Amazon spares. (what do you carry)

[amazondean]

Hi all. Just a note on spares that might be needed when on the move. I have found that the most important spare part that I carry all the time, and makes me feel safe is a complete distributor including cap and leads, that has points, condensor and rotor arm already in position. The low tension lead attatched and timed up the same as the one on the car, so that if you brake down, all you need to do is undo the two bolts that hold it to the engine block. (1/2" spanner) Take off the low tension lead from the coil. (pliers)Pull off all the leads from the spark plugs, noteing which one goes to number one cylinder. This should be the bottom left lead on the distributor as you look at the engine from the front and then working anti clockwise the next goes to numer three cylinder. The next goes to number four cylinder. The last lead which should be the top left lead goes to number two cylinder. Take out the spark plugs, (spark plug remover) and replace those while it's in bits. Then just replace the complete distributor, minus the cap and leads so that you can turn the distributor shaft by hand, using the rotor arm, until the distributor drops into place. Then bolt it down and fix the low tension lead to the coil. Replace the cap that came with that distributor and its leads, to the respective cylinders. Replace the vaccuum advance pipe as well if your distributor has one, and hay
presto, you have now eliminated about six or seven items that could be at fault in a matter of minutes. If you get confident, you can do this in the dark and when it's raining.

A spare fuel pump is also straight forward to replace as well. As long as the rubber pipes are held to the pump with jubilee clips, all you need to do is undo the two bolts (1/2" spanner). Undo the jubilee clips with a screw driver, and pull off the rubber pipes, from each end of the pump and pull the pump off the engine block. Replacement is just a reversal.

If your car has a strombourg carb, a spare diaphram is handy to carry, as all you need to do is undo the four phillips screws that hold the top cover down and remove it. Then pull out the piston and spring carefully as this holds the needle. Then pull out the diaphram and replace with a new one, noting the locating lugs as you press it home.

A spare thermostat is handy and easy to replace. Just undo the two bolts (1/2" again). Tap off the thermostat housing. I usualy let the coolant spill everywere, it only takes a few seconds. Then take out the old unit and replace with a new one. Ensuring the rubber seal is attatched to the new thermostat. Then replace the housing. Don't forget to fill up with water asap.

Spare seal kits for the rear brake cylinders, front calliper seals, brake master cylinder, clutch master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder seals. Water pump. Although you probably can't replace these on the road side, if you brake down at least you have a chance of the car being repaired if it's taken to a garage. especialy if you are overseas.

More obvious spares are fuses, including the small fuse. A jack that will jack the car up without pushing the sills through the floor. A spare wheel that is inflated. A full set of imperial spanners. Various screw drivers. Pliers. Torch. Rope for towing. An instrument for removing the hubcaps. Oil. Water.

I'm sure other people can add to this list, but all the jobs mensioned most people could do if they put there mind to it. But if not, at least you have the parts for other people to do the work instead of being stranded for days.

When I finaly got my amazon estate finished in 2004, I new it had been off the road since no later than 1983. Then almost instantly, we went on holiday in it from Lincoln to cornwal. It was it's first proper journey for over 20 years, so I was incredibly nervous. Aspecialy because we had the kids in the back. Armed with all the above spares and a few more besides, (All the spares fitted under the rear floor were the spare wheel is kept.) we set off. We had breakdown recovery, which realy is mandatory in any car these days. I noticed the temperature was reading a little warm before we set off, so I armed myself with a handfull of second hand thermostats that I had taken off other cars before. The journey went well and once I got confident I was doing 70 mph most of the way, but I had my eye on the temperature all the way, because it was rising very steadily. At one point I had to put the heater on full, which did keep the temperature from overheating, but we was nearly there so I wasn't to worried. When we arrived at the cottage, my wife unpacked everything while I got my spanners out and took out the thermostat. Armed with about four thermostats, I placed them all in a pan of water and heated it up. Sure enough, the one from the car was slow to open. So I chose the one which opened the most. But this one looked the roughest of all. I should have had a new one to my peril later.

All week the temperature was spot on, so it went to the back of my mind. Then on the last day, we were coming back from a theme park and I noticed the car started pinking. It got steadily worse. I thought the timing had moved so I was thinking about tweaking it. Then I heard a small bang which I thought a stone had hit the window. My brain was on overdrive, I new something wasn't right. I then looked at the temp gauge. It had fallen off the scale as though it was cold. I new something had happend so I stopped immediatly. I lifted the bonnet and found the car was gasping for breath. The engine had overheated so badley that there seamed to be no water left. Yet there had been no steam to show it had overheated. The temperature sender was under so much pressure it shot out the engine block and smacked the underside of the bonnet. That was the bang I heard. I thought the worst. Surely I have blown the headgasket at least. Or maybe I have cracked the block. All this was going through my mind while I waited for it to cool down. I checked the oil, it was ok. I new there was a quarry up the road, so I waited half an hour, until the gurgaling had stopped. I put what water we had with us in the radiator and tried to start the car. It burst into life so I drove it the short distance to the quarry were I took the thermostat out completely. Filled up with water and set off. When the thermostat is not in. there is the tendancy for water to leak, but once I started the engine it seamed to stop. I drove back to the cottage without any drama. I got away with it.

I read an article once that said you can boil the engine dry and melt the plug caps and still do no damage. I no now, thats true.

More waffle later. Dean.


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a64...20white/12.jpg

[222s]

The only spares I carry are a few bulbs & fuses. Obviously also oil, water, antifreeze, and screenwash. I have a torch but that's mainly used for checking the oil in the dark and also a towrope & jump leads which are hardly ever used. There's a few tools, and some spare lights / reflector units & housings but they're in the boot more for storage reasons rather than necessity! I use the standard jack, and other than when the nearside rear outer sill partially collapsed through rust (since replaced - the actual jacking slot / lug was fine), it has never given problems.

Interesting to read your overheating story - I've also heard that these engines can take that sort of punishment without complaint.

http://x-files.serveftp.com/paulhark...ture.sized.jpg
1967 Amazon 122S B20 o/d Estate, 1961 A-H Sprite Mk2 948cc

[biggbn]

...totally mechanically inept, so my most usefull tool is a mobile phone and bank card, don't leave home without one!!

[andy rowlands]

Hi, its good to hear of another Amazon being used! I have installed Pertronics electronic ignition and to be honest have to now only change the cap and rotor arm every 2 years. the car runs much better,it is smoother and picks up and starts better. I also think that the econonmy is better.

I have a B20 with a big valve head the engine is fully balanced and the flywheel is lightened (a bit too much) on the rolling road its 135bhp, so it is good fun with modern cars! I run the engine on Mobil 1 and it doesn't use any.

As to the spares I carry a fan belt and a top fuse. The full Volvo tool kit is all I have needed.

[amazondean]

Hi andy. I like the idea of electronic ignition. Do you know how much the kit is and were to buy it?

Also do you know what the most powerfull engine can be fitted in the amazon without modifying the car.

Dean.

[biggbn]

my recently departed amazon had electronic ignition too...i'l try to contact the new owner and find out the make for ya. as for power, the top spec ruddspeed amazons were said to run 127mph....fast enough for ya?

[222s]

127? Do you know if that was indicated (ie on the speedo) or genuine (ie timed / calculated etc)?

Also, does anyone know how accurate the speedos are? Given enough road, mine has reached an indicated 117 (on an autobahn) but I'm guessing that it was closer to, if not below 110.

As for electronic ignition, I have a Lumenition system fitted (or at least I think it's Lumenition - it was done several years ago) and it has been fine. Certainly helps the service intervals - one major service each year (at MOT time) and then an intermediate oil change (which I do myself) and that's it. Not bad for a 38 year old car that is always parked outside, driven daily, and covering about 7000 miles each year.

http://x-files.serveftp.com/paulhark...ture.sized.jpg
1967 Amazon 122S B20 o/d Estate, 1961 A-H Sprite Mk2 948cc

[biggbn]

i'l dig up the link for the ruddspeed figs..i found 'em on a website while researching my 122s, post 'em as soon as ifind 'em...my best indicated was 108mph in my 1800 122s estate

[andy rowlands]

Hi,

Pertronix, Europe 01276 65554 or email pertronix @fsmail.net. or the company that Mick Gilbert got the last one I had from is http://www.vintageperformance.com/re...ean_orders.htm the price from this source seemed better at the time.

The only draw back with this system is that you need a constant 12V supply now on later 120s (B20) the coil has both + and - terminals on it/ On the earlier cars there is the armoured cable to deal with!

What I do is I always fit the Flame Thrower Coil as well, so I cut the armoured cable and the inner cable at the coil end. Then you can pull the armoured outer from the ignition switch end ( twisting and pulling) Then, and this is the tricky bit, I remove the old coil from the base plate which secures to the bulkhead and using black silicone (I actually use an RTV gasket sealer, I put the new coil into the base plate. This gives you a modern powerful coil with the 12V constant supply you need. You end up with it not looking too out of place because its still in the original position.

The actual electronic ignition is great it all fits inside the distributor (unlike the Luminition system which has wires and boxes outside it) where the original bolt for the LT lead goes through the side of the dizzy you remove the bolt then thread the 2 wires and these wires go to the coil, I think they are red (12v) and grey LT or (-).

The fitting instructions are good, if you decide to go for it just get in touch if you need help.

As to power output, using the same block I have heard of over 180 bhp, but have in the back of my garage the component parts for a B18 over bored to 2.0 with nitrous and water injection and a turbo. I bought it in kit form from a design engineer, its got stelited valves and a reworked garrett turbo, on paper it should be 350bhp+! One day I will build it and perhaps have the bottle to use it!

All the best

Andy

[amazondean]

Hi. I wonder if you could cut or carefully drill a hole through the armoured cable and join the said permanent live wire to the inner wire in the armoured cable. If so you could use the original set up. I have read that one of the amazon specialists has never had one of these coils go wrong, other than inner cables breaking.