[Sunbeam Talbot Email List] Parts wanted and needed pictures to answer questions, other info

[David Reina]

Hi Wes,

To answer a couple of your questions, the tube coming off the intake  
manifold is a drain tube  for when the manifold gets  flooded.  At  
the bottom of the tube should be a short sleeve of metal and in that  
sleeve should be a ball bearing which is is kept from falling out by  
small cotter pin.  When the engine is running the ball bearing is  
sucked up against a seat in the sleeve, closing the opening in the  
tube.  Sometimes things get dirty in the sleeve or on the ball and it  
doesn't seal properly affecting your carb mix.  Rootes always seemed  
to aim these drains over the exhaust which used to make me nervous,  
but I guess they did this intentionally.

For sealing the wiper shafts where they come out of the cowl, there  
are available ( I've bought them from the Bamforth's) rubber pieces  
which go over the shafts and lip over the sheetmetal opening sort of  
like a puffy grommet.  A word of caution when installing, on the  
first set I tried to install I managed to rip the new rubber and I  
have heard of others have the same problem.

For changing the clutch, the front floorboard can come out and you  
can work from above.  On reinstallation remember to adjust the  
accelerator cable to get full carb opening and also to set the stop  
properly so as not to overstress the accelerator cable.  I once drove  
my Sunbeam from NY to S Carolina with the carb only opening halfway.   
It was a real revelation when I found this out.

Also a problem I have had on two of my ST's was a failure of the  
sheetmetal gas pedal.  Worth looking at if the floorboard comes out.   
They are very fragile just above the pivot point.  I had one keep  
bending at this point, again restricting acceleration.  Steve Cota  
helped me fix this on a visit to his shop.  And last year at the  
Sunbeam meet in Daytona Beach I had one break off completely during  
my hottest run in the club autocross.  With the help of a neighbor of  
a club member I welded and reinforced it from the back side the same  
as Steve did on my other car.

Regarding stomach room when in the drivers seat I think I've heard,  
but have not yet tried this that  the seat anchors can be reversed  
giving a few inches more clearance.  I was looking at this yesterday  
and I am going to try it on my car even thought the leg room for a  
back seat passenger will suffer.

Enjoy you new car!

Regards,

Dave Reina
53 Drophead ST  (for sale)
54 Drophead ST
55 Alpine