Flying Standard V-Eight Saloon Restoration - Part 2

Tracking the restoration of the only known Standard Flying 20 V-Eight Saloon in the UK.

You can catch-up with Part 1 here: Part 3 here: Part 4 here: Part 5 here:

The V-Eight engine is stripped down and ready for machining. The story here tells how the engine was removed.

Having got the car in the garage and in the air on 8 axle stands plus taken many pictures, this is where I’m up to:

Firstly, it was attention to the engine and, most disappointingly, I found it totally seized!

Although the previous owner had liberally poured oil down the bores there was no way the engine was going to turn over.

So, I removed, the front bumper, bonnet radiator and grill plus both exhausts, allowing me as much access to the engine and engine bay as possible.

I set about dismantling the engine from the top, removing the water pipes and pump, exhaust manifolds, Dynamo, dizzy, fuel pump, and the housing that holds both the dizzy and fuel pump, oil filter, and then the whole inlet manifold.

The next stage was to remove the heads, both of which came off remarkably easily, mainly due to the graphite grease that had been used following the previous rebuild some 30+ years earlier.

3 of the bores and cylinders were really clogged up with corrosion.

The next stage was to remove the rear engine mount, all the bolts off the engine to the bell housing and then lift the engine out.

Having got it out, removing then the clutch, flywheel and rear engine plate, the front pulley, cam chain cover and the front engine plate, allows you to then remove the whole camshaft and camshaft housing, with the oil pump drive. Dropping the oil sump and then being able to undo and release all the mains and big end bearings.

Eventually, I got the Crank out, 5 of the 8 pistons, then set about getting the last 3 out.

The next stage is over to the engineers, be it for a re-bore, possibly new liner/liners and re-cut all the valve seats. The Crank and bearings are all in great condition.

Part 1 of thIs restoration story is here:

You can see a restored Car of this rare type that is in Australia here

Part 3 of this restoration story is here:

Part 4 of this restoration story is here:

Part 5 of this restoration story is here:

To contact the owner, please email:

eightpot.eddy@gmail.com

SEND US YOUR CARS STORY

Don’t be shy – why not tell us the story behind YOUR Standard and include some Photos? Please fill in this form HERE.

The feature will be preserved here forever.

Phil Homer

Historian

Standard Motor Club

LINE OF C