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1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:00 pm
by GaryCullen
Hi all,
With Doris almost back on the road after her engine repairs ( logged here over preceding months ) and a successful SU HS2 carb upgrade I thought I would take a look at what was causing the front windows to slowly fall when driving.
Took the passenger side one apart and removed the domed item under the winder to find the brake spring had broken ends.
I have been searching for a suitable donor winder on eBay etc but no luck. Morris minor ones are different to what is fitted to my car. Pity as they are readily available.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed?
Not many people are wrecking these cars now so genuine used parts are in the hens teeth territory.
I am going to need two of these precision springs.
Cheers
Gary
NZ VAR
Auckland

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:23 pm
by bob_allison
I should look at your local directories for spring winders . If they have a suitable section of material in stock then the price may not be as much as you feared .

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:22 pm
by GaryCullen
Thanks Bob. I have found a couple of custom spring winders in NZ, their advertising says they can make any design spring. That will remain to be seen however. I plan to send them the broken one as a pattern, with the dome and some pictures of the whole assembly exploded.
I will report back…..
Gary

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:46 am
by Rod
Hi Gary, I know the window regulator brake springs for Austin/Morris 1300 (ADO16) variants are a close enough fit for my late model Goodwood so I suspect that your earlier model car is a totally different pattern? It seems from my limited research that the regulators for most vehicles (not just Austin) up until the advent of cable pattern were a brought in item from an outside manufacturer-although I've never seen a brand name on one- as they seem to use a lot of similar parts for the quadrant, brake spring and drive pinion, the only major differences appear to be arm lengths and mounting arrangements (archivist might be able to confirm this?). What I'm getting at is that you might be able to re-purpose bits off another regulator and mount them on your base plate and ditch the original arrangement totally. If you're not after originality try a firm called Small Ford Spares, they recently had a couple of complete ostensibly universal mechanisms for sale. Also if you're looking at getting springs wound locally they can certainly do it, the downside is the pricing may (unpleasantly) surprise you- unless your order is in the hundreds. I was quoted $150 each from one of the major players for winding 3 gearbox detent springs to pattern.

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 5:18 am
by GaryCullen
Thanks Rod.
I suspect your Goodwood is different to my 1933 model. I know mine is pretty similar up to the Litchfield ( 1935) model like Jim Butterworth’s one. He has some grainy pictures on his website describing his repair for the same problem.
I have couple of universal regulators of the same era, but the dome part is larger and the pinion gear smaller than mine.
There is a guy on eBay uk selling something very similar and about the right size. They are NOS for MG Austin but no year given.
He has 10 for sale at 32.95 pounds each and 50 pounds shipping to NZ!.
I am going to visit a winder and see what the price will be. If I get say 20 sets made there are other 10 owners with the same problem to assist in sharing the cost.
I might just buy the eBay one in any case and just mount it on my door bracket.
I will report back
Cheers
Gary

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:30 am
by Rod
Yes, my regulator is very similar to the one on the Austin Seven Friends website under the post "Droopy Ruby Window". I was donated an early model regulator off an early Ten via the archetypical friend of a friend which was totally different (and had a broken brake spring anyway)I suspect this is like your one.
Re the freight cost from the UK, do you have a YouShop account via NZ Post? YouShop freight is usually cheaper (although not as cheap as it once was)

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:17 am
by GaryCullen
Ha, I am viewing the same Austin Seven Friends web site item as well.
Some good information to be found there as a lot of the technology is the same or similar to our Ten's.

My regulator has the full circle 360 degree main cog wheel that the actuator arm is attached to.
Jim Butterworths 1935 regulator main cog wheel is a semi circle. Both types will fit 1932 to 1936 model A10's I suspect.
The Semi Circular model is either a left or a right hand fit.
My type means it will fit either left or righthand front doors.
you have to swing the actuator arm over and reverse the main spring.
The main spring anchor latch is configured to take either way.
cheers
Gary

Re: 1933 A10 window regulator brake spring

Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 9:40 pm
by GaryCullen
Update on repairing my regulators.
Bought a couple of “universal window regulators” from Vintage Car Parts.
Far to large to adapt to my doors so cannibalised the dome assembly which has the same brake system.
Had to make a small steel bush to push into the regulator frame as the gear pivot is smaller than the original.
The gear wheel is also smaller but mesh’s okay with the large wheel.
Unfortunately Auckland got locked down in L 4 so I have wait to get the new domes spot welded on.
Just before lockdown I visited a local spring winder who says he can wind some new springs to same pattern.
His quote was NZD 450 for qty 20 so this is 22.50 for each spring…. Not too badly priced if they work!
Price goes down for larger qty’s of course.
Assuming that dropping windows is a common problem I shouldn’t have any problem selling them on.
Cheers
Gary
Auckland