This year when I started to think, I need to sort out the rear brakes for the MOT I thought I would wash all the mud and grime off and therefore be presented with nice clean parts to work on. One of the downsides of using a pressure washer is that it can create work! It managed to peel off a previous repair on the petrol tank which proceeded to dispense petrol from a pin hole in the bottom edge. Whilst I was washing it, not a problem or an inkling of a problem. Left Lurch to dry overnight.
Came out next morning to be presented with the smell of petrol and a wet tyre. Quick find a petrol container and a funnel. This is going to be difficult I thought, how do I store 7 odd gallons of petrol? Shouldn’t have worried as there was less than 1 gallon left in the tank! The rest had already poured out all over the drive during the night…
With the tank empty, I took it off and discovered there had been 2 repairs to that part of the tank previously. One was done by brazing and then another repair at a later date with Plastic padding. That was what the pressure washer had dislodged.
Using a block of fence post I chiselled out the relevant shape for the formed section of the repair panel I would have to make. Cut a suitably sized piece of new metal and with a hammer and various bits of metal, proceeded to form a repair panel into a reasonable facsimile of the original shape. Welded that in place. Again no explosions of even any real flames, except for the odd bit of interior sealant which caught fire. Easily put out.
Whilst cleaning up the welds, I found a pin hole which required a blob of weld to sort.
Now all I had to do was weld on a piece of the second skin layer to replace the bit I had to cut off in order to weld my patch in. On cleaning up the area with a wire brush I discovered more pin holes! All of this is taking up time and getting closer to the Dutch treffen weekend. Will I have enough time to get this sorted and the rear brakes and get an MOT? Didn’t look like it, but on with the repairs as they have to be done no matter what. Now I have a long section on the tank to replace!
Followed the instructions to remove any rust, removed the water, and spent an hour busy turning the tank round and round to coat every surface inside. Left it to dry overnight and then refitted the tank.
On to the next issue – rear brakes. Had already fitted a new handbrake cable which showed up the fact the rear wheel cylinders had seized. Got them moving, but they weren’t nice. Bought new ones to fit. Took it for an MOT three weeks before the Dutch treffen and it failed on a rear wheel binding and poor handbrake performance and the front brake hose rubbing on the clutch cable tube. The last on was easy to solve, small tweak of the mounting solved that one. Stripped the rear brakes down again and put some new relined brake shoes. Adjusted the play on the shoes and managed to get the rear wheels to turn reasonably easily and for the handbrake to hold on a reasonably steep slope. Back to the MOT station to get the free re-test and finally a pass certificate!
Now I could drive Lurch to the Haflinger and Pinzgauer club treffen and back as a shake down run before the next weekend’s Dutch terffen.
The drive to Holland was for the most part uneventful other than the part where the Belgium police stopped us. Initially, I think in order to take pictures of the strange vehicle which they had never seen before, but when they asked for “documents” and I had to say “no documents, I have left them at home”. At which point they started talking about if they can’t be convinced that the vehicle is insured that they have to impound it and tow it. Then you have to prove it is insured and pay the tow fee, fine etc! At which point they asked if I could get a copy of the documents on my phone, that way they wouldn’t have to impound the vehicle. So I made a call to my daughter in law to ask her to find the relevant documents. Whilst we were waiting, my friend Stephen had a brilliant idea! http://www.AskMid.gov.uk The UK national insurance database which allows you to check if another vehicle has insurance should you be involved in a crash. There are some provisos about using the web site, but as the owner of the vehicle in question, I am allowed to access the site – which promptly pops up a page to say the Haflinger is insured…. They agree and so allow us to go with a word of caution – “Get a copy of the documents because if the traffic police stop you, they are more fierce and will impound the vehicle whilst you get a copy of the documents”! We must have been talking this pair of policemen for at least 20 minutes before they let us go….
The Treffen was interesting like all the previous ones, we visited an organic farm which made their own cheese and had a good spread of green lanes and minor roads on the road runs on both Friday and Saturday. Nice meals on both nights as well along with interesting and pleasant company form different parts of Europe.
Next year we are apparently going to Austria for the Haflinger’s 60th….. Still have to figure out how I can get Lurch there. I don’t have a trailer or a tow vehicle or a van I can put it in the back of. Something to ponder on!
John
