the carb and after all the brown liquid came out it looked remarkably clean so I'll wash it out and give it a try. At worst a replacement carb is $20 so not a big deal.

[3xpendable]

Finally got the Anglia out yesterday! We had some nice weather most of last week but the roads were still salted. We had heavy rain Friday and Saturday with Sunday sunny, so I took the opportunity to get it out.



Took it to the local hardware store and when everything seemed ok I went on my first proper adventure with it, finding some nice roads and putting 25 miles on it! I stopped outside the mansion/lodge of former NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.



After my drive I parked it up at its new home. I need the 2nd bay in my garage for other things.



Unfortunately, the rear pinion seal is leaking so that will need to be changed. Annoyingly it looked fine when I had the axle out! I don't have the tools to do it so may farm it out.

Lastly, managed to find a cover small enough for it in the US.

[3xpendable]

We keep getting teased with the weather warming up then snapping cold again. Yesterday was the last nice weekend before we go on holiday in mid April so while chilly I took the Anglia out for a spin. Went to visit a fellow Anglia owner who has a 123e Super that was imported from the UK at some point:




Found some lovely B roads out in the forest near my home.

[3xpendable]

My brother is visiting and brought a load of spares, including a new rear window seal that was badly in need of replacement.




Cut it out, cleaned the glass and the window frame was excellent bar a few tiny spots that were treated with rust converter.




Voila!



It comes with a plastic chrome strip, you cannot reuse the old metal one as the new rubber has a narrower channel. Still it is a marked improvement over the old.