After much messing about with hoses and water, I couldn't get a reliable water circulation. There was a 'high' point in one of the hoses to the pump (intake) which would air lock and then stop the flow. Knowing the seals in the pump were iffy to say the least I decided to pull it to bits. Oh dear, not a pretty sight! Faced with the option of buying a reconditioned pump at well over £100 I decided to see if there was an alternative. An electric one was a possibility, but again, about £150.00. Trawling the Internet for Hillman Imp parts I came across http://www.corley-conversions.co.uk/  A phone call on Saturday morning resulted in the answers I wanted to hear, 'Yes we have a rebuild kit and you are welcome to collect it anytime today'. Armed with the bits of my pump I took a drive and met Ben Boult who gave them the once over and all the tips on rebuilding it. Thanks Ben!
By late Saturday afternoon the pump was refitted in a different position to avoid air locks. Now circulating fine, and seems to keep it's cool, although I think there is a need for a larger capacity header tank which I will plumb into the top hose.

I reconnected the Alternator (which didn't seem to work when I tried it a couple of months back) and after a few seconds of the warning lamp flickering it went off and gave an output. Perhaps worth the tenner after all!
Thought I would include a video of the engine running. A shame the camera started to slip...........

Engine runs

No picture I’m afraid, but an update on engine progress. First runs a few weeks back proved the Aquaplane head did a good job of filling the bores up with water, so that has been set aside for a skim and re-fit at a later date. As it also seemed to be running hot, I thought it better to get it running right with the cast head. With no expansion tank in the cooling system, it was also too keen on blowing water out of the vent. For some reason it seemed to be running lean, so the jets were adjusted down, but no great improvement

An electric cooling fan and a Landover expansion tank grafted on, it was time to have another play with the carbs. Everything was checked, jets centred, the air slide dropping correctly but it was still not running too well. It seemed to have a nice high speed tick-over with the choke on even though the butterflies were fully closed. Just pondering where it could be drawing its breath from I put a spanner on the manifold to block bolts..............and yes, fancy not checking them when I fitted the carbs! Now running much better.  Will have a go at setting up the mixture with a colour-tune widget at the weekend. I don’t think the neighbours are so keen on hearing the exhaust note late evening as I am!

I seem to remember several weeks back thinking I would have the pedal box finished by the end of the week, well I did get it done by the end of the week but not the one I started it in! All thoughts of using a mini pedal box in 'Mini' configuration diminished when I offered it in position. Way to high. Sooooo Cut it to bits, turn it upside down, reverse the pedals, cut them, weld them, fit Landrover master cylinders, add an accelerator pedal and there we have it! Sounds so easy doesn't it? Not sure why it took so long then......
Radiator mounting & pump brackets  all completed. A new bracket has been made for the clutch slave cylinder so can get on with plumbing up the the clutch and brakes now.

 Just a reminder what the original pedals looked liked. Good job I only paid a tenner for them!

Milestone reached!
Saturday the 6th August saw the engine burst into life. Only a quick few second burst due to no cooling system.
Ordered a new classic mini radiator which fits well on it's side. A top bracket and some plumbing needed now.

With the water pump in one hand and a £10 second hand alternator from a Fiat in the other, all possible positions were tried to see where they could fit, but they just wouldn't! After a lot of head scratching I found that the shaft running through the water pump was the same diameter & length both sides. Fitting the pulley on the 'other end' sorted it. The pump is marked 'Chrysler' but no idea what model it is from. Any one know? Need to find a suitable radiator next. Most likely one to fit is that of a Fiat Cinquecento. Not sure what they would have fitted in the 1950's?
Awaiting delivery of a new distributor cap and a few small odds and ends............

Couldn't afford a nice  alloy tank so had to opt for this one. Probably made for an industrial application rather than automotive, but at £20 it will do. Won't even have to modify the filler neck! Some reclaimed box section steel came in useful for making the rear frame for the fuel tank and battery tray. It also gives the option for fitting telescopic shock absorbers rather than the A7 friction disc type. (might be one of those jobs sometime in the future that will never actually happen).

Another few little jobs completed. I got hold of an old steering wheel centre, so with a little bit of lathe work and a piece of aluminium hooked out of a skip have the 'mota-lita' wheel fitted. Have started tack welding up a box section steel frame which will support the steering column, gear lever & handbrake. The gear lever has a nice 'short coupled' feel! Awaiting delivery of a five gallon petrol tank so the rear box section frame can be made up. This will support the tank & battery. Pedal box is also progressing, so may have that finished by the end of the week......maybe...
Oh, and had to cut the bottom of the dash out for the gear linkage. A good job as I wasn't happy with the modern switch panel that I fitted anyway!

And plenty of room for the water pump and alternator..... battery may have to go in the back though.

At last, now looking like a car again. Engine in place & body back on. The main reason for putting the body on was to set the steering column at the right angle. Having placed a bit of chipboard across the chassis rails so I could sit in and make a engine noises I found just how much of a tight fit it all is! The steering column is going to have to be moved towards the centre slightly to give a bit more legroom. The body will be left in place while I fit hand brake, gear lever, pedals etc.

Not a lot of room at all!

At last, Rear brakes & hubs fitted. The pressed steel rear brake plates I was hoping to get hold of turned out to be so rusty, that the plate had become detached! New alloy ones hence fitted along with new Morris Minor slaves & shoes. A bit of work involved in fitting the diff & components in the later axle casing, but it did need less modification to fit the brakes. I now have a rolling chassis again. Engine in, Steering and pedal box next job. Have some old Mini pedals arriving in the post to play with...........

I was lucky enough to get hold of a pair of 'Bowdenex' hydraulic brake plates for the front. Unfortunately the nearside one was very rusty, and a lot of time was spent welding in a new centre. New Morris Minor slave cylinders & shoes fitted.
To make life a bit easier I bought a later type rear axle casing, this is will make it a more straight forward process to fit the rear brake plates which may have to be pattern aluminium ones. I'm hoping that within the next 3 weeks I can get the chassis rolling again.........Ever the optimist!

I'm now fed up with painting! Am glad I didn't spent a fortune on a nice spray job though, plenty of touching up to do already. The Woodhead Monroe shock absorbers have a stamped date of 1954. Surprisingly they both have good damping. The rubber bushes have fallen apart so will have to search something out that will do the job.
The next job will be to fit the stub axles with new kingpins and make up the front brake plates for hydraulics. Armed with some A7 & Morris minor ones, hacksaw files and welding gear I will see what happens............ Can't see these getting done for a couple of weeks or so.

Should be about it for the cutting & welding for the time being. Added the 'boxing' to the chassis rails. A good few hours spent cleaning the whole lot down and two coats of red oxide primer. Most of the front suspension components now cleaned & primed, just waiting for the grey top coat. Most of the rubber bushes used in the IFS have seen better days, but they look very much like Morris Minor Trunnion & rear spring bushes.
At last will be able to start putting it all back together.................

Not easy to take a hacksaw to chassis that is nearly 80 years old! Wasn't too bad after making the first cut. New cross-member made up with gearbox mountings, and existing front engine mounting bar welded up to fit new chassis mounting points.Ford Fiesta engine mount rubbers used for gearbox & engine mounts. The new chassis mounting plates will also be used to cross brace the chassis. After much checking and everything tack welded, it was totally stripped down. I'm sure those rear springs have never been out before. several broken studs, a whole can of WD40 and plenty of heat and everything now in component form. Tempting as it is to get all the parts powder coated, I have a feeling that I may not have quite have finished the cutting & welding bit, so think I will opt for my own brush job.......

The new lump! A ford e93a which was removed from a Dellow. Internal condition not known, so I will just convince myself that it will run sweet as a nut on turn of the key, or should I say pull on the starter. Grafted on a home made bracket is a hydraulic slave cylinder for the clutch. I might decide to keep it this way as may help the pedal position. More work...........

Removed the front axle and tried the IFS for a fit. Just the job! Not going to worry about any of the cosmetics, will concentrate on all the cutting and chopping for the next chapter. Also want to get all the brakes sorted. I don't think I will plan on driving it this summer!

An hour in the workshop armed with hacksaw & jigsaw and there we are. A little metal, a fair bit more fibre-glass...... So glad now I didn't go ahead and paint it up ready to 'just drop on' the chassis. A shed load of work needed to get the steering column at the right angle and shortened, new brake pedal box etc etc... If all goes to plan should have the engine, gearbox, new rear springs and IFS unit by the end of the week.

Err, not quite how it should look......... Had a few minutes to spare so removed the engine & steering column. Tried the 15" wheels for size, and then offered up the body to see what needed carving up next to get it to fit. Going to be a real struggle to put the first cut in the chassis, especially as it hasn't been modified in any way. (perhaps if I save all the 'cut offs' in a bag I won't feel so bad!)