Petter A11 1947 restoration

I bought this as it was cheap while I was buying something else and it made the trip worthwhile. Described as just needing a carb and fuel pipe I found this to be correct and I made it my first priority to make it run before stripping and rebuilding.


I happened to have a spare carb that I'd prepared earlier


A new filter bowl


A new pipe




A new spark plug and adjustment to the timing and away it went.


continued ....

First something to build on




This being my third trolley I thought I'd try a different finish. Rustind wood dye followed by Linseed Oil












Continued .....

The petrol tank is a major part of any resto if its had a long life and been neglected. Internal corrosion and pin holes are not so hard to deal with once its cleaned out.
First I beat the mounting brackets back to their original shape and realised I will now need another new fuel pipe DOH as it will be short.







PETSEAL Ultra


This has to be left in the warm for a full 7 days now to cure completely.Then I'll fill the external dents and get on with painting.


continued ........

Original 6" belt pulleys present an issue with getting the gib key out.
I'm not overly sentimental about accessories and turning one into a 5" pulley solves the problem for good.












I've seen a few instances of people using this tool from the wrong side i.e. right handed. This tool has angled sides and the widest part of the cross section profile must go to the bottom closest to the key, this way it digs in and doesn't ride out as easily.
I've posted this vid before but its worth reposting as he knows what he is doing. I'm grateful to him for this!


Like so

Nice, that's going to look and sound lovely!

Alan

Thanks. I hope so Alan, it remains to be seen how worn the parts are yet.

Looking good Andy.
A word of caution - beware of screwing into end grain of the cross pieces. They may cause a split when moving/running. I tend to use mortice and tenon joints - see towards the end of this thread

https://ukengineforum.forumotion.com/t8942-villiers-the-v-engine

Otherwise drill a hole across the cross member and glue in one inch dowel, then the screw is biting into cross grain.

Thank you Paul but its Andy.

The cross members only act as spacers as the engine crankcase bolts directly to the main rails giving the trolley its strength. The axle collars too bolt to the main rails.
One of my others

Sorry Andy - duh!! Point taken another pic anyway.


 

Looks like it would carry almost anything Paul

The tin work needs a lot of help but the head tin is the easier task. After stripping the old coatings and most rust it was coated with Aquasteel rust converter primer
A photo just to capture where the original decal is positioned.


After treating


The unseen surfaces are being brush painted but I'll use Paragon spray cans for all the visible stuff


The brass hardware


salt & vinegar


Solvol

This post brings me up to current progress.
Today I removed the barrel and piston so I had something to do indoors while the weather is so poor.
The piston and rings are ok apart from the stepped rings were upside down. I checked them for wear by removing them to clean the ring grooves and fitting them in the bore to check the gaps were within limits.
I cleaned the outside of the barrel and honed the bore lightly.
On this 1947 engine there are no serviceable valve guides rather they are bored straight into the casting.
I cleaned the valves and lapped them in so all is good at this point.
Finished off with a coat of cylinder black.


















Parts waiting for their place

Woodsman wrote:Looking good Andy.
A word of caution - beware of screwing into end grain of the cross pieces. They may cause a split when moving/running. I tend to use mortice and tenon joints - see towards the end of this thread

https://ukengineforum.forumotion.com/t8942-villiers-the-v-engine

Otherwise drill a hole across the cross member and glue in one inch dowel, then the screw is biting into cross grain.

That's a very good idea that I will copy some day, very like IKEA do

My next mission was to get the crankcase to a state that I could fit it on the trolley.
So stripping and priming










I decided against taking the crankshaft out as I could tell it was in great condition but this made cleaning the 70 yrs of sludge much harder but I got there.
Crankcase is hand painted as its so rough I doubt spray would look any different.




Then this morning before the rain got too persistent






Barely any wear on the shims








The valve lifter was missing from this engine despite the starting instruction plate including it in the procedure but I have a spare that just need a colour change

The steel timing case stripped and rebuilt ready for primer. This is the main feature of an A11 and was changed to an aluminium casting on the later A1.










Pesky tappets been the same on every engine, worn to a recess so feeler gauges don't work thus they get left and accelerates wear.


They are hardened steel but not impossible to turn the high sections down to near flush.


My son visited today so I took the covers off for him to catch up on my 4 months of a hobby

1947 1952 1958

Nice work Andy.
BTW. I think you may be getting fixated on a single manufacturer.

Thanx Paul I didn't realise it was so obvious
SEP delivery but need much warmer weather for the paint.


It was very hard work stripping the detritus off the head.


This one has the plug insert resin bonded in


Tappets re fitted and set to 10 thou


Valve lifter from spares stock fitted so it meets with the brass plate starting instructions.

"It was very hard work stripping the detritus off the head."

Not too long ago someone posted about using heavy duty electric cable jammed into copper/brass pipe and mounted in a pillar drill (I think) but I can't find it. Maybe the original poster can remind us please.

Twas me! (and I can't find it either)
Basically it was a short length (6 inches) of Bowden cable secured in the chuck of a pillar drill with the free end through a piece of close fitting tube to guide it by hand in the fins of a head casting. Best to splay out the free end of the cable for maximum 'wire brush effect'
I've used it successfully on other engines (originally for my Villiers mk 25 HS) although I will have to make another as my original broke!
Watch your fingers!

Alan

Thanks Alan

https://ukengineforum.forumotion.com/t10357-jap-4-2-engine-no-p15904uvx#76880

Slow progress
I had a spare previously prepared flywheel but I discovered it did not go far enough onto the crankshaft to meet the fan cowling. So I had to spend a day restoring the original that has a machined chamfer that mates with the same on the crank.

The flywheel had many defects that had been repaired with welding to the fins.


The  foul weather put a damper on using spray paint so I'm brush painting with a view to flatting back and spraying in the spring.


The flywheel cowling was extremely corroded and previously protected with linseed oil. Replacements seem to be hard to source so I persevered with the original by burning off all the linseed and stripping all loose rust.


This left a good enough clean surface to repair with glass matt and resin.






Followed by the remaining bare steel being treated with Aquasteel rust converter primer

The repair of the cowling moved things along a pace.




The original support stud for the tinwork was very small diameter and was too short so I tapped the barrel 5mm and upgraded

First run just now.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yE17daS6OXk?feature=share

Nice work Andy, again! Weather doesn't look too bad where you are.

And your decking looks in better nick than ours - needs some remedial work come summer.

Thank you Paul.
Some more pictures and lashing points now attached too.











The whole thing is only 600mm long so will easily go up my ramp and turn 90 degrees which leaves enough room for a second engine aboard


deck is 800mm wide

I inherited this engine with the starting dog on the crankshaft. This can hurt somewhat if it kicks back so I've acquired the regular starting dog for the timing case to save a hospital visit.
To remove the original I rotated the pawl in the starting handle by 180 and a single smack with a 2lb persuader cracked the thread first hit.



3/4" BSF






Easy life and all the rattles disappear when load is applied to the belt drum.