Last night the Lambda was used in anger for the first time in the VSCC Night Trial and for a 90 year old did very well indeed, it’s a pity the same could be said for the human occupants. Unfortunately we failed to read the instructions, something I usually think of as optional. In fact the first three items were a complete revelation to us as we had a 2009 Melways, had travelled on dirt roads and thought the control was where we started from (25km from the actual control). However we did have a lovely meal and were to bed earlier than if we had read the instructions.

Just a note about the lights, during the Night Trial the 35W Halogens did very well, the voltmeter never dropped below 12.5 volts  so I can take my time with the Vac Tank.

On another subject I had to drill and tap the windscreen frame to fit some period (fake) mirrors last week and all was going well until the tap broke off in the last hole.  Trying to remove a broken tap or drill bit in relatively soft metal is a nightmare.  I did think of glueing a screw head on to pretend it didn’t happen but a momentary brain engagement saved the day.

 This tool on the left was included in one of those “300 poorly made accessories for your Dremel” that Bunnings occasionally has in their chuck out bins.  So being a soft touch I had purchased one.  The tool in question is diamond coated so if you are prepared to stand still for an hour or so it will wear away that broken tap and you end up with an empty hole with a buggered thread , so giving you another opportunity to break off an even larger tap.

Generally old cars don’t have great electrics, luckily Vincenso Lancia used Bosch so at least electricity is the end product rather than smoke produced by that well known English brand.  The Bosch generator like most of the Vintage era put out about 80 Watts, so that is my power budget.  Unfortunately the Lambda is handicapped with a dud vac tank so has a Facet fuel pump sucking 18 Watts.

Here is the list of stuff that would be running while travelling at night.

So I’m 12 Watts over budget if the Generator was perfect, this is after I had already replaced the headlight bulbs with halogen ones saving 10 Watts and Stuart the previous owner replacing the tail lights with LEDs saving  another 12 Watts.  The obvious answer would be to get the vac tank working…. or LED Headlamps?

Some new cars now come with LED headlamps so they would be perfect for an old car with not much power to spare…. Well yes and no.  Here is a picture of one I prepared earlier.

Picture shows LED mounted in part of the Bosch reflector, would have been a perfect fit if that heat sink was not sticking out the back.

So the problems are

1. No room for the fan/heat sink.
2. Nowhere for the heat to go as headlight shells are not ventilated.

LEDs although much more efficient that incandescent bulbs still produce heat and if the heat cannot get away they die early.

I think the real problem here that I do not have a vintage brain, as I’m sure in the day if your battery was going slowly flat it was time to pull over and have a kip and take off again in daylight, problem solved.

Nevertheless, a vac tank may allow me to see the light without the sleep.

Week started well with the local club’s Breakfast Club click here for details.  This event we run on the second Sunday of each month and generally get 50-90 cars of all sorts, starts 7:30 ends 10:00 so it does not mess with your day.

Andrew’s Cox and McDougall visited on different days to inspect the Lambda and I think it passed the muster.

Thursday was a rainy motoring lunch so nothing the other side of the year 2000 turned up, Bob did drive the Alfa 156 that although not vintage was fitted with tyres that gave it equivalent grip.

Thursday evening went to Peter’s celebration of 50 years ownership of the 30/98 Vauxhall (OE 23?) lovely two wheel braked car and a great night with old cars, wine, friends and particularly well bbqed chipolatas   I think most early series cars are better looking than those that followed, Lambdas included, in the case of 30/98’s the inclusion of front brakes just made things more complicated, added to the unsprung weight and I’m not sure if retardation was much improved.

Friday I attempted to finish the interior colour change on the Lambda but thought better of doing the passenger door trim as we were going to the VSCC picnic that night and was not sure if I should use Sue as a colour fastness tester, so colour mostly changed.  Also this time followed instructions and used gloves, might start wearing them all the time and save some hand cleaner.

Lastly I have attached a photo of the Lambda brake drum, as you can see it’s marked RIGHT …..Why? This is not a test I just do not know why, any suggestions?