Automotive American – Classic Vintage & Modern
Tag: herald
I was fitting the new gearbox mounting bushes, and generally getting the box ready to go back when I found that whoever had put the gearbox in last time had done less than a perfect job.
The clutch release arm bushing was all missing, and the arm held in place by half a roll pin…
New parts ordered so more delay..
Clutch judders when hot, time to investigate.
As you can see the box is removed from inside the car
I had been keeping an eye out for the correct alternator bracket for the Herald as I wasn’t happy with the bodged up dynamo bracket.
A Dolomite 1500 was being broken for spares and I managed to buy the alternator mounting and adjusting brackets.
These as expected fitted well, and the belt adjusted correctly.
The belt pulley run also looks straight and the original belt can still be used,
I have dug out an old Blaupunkt that I was given in Canada during the seventies!
It’s not quite period but I think it will look quite good in the Herald 🙂
I have about ten cartridges,not sure if they work or not??
I managed to pick up a really nice period Mountney Steering wheel for the Herald. I found the car a little difficult to drive with the original “big” wheel. I’m currently battling with getting the horn push working. I think it looks quite snazzy!!
The old fashioned push screen washer pump failed on the old girl, so I spent £12 or so on eBay and converted it to electric screen washers.
The pump fits very nicely above the washer bottle and I installed a nice little switch where the old pump went. The switch almost matches the heater blower switch, so looks OK!
Alternator
eBay 10.00
Earth block
Screwfix 1.75
Electrical connectors
Halfords 3.00
Nuts/Bolts/Washers
Halfords 5.00
Misc (solder/metal)
5.00
Fan Belt
Total
24.75
The wiring solution
I have seen various suggestions regarding the wiring for this conversion.
Here is how I have dealt with it, as mentioned previously I have used an earth block from Screwfix.
This has been mounted in a small plastic box for insulation and the ends of the wires soldered before inserting into the block.
I know it doesn’t look too original, but once mounted it will be quite hard to see.
Still have to tidy up the spare black wire from the regulator box, the warning light wire.
Alternator now in place with home made fan belt adjusting arm extension. not pretty but it works.
I also need to find a slightly longer fan belt, no luck as yet however.
All well after a test start and run without the wiring connected.
The wiring was interesting to say the least!
Most of the instructions and wiring colours on the net and various other sources do not apply to our car.
The brown and various brown variants were all to be found at the regulator box as expected.
Additionally our car had a thick yellow and a thin yellow and green coming from the alternator.
The thick yellow is to be joined to all the browns as per the usual instructions, the thin yellow and green is to be joined to the thin yellow at the regulator for the warning light.
A lot of instructions suggest either soldering the various wires or adapting the regulator as a junction box.(all good ideas BTW)
I have taken a different approach, I got an earth bar from Screwfix and joined all the wires up that way.
Something like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/11385/Electrical-Supplies/Earthing/8-Way-Earth-Block
This will then be insulated by placing in a project box from Maplin:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1677
This will then be mounted in the space where the regulator used to live 🙂
WARNING !!!
If you want to try this be very careful that the earth bar does not earth out at any point.
If it does you will be needing a fire extinguisher on the non fused Herald, be very careful!
I’m also considering the fitting of some inline fuses or maybe a small fuse box.
Right, on we go!!
Now have the bolts, spacer and washers and have managed to (bodge) fit the alternator into place.
Not the most asthetic piece of engineering I’m afraid, however the Spitfire alternator brackets or quite hard to source and as a result quite expensive!
Everything is nice and tight and the belt run is pretty straight
Could probably do with a slightly longer belt I think, had a look in Halford’s today and the only ones available were either the same length or the 1500mm (a bit too long). I’ll go with the original for the time being.
I now need to fashion a little piece of aluminum or steel into an extension for the fan belt adjusting bracket, and then I will then complete the wiring.
Watch this space!!
