April 2013

Ok so having seen a reconditioned 1000 gearbox on e-bay for a good price I am now back to wondering what to do with The Count.
The Count still has the original box in it and it has never been opened up, worked on, etc. since I have owned it, and it is seriously going to need to be looked at before the trip. The car started jumping out of third under acceleration quite some time ago, though it doesn't really throw the lever out in any really forceful way so it is easy to hold it there before changing to forth, and it is somewhat of a noisy thing too. It doesn't make any unusual sounds though it is more just that it has been doing the job for a fair amount of time now and it could use a recondition.

That is the point of the deliberations about the situation, do I pay over $1000 to have the gearbox reconditioned, being original the to the car 803 box with the three foot direct shift lever, do I just get another second hand 803 box, do I get a second hand 1000 box or do I get a reconditioned 1000 and then just change the gearbox cover for the 1000 item and change the handbrake lever to the 1000 item as well so the remote lever can sit in there nicely. I am sort of torn between the two as being the original box I would like to keep it, though the 1000 would have better ratios and lets face it the original engine has long gone, it's been a 948 ever since I have owned it and even that has been replaced once.

I would like the later box as it would be nice to have better ratios and syncro all round, though I rather like the handbrake lever as the way it is supposed to be. Changing gears after chasing the gear lever about the passenger side of the car though would probably be something that I wouldn't miss too much as the lever currently flops about all over the place even when in gear, though it is easy and direct enough to use. It would be like driving a completely different car though I think, maybe it will all come down to availability of iems and their cost when the time comes.

I am though sorely tempted to get the reconditioned gearbox on e-bay though. Damn you e-bay!

I have to work out what I have done with the mechanism in the passenger side front door too as the locking jams up when the window is wound all the way up. This is a problem as unless you "waggle" the inside door handle the locking pin won't engage properly and as such the door is prone to opening iteslf when cornering, which can be a little disconcerting so the passenger. You could of course just wind down the window an inch or two and all is good, but it is not an acceptable situation. I must have put the thing back together the wrong way around, so I guess just a straight forward strip down and reinstall and see how it goes time will tell...     

MAR 2013

CB Radios

Who knew that things had moved on so far since I had the old AM unit in my first car. It was a flash jobbie for its day, Uniden with a main box and all other controls remote on the hand piece, so it could be installed all tucked away out of thieves line of sight. That of course moved on with that car and I “upgraded” to a single side band AM Electrophone beast that attached solidly somewhere always in sight and was a good reliable piece of kit, shame the sound quality was so awful as to make any incoming message almost impossible to understand. Mind you that one did make a progression through a variety of cars, actually it has even been in The Count on a previous occasion many years ago, well it was in there till I figured out it was for some reason providing a constant drain on the battery even when it was turned off. AM was the beast to have though, cheap and accessible, UHF was the new kid on the block and was expensive and no one had the damn things

I am now looking through all the information I can, thanks to Mr Google, and there sure seems to be quite a few changes in what is around, new legislations and laws and a whole lot of new channels available on UHF CB’s, now with 80 channels. Poor old AM seems to have taken the back seat, old tech and whilst still available, doesn’t seem to be popular any more like it once was. Seems you have to remember what all the channels are used for as otherwise you could get yourself into a bit of trouble. Oh and how’s that the manufactures have been given a stay of introduction so that they can go all out to try and sell the old 40 channel units to poor unsuspecting folk that may not have checked into things too carefully! Not that hard to research though so perhaps people need to pay attention a little.

So here I am now searching through the ACMA (Australian Media and Communication Authority) website looking at the new regulations and laws and at the ExplorOz and UHF CB Australia web sites to see what they recommend and what the new regulations actually mean in normal person language. I guess it all comes down to how much and what features you want on a unit, same as anything else a person wants to buy, and while there doesn’t appear to be that many manufacturers of UHF CB radios there seems to be a heck of a lot of models made by each of them. I am currently leaning towards the Oricom UHF180, though that is fairly much price driven. 

The research continues…….

And the winner is:

another Uniden - UH7700NB, tiny, takes next to no room, easy to fit and comes with an aerial, so we'll see how it goes.

FEB 2013

Well happy new year to everyone that may be reading this, if anyone at all is doing so, it’s late, but well you get that don’t you.

Things are progressing slowly and I have picked up the occasional part here and there for the car, so I should have everything I need by the time that I bring the car down from Queensland to Melbourne to get everything ready for the trip. I have been scrolling through all the part suppliers web sites both n the UK and over here and if I see something that is too good to pass up well I would be mad not to get it, wouldn’t I!

There are still lots of bits to get though and the good news is that I am going to be at the Beaulieu Auto Jumble, so hopefully I will be able to pick up a few items while there and hopefully I will be able to pack them into my luggage to get them home again too. Never had the opportunity to attend the Beaulieu meet before so really looking forward to seeing what it’s all about and what bargains may be there to be had, hopefully there will be heaps of bargains. Doesn’t hurt to hope does it?

I have been putting some time into thinking about how to wire all the extra accessories into the car too. I’m thinking that I may be able to route a relay into the start switch which will power an auxiliary fuse box and then have everything, including the starter will be powered through there. Well I am not an electronics whiz so not sure if I am way off track here or not, though there is a bit of time to think it out and get it right yet. Just happy that I have already converted it to an alternator rather than the old generator, I think it is going to be necessary.

I have to locate another parcel tray for the car to, in the move to get the car from Canberra to Queensland I lost a few parts, they have just disappeared, which is a bit disappointing as it includes the original parcel tray and the original steering wheel and steering column. So I have a mini column in the car at the moment and have a Mountney wood rimed wheel in it as well, as it just give so much extra space and at 6’3” that is a reasonable consideration I think.

I have been toying with the idea of replacing the gearbox with a 1000 one rather than the original Series II box which The Count is still running with. The thinking goes that I have to have the gearbox rebuilt or reconditioned anyway so for such a long trip why not get a box that will give me a better and more relaxed cruising speed (well ok that is the diff as well, but it has to be less noisy than the 803 box surely!). Though I am not sure I am warming to this, I have considered it many times before and have never acted on it as I just haven’t been able to get my head around “changing” the car, which I guess is silly given that it already has a 984cc in it (it had one when I got it and I wasn’t going to change it back), though other than poly suspension bushes and electronic ignition kit, Rover 1.3 Mini distributor, 74 Mini Clubman inlet manifold with associated carby and the heater out of same Clubman, it is as I got it way back when, so it is mostly original to me anyway, HA! Anyway changing the box would mean changing the transmission cover panel to the later 1000 one and also changing the handbrake lever over as well, and well that is the problem, I would actually see that difference and so would everyone else and it would be glaringly obvious. Silly I know, but there you go, I mean if its not broke then don’t fix it, perhaps. This one will require lots more thought and to be honest I would be surprised if I have come to a decision by the time I get back from the trip. Mind the having to recondition the box will probably have some sway to deciding before I go. Hmmm…….. watch this space!

Dec 2012

Ok well it certainly has been a while between visits but again as I don’t actually have the car readily available it does make it somewhat problematic in actually doing any work to it so there isn’t actually much to update.

Anyway I have come up with a list of things that I know are going to need replacing and adding to the Count, though probably I would come up with a much larger list if I had the car to look at.

Going to need:

Tyres and inner tubes

Engine Mounts

Gearbox mount

Brake shoes, front and rear

Master cylinder

All hoses

Flexible Brake hoses

Brake and Clutch return springs

Clutch “C” rod connection

Auxiliary fuse box

CB

As per the discovery of moving the car to it’s new accommodation last October (I think it was) the brake system is completely devoid of fluid, probably due to the failure of some rubber part in the system perishing in the humidity. As the rubber does tend to perish so readily where the car is I think it would be best to replace all components on the car to do with braking, for piece of mind if nothing else. I already have a complete set of new brake slave cylinders (front and rear) for the Count, so the master cylinder and new flex hoses should complete the system and the new shoes will hopefully improve the brakes performance.

Other items are probably mostly for spares so that I have them to hand during the trip “just in case” and to replace some of the worn items that were replaced back when it was restored the first time. The CB is of course to hopefully contact other travellers and perhaps to know when a road train is coming so I can get the heck out of their way when out in the middle of no where as one must to do.

The auxiliary fuse box is specifically for wiring up items such as the CB, Stereo, a power socket etc, so that there are some fuses involved in the system rather than just the two standard ones for the whole vehicle. Oh and relays will need to be installed as well for the lights, going to put Halogen H4 items in instead of the sealed beams that replaced the original items that were as effective as “damp glow worms in jam jars” , so descriptive but really don’t recall who told me that one.

The car may come down to Melbourne late in 2013 so I will certainly be able to start getting things going in earnest then.

That’s about all I can think of for now, so Happy Holidays to everyone.

11 Oct 2012

Well I have put together a list of places and distance that goes along with the map, this is obviously not just places that I am stopping over night, rather a way to get an idea of the route best suited to the plan for the trip and additionally for an idea of the minimum distance to be covered.

This minimum distance will enable me to work out a ball park figure for the total cost in fuel as well, which enables me to come up with a loose budget for the trip, which hopefully won't be horribly expensive. As it stands right now just to travel directly as per the list to where I want to go without any running around within towns or off the main route to sight see it is going to be 20,250.9 kilometres (12,583.3 miles), so should be great. Obviously this is just guidance though as who knows what route changes may become interesting once under way.

Proposed route is:

Melbourne - Seymour  112km
Seymour - Shepparton   78km
Shepparton - Finley        105.7km
Finley - Narrandera        142km
Narrandera - West Wyalong 130km
West Wyalong - Dubbo  223km
Dubbo - Moree               365km
Moree - Goondiwindi     127km
Goondiwindi - Caloundra 437km
Caloundra - Gympie        96.3km
Gympie - Goomeri          77km
Goomeri - Biloela           346km
Biloela - Mackay             335km
Mackay - Townsville      792km
Townsville - Cooktown  684.5km
Cooktown - Mt Isa          1333km
Mt Isa - Alice Springs     1166km
Alice Springs - Uluru       459km
Uluru - Daly Waters         1355km
Daly Waters - Darwin       608km
Darwin - Kununurra         1535km
Kununurra - Broome        1281km
Broome - Carnarvon         1753km
Carnarvon - Geraldton      787km
Geraldton - Perth               431km
Perth - Albany                   650.9km
Albany - Eucla                  1400km
Eucla - Port Augusta         1036km
Port Augusta - Coober Pedy  538km
Coober Pedy - Adelaide     847km
Adelaide - Mt Gambier      454km
Mt Gambier - Melbourne   529.6km

10 October 2012

Ok well I know it has been a while now, but I have been working towards planning a route that will work best for me, as the car is not with me in Melbourne at the moment it is not possible to be working on it, so route planning will have to do for now.

Leaving Melbourne I will travel up the Hume Highway until I get to Shepparton and then head up to cross the Victoria / New South Wales border heading to Tocumwal. Given that I have travelled the coast line of New South Wales several times and the central route along the New England Highway I have decided that I will follow the inland route on to Finley and further to Narrandera, There seen from a map the road zig zags to West Wyalong and then on to Forbes, Parkes and Dubbo. Then it is north to Coonabarabran, Narrabri and Moree and heading for the New South Wales / Queensland border crossing at Goondiwindi.

From Goondiwindi its west north west to Towoomba and west to Brisbane before heading north to Caloundra and vist Ed and then vist my parents in Gympie before heading to Goomeri and north along the Burnett Highway (midland Queensland as I have done the coast through this section as well) to Rockhampton then up the coast to Mackay where I will turn back inland to Clermont. From Clermont take the Gregory Highway (Gregory Development Road) to Charters Towers and then back east the coast at Townsville. Leaving Townsville north to Cairns and along the coast again until Port Douglas where I will have to turn inland (west and north) again only to come back to the coast at Cooktown. From Cooktown I will travel south to Ravenshoe and then decide whether to take the Kennedy Development Road to Hughenden or travel back down to Charters Towers and then go west to Hughenden from there. From there west to Mt Isa and then onward across the Queensland / Northern Territory border. This section most probably will change though and I will probably take the Bruce Highway all the way from Rockhampton through Mackay and on to Townsville and Cairns. Then the return from Cooktown would be South to Mareeba, Atherton and Ravenshoe and down the Kennedy Highway until the trun to Charters Towers rather than through to Hughenden. Plenty of time to figure that out though.

Once over the Northern Territory border it is west to Threeways (basically the East road ends at a "T" intersection with the north-south road) where it is then south to Alice Springs and on to Uluru further south and west again. Leaving Uluru it is very tempting to head back to Erlunda and the go south the hundred kilometres just to cross the Northern Territory / South Australia border as it would be the only one I miss crossing otherwise, again yet to be decided, but forthe sake of two hundred kilometres over the length of the trip is it worth missing this. Then it is back north through Alice Springs and Threeways again and onwards to Daly Waters and Katherine before heading up to Darwin. Leaving Darwin it will be back to Katherine so I can then head for the Northern Territory / Western Australian border and Kununurra. Onwards to Wyndham and Derby, then to Broome, Port Headland, Karratha and on to Exmouth. From Exmouth its off to Carnarvon and south to Geraldton and Perth. Forward on to Bunbury and Bussleton, Margaret Rover and then via Walpole and Denmar to Albany and Esperance. North briefly again to Norseman and then it is heading East for days time towards Eucla and the Western Australia / South Australia Border, across the Nullabor Plains to Ceduna and on to Port Augusta.

At Port Augusta the plan is to head north again to Woomera and Coober Pedy before turning south again back to Port Augusta and on to Port Pirie then to Port Wakefield and onwards to Adelaide. From Adelaide it is south east to Tailem Bend and onwards to cross the South Australia / Victoria border via Kingston S.E and Mount Gambier to Portland. Portland then leads on to Port Fairy and Warrnambool and then to the Great Ocean Road heading for Apollo Bay and Lorne. At this point it is not far from Lorne to Torquay and Geelong and a quick run up to Melbourne and home.

Of course this is all subject to chage, though I think at this stage it is fairly much how it will play out, so it should be good. Now I will come up with a list of distances between towns and see just what is actually ahead. Once done it should look something like this:

3 Aug 2012

Last month I spent a week up at the farm and had a chance to check the Morrie out again. The humidity has obviously been a bit of a bother up that way as well as the rain, cause I had to clean down all of the upholstery again, well not the hood lining, but all of the seats and door cards and kick panels were turning a fetching furry and matte and shade of green, yes mould making it presence felt again, but a good old clean down got that sorted out and a sit in the sun with a breeze flowing through should have helped. Over all the entire car is looking ok though there are two “blisters” on the drivers door where the paint hasn’t taken properly, unfortunate but I guess it happens, otherwise it’s not too bad. It did take quite some time to get the engine started this time around, though I put that down to the petrol going off sitting in the tank for so long.

The brakes have finally given up the ghost, I think the seals in the master cylinder have given up and all the brake fluid escaped. The rear wheel cylinder had seized on the passengers side as well which took some work to loosen, not too much of a hassle though. I am thinking at this stage it would be good to replace the brake drums and shoes when I install the new slave cylinders, so I shall have to get some new ones and I will get a new master cylinder as well and flex hoses, may as well do it properly. So far it looks like if I buy a master cylinder in Australia, its going to be about $175.00 AUD for a reconditioned second hand one, and that is changeover as well. Now thinking about that and checking parts prices online I can get 4 new brake drums, all the brake shoes and a brand new master cylinder for $207.00 AUD out of the UK, so I guess it comes down to the fact that there are only basically two suppliers in AUS that you can get new (as opposed to second hand) parts from and they, I guess, have to pay a premium for importation duty and shop fronts/storage, staff etc. Though really for me to obtain everything I need from the UK would cost less (including postage) than I will be able to get second hand items here. I mean look above the difference between getting everything (less postage) I need and just getting a second hand (reconditioned) master cylinder in Australia is $32.00 AUD. It certainly makes it difficult to buy the parts you need in Australia when you can get a substantially better deal over seas. I will though find out the cost of all the parts I require in Australia, and I want new parts not second hand or reconditioned, and see how that compares with the OS purchase and postage costs, we shall see, though I expect that to purchase such items in Australia as new items it will cost at least $500.00 AUD. Expect the worst and one can only be pleasantly surprised I hope.

Oh and the car is no longer at the farm in the shed either. Time has come and the farm is being sold, so this time everything was sorted and moved. Luckily for me my parents have bought a house that has three garages and they have let me move the Morris into one of these! Its very exciting as The count hasn’t been in a real garage for so many years now it won’t know what is going on. I must say what a garage it is too, the wee car looks quite dwarfed in all that space, its fantastic! Wish I had one that size here in Melbourne I tell you, mind that would probably be dangerous as I would just want to fill it with cars and bikes, which would be counter productive to this trip. Hopefully the Count won’t do what Morries generally do and drop oil and such fluids on to the nice clean garage floor before we can get something under it, really such action would not be very sporting of it given the nature of its new accommodation.

Leaving the farm,

Temp home in the new garage

 

The paint isn’t looking too bad considering I have not ever done spraying myself before and that it was sprayed in the open air in reasonable hot and humid weather. It probably needs to be flatted down and buffed but I am disinclined to do that because I rather like the finish, though really a nice deep shine would look mighty good. I am less inclined to do it though as it means I will need to strip the driver’s door, where the previously mentioned “blisters” are and start over. Perhaps that would not be too bad a thing though as at some stage while it has been sitting in the shed, something had dropped onto the top of the front passengers guard and left a slight scratch down the side of the headlight “extension” and then a small dent in the guard proper, which is a shame as there were no dents before and it has taken the paint off in that spot too. Must have been something substantial though to make the dent in the first place! Actually it’s going around Australia so really why buff it all nicely to a lovely shine when by the time it gets back it will no doubt need another re-spray. Mind I am going to wash it as a regularly thing whilst I am traveling as it will need some help to continue looking good, after all  lets face it you never really notice what is going on with your car until you get a good look at every bit of it while your washing and drying it with a chamois, all the little problems become obvious.