Refurbishment of my
Bentley S1 B527EK
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I bought my 1957
Bentley S1 in June 2009. A friend told me
about the car and that it was for sale. I drove out to see her one
Sunday morning and found the graceful old girl resting amongst various
other classics in a peaceful garden setting. After having a good look
at her and a brief test drive I was satisfied that she is an honest
example and well worth refurbishment. A deal was done and the adventure
began.
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Not knowing much
about her recent service history I decided not to drive her home so I
hired a flat-bed truck. She arrived safe and sound, ready for the
refurbishment to commence.
We always name our cars, and after much discussion we decided to name
her Sarah. |
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I decided to start
with the engine and service items to see if I can at least get her
running again. The first thing I did was to remove the oil bath air
filter which once removed allows good access to the ignition
components. The oil bath was cleaned, painted and set aside.
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Next I started on the
cooling system, and encountered my first problem. The thermostat
housing cover is very corroded and rusted solid in place. I applied
lots of penetrating oil but that did not seem to help. More drastic
measures were required, so it had to be cut away from the housing and
replaced.
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The water pump was
removed and sent away for refurbishment.
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All drive belts were
replaced.
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The various gaskets
for the cooling system were traced and cut from suitable gasket paper.
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The rocker cover and
carburettor components removed for restoration.
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Preparing the rocker
cover and carburettor components for painting...
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...and the completed
product.
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Even the dining room
table was host to various Bentley parts during the restoration when
cold winter nights rendered the workshop inhabitable.
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The distributor was
modernized by replacing the old twin points system with purpose-made
electronic ignition from Jolley Engineering in the UK.
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Once installed the
electronic ignition is so well hidden the engine looks stock standard.
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Electronic ignition
tip: The electronic ignition is supplied
with a higher power coil, which demands a good, clean 12 V power source
to
operate properly. The wiring on our cars is 50 or more years old, and
on both
my Bentley’s I had rough running with the electronic ignition until I
provided
a clean 12 V power source to the new coil. To do this simply follow the
coil
power wire to the fuse box and replace it, as illustrated above.
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The radiator was
removed and completely refurbished by a radiator specialist.
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The gearbox oil was
changed, and it was encouraging to find clean fresh oil in there which
suggests good prior maintenance. |
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On Sunday 13 December
2009 I had assembled enough of the engine to take the car for it's
first test drive around the block. The purpose of this test drive was
to do an assessment on the brakes. After months of standing she soon
fired up and I gently eased her out onto the road. With no bonnet, a
temporary air filter consisting of a cloth tied over the inlet pipe and
a noisy rusted exhaust it must have been quite a spectacle to
onlookers, but she performed impeccably, and the brakes appeared to be
in good order!
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The air silencer was
painted and new rubber straps were fitted. The rubber straps were cut
from the rubber they put under carpets. It worked perfectly!
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The refurbished air
filter and silencer fitted back on the car.
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| To
be continued... |
