Hi,
I am back, around 2 years ago, I asked for help in getting a spridget
motor together for a old British car and I spent a fortune getting a motor
together but then life happened and I stopped working on the car. I am
picking up where I left off and trying to get the motor finished so I can
make up the motor mounts and get this car finished.
I have run into lots of little problems with this motor and finally
frustration is setting in. I made a major mistake when I purchased this
motor from a junkyard, I should have waited and purchased a 1275 but I
didn't and it is costing me now. I do not have a 1098 but it is a 1098 if
that makes any sense. I had a shop in L.A. do the machine work that was
recommended by this list 2 years ago and he didn't mention any problems
except that the stock valve guides did not fit, he had to use some other
valve guides and he assembled the motor to a "long block"
status. Basically pistons and head are on and the rest is mine to do. I
spent a fortune, just about new everything since it was a junk yard motor
and I also wanted it done right.
The motor has a "1100" plate on the side and the serial plate matches no
literature I can find. The serial is clearly "8G150 R S 41653" I expected
to find a 9cc, 10cc or 12cc. Now I purchased freeze plugs from Moss and
they did not fit, the Moss ones are a tiny bit to small, I measured the
holes in the block at 1.623 and the freeze plugs are 1.620..oops more
headaches. What the heck motor do I have ?
So since I am trying to mock it up and make the motor mounts I ignored
that and assembled the gearbox to the motor, it wont fit either. The
gearbox is one I purchased from someone on this list also 2 years ago, he
said it was a "ok" gearbox, could use work but would work as-is. It is a
ribbed gearbox from I assume a 1275. 2 things are wrong here, 1 the input
shaft is .498 and the bushing in the crank is .480 so they don't fit, I
assume I could hone out the bushing in the crank but it was a new bushing
so I am assuming its correct. The next one is that the shaft looks like it
will be too long once I assemble the 2 together, cant tell this one for
sure yet but is that possible and what is the fix ? Not the shaft itself
but it looks like the part where is enlarges after the bushing will hit the
bushing, of course this is guessing at this time. I am using a "thick"
motor backplate, its about 5/16", I also have a "thin" backplate that I
purchased but I think that is wrong for the 1100.
Now of course the gearbox has a problem that I found this afternoon,
the plate in the bell housing where the input shaft sticks out is broken
(it was too greasy to see before) and I removed it thinking I could remove
the input shaft and temporarily mate the gearbox to the motor so I could
get the mounts made, the input shaft seems to need to come out from the
inside according to the one manual I have :( is that true ? I found out
why the plate was broken, the input shaft nut has come loose and was
rubbing on the plate, its pretty badly munched and I cant get it to turn, I
was hoping to retighten it and bend the locktab over it, the locktab is
there and was used but the nut still came loose and moved forward. I may
be screwed and may have to take it apart to fix the input shaft locknut but
I hope not, can that shaft come out the front ? without damaging anything
of course, taking the side plate off the gearbox it does look pretty good
in there.
I am trying to mate the gearbox to the motor and get my motor mounts
done this week while I have access to a welder...then I have many other
issues like no distributor and not even the input shaft that fits into the
motor and drives the distributor, I sure hope I can fit that with the crank
in :( My carbs are junkyard carbs also and look it...but first is getting
the thing assembled. Any ideas on the freeze plugs ? tranny ?
When I could not get the tranny attached today, my wife kind of lost it
and actually suggested I throw all this money away and start over with a
1275 later this year. I have to admit I was tempted but I have an
opportunity to get the car painted before summer and could finish it this
year now that I am on it again. If I threw it away (not really a
option$$$) I would lose out my opportunity for lower cost paint job and I
can see the car not being finished for years.
I am pretty frustrated by now, I am to these motors and its fighting
me all the way. All I wanted was to get my 34 Singer on the road with a
reliable motor (the Singer pre-war motor leaves a lot to be desired with
modern speeds) and besides I could not find a original motor. At this
point I screwed up pretty bad with this motor and gearbox but my only other
choice at the time was buying a beat up Midget that would at least be fully
assembled and cutting it up, I could not do that then but wonder now.
mike
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