Even though the pipe end centres were 6mm too wide, there wasn’t sufficient flex in the pipe to ‘persuade’ it to go in. When I originally measured the centres distance of 22¾” (578mm), the accuracy of the measurement wasn’t helped by the fact that there wasn’t a clear line of sight between the holes on the bulkhead as the engine stabiliser bracket is in the way.
At least the fabricated pipe could now be used to obtain an exact spacing of the bulkhead holes. The pipe was cut in half, shortened and a dowel inserted. The two halves could then be adjusted on the dowel to fit the bulkhead. The correct centres distance was 3/32” shorter than my original measurement …. ooops!
A while later, the MkIII heater pipe was dropped off …. would it fit and would the saga be over?? As soon as I got back from the office I dashed into the garage to trial fit the new pipe. It was spot on, much to the relief of all concerned!
It was suggested to re-title the blog entry to ‘How my F1-engineer-mate made a bl00dy great meal of remaking a simple water pipe’. The irony is even that was too long for the blog title field! Anyway, the reason the first pipe didn’t fit was as much down to my inability to use a tape measure as it was in the fabrication.
The photo shows the difference in the bend radius between the two pipes. The tighter bend in the MkIII version means the pipe is perpendicular where it passes through the flange.
The heater pipes are one of the first items that need to be installed on a rebuild so I was looking forward to fitting them at last and cracking on with the rebuild.
I should have known better …. the collar on my rivet gun is too wide, so it fouls on the protruding pipe and can’t reach the rivet head! How can something a simple as a heating pipe cause so much grief?!?
Jan 292013
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.