First thing, I did, when back in the garage, was to take off the water pump in order to go through it. When dismounting the fan, I found a fantastic thing: a retainer ring with a screw, so the shaft shouldn't move in axial direction. Obviously it had gotten loose, as the shaft could wander about 2 1/2 inches, but a good tighten, and problem solved- had thought about turning a new shaft with a flange, but now no need. A really cool find!
Taking the nut off, it was obvious, the packing was missing:
Maybe it's a different version with no need for packing, but I put in the zink nut, and it stoped leaking.
The pin in the shaft and pump wheel was broke, properbly from when the wheel had hit the castings in the old head, an it had moved about 1/5", so I put in the spare shaft.
Clock was ticking, so when I got to the noisy third gear, I took a short cut. As there were plenty of oil in the box, I decided to use an old trick- a banana! I have heard of this from several, who have had troubles with noisy gears in gearboxes and differentials, so in the late hour of three o'clock in the afternoon, I gave it a go!
It didn't make the noise go away, but I like to think, it helped.
Adjusting the ignition became a task itself. Some time back I changed the screw, holding the ignition in the head, to a hexagonal one, but that one I gave away, when selling the G28T head this past winter. And now I remembered why!
When driving with a Weber carb, it sits in the line of the screw, making it very difficult to adjust it with a screw driver at that angle. In fact, my longest screw driver was a little too short, so I had to borrow one from the land lord mob. That did the trick!
Now, last thing to do was to adjust the brakes- you know, safety first... Well, in this case sort of last- but not forgotten! Getting to the rear, it turned out, both wheel bearings needed tightening, so to make sure, nothing was wrong, I took off the right one- but it seemed, it just needed to be tightened. Well, then that was done as well, ensuring me of one thing less to go wrong on the trip!
So, packing all the tools and spareparts, I could think of (including a new speedo cable, I didn't get to mount due to time pressure), home for packing clothes and a well desirved shower, and I could leave about half past six, more than four hours later, then I had hoped for.
No worries- I was late, but I was on the way, and had taken almost anything into account! Just needed to stop by the garage for the spare gasket, I had forgotten, and then I hit the road!... For about 8km, then the engine started boiling! 'It must be wrong ignition setting, I'll just adjust it', I thought. To the side at a parking slot, find the borrowed screw driver and up with the hood... But something was wrong. Then I saw it: The engine was running, but the fan didn't move!
It turned out, the belt drive on this AA is the two piece version, so when calling my good friend, and competitor at the race (the guy, I just had to beat!), it took Allan a good deal of time to find out, what I meant, as he kept talking about the one piece version, which was on his engine. He suspected a do-able, but 3-4 hour job, as he recalled, the radiator had to come off.
I called Rikke, and told her of my newest dilemma: more work and a arrival at saturday noon instead of friday night, or to this weekend spell Ford with D-S-B (danish railways)- meaning to go by train, and leave the car at home, but atleast to be there.
As I next was flipping through my phonebook, looking for a local vintage car guy, who might be able to help, help presented itself in the shape of two young guys, Casper and Jonas in a kuul VW Passat rat looker!
Asked if I needed help, I was swift to reply 'oh yes, please!', so I locked up Ole-Henry, and we drove back to the garage, found a robe, decided to take my Volvo (since Jonas' VW didn't have a hitch, and I wanted to spare him from wasting gas on towing my car), and back we went.
At the car, I discovered, I had droped the keys, so I had to force my way into the car. It's supprising how well the doorlocks works on a model A (or how poor a car thief, I am!). But I got in, and off we went, Jonas driving my Volvo in front and Casper keeping him company. Well at home at the garage, I causiously tried to start Ole-Henry, as I had made sure, he could turn over- so nothing seemed broken inside the newly refirbished engine!
We got to talking, car guys as we are, and Jonas told, that besides the rat Passat (with a very kuul "Cal Look" emblem in the rear window!) he is working on a '73 bug, while Casper is more to the Jap-style, and wanting to put small wheels and factory equiptment on his '99 Civic. They were going to Græsted Veterantræf, to help out Jonas' uncle, who made a VW bus in to a saussage cart-car, called "Pølsebrødet"- very kuul, and great tasting! Getting to the old VW's, we crossed the Judson Super charger, so I had to show them mine two. Jonas had Casper take a couple of pictures for his uncle, as he recently had bought one for a VW boxer, and to explain the delay. And off they went at 20:25, hoping for some dinner was left for them. On the way out the drive way, they even found my lost set of keys!
The rat Passat leaving:
I cannot thank those guys enough! I mean, as I was standing for arround 20 minutes at the side of the road, seeing all the vintage cars going by to go to Græsted, and not one of them stopping in to try to help, the last thing I expected, was two youngsters in a much newer car offering their help!
Jonas and Casper, I owe you!!
Alone at the garage, I tried to see, if I had the parts needed. But with 5 other model A, B and G28T engines, only the one in the car had the two piece belt wheel!
So, at 20:28, I threw in the towel, and took a (very fast!) drive to Copenhagen, in order to go by train to be in Middelfart before midnight.
The first Landfield meet was great, I really enjoyed it, even though the car was left at home, which also gave me a chance to volountier as a helper during the race, inspired by my positive meeting friday evening.
During this project I had a lot of help, so here is some of the people, who chiped in or just listened: my colleagues, Pedersen, Claes, Peter, Jonas and Casper, brormand, the land lord mob, and most of all: Rikke, for her help, motivation and for keeping up with me!
Next deadline: be able to drive, without break downs, to Jungle Fever!.. in 3 weeks, 3 days and aproximate 15 hours...
Hmm.... I'm off to the garage!
Keep 'em kruzin!
Dannerr
