Q443 BCH

[Paul Sheridan]

After 7 years 10 months  Q443 BCH has had a full nuts and bolts restoration and is now ready for MOT

My original goal was to keep the Series 2 Phaeton looking as it was intended ...... but with a few refinements along the way!      Goal Accomplished

[James Doulton]

That exhaust manifold looks like it was designed to feed a turbo.

[Paul Sheridan]

It is just a standard manifold from a 2.0l Zetec, and a temporary fitment until I get a bespoke 4 branch made. Although that said it is fairly free flowing as I have somewhat modified the intersections. If it performs reasonably well, it may well stay. 

[Neville Smith]

Stunning absolutely stunning, you should be very proud, I just hope one day my S3 will look as good.

[Paul Sheridan]

Well she definitely howls and revs a lot cleaner than I thought it would ....... got a sodding great grin on me boat !!!!!!  its the first time I have had her up to full temperature, and with the help of a little electronics gizmo from Omex, the old Lotus rev counter now works, and is reading the same as the ecu on the computer. There is a bit of a rough patch as it goes through 1800rpm, but other than that it is crisp. Probably a wrong value there abouts in the fuel map which should get sorted on the dyno.   Its a bloody good job I cant get the car out until the new doors go on the workshop..... I would be seriously tempted to take it out for a test otherwise ;-)))))    

[Paul Sheridan]

Gentlemen I have a problem  ....... the seating tub seems to have distorted due to the modifications made. The tunnel has closed up near the bottom,  enough for the prop shaft flange to clump the molding for the hand brake when the suspension nears three quarters compression.  When I trial fitted everything for clearance, I had not filled the two holes in either side and the flange moved up inside the tunnel with clearance to both sides. 

Question 1 :- Am I right in thinking that there are two sizes of diff flange for the English axle?  I have the large flange fitted, if I can fit a small flange to the diff and get the flange changed on the prop shaft for a small one, It will possibly solve the problem.

Question 2 :-  If this is the case, does anyone have a small flange that they can measure for me, so I can do some calculations to see if it will actually give me enough clearance. 

Question 3 :- If there is and if I can, does anyone have a pair of small flanges that I can purchase? 

[Brian (up north) Morris]

can you post pics paul......i love pics 

[Steve Kerswell]

Both mine are 108mm. Diameter. That's about 4.25 in old money, will dig around tomorrow down the hillbillies, they have several props down there.

[Adrian Southgate]

There are actually three but one is rocking horse poo. I have both the other sizes of prop flange in the unit. You made me an adaptor for a small flange Paul, if you still have my diagram that will give you an outer diameter and PCD.

If you take the flange off the diff it will have to have the backlash reset unless you can perform some sort of black magic with a torque wrench.

Assuming you have a 23 spline 1" output shaft I may even have a ready made prop but will need to know the total length required.

[Paul Sheridan]

Thanks gents, after thinking about it overnight, I am going to move the axle over slightly to see If i can get the required clearance.

I will also look at machining and re drilling the existing flanges to reduce the diameter, but wont know if that is possible until I get the prop off again. 

Adrian, if the above fail I would like to buy a pinion flange from you. Then I will see if I can get a flange to fit the new prop shaft I had made, I don't really want to put an old prop shaft on it after I have renewed every other bearing on the car.  

Hopefully I can get some clearance by moving it, otherwise its going to put my time schedule out for Stoneleigh. Grrrrrr

The pinion flange can be changed with out changing the preload,  providing you use a spring balance and know the torque figures for the collapsible spacer  ...... I do ;-)         BUT I DON'T RECOMMEND IT..... so dont try this at home.  

[Dave Adams]

Re-site the handbrake lever? Mine sit's on top of the tunnel and angled over to run parallel to the diff nose....still comfortable to use.

[Steve Kerswell]

Could someone post the sizes on here, it would be handy for my reference book :-)

[Paul Sheridan]

This simple modification works well ......  2 stainless steel money clips from ebay for less than 2 quid each, bonded to the side panels. The rear of the wheel arch drops in as the bonnet shuts and stops it from flapping about in the wind.

The simple things are always the best