1934 Rover 12

[digcot65]

Hello the Rover I`m restoring has a manually operated advance and retard on the distributor.Unfortunately some of the linkages are missing,so it is set fixed.Has anyone converted their original dist.to a more modern type with auto advance Len

[digcot65]

I forgot to add was the control for the ign adv on the steering wheel.There is no trace of it now.I have to have my steering box restored any one suggest a company Len

[Stuart7]

Hi.
Can't help on the ign advance but we had the steering box on our Rover 10 overhauled by this company in 2010 and it is still going strong.
https://www.steeringservices.com/
Regards,
Stuart.

[digcot65]

Thanks I have asked for a rough idea as to the cost from them .I also contacted a company in Birmingham which is handier, these were ICS Steering .So we will see what the outcome is.I am going to see if I could make up the missing links in the manual adv./ret. system ,it would be nice to keep it original Len

[digcot65]

Morning again ,the manual adv/ret. on my car has some linkages missing.Can anyone please let me have a photo of the linkage on the right side of the engine,mine ends where there is an attachment,for a cable,but there has to be something else to transfer the movement from vertical to horizontal.It would be nice to keep the original manual system. I`ve attached a photo to show the present state of mine. Len

[TonyG]

Looks from the pics as though you have most of the bits. There are no cables. The clamp, which can be seen in second pic, attaches to a tube running through the centre of the steering column. The steering wheel centre boss and horn clamps to the other end with the horn wires running through the tube. There is a support bracket bolted with the two nuts that should support the lower end of the water pipe, but I’m not sure you have that. The thin rods that transmit the movement are easy enough to replicate. I used long tent pegs for some of mine and welded washers at ends to create the hinged movement.

Nice to have it working but it is never required, in my experience. Timing is set at the max advance setting and, once this is fine tuned to get best running for grade of fuel you use, requires no dynamic adjustment while driving. It was a useful facility in pre war times when petrol octane grades were variable and retarding of the ignition was required if the fuel was poor. Later models had a vernier adjustment on the distributor to take account of the problem. There is certainly no need to advance the timing to increase performance or smooth running while on the move as a vacuum set up would. Required alteration is achieved by the weights in the distributor. All very simple, which is why we like them!

Tony

[TonyG]

Apologies, I meant in first pic and I think the bit that is obscured by the water pipe is the part which should bolt onto the two sump studs nearby.

I’d send a pic but, for some reason - probably me, I can’t get my iPad to move it!

Tony

[digcot65]

Hello fantastic reply,the water pipe is bolted to the sump by two bolts .For some reason the end of the linkage was taped up,so maybe the previous owner didn`t think it was worth bothering with.However it would be nice to have it as near original as poss.Also very useful information about not needing the adv/ret control .The plate on the base of the distributor was tightened up so there was no movement.Thanks again for some very useful information.I can now get on with the engine rebuild ,I was told the engine had been rebuilt some time ago.I checked the MOT s on the DVLA site and the car had not been used in the past 5 MOTs.I believe the engine was rebuilt and again I was told the previous didn`t like driving the car,as the steering was so worn.It seems after the rebuild the head wasn`t checked and tightened ,the head studs were hardly 7ft /lbs and so loose ,water was entering No.4 cylinder. I`m now fitting a new head gasket and tidying up the rough engine bay area. Len

[Stuart7]

Can we see a photo of the whole car? Thanks, Stuart

[digcot65]

Hello I am just setting the timing while the head is off there are figures which read EA4 then two lines and EA6 There is also a pointer sticking out of the casting which at the moment lies between the two parallel lines,the No piston is at TDC.
Photos of the car are at the garage before I bought it .Interior is superb body needs work and engine bay is tatty ,being attended to