Ferrari , the Hillman Imp connection

Can there possibly be such a connection, indeed there can be and here is the proof, Mike Parkes was an engineer working for the Rootes Group Scotland Hillman Imp project, he later left and moved to Ferrari as an engineer and driver.

My thanks to Conceptcarz.com for the use of their picture.

There was also a Dutch / South Africa connection as well, Willhelm Kool, who was a HBYC member told me that his brother had worked in the Rootes Scotland factory. He had seem aluminium castings made there for an Italian car maker. We expected it was the Mike Parkes connection but he says he thought they were for Lamborgini?

This 330GTO, chassis number 3765A, is one of three 330 GTOs and features a modified 400 SA chassis and a 400 Superamerica engine, along with the GTO body style. In 1962 it finished second overall at Nurburgring driven by Willy Mairesse and Mike Parkes and then raced at Le Mans. Later, fitted with an earlier 3-liter GTO engine, the car ran various events, including the Targa Florio. Assigned to Ferrari Engineer and racer Mike Parkes factory F1 and sports car ace Lorenzo Bandini, Mr. Jaeger's 4-liter GTO appears as it did on June 23rd of 1962, when gridded seventh at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It never made the finish at Le Mans that year because after 56 laps it retired with overheating due to an accident and did not race again until 1965. By then, the new owner had installed a three-liter V-12 engine scavenged from a Ferrari prototype. This swap allowed '3765' to compete as a GTO in Italian GT races.

On June 13, 1965 new owner, Ferdinando Latteri, scored five straight class wins in Italian hillclimbs after retiring from the Targa Florio in May. He ended the car's competition history with a class victory in the Coppa Gallenga Hillclimb in March, 1966.

In 1967 '3765' came to America. Jim Jaeger took possession of this prototype GTO in 1985 and began a historically fastidious restoration. Once he had obtained the car's original 4-liter V-12 engine block, Jaeger returned the car to its original 1962 Le Mans livery. Today '3765' wears the number seven, just as it did 50 years ago at Le Mans on Saturday afternoon, June 23, 1962

The Hillman Imp connection?

Its well known that the design of the Imp was done by Tim Fry when he was 23 and Mike Parkes when he was 26, its the same Mike Parkes!

How great is that!

Official Ferrari factory issued postcard of Michael Parkes. One exists that is signed by Enzo Ferrari on 12 May 1963

http://www.imps4ever.info/algemeen/parkes.html

Read about Mike in this link to Imps 4 ever web site.


Roy

The Black Dragon

Thats the name right now but it will revert to its correct name once re launched.

Will checks the first gloss coat on the boat after some five months of restoration. This is a wooden boat by the way.

This standard of finish was deemed not to be quite perfect, so this first coat was used as a sanding coat and it was all removed!

This is a boat built in Sweden 1956 for the 1957 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, I think it finished third and so took the bronze medal?

Roy gets a self portrait, whats happened to my legs?

CKD Boats cc supplied much of the materials used on this restoration, Teak, Dow-Corning black silicone, ABE fairing epoxy and African Mahogany flexible veneer .

Roy

Lead ingots for sale in Cape Town

About 400 kgs is available?

Not scrap lead but properly melted into ingots which are easy to handle, what you buy then is
clean and there will be very little waste.

Roy

1967 Singer Chamois Imp gets new front disc brakes

Well not just yet but the Ford Fiesta front brake calipers are with our courier,  collected in Durban and I expect them here for tuesday next?

Ready to restore and fit any of the Hillman Imp range from 1963 to 1976, that includes Singers, Commers and Sunbeams.

When re furbished and fitted with new discs and pads they will look like this set which was imported from the UK.

How good is that!

Another set and the ones I installed on a Singer Chamois Sport earlier this year.

Note the special braided stainless steel covered fluid hose and the Monte Carlo competition road springs.

Roy

Kamers 2012 in Somerset West

The full name on the entry ticket (R50) says Kamers Vol Geskenke Boland.
What that means you will have to ask when you get there!

The show closes Saturday 27th October, so tommorrow, so get out there if you do not want to miss it!
Now closed, see you next year I hope.

What a great event, lots of parking and space in the show ground itself.

Note, there are no signs from the main freeway at all, well just one, R20,000 was spent
on posters but they were all stolen!

Directions:

From Cape Town and on the national road and heading towards Sir Lowrys Pass, turn left at the main traffic lights and go up to Somerset West town, at the T junction turn right, beware the way the roads are laid out! at the forth set of traffic lights and with Checkers supermarket on the left hand corner turn left ( Pic N Pay are to the right) travel up and find a small circle with a filling station, turn right and continue past the Erinvale golf course, you will then enter the  Van Loveren wine estate, stay left and follow the road. You can see the parking area from there.

http://www.vanloveren.co.za/  Recomended!

Its a creative event, much of whats on display and sale being hand made.

This caravan looks purpose made for shows, great idea too.

This was the main reason we took the morning off, Janet , who is on the right, has her own stand there this year,her brand name is Bokke & Blomme.

Bokke & Blomme were really busy but so were most of the other stands, worth a visit!

Roy

Stainless steel deck fittings, made in South Africa and shipped world wide.

We have done this for some while, we have some specialist metal machine shops here and have been able to offer their products as an extra to the actual CNC kit.

This is a Cape Henry 21 deck kit when bubble wrapped.

And here is most of the same package and when its unpacked in Seattle, USA.
We sent the steel drop keel as well.

Roy

Mast Hounds and plates

Made from the drawings that Dix Design supply with each plans set he sells.

The drop keel drum that takes the lift wire, CNC cut out with ultra high pressure water!

We can and do ship world wide, other designs are possible as long as you can supply the drawings. We can confirm an order for a Cape Cutter 19 kit which is similar, has just come in and from Sweden. A new country for us and making it our export country number 33 now.

Mail from Fred to Dudley Dix, the boats designer.

Greetings Dudley:

Attached, four photos displaying the fine quality of the SS Fittings which Roy arranged for my Cape Henry 21. I am very pleased, to say the least!  

Best,

Fred

Mail in today from Alex in the UK:

 That SS work is beautiful if one can say that about a lump of metal, you have some world class metal shops there mate.

Bob Kelsey and his race Imp, circa 1966

This came in today and from the UK, I was asked can we date it as 1966?

Well as far as we know Bob drove the race winning Hillman Imp in the SA Championships for two years, circa 1966 and 1967?

My reply to Richard who sent the picture.

Hello,


Yes, very much so, he ran the car for two years and won the SA champs as far as I know, he did all the SA circuits, when down at Killarney in Cape Town, he won bonus points for beating the 1300 cc class!

Terence Tracey held a braai for him, it was all in Impressions magazine.

www.theimpcub.co.uk

Roy

A Hillman Imp racing at Kyalami

The year was 1966 when Bob Kelsey raced at Kyalami in his 998cc factory spec, Hillman Imp, have any others raced there since? Terence Tracey  has raced his car at Zwartzkop, so did Gavin doc Ritchie, did they race here too? ( I spoke to Terence, yes they both did)

Thats Terences Imp on the right with the green roof, later on he loaned the car to a Kyalami specialsit who did the lap a whole 9 seconds faster than Terence!

The Imp is on the left, a series of pictures I took of the event on DSTV prooves that the other cars were not so much faster (red Ford Prefect) the cars race against the clock and not in a cubic capacity class.

Gavins car was sold to the owner of Zwartskop race circuit and the driver of Terences car had such a great day out a Kyalami that he has now bought a spare car of Terence and will build his own car now for the next season, yes, three racing Hillman Imps in South Africa!

You can see the Ford (anglia?) is now in front but not by much after quite a distance.

the Imps engine is 875cc with plus 30 thou pistons, the Ford will be at least a 1500cc motor?

Terence tells me the Ford Prefect has a 1740cc motor in it and in a later race with a Kyalami specialist driver in the Imp blitzed the Ford and also an Alfa that was there too!

The Bokke & Blomme show opened today!

A week back and this stand did not exist but it had to be ready to merchandise
for todays opening, could they do it?

As you can see they did! trading runs from today and through next week, open to 9pm for this evening  I am told. You will find the show out in Somerset West. follow the signs!

The name of the show is Kamers Vol Gestente, the location is Lourensford, Somerset West, be there!

Well worth the vist, the venue is really well supported and with lots of craft items you may find hard to find otherwise.
The Kamers team are well known for their innovative sourcing of creative talent and collaboration with suppliers on fresh and new product ideas.


My thanks to http://www.whatson.co.za/details.php?id=69924&event=Kamers%20Vol%20Geskenke%202012
The emphasis is on handcrafted wares, from jewellery to gourmet products, ceramics, soft furnishings, tableware, décor accessories, designer garden gear and clothing.

We are very excited about this new event where you will be able to experience the spirit of Kamers.

Opening night: Sunday, 21 October 2012 (16:00 – 20:00)

Hours: Daily from 8:30 to 17:00
Friday from 8:30 to 20:00
Cost: R50 per person



Roy

A Dragon in Cape Town gets some finishing varnish coats

I  say Cape Town but of course its really in Hout Bay and in the HBYC boat park.

Will in the grey jacket is doing the contract work, his daughter Haley and Alan, who is the HBYC clubs manager.

The coach roof was restored using a sheet of our Khaya Mahogany flexiveneer on a Craft paper backer.

Will tried a number of times to use a localy made twin veneer sheeting, it just would not take those complex curves, our imported Perform 3000 veneer sheet did it first time Will tried it.

The mahogany was dark stained to match the hulls eventual gloss black paint job.

This guy supports my team!

How nice is that.

Roy

To be updated later.

Fluid Film in Cape Town

This was the last of our stocks a week back, I tried placing an order for more but the supplier was off to Saldahana about 80 miles north west of here and in the opposite direction!

The spray can was sold to Peter of Whisper Boats the next day and the one liter pack I use on tools and machines myself, more stocks next week I hope!

 

We always know when a product works, as the buyer comes back for more.

 

 

Any assembly job that includes mixed materials will always be easier to disassemble when Fluid Film was used as a protective coating, in this case it made pre adjustment of the Aerogen 4 blades that more easy.

 

Roy

 

The fishing boat Otterdam gets a repair job

Otterdam is one of the once many wooden vessels we had in the cape, such boats were built in many yards and right up as far as Namibia, known as the south west. One such boat was (still is) the South West Seahawk, German built and to a very high standard, she and her sister boats were known to be both fast and stong. South West Seahawk was to be a sail training ship, the rigging plans are with me now but it never found the funding, the boat is still in Hout Bay Harbour?

Below is the Otterdam.

She has a L 1234 code on her side, plus a CTA number 301 TP, so she is a Cape Town boat. The work is being done in Hout Bay, I do not think the slip time required  can be found in Cape Town these days?

Re planking, the wood will be Keruing, a heavy hardwood from the Philipines.Known for its long lengths and stability, it steams very well too.

More pics just now, the morning tea is ready! Five Roses tea bags of course, one bag makes two cups of tea with ease,so two bags to a warmed porcelain pot makes five cups!

 

This is a very big job, the cost to the wood alone will set the owners back plenty.

 Looks like they have steel bands bolted through at the stem.

The other end, thats quite a small rudder for such a large and heavy vessel.

This is the heat exchanger for the engines fresh water cooling fluids, note the zinc anode to protect against corrosion.

All pictures  taken by R McBride

http://ckdboats.blogspot.com/2008/10/lowe-and-halversons-last-wooden-trawler.html

Click the link to see what may have been the last large fishing boat built in Cape Town by Louw and Halvorsen?

Roy

Aerogen 4 service ideas, tips and tricks

The Aerogen 4 12 volts DC wind charger I have came off another boat, the previous owner  wanted a more powerfull type and sold his on to help fund the new ones. His boats system was on 24 volts, so I needed a new 12 volt stator ( 24v stator for sale!) The bearings needed replacing and the 316 stainless main shaft was frozen solid to the alloy hub. I had to make a special wooden jig to support the main body, we then used a friends hydraulic press to free the 15mm diameter shaft.

That was ten years back, time moves on and parts age, I decided on a new set of blades plus the center hub they fit into, parts were ex stock from the agents. With new bearings (four) fitted the Aerogen was refitted but it would not work, why? read on.

For some reason the blades did not turn as fast as they should, finding they were fitted the wrong way around (anything is possible) and even when fitted the right way, thats with the hollow side of the blade facing forwards, it still made little difference.

Note, those new blades have location marks on both sides!

I waited for an eventual gale, then checked the blades spinning, around 40 knots and they went quite well! I then checked for heat on the main body, it was as I suspected warm.
Note, during this test the wires to the battery were not connected, this was so I could use a voltage meter to check the output, there was none but there was load, why?

I removed the unit and took it back to the workshop, on the bench and with a copy of the service manual I could do the job much better. The manual gives all the checks possible step by step, I suspected the voltage rectifier which changes AC to DC.

Left click on the meter, you will see the needle shows an output.

What I found was with the meter on the disconnected terminals I was seeing an output on the meter but when they were reconnected to the rectifier no power came out of the two wires which would connect to the ships batteries. there was something else too, with the three center terminals off, the center shaft was quite free but when they were refitted the shaft loaded up, again, why?

What I found is not in the service manual!

Check the copper slip rings and the marks from the two brushes, the left hand brush was only just sitting on the left hand slip ring and the right hand brush was doing the same!

This of course was a dead short, I had found my problem but could not understand why or how it had happened?

The drawing in the manual shows the slip rings sitting higher up the shaft, if that was the case they would then sit correct to the carbon brushes, I could not get the center shaft to move higher, so had to do a total strip down to see what I could do with the slip rings when removed from the main unit. I found that the slip rings are supported in a plastic housing, using a vice,so some proper support, I was then able to use a steel drift on the 316 stainless shaft and knock the slip rings higher up the shaft, I saw no locking device such as a grub screw, it seems the assembly is an interference fit?

This is the Stator when removed.

Re assembly needs care, the stator is a loose fit but not by much, I used a little Fluid Film as

 a lubricant ( just a smear)

There are four washers and screws to hold the stator in place, I used silicone to cover them and ensure they do not come loose.

Now fully assembled and this time bench tested for a 12 volt output, with one hand spinning the shaft I see around 5 volts, with a friction pad and an electric drill, I see 15 volts, so we are free to go again!

Note, use a 20 amp fuse when you connect one of these chargers.

Roy

Aerogen 4 and the birds, left click the pictures for a larger view.

24 hours later and we have a south west gale brewing, some poor town in the Eastern Cape has seen 237mm of rain in the period! The Aerogen 4 looks to be doing its job, the batteries being at 12.8 volts, thats ok when a small DC fridge works 24/7 as well.

Note, we can service your wind charger if your prepared to handle the collection and delivery fees, plus the parts and labour. We are also hoping to offer a well established wind charger range in the near future.

Ask for details or keep watching this blog!

The blades are tied off in this picture so I can service it.

The news now is that the Aerogen 4 wind charger is back in service, the SE winds are strong and with a 60 watt solar panel as well, we have power to spare! The regulator is dumping power into the heat sink very nicely and even with lights and systems switched on we have fully charged batteries.

With power to spare the regulator and dump resistor is required.

There is a small trim pot at the rear of the black regulator,set from 11.5 volts to 17 volts, on mine and factory set, I see around 14 volts from the red output wires, one re output wire is for a single battery (two together are seen as one) or two output wires for duel battery banks. The regulator sees both banks differently and will allow charge to either until they are fully charged.

When this happens the green dump resistor takes the extra load and gets warm, then hot, it will start to make a small squeal, so you now when this is happening, you may as well stop the Aerogen then?


Wind power, its the way to go!

Reversed Polarity? a special feature blog on this subject is to follow, what it is and how to handle it.

Roy

I still have the 24 volt Aerogen 4 stator for sale, I can ship Worldwide.