Paddy75's 1300 Super

[Paddy75]

I've uploaded a couple of videos on to Photobucket of the Avenger cold-starting last year.

Since then I've changed the worn-out SU with a Stromberg and the wheels now have the GL type wheel rings. I've also recently by-passed the headlamps with relays to save the switches, makes a good job of the lights!

First video is with the lid down, 2nd with the lid up. You get to see my greying ugly mug too! The car beside the Avenger is a year 2000 Shitroen Xsara 1.9D (no turbo so its as good on diesel at 90mph as at 50.)

http://s1098.photobucket.com/upload/albums/Paddy075/

[Paddy75]

For frigs sake my internet skills are crap, even though me job is making the 'net/phones/telecomms work!

This link:

http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g379/Paddy075/

Duh!

[avengertiger]

they are as good as your videoing skills what
shes a tidy lady paddy whats that i spy in the door pocket,some lubrication for the driver?
good job on keeping the identity under wraps the old mechanical fan got you there....
she is a straight wee car what year did you say it was i see she has the full compliment off fuses.

[Paddy75]

Haha aye aveTiger that was using the camera on the laptop. Yeh the night before me and a bud' were crusing about the town in it and got a carry-out, those door pockets are very handy!

She is 21/June/1975 and is a Series 5 with the concave front struts. Originally she had a 1.75'' SU which apparently means it has the 7.5'' (not the 7.25'' which the 1250/1300 had) clutch - good so I can be cheap and just replace the clutch plate when I think its near worn out, with a 7.5'' clutch plate I got for a tenner!
I also got a proper yellow asbesdos GT clutch kit, with the MK1 shaped pressure plate, I was told by a rally driver uncle-in-law that that pattern of the earlier presure-plate/clutch cover is a better job.
As far as I know the SU carbie was an upgrade option that could be gotten on the 1300cc and was standard for a couple of years on the 1600 then on the MK2 they went back to the Stromberg. I replaced the inlet manifold and that made a good diffrence, the old one was way too smooth.

The clocks are Smiths so the trip recorder is on the top half of the speedo and the 'Volts Supply' is a bigger shape, I think this looks well. Although the Delco sets probabbly are more reliable.
I got a brand new, with 3 miles on it strip type speedo from the 'bay BTW, the seller thought it was for a LHD kph car! So thats being kept for a possible future part swap if needed, necessary or found. That wee part just might become the best ?1! I've ever spent.

From a few garage recipts I was given when I bought her the gearbox and prop was changed in the early 1980's. A couple of years later the TCA's and a clutch. The back axle in her is noisy, a common problem on Ave/beams I'm told.
I have a NoS 3.89:1 CW&P and as its just usually 10.5 (multiply by 14 for that in lbs if 'stone' is not used in NZ folks) stone of me sitting in her the gear up from 4.11:1 would do it no harm. I got a set of rear wheel bearings with the seals as I was told they need changing, well the entire back axle needs done (noise) as there is too much of a rock on the prop shaft and yes the hardy-spicers are fine, got a spare set also!
It'll have to be an engineering shop job, to set the CWP footprint up, and then look at the CW wear pattern to make damn sure its wearing in the right way.

3rd gear vibrates slightly, I mean as felt on the stick rather than noise from the 'box when you put your hand on the stick in 3rd. Probabbly the synchro hub? I guess so.

What I'd like to do is find a half-decent MK2 or Sunbeam 1300 engine as the lump in that Avenger is the original! The MK2 had a higher crt I believe. Just store the original for the hopefull future. Or even a 1600... ''..aye officer, LB means little bore..''

That Avenger is so original it scares the shit outta me! I seriously NEED her what I call Irish damproofed. The front grille area needs cleaned and sprayed and the drivers side outrigger replaced then the door inner bottoms also need blasted to save them.
There is the original mat in the boot, even the fibre cover over the inside of the tail lamps are still there!
Trying to find the right man do do this is difficult.

I just may have hit the Avenger jackpot with that 1300 Super, okay she cost me 2k but I think the gamble paid off tho! A Dutch tax-rebate paid for it so to my contrary mind she cost me nothing.

I have every MoT going back to 1977 and it looks like it only did 3-500 miles per year!

I do love her, I liked MK1 Avengers since the Granda put me on his knee on his silver 1600 Super in 1978 and a couple of years later I was handed an Avenger Haynes manual.

I just wish I didn't wait as long as I did before buying one. If I heard of a job/contract going in NZ... Well! Straight on to the NZ ebay or whatever.

Often I hear this:

''..they were a good driving car..'' ''..they were reliable..'' ''..they were the one to have in the 70's..''

After driving that wee 1300 for the first ten miles. I was deeply and madly in love.
I've even 'sourced' a haylon fire extinguisher for her - f*** the environment! We are talikng about super cool and indeed sexy good drivinf classic cars.

Take care folks, keep on avengin'