Modern Commer Replacement

[Andy Zarse]

Mr Zarse.
Am i still being forced to take my elderly VW to LM next year?
Drove her  up the lane the other day and all was sweet. All she needed was a squirt of petrol in the carb and a decent battery and she fired up like a redhead on heat!
Obviously the coil lead was left off to let the oil pressure get up but when started there was no smoke and she ticked over fine.
If she is required she will be sorted........ otherwise a hearse is needed....

Yes you are still being forced. It'll be fine. Trust me...

[Lord Pig-Pen]

Right. Best I get on with getting her sorted... she wont need much as she was ready for MOT retest when I parked her up.
I might even splash out and get the gearbox problem fixed. She jumps out of first.. which makes pulling away interesting!

[mgmark]

I might even splash out and get the gearbox problem fixed. She jumps out of first.. which makes pulling away interesting!

What gearbox problem? Surely just hold it in first to stop it jumping out?  Standard practice old chap...... mind you if it's not british and has reached that stage, it's probably completely phuq'd....

MG Mark

[Lord Pig-Pen]

I might even splash out and get the gearbox problem fixed. She jumps out of first.. which makes pulling away interesting!

What gearbox problem? Surely just hold it in first to stop it jumping out?  Standard practice old chap...... mind you if it's not british and has reached that stage, it's probably completely phuq'd....It kicks it out so hard that you cant hold it in.... likely to be missing teeth I think!

Cogbox do an exchange unit with longer legged 4th for about £500 so thats the way forward I think. Its a 1700 type 4 engine version which will make things interesting as they were an option only unit and all type 4's gave in to the tin worm years ago.... wish me luck!!!


MG Mark

[Lord Pig-Pen]

Nice to see the Commer made it to the calender. Good work chaps.

[Canada Phil]

What gearbox problem? Surely just hold it in first to stop it jumping out?  Standard practice old chap...... mind you if it's not british and has reached that stage, it's probably completely phuq'd....It kicks it out so hard that you cant hold it in.... likely to be missing teeth I think!

M'Lord,
          these missing teeth... the driver or the box
Could it be as simple as adusting/renewing the linkage which may have some worn bushings?
Phil

[Lord Pig-Pen]

All the linkage bushes have been replaced and some VW specialists have pointed to bent selector forks or the cog being totally fcuked. It kicks out so hard it makes a bang... and if you try and hold it in it hurts! Not so bad as the 1700 type 4 lump has alot more grunt than the wheezy 1600 so second picks up ok.
It makes hill starts interesting as the handbrake is directly above the gearlever so an interesting finger thumb combo is needed to do a smooth one!!
I will talk to Peter Engelzos at Cog Box and see whats best.... think the exchange long leg 4th replacement is the way forward.... then I will be able to keep up with all the other nutters on the way down to LM..... Have you ever driven a fully loaded VW on nice roads.... once they get rolling they are ok! Its the stopping thats scary!!!

Pic below is her on release from the haybarn after years... bit scabby round the edges but she is a month and a day older than me so entitled to be rough!

[Lord Pig-Pen]

And this is on a banger racing site.... and someone raced a James Young bodied '54 Bentley at arena Essex Firecracker in November... It was a Dutch driver... thats all I know but it did very well and won the demolition derby and drove out.

[Nobby Diesel]

Maybe not a Commer, or indeed modern, but a great replacement.

saw this on another site.

13,000cc, flat 6, petrol engine......

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1940s-American-Greyhound-Inter-city-bus_W0QQitemZ190203447710QQihZ009QQcategoryZ9883QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Andy Zarse]

yep, worthy of a mention on this thread.

Meanwhile, other Commer news;

At the weekend I opened the Commer up to get some gear out to take to NZ. Being as I'd got the keys on me I popped them in the ignition to see what would happen. She hadn't been started since october so I'd no real expectations. She fired up first go, once the lift pump had done it's stuff with the fuel. Cool eh? The clutch plate is rusted to the fly wheel, easily sorted, and the handbrake has locked on again (Doh! Every year I forget to leave it off!). But I'll be digging her out at easter and this officially marks the start of summer!

[Bob U]

It's good to hear that she woke from her Winter slumbers without too many age related problems Andy. I look forward to welcoming the grand old lady onto the Summer pastures of Houx Annexe.

Here's one that is still hibernating

[Perdu]

Lurvely big windowses on that one Bob

Andy congrats on kickstarting summer a few days early

what a smashing morning it has been

yippee!

 

soon be June me dears

[Lazy B'stard]

Always marks the start of summer the green goddess awakening from her winter slumber- a little earlier this year Andy?, you've beaten the swallows return!
 Will this deprive us of the tales of seized bearings, wheel cyls and will it, won't it pass? in the run up to the big pilgrimage?

[mgmark]

Always marks the start of summer the green goddess awakening from her winter slumber- a little earlier this year Andy?, you've beaten the swallows return!
 Will this deprive us of the tales of seized bearings, wheel cyls and will it, won't it pass? in the run up to the big pilgrimage?

No, I shouldn't think so - it'll just mean he has longer not to so anything about stuff, soi we should still get the annual guessing game.....bless her!

MG Mark

[Lord Pig-Pen]

yep, worthy of a mention on this thread.

Meanwhile, other Commer news;

At the weekend I opened the Commer up to get some gear out to take to NZ. Being as I'd got the keys on me I popped them in the ignition to see what would happen. She hadn't been started since october so I'd no real expectations. She fired up first go, once the lift pump had done it's stuff with the fuel. Cool eh? The clutch plate is rusted to the fly wheel, easily sorted, and the handbrake has locked on again (Doh! Every year I forget to leave it off!). But I'll be digging her out at easter and this officially marks the start of summer!

I trust you will post pics of the annual event. Nothing better than seeing an old girl covered in dust emerging from enforced hibernation. My VW is blocked in the barn by loads of round bales of hay, Hay Baler, turners, cutters, dung spreader and my dads tractor and caravan... in that order
She wont be coming out this year as getting all that moved... and having to involve my dad..... just not worth it, I cant put him ... or me,  through that ordeal!
Long Live The COMMER.
(I still have a very shiny set of COMMER nose letters somewhere in my stores)
PP