Two Corrigans

TR7 convertible

The other TR7

In checking the photo archive for this week’s material I came a cross a picture from early last month of what I believe to be the other TR7 still extant in these parts.  This photo is believed to have been taken on Saturday, September 27, either on the way to, or the way back from Warren Cossitt’s Jaguar flea market at his new digs in Norwood, Massachusetts.  Norwood is also the answer to a brit-car trivia question, as Norwood was also the location of Jos. Lucas & Sons New England warehouse.

 

MGB rear brake assembly

Wrong Way Corrigan

This week’s struggles have been pretty evenly divided between the marvelously challenging Sunbeam Alpine, which is now ready for a road test, if it ever stops raining, and a couple of early MGB’s, one of which hasn’t turned a wheel in over 30 years.  Pictured here is the left rear brake assembly of a 1963 MGB which is generally pretty tidy, except for the leading (rear) brake shoe which is upside down.  Also pictured is the shaft of one of the 1/4″ 28tpi brake drum hold down screws featuring a stripped Phillips head.

removing a broken screw

Off with their heads

These are easily managed by running a turning 9/32″ drill bit into them and taking off the head.  Phillips screws are to a greater or lesser degree self-centering and close observation shows this on the screw to the right of the hub.  Once the drum is off, a pair of Vice Grips should extract the rest of the screw.

Oh, and if you can find two “Corrigans” we’ll send you an oil filter for your british car, if we stock it.

Lea Francis

Lea Francis 14 H.P. Estate

Thursday night for a change of pace I brought in the Lea Francis wagon in order to drop the sump  and have a look around.  It proved to be a temporary impossibility.  Even after taking out all of the  hardware including  the front and rear studs, the oil pan resolutely refused to budge.  In some cases the manufacturers of yore would include an extra couple of threaded holes that dead ended against the opposite flange into which you could insert “jack” bolts to force a housing apart safely.  Regrettably none exist, and because it’s an aluminum casting only limited options for the use of blunt force are available.  Because discretion is still the better part of valor I decided to let well enough alone and ponder it for the weekend

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