Spend since last report: £274. Total hours labour since last report: 72.66

In the 2 months since I last wrote an update about Eric there has been a lot of change. Fortunately, I note what I do each trip to the garage, how long I spend in there and I also document every purchase, just don’t tell Lorna the total! This makes it easier to write it up as I have clear “notes”.

The serpentines arrived – wavy bits of metal that provide the suspension for the seat backs. Initially I used the clips that came with them, but it was all very loose, so each serpentine was welded to the next one. At the sides, I used shortened sections of the serpentines bent to 90 degrees and welded in place as that seems to be how original seats are done – I was able to use the crème brulee torch that I bought about 15 years ago and had never used except for lighting the fire! It all looked fab and received rust proofing paint, primer, and black topcoat. Then I added some plungers purchased online to allow the seat back to lock in place for either driving or camping, sadly I put them in the wrong place and had to do it again the next day!

With the base almost complete, I spent more time on the seat tubs as they have some extra strengthening added for the arms of the seat back. It is starting to look good. I suspect that there will need to be some minor fettling when I get to upholster the base and back, but for now I am calling that section complete.

Following an email chat with a race engine builder in Warwickshire, I put restoration on hold and stripped an engine for the first time. My wife’s 1972 crossover Poppy had an engine replacement in 2015 when the case was found to be split, tipping oil everywhere and the engine had sat in the corner of the garage ever since. I bought a 1776 Mexican case online that was drilled for full flow (external oil cooler ability), but I did not really know what that meant. It took me just over 5 hours to strip the engine from the rockers inwards. From a “long block” and down past the barrels and pistons to piles of engine bits!

Don’t they all look pretty? I set a date with the engineer and toddled off in the rain for 90 minutes to see him, armed with a car full of engine parts from Poppy’s engine and the new case. All he needs to do is build them up into a fabulous engine once I buy the new, larger barrels and pistons. Unfortunately, as with most bits of this restoration, the theory was better than the practice.

The case that I had purchased online was a “good Mexican case” which turned out to have case saver studs, corrosion, had already been align bored and signs of very bad treatment. The drilling for full flow / external oil cooler had been done badly and is for a Beetle – the mounting bar (aka moustache bar) for a Bay window means that those holes cannot be used. Sadly, this is becoming increasingly regular as the cases are old and have not been made since 2014. Never mind he said, I will see what I can do once it is fully cleaned, tested, and measured. Which costs money and might end up as unusable anyway.

Next, we turned to the crankshaft. It has been ground several times and is very worn. He will polish rather than grind and see if it allows it to be used. Which costs money and might end up as unusable anyway.

He looked at the heads and gave them back to me. Totally shot, not even worth trying to resurrect. New heads required. Which costs money.

Finally, he looked at the flywheel. It needs to be 21mm deep between the inner and outer levels and was 20.34mm and the milling to that height had been done badly. New flywheel required. Which costs money.

In summary, I spent 5 hours dismantling an engine and nothing from it is usable. I spent £150 buying a case that is potentially no use either.

More work was done that that, but I will save that for next time. Enjoy your winter whatever you are doing, and I hope to see you at a club event in a field.