Aug 312012
 

When I first contacted Hutsons, I was warned that they estimated it would be 10 months + before I would get the completed, painted body shell back, such was their current work load. So my aim was to get all the other components completed for its anticipated return in May 2011.

I tend to be rather optimistic (read extremely optimistic!) in the time it will take me to completed things. Even so I knew I wouldn’t be able to tackle everything in that time. The plan was to get the engine and gearbox reconditioned by reputable companies. In the meantime, this would give me the space and time to renovate and restore the other components.

I chose VSE to recondition the engine, based both on recommendations from others and price. I wanted to see their operation first, mainly out of interest, and to discuss the rebuild in person. So I headed off to see them in mid-Wales. It the last place you’d expect to find an engine reconditioning firm – it really was in the middle of nowhere in converted farm buildings with sheep for neighbours!

VSE offer a number of performance levels for their rebuilds and those that had recommended them suggested to go for maximum torque rather than headline BHP, which made good sense.

I think it’s all too easy to go over the top seeking greater performance with loony cams and excessively lightened clutch plates at the expense of drivability. So I opted for mildly tweaked performance which is in between their VS1 and VS2 levels, a 123 Electronic Ignition distributor and adapted to accept a modern oil filter.

The first thing to do was to build a suitably sturdy trolley which was low to the ground to avoid the problems encountered during the engine removal. The trolley base was made from two sheets of 22mm wooden boarding with castors that could be bolted directly to the base.

Even this wasn’t strong enough partly because I had used a coarse resin chipboard. Additional sections of wood were attached to the underside to stop it bowing in the middle.

It was far easier to get the engine delivered rather than trek out to mid-Wales again. In due course the engine arrived wrapped in cellophane, strapped to a pallet.

Unfortunately the body shell hadn’t even been started at this point which was annoying. My regret is that, if I’d have know how long it eventually took I’d probably have taken on the rebuild of the engine myself, farming out the machining tasks.

Below are a few more photos of the reconditioned engine, more for interest than anything specific to mention …..

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