Too tight

Checked rear axle oil after warming car up with a short run. Didn't need filling because already overflowing out of drain plug (must have slightly overfilled when filling from cold). When refitting drain plug I tried to tighten with pliers, not realising that the 'cap' on the plug is thin metal and therefore I ended up pushing it off by over-tightening. I've tried re-attaching it using Gorilla glue, and it looks to be a good fit. 

Since there is a gasket/washer inside the plug and the oil is very viscous, I'm hoping it'll be fine. But note for the future - only hand tighten!

Bling

Getting away from the mechanicals, it's right to also pay attention to the cosmetics. And having been laid up for several years, there is quite a lot that needs to be addressed. First up were the wheels and spinners.

Dad had had the wheels painted silver and the spinners chromed when the car was refurbished in the 1980s. But the years had taken their toll and both were in need of some TLC. The crunch, though, was when it was pointed out that one of the rear wheels had a serious wobble.

So off went the wheels to Rugby Classic Motor Garage and the spinners to Chromefix. Both did a wonderful job, as you can see from the photograph.   (And I also cleaned up and painted the brake drums, but you can't see them.)

At the same time I thought I should do something about the air filter. Dad had installed a plate to hold a Fiat rectangular air filter sitting on top of the two carburettors. Although functional, it looked pretty awful.  Only recently I found that I had the original carburettor bells. Although they might not be quite as effective, I felt they would look much better and therefore arranged to have them refurbished by the local firm Lyndene Engineering Co. Ltd. Again, a big improvement. 

Sometimes new is best

Having cleaned out and serviced all the brake hydraulics, I knew that I should really do the same for the clutch. However, because it seemed to be working OK, I took the cowardly approach and left well alone. 

By the end of last summer, it was clear that something wasn't right. Gear crunching was becoming more prevalent, and that wasn't just my incompetence. So, while the wheels were away I took the plunge and started scrambling about underneath. 

Time and timing

There are two lessons I'm learning fast. First, looking after a classic car is like painting the Forth Rail Bridge. Second, apparently completed jobs are often far from complete.  So, you need lots of time, especially when it comes to timing.