Would anyone happen to own an early RHD XK120 OTS with the original grease gun still installed under the bonnet (or at least, the clips)? I’ve yet to see a picture of the early-type Tecalemit “Plastigun” in the engine bay (and I have most of the books). Before I start drilling any holes to fit mine, it would be very helpful to see a picture of an original RHD installation, or even better, measurements from a couple of different points to the rivets holding the clips.
My car was built December 1950 so it used the earlier plastic grease gun as shown here.
Chris,
Like everything, depends how accurate you want to be.
Your December 1950 XK120 should indeed have a Tecalemit GB2750/H Grease Gun, or quickly identified as a PLASTIGUN, but these Plastiguns came in two sizes (yours is correct smaller GB2750), but also with option of various connectors screwed onto the end of the delivery tube, thus the /H suffix which denotes an HYDRAULIC connector. See attached photo - this is a 1950 correct GB2750/H - note the Connector.
Regarding its installation, I cant seem to locate a good/clear photo of location on a steel bodied RHD XK120, but attached is a good clear photo of a restored aluminium RHD car which shows correct location as per steel bodied car, but I cant advise any exact dimensions for clips. You should find the holes still there if your original clips are missing.
As I said - a restored car, so a lot of detail not 100%, including of course has the wrong Connector on the fitted Plastigun, but at least its position is very clear.
You should use two off, TERRY’s No.81/6 Chrome-Plated 2inch clips, secured to the bulkhead with pop-rivets.
The modern clips readily obtainable are pretty close to the 1950 originals, other than their stamped in markings.
Roger, you are indeed a fount of knowledge! I do appreciate the time you take to answer questions such as this, and I know only too well from having to do the same for Iso & Bizzarrini people over the years, how time-consuming it can be! (I owned a 1968 Iso Grifo 7-Litre for nearly 30 years until a couple of years ago, and have been compiling lists of chassis numbers, spare parts, etc for decades).
Back to the grease gun. I had never expected to find that it would have been fitted in the position your picture shows, imagining it would have been fitted up on the LH inner wing somewhere. This is a much nicer position (away from exhaust heat) and I will look for evidence of mounting holes as soon as I get the chance. The picture also nicely shows the black finish for the engine bay and the top of the glass brake fluid reservoir typical of the early steel cars.
The picture of the grease gun I posted is not actually my one, but I will check it when I get the opportunity. I hope mine is the smaller diameter (didn’t know there were two types). I’m pretty sure it has the hydraulic connector as shown in your pic, though.
Thanks again!
Chris
It’s the length of the body that’s different. Diameter is the same. The longer ones are quite rare, and unlikely to be what you have. The Tecalemit Catalogue quotes capacity, not length, but your picture with tape alongside is the shorter GB2750, and not the longer GB2751.
I don’t know the location of the grease gun on the early RHD 1950 steel roadster, but it cannot be the same as the alloy roadster. The RHD steel car has the wiper motor mounted in the location indicated. On the LHD 1950 car it was located on left inner fender near the brake reservoir.
Ah yes, that is true - the wiper motor does occupy that position. I’d forgotten that. So, back to the left inner fender somewhere, then…
Here are the clips on the left hand valence on 660079 from May 1950.
And the same car here:
So it would appear the grease gun found its way to there on all cars by then.
I believe some alloys had it in the middle of the scuttle where the heater box is on later steel cars.
BTW put a zip tie or something on it, you don’t want it to bounce out.
Thanks, Rob - that’s a great help! Looks like it’s right around where my horn relay is. I think that because the car got a new body in 1952, the grease gun was probably never fitted, so no holes were drilled.
Chris
Here’s a funny thing. I have clip holes punched on both sides.
The explanation is that the upper valence panels were both punched with the same punch press tooling, or they may even be the same panel, so there are symmetrical holes, some unused. Although in my case with a FHC I have extra large holes on the right for the hoses to the remote air cleaner.
So if you have a standard steel body the holes on the left should be there.
Your horn relay should be closer to your steering box.
You are right about the horn relay, Rob. I checked in the Viart book which said RHD cars should have the horn relay on the right valence. For some reason, mine’s on the left, which I will remedy when I eventually rewire the car. Looks a bit tight for room on the right side, though…
I have bought my old car back after a 20 year break, so I’m refamiliarizing myself with the car, again! I bought it in Australia and restored it from scratch first in Australia, finished it in Germany and then brought it here to the USA in 1992. It’s interesting to see how well it has held up. Interestingly enough, there are no holes to mount the Grease Gun on the RHS next to the Wiper Motor. There are 4 holes already drilled in the LHS Fender Inner which looks like they are there to mount the Terrys clips. Anyone cast some light on this?
I believe it was only located next to the wiper motor on alloy cars.
Maybe a few steel cars, I don’t know.
For all others it was on the left hand side.
Although you may find identical holes on the right hand side.
There are also holes provided in the upper valence for putting the brake fluid reservoir and horn relay on the right side if the car had been built as a RHD.
