1976 Elite restoration.

[Tony D]

What a complicated saga this is.

My early 74 car with A/C ( all early ones were A/C) has levers without holes ( Pete's first picture), but buttons as the second picture, although no screws. The button is tight fit on the lever and would be unlikely to pull off under normal use. Digging around in the carpet, I did find a small piece of black hard plastic that could be part of an original button, but difficult to tell.

I've never seen the deep buttons as picture #1, although the Rd Enterprise parts list picture does show the deep button in the picture.

Unfortunately non of the other pictures for other heater types show the button. SJ only show the small button and screw in their catalogue

My conclusion is that earliest cars had no hole in the lever and probably had the deep button ( Pic #1). Very quickly though, they changed to the small button. I suspect My car had deep buttons, but a PO broke or lost them and found the small button a good press fit, hence what I've got.

That's my theory anyway ( as Monty Python once said)

Tony

 

 

[EXCEL V8]

22 hours ago, Tony D said:

Tony

This picture also appears in the parts list under Heater.

Note how the side ( feet) openings are controlled directly by a rod to the lever. On the A/c Units, the lever controls a small valve, which then drives the vacuum actuator. Which diagram does your system inside the car look like?

Tony

The flap which controls whether air goes to the screen or feet or a bit of both is controlled by a lever on both a/c and heat-only units Tony.

[EXCEL V8]

Thanks for the photo of your car Steve.  I assume your car has the Delanair system if it's a '75?  Still not clear to me when they changed to the Lotus-designed unit.

Pete

[EXCEL V8]

Tony D - I think your idea that the earliest cars had push-on buttons and later cars had screw-fixed buttons is a good one.  The push-on buttons are only held in place by a tiny detent in the lever and button - perhaps they came off too easily and an alternative was produced - the screw-fixed button?  The push-fit buttons also break really easily.  I'll keep researching with peoples help!

Thanks everyone.

Pete

[steve clack]

Yes, it is a Delanair system my car was registered on the 1st June 1975. So probably built in April/May.

[Doris the dog]

Mine has this. It could be original or not.  Think mine is a Heinz 57 car. 

[EXCEL V8]

Thanks Steve.  Good to know.  So if Tony's idea about the buttons is correct by about April '75 the buttons had become screw-fixed.

Pete

[steve clack]

Just to add something to chew over, I found a Swiss chewing gum wrapper behind the rear passenger seats (when I removed them) and next to it was a penny dated 1978. So a trip to Switzerland with the kids after 1978, was had.

[EXCEL V8]

So what year is your car Tony B?  You definitely have the Delanair a/c system with push-on buttons, and the serial number looks quite early.

Pete

[steve clack]

A better picture!!!

[Doris the dog]

16 minutes ago, EXCEL V8 said:

So what year is your car Tony B?  You definitely have the Delanair a/c system with push-on buttons, and the serial number looks quite early.

Pete

1976. Pete. 

[Doris the dog]

On 09/05/2020 at 21:32, EXCEL V8 said:

Yes, but larger o/d of course.

Pete

Closest I can find at 100mm diameter is this twin wall not foam lined. 

[rjwooll]

I'm looking at replacing my air trunking. Last time I looked you could get black concertina silicon hosing at 90mm which, I believe, is the correct diameter for the airbox. Silicon is OK as it is fireproof.

Cheers, Richard

[Doris the dog]

Hi Richard. My air box measures 100mm. Diameter 

Will try looking for silicon.  

[Doris the dog]

Just found this 

 

[Doris the dog]

On 11/05/2020 at 10:42, Angus553 said:

Hi Tony if you posted a pic of your rear bumper it would be better than any explanation i can give.  Thanks Angus

Angus found these washer jets in one of the many boxes.  Can the water reach the screen from down there.  

[Tony D]

Picture is not easy to see in context. If this is front screen, it's wrong. Front used a flattened pipe type jet coming through the plenum grill. 

On the rear, there should be something similar to your photo, but it has 2 jets and is mounted centrally between the ramp (for the roller on the wiper arm) and the wiper spindle. 

Tony 

[Angus553]

As above. A PO may have used this with other parts to achieve the same result. The copper pipe is v brittle and doesnt take much to break it if try to bend it.

[Doris the dog]

Ok.  I need to sort this then.  Yes front screen Tony D.  Rear screen is fine , except no water reservoir.  
 Thanks again Tony D and Angus. 

[Tony D]

Tony. Slight correction, The ramp is central and the double washer jet sits to the RHS. They are all on the "horizontal " body flat immediately under the window. I looked closely at one of your earlier photo's of the rear and could only see two things attached in this area,

[Doris the dog]

Found it in parts book. Sorry my phone keeps rotating picture 
 

18 minutes ago, Tony D said:

Tony. Slight correction, The ramp is central and the double washer jet sits to the RHS. They are all on the "horizontal " body flat immediately under the window. I looked closely at one of your earlier photo's of the rear and could only see two things attached in this area,

Thanks Tony D. Yes I removed wiper splined shaft as it was not fitted correctly.  

[mikeeech]

I made my own washer jets using some 3mm copper sheet and some brake pipe since mine were in a pretty poor state and I was not entirely convinced by the quality of the originals anyway. 

I thought, mistakenly, that I could find a route for more conventional washer jet's at the front but decided against it.

[Doris the dog]

Starting to experiment on the copper pipe route this afternoon.  
I’m started moving the project forward for a change. 
Starting to look tidy in the engine bay , trial fitting of the dash , and the new door pins and bushes have been posted.  

If anyone who are trying to put there elite back to original spec , I have a screwdriver which I think is from the tools that came with the car from new. Yours for the asking.  

[mikeeech]

No expense spent on that quality tool!

[Doris the dog]

Genuine Snap-on.  Well not really.