Series 3 109 - 1973 - Full Restore

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Brilliant write up and progress. Just in time for me to take ownership of my own 109 , Im noting all these parts your sidelining for future sale .. I may be looking for a full roof and solid sides for mine in the future, keep me in mind :)
Looking forward to updates and seeing the project to completion..
 
Thanks for the kind words, unfortunately I've been selling bits as I go, so the roof and sides are long gone. Bulkhead is still sitting in the workshop but I think other than that, most of it is scrap.
 
I take it when you say that you haven't given up on the prospect of restoring it , ? I scored a roof in a swap today , solid roof for mine with glass , so no worries just if you were selling later It might have saved looking for a buyer .
 
Given up on restoring th bulkhead?

Yes, in that I would rather have a galv bulkhead if I'm building on a galv chassis, not because the bulkhead was past restoring.
 
Back to it now, after a good break.

Gearbox up first, tackling the leaking input shaft seal. Cover plate off and seal replaced, but noticed the layshaft securing bolt was not even finger tight. So that's been retorqued and loctited.

New seal in and the plate fitted with instant gasket.

Transmission brake drum removed and shoes checked, loads of life left so they had a clean and left to it. The expander is free to move as it should, too.



 
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Slowly starting to make some progress now.

Main priority at the moment is to get engine and gearbox bolted back together and onto the chassis. Still waiting on new engine mounts, so I'm taking the time to do little jobs in the mean time.

Started off by cleaning up the gearbox as above and now moving onto the engine. Quick rub down with a wire brush and a good coat in rust neutraliser. New clutch kit fitted, the flywheel was very rusty so a good clean up before fitting.

One of the glow plugs had snapped off, so that has now been replaced. I'm leaving them as originals as the system still works.

Next up was taking out the injectors for a clean. I've got an ultrasonic bath they will be going into for a soak, I may send them off for a proper clean but I haven't really looked into the best thing to do yet.

Quick oil filter change whilst it was up on the bench, ready for another oil change sometime soon.

Finally gave the fuel tank a quick clean up and coat in rust neutraliser, too.








Waiting on a paddocks delivery before I can do much else engine wise. There are a couple of bellhousing studs missing.
 
Fudl tank treated and cured, just to paint now.

The prop shafts got the same treatment on the wire wheel. Could do with trying to find replacement snap rings and grease seals for the sliding joints, but still looking into that. I've got the measurements so hopefully something comes up online.

UJs feel okay but only time will tell if they're still good. New grease nipples fitted for the sliding joint but on order for the UJs due to them being slightly longer.



 
Propshafts dried and put back together. Found the alignment marks on one shaft but not the other. Not a real drama as only the large half of the shaft was weighted.

Awaiting new bolts and grease nipples before fitting.

 
Injectors almost good to go now, one back together after a good clean in the ultrasonic bath, just waiting for the nozzle pressure tester to arrive.

The other 3 are back together whilst the internals are still in the bath.




I've had a few other bits arrive throughout the week but nothing can go on until the Paddocks order arrives, not surprisingly it's still not here...

New A127 75amp alternator, so I can run a 12v winch.

 
Had a look at the rear diff today; when I changed the pinion oil seal last year there was a bit of a click coming from the diff., I was concerned that I'd over tightened the pinion nut and compressed the crush tube more than before.

So whipped the diff and pinion out today, all bearings run freely and there's no obvious damage anywhere. All teeth on the pinion and crown wheel are in good shape.

Before stripping completely for bearings and new crush spacer, I've decided to rebuild whats already there and see how it turns out.

Pinion back in with original crush spacer and bearings, preload set to 2ft lb, which is about 25lb inch I think. Which just so happened to be when the nut nipped up tight to the crush spacer anyway.

Diff will go back in tomorrow once its been cleaned up.




 
Lots fell off, others were seriously stubborn.

More on the diff, got it in the kero bath today for a clean and found the culprit of my clicking noise. Outer bearing race of the main carrier bearing is pitted.

Clearly it needs replacing, but how in depth is it to replace the bearings, does everything need re shimming?

 
New Timken bearings ordered for the diff carrier, I'm going to fit the new bearings with the original shims and check that its not a million miles off. Hopefully within tolerance that it doesn't need fully rebuilding.

Front hubs now finished off, just waiting for some split pins. Had to order up a bunch of shims to get the swivel pin setting right. Both sides are now around 14/15 f lb, in the hope the new bushes wear in slightly. They'll be checked again at its first proper service to see.
Just need to fill the front diff with oil.

Making progress with the rest of the chassis and components, but waiting for pictures before I'll update on that.

New ball joints waiting to go on the steering system, but the old steering rod was too rotton, so new part on the way there.

Will put an order into YRM shortly so I can get on with fitting the new bulkhead. Which is still waiting for some t-wash so it can be painted.

Every job seems to have something else slowing it down at the moment. All either waiting for a certain part, or for another job to be completed before that one can be started.
 
Small jobs getting done as and when I have time. The bulkhead has now been given a coat of T-wash in prep for primer and paint. I don't want to get carried away with bodywork but the bulkhead needs to go on soon before anything else can be done.

Rear diff has new carrier bearings fitted, along with new shims (same size as origial), just waiting on a new outer race before the diff can go back in.

Starter motor cleaned up and bolted in, couple of new studs needed. Front steering rod replaced, along with new ball joints. Geometry will all be done by eye until everything is together, then it will go on the laser machine.



 
Engine and gearbox are mounted on the chassis now, with new mounts. Will get some photos of that when I can.

New alternator bolted up, clutch slave and lift pump due to a leaking gasket. Rebuild kits are almost as much as a new pump, so that's fitted for now and I'll rebuild the original at some point to keep as a spare.

Injector nozzle tester has arrived, so today should see the pressures set on those and fitted. Then valve clearances need adjusting/setting.



 
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Injectors set to 125 bar and installed with new seating washers. Spill off rail back on, but need to replace the black fuel line with some clear as its cracked. Also the injector nearest the bulkhead needs a new high pressure line from the pump.

 
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