Austin Mini - Clutch Part 2

Non-Verto woes

After studying the Haynes manual carefully, I enlisted the help of Gilbert, an ace Japanese car mechanic, for this operation. He already assisted me in the past - replacement of the steering rack and ball joints.

Front sub frame supported by jack stands + a trolley jack under the transmission, the Mini is prepared for a full clutch overhaul.

Filthy flywheel cover - mixture
of clutch lining dust + motor oil

Flywheel + clutch disc drenched in oil

the culprit

New diaphragm,
release bearing, clutch disc + oil seal

this oil seal
prevents motor oil from the crankcase
from contaminating the clutch/flywheel 

new clutch disc installed

Flywheel + new diaphragm

With the flywheel cover and starter re installed it was time for a test drive. No more clutch slip and significant improvement in drive ability, but...

...there is significant wear on the ball (red*) at the end of the clutch release lever and socket (red*) of the release bearing plunger which prevent proper adjustment of the throw out nuts (2). I had to keep the 1/4" thick bolt between the slave piston and clutch arm rod (blue**) to get clutch action. To get it back to factory specs, I need a new clutch arm lever + release bearing plunger.

Just like music performance, I always try to be a perfectionist so this has to be sorted out properly ;)

Austin Mini - Clutch Part 1

Non-Verto clutch woes

Blown slave cylinder

Top - old slave
Bottom - new slave

New slave ready for assembly
using liberal amount of DOT 4 fluid
for wheel cylinder/cap lubrication

Copper washer (from the flexible hose)
did not come with the new slave (or hose)
so I cleaned the old washer

New slave cylinder + new flexible hose
ready for installation

Since the fluid spurted out by the slave was jet black I went ahead and dismantled the master cylinder.

So much crud came out of the master cylinder
fortunately the inner wall was intact.

Master cylinder repair kit

Master cylinder components cleaned
and new wheel caps installed lubricated
by fresh DOT 4 fluid

Master cylinder ready for installation

Fresh DOT 4 fluid was transfused into the hydraulic system and bled until no air was coming coming out of the slave bleeding valve. But there were a few snags, the clutch throw out stop could not be adjusted as per Haynes and I had to insert a 1/4" bolt at the end of the clutch arm push rod to get clutch action. Although clutch pedal feel and action significantly improved, after driving around my neighborhood I still experienced intermittent clutch slide on steep hill climbs...more problems lurking ahead :(

Smiths Tachometer

With the prices of Smiths Classic Gauges going through the roof, I gambled at eBay and won this for about $20/shipped. It is an RVI* 1433/01 negative ground probably pulled out of a junked mid-60s MGB, MG Midget or Austin Healey Sprite.

*The RVI Series only works with conventional contact point ignition systems. For later models (or converted) with electronic ignition, use an RVC.

NOTE: the black dotted lines between the distributor and coil denotes a wire that should be removed. Essentially the tachometer replaces the wire and, is in series between the distributor and coil as shown in the diagram.

The gamble paid off!

Frankenstein Isolettes

Agfa Isolette II Apotar 85mm f4.5
Bad bellows

+

Agfa Jsolette Solinar 85mm f4.5 Compur Rapid
Agfa Isolette I Agnar 85mm f4.5 Vario
Both have bad bellows

-

Agfa Jsolette
Agnar 85mm f.4.5

=

Agfa Isolette II Solinar 85mm f4.5
Agfa Isolette I Apotar 85mm f4.5

Solinar and Apotar pics

Yashica-Mat

Yashica-Mat with Luxamar 80mm f3.5

This is my second 'Mat, both acquired at under the $100 mark and worked out of the box - clean lenses and the shutter fired at all speeds without needing exercise. I find the earlier sans light meter Yashica-Mats more appealing compared to the later sought after 124/124G series.

Need a light meter? Learn Sunny 16 or use a hand held meter. To the left of the picture above is a plastic Bayonet 1 lens hood which can be found on eBay for under $10, highly recommended to prevent strange light artifacts from being recorded on film.

Yashica-Mat with Yashinon 80mm f3.5

Luxamar 80mm f3.5
Fuji Acros in Rodinal 1+50

Yashinon 80mm f3.5
Fuji Acros in Rodinal 1+100

Luxamar vs. Yashinon

Both lenses are four element Tessar type. Some claim the Luxamar lens fitted to early models of the series were manufactured in Germany. You decide...;)

Violin Making in the Philippines - Amador Tamayo

I have mentioned my friend and colleague Amador Tamayo in Musicfest 2012 and PWU School of Music Performance Program as a cello mentor to our younger generation of talented cellists.

Amador has appeared as soloist with the Philippine Youth Orchestra, Manila Symphony Orchestra and Manila Chamber Orchestra while serving as principal cellist for these orchestras. An avid chamber musician, he has performed two Beethoven Cello Sonatas with pianist Charito Pizzaro and collaborated with esteemed Filipino violinist, Gilopez Kabayao and his pianist wife, Corazon, in performances and a recording of Schubert Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat major.

He was a music student at the University of the Philippines, College of Music but eventually finished a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. As fate would have it, under the auspices of the Goethe Institut he was awarded a scholarship to study violin making in Germany. From 1978-1982 he worked as an apprentice to Hubert Schnorr in Hamburg supplemented by studies at Mittenwald School of Violin Making.

Let's visit his shop in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range outside of Metro Manila where...

...he is assisted by three associates.

Due to our tropical climate, a temperature and humidity controlled environment is essential for storing wood and varnishing instruments.

Production figures since 1981 total to an estimated 140 violins, 20 violas and 20 cellos. Most of these instruments are played by Filipino musicians but a few have also made it abroad: Australia - 3 cellos, Canada - 3 violins, Germany - 4 violins, 2 violas + 1 cello. Singapore - 2 cellos, Taiwan - 2 violins + 2 cellos, USA - 6 violins + 1 cello and Vietnam - 1 cello. With more commissions and repair waiting, the shop is kept busy...

Amador doing routine maintenance on my old Italian mistress, a copy of which is in his long term project list ;)

Tamayo violin ca. 2007

Tamayo cello 2011