Paul bloody loves it. He was the biggest cheerleader for buying Speedy and he’s so kind being helpful. I’m so lucky to work with such a great bunch of lads.
Paul is great and I’ve deleted a few comments which implied he wasn’t. Not everyone needs to be over the top on camera and actually, he’s very witty, funny and I would say makes me ugly laugh at least several times a day. I think because I am so outgoing it can make normal people look slightly quiet. Plus, it’s Paul’s first time on a camera. He comes off far better on his first video than I did on mine 😎
What do you mean - in Yorkshire we're much more measured in our reactions to things and by our standards he's practically doing cartwheels, I was wishing he would tone it down a bit!
When I was a student coming back from a job interview I changed the head gasket on a 1957 Standard Pennant in the middle of Kimbolton High Street when wearing my (only) suit. Car, suit and tie survived. Shirt didn’t. I disconnected as little as possible and just swung the manifolds away still attached to the exhaust. Took me about 4 1/2 hours, finishing in the dark. It was that or an eighty mile walk home all my liquid assets were in the fuel tank.
My granny, who lived in Holmbridge, had a Standard Ten and loved it. It averaged 42 MPG, she kept a log of her travels many to Leicester and Burton-on-Trent.
I learnt to use a starting handle when I was a kid. My dad taught me so much about cars then, but he had forgotten more than I'll ever know. For a time, he had an Austin A40 (Mark 2 Farina) that didn't like to start on a cold winter morning. He managed to start it reliably by turning it over with the handle before using the starter. If it was still reluctant, he always managed to start it as long as he had the torch and starting handle in his hand when he turned the key. Like a kickstart on a motorbike, a starting handle is a valuable piece of kit which should never have been ditched. I even had an old, arthritic uncle who would start a Rover 3-litre with a handle although he was on doctor's orders not to do it. I'm enjoying watching your progress with the Standard 10, they were reliable cars with a touch of quality.
It’s because moderners would think it’s ridiculous 😂. Personally I prefer older cars even if they’re colder, slower and harder to find bits for purely because stuff like the starting handle is just great. Hopefully I won’t need it but glad it is there.
Just get a 8VDC coil as was fitted to Japanese cars in the 1970's... and all your starting woes go away. 12VDC batteries are dragged down to 10VDC on cold mornings under the load of the starter...but 10VDC is till 120% of 8VDC...so super hot spark.....and the engine usually fires straight away. (pending a decent fuel pump filling the carb bowl (and there's the cheap little in line clicky-clacky Facet copy 12VDC fuel pump to solve THAT problem as well) When the starter circuit stops feeding 12VDC through the coil directly.... the "run position" 12VDC goes through a ballast resistor and feeds the coil 8VDC...... There is a diode blocking the 12VDC of the starting circuit being back fed into the coil under normal run conditions. I did this conversion on a 100E Anglia that wouldn't start well... and the owner came home after a 3 week vacation, found snow heaped on the car, hopped in ... and it started as it it was a hot summer day!
A friend of mine got a second-hand single cylinder motorbike engine at an auto jumble and tested compression at the time with a adjustable spanner he had with him. He bought the engine, but could not get it to run at home. On lifting the head, he found the seller had put a spring inside the cylinder to fake good compression. Another great video ! 😁
Well Steph, it looks like you don’t have too much to do before you have her running ! The radiator doesn’t look ‘orrible but a few of the fins are bent. There is a tool that looks like a metal comb that can straighten them back ( I’ve seen that done) OR I’ve also seen it done with the tip of a screwdriver carefully bending each fin back that way too. It’s just a thought. Cheers From California 😎
Hey Anna. I was over 20 stone a few years ago, I was deffo in a larger body and I’m happy to refer back to that time to give people who are currently in bigger bodies some safe reference points if they’re looking at cars ☺️
I well remember one of my friends having a Minor with a duff starter. In the nearest scrapyard we dug a starting handle out of the mud in front of the usual beaten-up caravan with a wolf in it, parted with 50p, and he never bothered with the starter as long as he had the car. Oh for the days of simple cars!
I am seriously thinking of getting a Standard 10, after letting a Vanguard Vignale get away some years ago, so I am watching this excellent video series closely! I've always driven old and older cars and for me there have been three main traits that most shared - Slow, Noisy and Uncomfortable. its been very character building 😂
Dear Steph, I love your videos on whatever topic, driving someone else's cherished car, motor shows, and so on, but this series is the absolute tops. Those little Standards were everywhere when I was a child in the 1960s. At the time we had a 1958 four door grey [red seats] Morris Minor with trafficators. I always thought the Standards were just that bit more posh! This video shows that my childhood thought was not wrong. You can see the quality here, not to say the Morris was a poor car. Far from it. I reckon that your little Standard will live again as a remarkable gem from the olden days! Much more interesting than a Triumph Herald for example! I shall enjoy your work getting such a lovely car back in safe running order. Best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
I guess it will be even higher-compression once the head is skimmed. 😂When I brought my MG TD home, our kids were inspecting it and were confused by the hole in the front bumper. When I explained what it was for, their jaws dropped! Gotta love old cars.
Nice to see you going through taking the cylinder head off step by step, great tutorial Not unusual for a reconditioned engine to be fitted, but great to see these old cars still on the road All well you can get to the NEC Thank you as always for sharing
Hello Steph and Paul, a good demonstration on how to lift the cylinder head, and put the pushrods in the right sequence on the cardboard template!! Good old BRITISH engineering, with lots of room around the engine to work on it, everything is just so simple!! Best wishes from Lincolnshire
My first car, after passing my driving test in 1963, was a black Standard 10. I loved that car and regularly polished it, especially that chrome grille. It ev even took me and a friend to France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Very good episode! That engine is a direct ancestor of the one in my ‘78 Midget 1500, so it was interesting to note the similarities. Best of luck getting this little guy back on the road!
Seeing you explaining the starting handle took me right back to my Grandad showing me how to do it on his Austin Cambridge. Happy memories. Looks like you'll be ok with a bit of fettling on your engine.
Hi Steph, Good interesting and informative video there, your suspicions were correct, we've all learnt somdthing from this. I hope you manage to have it ready in time for the show...😀 Take care, Jon B.
Steph, As an Engineer, I would strongly recommend getting the head refurbished and machined with hardened exhaust valve seats and new valve set fitted. While you're at it, skim the head and take 50 though off. That will raise your compression ratio to a slightly more modern figure than the 1950s levels, where they were still in the legacy of crappy 'Pool' petrol. There are some brilliant electronic ignition systems, that fit within the distribotor (AccuSpark, for one) which, for about £40 and an hour to fit will boist economy and performance will improve. All best wishes.
Good advice now you have it in bits overall it totally. No knowledge of Standard 10's but had a couple of Morris Minors late 50's and 50k miles was considered max before engine replacement or rebuild. The mini was when it all changed, 100k miles not a problem! Regards
That's good, Steph. I got an uprated (TE21) head for my Alvis TD21, then skim machined and fitted hardened valve seats. Rolling road BHP and road performance are truly impressive. Good fortune with your Standard Ten, Steph, they're dear little cars.
Great content. Brings back teenage memories in 1964 of my first car, 1954 Standard 8. SPP491. I had 3 years, did +30k miles. I could replace a burnt out exhaust valve and fit decoke kit in half a day, and often did! Happy days. 😊
Take the pressure off yourself about taking the car to the NEC show. Get it sorted out, including the hardened valve seats and bodywork/paint first. If it's not driveable, then trailer it there and back. People won't care if it's done. They'll be just as happy to see a work in progress. Far too many youtube channels seem to decide to attend a show and stress out because they haven't allowed enough time to do the work. You're lucky to have such great guys to help you, and Speedy the Standard will "soon" be speeding down the roads.
I grew up about 1/2 a mile away from that factory in Coventry, my Dad used to do trimming for Triumph until it closed in the early 80s, although I did work experience in the early 90s at the Rover design studio which had replaced the factory by then. I'm enjoying the videos & looking forward to seeing you & the car at the NEC next month :)
Thanks for your video Steph, I think in my younger days I have changed two or three head gaskets, ford escort, BMW 528 I, and a Austin Cambridge, thanks again for sharing, 👍👍.
Even though the head gasket is 'toast' I think overall the engine looks good. If you have got 'a man upstairs' to skim the head then it is probably worth doing. The radiator doesn't leak but there are companies that will re-core old radiators if needed so that is something to bear in mind. Thanks to Paul and Ed for their help and to you Steph for sharing this video. 👍👍
Great video. I was worried that the block had gone. I think it looks ok, and can be skimmed. Looking forward to see the bext instalmant. Well done Steph and Paul
It’s been a long time since I did any major engine work but I always had a couple of blocks of flower arrangement oasis on the bench, to slot pushrods and valves into to keep them in the right order 👍 Keep up the great work! ❤
Progress well done whilst the head is off ,have it gone through ,skim pressure test valve guides and at the least face the valves cut the seats and lap them back in and if you're looking at using this as a daily Steph,do the full unleaded seats conversion whilst you're in there,have you checked for end float yet ? Another good thing to do would be to get the radiator flushed through and a pressure test done ,after all you wouldn't want to overheat a new head gasket good luck.
On the edge of entertainment and elightenment ! I'd check the cylinders for a ridge at the top, on my 1956 Cadillac v8, I had a ridge and 8 out of 8 motorheads I talked to, all said, time to rebuild due to cylinder wear. Another good video ! I'm liking the color more and more.
Takes me back to being 13 and doing Saturdays in the local garage to finance my motocross racing. As I remember most of the head gaskets I did as a kid were Ford crossflows. I'd kind of like to see the head being skimmed as I always like to watch other people's techniques. I have a new toy in my workshop in the form of a brilliant face mill. One of those REALLY expensive multi insert face Mills big enough to do the head in one and produces the most amazing finish!
Enjoyed this video Steph. Great that you're doing tutorials showing how simple these old dears are to work on (as a rule). Nice car, i look forward to seeing Speedy at the NEC. GOOD LUCK!
Wow, calm down Paul!! That enthusiasm is.....wow. Hope you are OK, you are obviously not loving life right now. Great video Steph, awesome to see a lady getting stuck in !! Xx
@idriveaclassic thats a fair criticism if my criticism. I apologise. He seemed bored, or it was tedious. Mechanics are a strange bunch, I know, I was one, usually full of banter, back chat, singing and bravado, until you add a camera, an audience, or ask them a question in a group setting. I'm sorry Paul, and you Steph. No offence intended. H7ge hugs to you all. X
Hi Steph, lovely to watch you working on the engine yourself & learning as you go, keep up the good work. I blew a head gasket on my Triumph Stag & when we got it all to pieces the cylinder bores were scored badly. Have spent lots of money on having the (2) cylinder heads refurbished & liners bored out replaced & rebored to suit the existing pistons. New piston rings, big end bearings, also timing chains & sprockets. Never mind, it's all part of the classic car experience, & I will have pretty much a brand new engine when it's finished ready for the 2025 classic car show season. A big thumbs up from me!
A great video, Steph! 👍 It's quite interesting to see the similarity in some of the design features on the Standard's engine with the Triumph 4- and 6-cylinder engines used almost 20 years later. That could be a shorter, smaller-capacity version of the engine in my 1971 Mk2 2500 PI!
The best £850 anyone could spend, I like it, I like it a lot and I subscribed, I should have done it years ago as I've watched many of your test drives, I do love the repair side of things. I 'm a big fan of the 60s n 70s Triumphs.
Starting handles are useful for all sorts or reasons, not least for turning the engine over when setting valve clearances, points etc. Once the head is skimmed and the engine back together, it'll be 'sweet 'Good luck!
Brilliant video Steph. I reckon this is going to be so useful to anyone doing a head gasket for the first time. Everything was really well explained Diagnistics, dismantling and evaluation and we get to find out more about the car too. I cant wait for the next instalment. Are we going to see the cylinder head being machined?
Top tip: If you have a pull start, you don't need to turn the ignition on to just crank it over. It won't start with the ignition off (obvs), but the starter will spin as normal, which is what you want if you're doing a compression test. 🙂
To do a thorough internal test, you should use compression ratio to work out your maximum pressure(CR x 20 to get psi) , 80% & 66%. then crank engine, at 2 rev's you should reach 66%, 4 rev's 80% and 6 rev's MP. Then repeat test with 30 ml of oil down bores. Then do a cylinder leak test, where you push air into cylinder at TDC. Listen at exhaust, Air Intake, look for bubble in coolant, and listen at oil filler. These steps combined will tell you what is worn, prior to dis-assembly.
I love the direction your channel is growing in! As much as I enjoy your choice of vehicles and your matching outfits to go with them you really suit the boilersuit too and garage look too :)
My experience of starting handles was fairly frequent on my dad's Ford Popular 103E with its 6V electrics. That Ford Pop was also the first engine rebuild I ever witnessed at the tender age of 6, while I was supposedly "helping" my dad with his project.
Do grind the valves or even replace the exhaust valves while head is off. Head removal is easy on the 10 . I have run a 1983 Granada 2.8 for years on unkeaded with no problems . Used at moderate speeds yours should be fine .If the engine is in good condition should be very quiet indeed. The fan makes more noise than the engine ! They can last 150 k or even more if looked after . If ever you need to remove the gearbox , drill holes in floor to reach the top bolts . Makes life a lot easier . Good luck .
I've been running a Austin 1300 for 56 years and 109K miles with the head never off on USA unleaded petrol since 1976. No problems from the unleaded fuel.
All these "cheap, consumer grade" English cars of this vintage have the same "starting" problems.... just get a 8VDC coil as was fitted to Japanese cars in the 1970's... and all your starting woes go away. 12VDC batteries are dragged down to 10VDC on cold mornings under the load of the starter...but 10VDC is till 120% of 8VDC...so super hot spark.....and the engine usually fires straight away. (pending a decent fuel pump filling the carb bowl...and there's the cheap little in line clicky-clacky Facet copy 12VDC fuel pump to solve THAT problem as well) When the starter circuit stops feeding 12VDC through the coil directly.... the "run position" 12VDC goes through a ballast resistor and feeds the coil 8VDC...... There is a diode blocking the 12VDC supplied to the coil being back fed into the starting circuit. I did this conversion on a 100E Anglia that wouldn't start well... and the owner came home after a 3 week vacation, found snow heaped on the car, hopped in... and it started as it it was a hot summer day! (Previous owner of a 1967 JO Bedford...bought 1976 and then nothing but Japanese (latterly JDM import) cars thereafter...until a 1972 Jaguar XJ6 as a project car.
I was rather pleased to see the cylinders once you got the coolant out. Looks to me to have little to no ridge in the cylinders. Which means it's either very easy mileage and/or very well maintained. It looks like the head might not be straight and true cause on the head gasket there are some exhaust witness marks on top between number 1,2 cylinders besides the piece that's missing between 3,4. Therefore after a bit of a tidy and square check I think you'll have a bit of a darling on your hands.
Great video, and it's fantastic to see someone from your generation getting excited about cars which were part of my yoof. (Mum and Dad had a Standard Vanguard). One small demerit. All that work with the battery still connected and in place? You only drop a 7/8 spanner across the terminals once to know to always take it out in future. 😂
Steph it's not looking too scary... I had a suspect head gasket on my Minor.. I was losing coolant, but that was all... I decided to check by pressurising the cylinders with air and found a leak... I was hoping to find something like you have (but not as bad). I had some suspicious marks on a couple of bores, so in the interest of being cautious as I'm driving across to Western Australia next year, we took the sump off and dropped the pistons/rods... it was not good.... it looked like sand had gone through some of the bearings and had scored the crank as well... my head had 4 cracks and valve recession! So I've had to source and rebuild a new head as well as polished the crank... basically aside from not getting recorded, it'll be a new reconditioned engine... I'm thinking you're be in a much better position.....❤
When you do the compression test on a car with a separate starter pull you do not need to turn the ignition on. That way even less danger of cooking the coil.
Saw a nice Standard 8 in a museum yesterday and thought of you. My seven year old pointed it out as his favourite car in the hall and said to me that i should get an older one! Vids are great, i like to see dismantling and repair vids like you do with Kev. I think you are taking over at ADO as manager?
Ha. I am marketing and business manager at ADO. It’s refreshing to work in a business which is largely men and yet be treated as an equal and respected. I’m so lucky really!
29 днів тому
@martingPE4. My first car was a 57 Companion.A bit of a wreck when I bought it.I found out it was fitted with a high compression head gasket and after some fine tweaking of the carb settings it was capable of speed well in excess of of the makers handbook spec of 67 mph. I actually paced it against a rover P6 at 110 mph.If the body is sound you have a great little motor there
Great series really enjoying following the progress, I still can't believe how little rot there is in this lovely car. I'm quite jealous, but as I have almost zero practical ability it's probably best I just enjoy watching the journey 😄
Well done about the advice on the starting handle (usually called a crank handle in Oz) I once had an old Allis Chalmers tractor which we always started using the crank handle. And did she ever kick at times when you least expected it.
My dad had one and put a spitfire 1500 tc in it and the speedometer used to be all the way around at 85 , real speed was probably a bit less but my fondest memory as a child was my dad’s standard 10
Hi Steph, that seems to be a weak spot in those engines. I had a 1959 Austin A40 - exactly the same problem - Gasket gone between 3 and 4. A weekend in the garage stripping down and replacing said gasket and 'geronimo', all was well. Take care 🙂 X X
Having seen the underside on the ramp this car is really good and what you should do with it is to fit a Spitfire engine and box. It would make a nice "Q" car.
When I bought my antique car it was overheating. Took it to a shop to have it boiled out. Turns out squirrels had gotten into it and filled it with acorns.
Can you do a video on skimming the head? I did all this stuff as my first proper job after leaving school. Should be interesting and show those who don’t know what getting your head skimmed is all about.😊
In the United States starting handles were pretty much gone by the 1930s. I don’t think I ever saw a starting handle in my life outside of a museum and I’m almost 60.
I'm admittedly older but not old enough to remember cars of the 30's. However, I've used a starting handle many times on marine diesels. In sailboat auxiliaries, if you sail all day using today's electronics your battery will be flat by the time you get to your destination. Switching to the other battery might not help so that's why the boat came with a starting handle. A manual start and you can motor sedately into harbour as if you planned it that way.
for me and going back to basics to assume a head gasket has failed by a simple compression test could be misleading and by just pulling of the head off could be a wrong move i am not saying the head gasket has not failed but unless i missed an episode were the vales clearances checked before compression test was completed just to eliminate leakage due to vales not seating good luck hope to see it at the NEC
Hi Steph, I think you mean Gold Seal Engines. They were manufacturers total rebuild engines or even new engines. They were painted that light gold that your head has. The block looks like it is not painted gold so you only have a Gold Seal Head .Thats how you have the higher compession. Use addative in the petrol to stop burning out the valves with this modern unleaded petrol. The head and manfolds came off very smoothly and a manifold gasket on the parcel shelf tells you just replacing the head gasket will not work. Head nuts need to be re torqued after a few miles if not gaskets can blow . An easey check on the rocker arm , contact wear, on the end of the valve will show if it hasnly done a few miles.. New thermostat and radiator cap is always a good thing . Blowing between cylinders ,new head fitted ...Me thinks block will need some work . Modern designed head gasket if you can ,copper gaskets not so good..Keep the compression ratio as low as you can , minimum head and block machining..Looking forward to the next jar of wormes episode..
@@idriveaclassic ....i'm just wondering if Standard fitted the block with a drain tap as well...? Well hidden, low down, covered in grot so hard to see..? It' would take you over into 2025, but while skimming the 'head pricing up (and assessing availability) of hardened seat inserts for the exhaust valves would be worthwhile. Skimming the head's not a problem provided it's not been done previously, (Super unleaded tends to be 97 to 99 RON) however if the seats recede too far an iron 'head is - as you know- rendered scrap. I skim watched this vid so i may have missed some chat on these subjects, apologies.
So now you have found out why it was so cheap. Fortunately it looks like it's a straightforward fix and not very expensive to do. Also, you have the assurance that comes from knowing the condition of the top end of your engine.
It would be really interesting if you could keep a note of (and tell us) the number of hours of labour all your friends and colleagues put in to help bring this car back to life, so that the average buyer can work out if they are prepared for similar. Also those who aren’t mechanically minded can work out if they could afford it. Thanks.
Howdy Steph, when I first got my current 101 I was able to start her on the handle, now with the Tickford Windsor it isn't possible, I do miss it, it's quite a party trick.
I have blown plenty of head gaskets and changed them not a fun job and l owned a couple of Hillman Gazzells with the Rootes with alloy cylinder heads notorious for blowing head gaskets glad l got rid of them
What a great video, made me nostalgic for my DIY days although your shop is obviously much better able to handle major work than I could working outdoors. I was horrified when No. 4 could be seen, brim full of water, but neither Steph nor Paul said anything, not even, "well that's not a good thing." One thing I did wonder about: whenever I removed a major engine accessory like a manifold or carburetor (yeah I remember those well) I usually found that after unscrewing the fasteners it was often a hard struggle to make the component let go. Yet in the video, the two people seem able to just lift off the head like it's not adhering to anything. Did you "cut" the cameras and use a block and tackle to an overhead beam or something in between unscrewing the head and lifting it off? Or did it really let go so easily?
At least the fault with Speedy 🙂is obvious: my E34 BMW used to drink coolant but it never seemingly came out of the exhaust or contaminated the oil - but in the end it turned out to be a crack in the alloy head between 5 and 6 that only showed up when heated and subjected to a vacuum test. I really enjoyed that video - in true Reithian style, it was informative, educational and entertaining. I've now subscribed to your channel and will enjoy the progress on the car. By the way - is it grey or pale blue?
If you like cars with room to work, get a Spitfire. Same engine, double the carbs. Plus you can sit on either tire and put your tools on the scuttle. As comfy as old boots.
I recently had a battery that went bad when I was out in my 1963 Austin Cambridge. I stopped my car when I was out shopping and had to jump out and get the starting handle. Sounds easy - right? Not so easy when your car has an automatic transmission. I got it started after some very hard cranking on the handle. My old Magnette and A55 MK2 were very easy to start on the handle. Barely took any effort. This car will be “right as rain” really soon I’m sure.
A couple of hours you have the engine out. Inspect the parts. Buy replacements from Standard club. Head gasket, and if nesessary, piston rings and bearings and a gasket set. That's it!
you can feel paul's enthusiasm radiating out 😂
Paul bloody loves it. He was the biggest cheerleader for buying Speedy and he’s so kind being helpful. I’m so lucky to work with such a great bunch of lads.
He exudes a calm dignity and confidence. Just the sort of teacher you would want.
Paul is great and I’ve deleted a few comments which implied he wasn’t. Not everyone needs to be over the top on camera and actually, he’s very witty, funny and I would say makes me ugly laugh at least several times a day. I think because I am so outgoing it can make normal people look slightly quiet. Plus, it’s Paul’s first time on a camera. He comes off far better on his first video than I did on mine 😎
@@idriveaclassic👍
What do you mean - in Yorkshire we're much more measured in our reactions to things and by our standards he's practically doing cartwheels, I was wishing he would tone it down a bit!
When I was a student coming back from a job interview I changed the head gasket on a 1957 Standard Pennant in the middle of Kimbolton High Street when wearing my (only) suit. Car, suit and tie survived. Shirt didn’t. I disconnected as little as possible and just swung the manifolds away still attached to the exhaust. Took me about 4 1/2 hours, finishing in the dark. It was that or an eighty mile walk home all my liquid assets were in the fuel tank.
What took you so long boss
@@colinstickland3130 finding somewhere to balance the torch so I coils see what I was doing!
My granny, who lived in Holmbridge, had a Standard Ten and loved it. It averaged 42 MPG, she kept a log of her travels many to Leicester and Burton-on-Trent.
Two guys and a Standard 10 with Steph Directing the filming, great vid Steph.
😂😂
I learnt to use a starting handle when I was a kid. My dad taught me so much about cars then, but he had forgotten more than I'll ever know. For a time, he had an Austin A40 (Mark 2 Farina) that didn't like to start on a cold winter morning. He managed to start it reliably by turning it over with the handle before using the starter. If it was still reluctant, he always managed to start it as long as he had the torch and starting handle in his hand when he turned the key. Like a kickstart on a motorbike, a starting handle is a valuable piece of kit which should never have been ditched. I even had an old, arthritic uncle who would start a Rover 3-litre with a handle although he was on doctor's orders not to do it. I'm enjoying watching your progress with the Standard 10, they were reliable cars with a touch of quality.
It’s because moderners would think it’s ridiculous 😂. Personally I prefer older cars even if they’re colder, slower and harder to find bits for purely because stuff like the starting handle is just great. Hopefully I won’t need it but glad it is there.
Just get a 8VDC coil as was fitted to Japanese cars in the 1970's...
and all your starting woes go away.
12VDC batteries are dragged down to 10VDC on cold mornings under the load of the starter...but 10VDC is till 120% of 8VDC...so super hot spark.....and the engine usually fires straight away.
(pending a decent fuel pump filling the carb bowl (and there's the cheap little in line clicky-clacky Facet copy 12VDC fuel pump to solve THAT problem as well)
When the starter circuit stops feeding 12VDC through the coil directly.... the "run position" 12VDC goes through a ballast resistor and feeds the coil 8VDC......
There is a diode blocking the 12VDC of the starting circuit being back fed into the coil under normal run conditions.
I did this conversion on a 100E Anglia that wouldn't start well...
and the owner came home after a 3 week vacation,
found snow heaped on the car,
hopped in ...
and it started as it it was a hot summer day!
A friend of mine got a second-hand single cylinder motorbike engine at an auto jumble and tested compression at the time with a adjustable spanner he had with him.
He bought the engine, but could not get it to run at home.
On lifting the head, he found the seller had put a spring inside the cylinder to fake good compression.
Another great video ! 😁
Arghhhh. Why are people so dishonest. Poor guy!
"Piston return springs" was a spoof video going round a few years ago, I wonder if that's where the seller got the idea?
@@penfold5095 “ tested compression with a adjustable spanner”?? And how does a spring fix poor compression . ?
If its hard to turn, must have good compression. Although it should only be on the compression stroke, not the exhaust.
Well Steph, it looks like you don’t have too much to do before you have her running !
The radiator doesn’t look ‘orrible but a few of the fins are bent. There is a tool that looks like a metal comb that can straighten them back ( I’ve seen that done) OR I’ve also seen it done with the tip of a screwdriver carefully bending each fin back that way too. It’s just a thought.
Cheers From California 😎
No computers no electric brain. Basic machine happy days ❤👍🏻
Steph, you are not a "person with a larger body". You are fabulous.
Hey Anna. I was over 20 stone a few years ago, I was deffo in a larger body and I’m happy to refer back to that time to give people who are currently in bigger bodies some safe reference points if they’re looking at cars ☺️
I well remember one of my friends having a Minor with a duff starter. In the nearest scrapyard we dug a starting handle out of the mud in front of the usual beaten-up caravan with a wolf in it, parted with 50p, and he never bothered with the starter as long as he had the car. Oh for the days of simple cars!
Well done for not laying the radiator down. I see folk doing that so often. 👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
I am seriously thinking of getting a Standard 10, after letting a Vanguard Vignale get away some years ago, so I am watching this excellent video series closely! I've always driven old and older cars and for me there have been three main traits that most shared - Slow, Noisy and Uncomfortable. its been very character building 😂
Dear Steph,
I love your videos on whatever topic, driving someone else's cherished car, motor shows, and so on, but this series is the absolute tops. Those little Standards were everywhere when I was a child in the 1960s. At the time we had a 1958 four door grey [red seats] Morris Minor with trafficators.
I always thought the Standards were just that bit more posh!
This video shows that my childhood thought was not wrong. You can see the quality here, not to say the Morris was a poor car. Far from it. I reckon that your little Standard will live again as a remarkable gem from the olden days! Much more interesting than a Triumph Herald for example!
I shall enjoy your work getting such a lovely car back in safe running order.
Best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
Ahh George this comment made me smile so much. Thank you xxx
I guess it will be even higher-compression once the head is skimmed. 😂When I brought my MG TD home, our kids were inspecting it and were confused by the hole in the front bumper. When I explained what it was for, their jaws dropped! Gotta love old cars.
Nice to see you going through taking the cylinder head off step by step, great tutorial
Not unusual for a reconditioned engine to be fitted, but great to see these old cars still on the road
All well you can get to the NEC
Thank you as always for sharing
Absolutely! We’ve got to keep the old stuff going. It’s the greenest way!
Steph you are a girl after my own heart. I used to tune Imps. My Mum had a Standard 8. ♥️
Hello Steph and Paul, a good demonstration on how to lift the cylinder head, and put the pushrods in the right sequence on the cardboard template!! Good old BRITISH engineering, with lots of room around the engine to work on it, everything is just so simple!! Best wishes from Lincolnshire
In fact this video really shows up how good at presenting she is
My first car, after passing my driving test in 1963, was a black Standard 10. I loved that car and regularly polished it, especially that chrome grille. It ev even took me and a friend to France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Very good episode! That engine is a direct ancestor of the one in my ‘78 Midget 1500, so it was interesting to note the similarities. Best of luck getting this little guy back on the road!
"It's not great, but it can wait," is REALLY useful advice. Thanks for another peek at your project!
Seeing you explaining the starting handle took me right back to my Grandad showing me how to do it on his Austin Cambridge. Happy memories. Looks like you'll be ok with a bit of fettling on your engine.
Thanks lovely x
Hi Steph, Good interesting and informative video there, your suspicions were correct, we've all learnt somdthing from this. I hope you manage to have it ready in time for the show...😀
Take care,
Jon B.
This was a great demonstration of how to diagnose the problem. Really enjoyable Steph.
Thanks Andy!
Steph,
As an Engineer, I would strongly recommend getting the head refurbished and machined with hardened exhaust valve seats and new valve set fitted. While you're at it, skim the head and take 50 though off. That will raise your compression ratio to a slightly more modern figure than the 1950s levels, where they were still in the legacy of crappy 'Pool' petrol. There are some brilliant electronic ignition systems, that fit within the distribotor (AccuSpark, for one) which, for about £40 and an hour to fit will boist economy and performance will improve. All best wishes.
Good advice now you have it in bits overall it totally. No knowledge of Standard 10's but had a couple of Morris Minors late 50's and 50k miles was considered max before engine replacement or rebuild. The mini was when it all changed, 100k miles not a problem! Regards
Thanks Alan! We cover off a lot of this including a trip to the machinist in the next video.
That's good, Steph. I got an uprated (TE21) head for my Alvis TD21, then skim machined and fitted hardened valve seats. Rolling road BHP and road performance are truly impressive. Good fortune with your Standard Ten, Steph, they're dear little cars.
Very interesting, experienced team, that standard is in good hands
Great content. Brings back teenage memories in 1964 of my first car, 1954 Standard 8. SPP491. I had 3 years, did +30k miles. I could replace a burnt out exhaust valve and fit decoke kit in half a day, and often did! Happy days. 😊
I love that!
Take the pressure off yourself about taking the car to the NEC show. Get it sorted out, including the hardened valve seats and bodywork/paint first. If it's not driveable, then trailer it there and back. People won't care if it's done. They'll be just as happy to see a work in progress. Far too many youtube channels seem to decide to attend a show and stress out because they haven't allowed enough time to do the work. You're lucky to have such great guys to help you, and Speedy the Standard will "soon" be speeding down the roads.
I grew up about 1/2 a mile away from that factory in Coventry, my Dad used to do trimming for Triumph until it closed in the early 80s, although I did work experience in the early 90s at the Rover design studio which had replaced the factory by then.
I'm enjoying the videos & looking forward to seeing you & the car at the NEC next month :)
Oh I love stories like that ☺️. See ya there!
Thanks for your video Steph, I think in my younger days I have changed two or three head gaskets, ford escort, BMW 528 I, and a Austin Cambridge, thanks again for sharing, 👍👍.
For me, it was a Mini 1000 and Hunter 1725 alloy head. 😅
Even though the head gasket is 'toast' I think overall the engine looks good. If you have got 'a man upstairs' to skim the head then it is probably worth doing. The radiator doesn't leak but there are companies that will re-core old radiators if needed so that is something to bear in mind. Thanks to Paul and Ed for their help and to you Steph for sharing this video. 👍👍
This is your second engine rebuild, you’re a real mechanic now.
Most of us ( and me) have only done 2 or 3 engine rebuilds in a lifetime
Yeah mad innit!
Great video. I was worried that the block had gone. I think it looks ok, and can be skimmed. Looking forward to see the bext instalmant. Well done Steph and Paul
It’s been a long time since I did any major engine work but I always had a couple of blocks of flower arrangement oasis on the bench, to slot pushrods and valves into to keep them in the right order 👍
Keep up the great work! ❤
Progress well done whilst the head is off ,have it gone through ,skim pressure test valve guides and at the least face the valves cut the seats and lap them back in and if you're looking at using this as a daily Steph,do the full unleaded seats conversion whilst you're in there,have you checked for end float yet ? Another good thing to do would be to get the radiator flushed through and a pressure test done ,after all you wouldn't want to overheat a new head gasket good luck.
Good advice on the rad. Sadly no time to sort the unleaded conversion and the budget needs to be fed into safety critical elements.
Ya. I’ve driven 10’s of thousands of miles on engines without hardened seats. Never an issue.
Can you not buy Lead Replacement fluid to mix into the fuel....?
On the edge of entertainment and elightenment ! I'd check the cylinders for a ridge at the top, on my 1956 Cadillac v8, I had a ridge and 8 out of 8 motorheads I talked to, all said, time to rebuild due to cylinder wear. Another good video ! I'm liking the color more and more.
Apparently it’s Salvador blue!
Takes me back to being 13 and doing Saturdays in the local garage to finance my motocross racing. As I remember most of the head gaskets I did as a kid were Ford crossflows.
I'd kind of like to see the head being skimmed as I always like to watch other people's techniques. I have a new toy in my workshop in the form of a brilliant face mill. One of those REALLY expensive multi insert face Mills big enough to do the head in one and produces the most amazing finish!
Enjoyed this video Steph. Great that you're doing tutorials showing how simple these old dears are to work on (as a rule). Nice car, i look forward to seeing Speedy at the NEC. GOOD LUCK!
Aw hey Clare!!!! Thank you for being so supportive. Can’t wait to see you both xxx
Wow, calm down Paul!! That enthusiasm is.....wow. Hope you are OK, you are obviously not loving life right now. Great video Steph, awesome to see a lady getting stuck in !! Xx
You do realise you’re being critical toward one of my work besties? Paul’s really lovely and it’s his first time on camera.
@idriveaclassic thats a fair criticism if my criticism. I apologise. He seemed bored, or it was tedious. Mechanics are a strange bunch, I know, I was one, usually full of banter, back chat, singing and bravado, until you add a camera, an audience, or ask them a question in a group setting. I'm sorry Paul, and you Steph. No offence intended. H7ge hugs to you all. X
Hi Steph, lovely to watch you working on the engine yourself & learning as you go, keep up the good work. I blew a head gasket on my Triumph Stag & when we got it all to pieces the cylinder bores were scored badly.
Have spent lots of money on having the (2) cylinder heads refurbished & liners bored out replaced & rebored to suit the existing pistons. New piston rings, big end bearings, also timing chains & sprockets.
Never mind, it's all part of the classic car experience, & I will have pretty much a brand new engine when it's finished ready for the 2025 classic car show season.
A big thumbs up from me!
A great video, Steph! 👍 It's quite interesting to see the similarity in some of the design features on the Standard's engine with the Triumph 4- and 6-cylinder engines used almost 20 years later. That could be a shorter, smaller-capacity version of the engine in my 1971 Mk2 2500 PI!
Good video Stef. And in Paul, a calm hand there to steady you.
The best £850 anyone could spend, I like it, I like it a lot and I subscribed, I should have done it years ago as I've watched many of your test drives, I do love the repair side of things. I 'm a big fan of the 60s n 70s Triumphs.
Starting handles are useful for all sorts or reasons, not least for turning the engine over when setting valve clearances, points etc. Once the head is skimmed and the engine back together, it'll be 'sweet 'Good luck!
Thank you!
Brilliant video Steph. I reckon this is going to be so useful to anyone doing a head gasket for the first time. Everything was really well explained Diagnistics, dismantling and evaluation and we get to find out more about the car too. I cant wait for the next instalment. Are we going to see the cylinder head being machined?
You will! We filmed the entire process xx
That was educational Steph.
Cheers!
Top tip: If you have a pull start, you don't need to turn the ignition on to just crank it over. It won't start with the ignition off (obvs), but the starter will spin as normal, which is what you want if you're doing a compression test. 🙂
Cheers Luke!
Yup. In fact it’s a one man job. Just push the solenoid attached to the bulkhead while holding the compression tester.
To do a thorough internal test, you should use compression ratio to work out your maximum pressure(CR x 20 to get psi) , 80% & 66%. then crank engine, at 2 rev's you should reach 66%, 4 rev's 80% and 6 rev's MP. Then repeat test with 30 ml of oil down bores. Then do a cylinder leak test, where you push air into cylinder at TDC. Listen at exhaust, Air Intake, look for bubble in coolant, and listen at oil filler. These steps combined will tell you what is worn, prior to dis-assembly.
Thank you!
I love the direction your channel is growing in! As much as I enjoy your choice of vehicles and your matching outfits to go with them you really suit the boilersuit too and garage look too :)
Aw thanks Peter. You’re really thoughtful.
The starter died on my old Morris Minor, and I used the crank to start it for six months... very easy, and always started instantly.
Always a morris minor owner with these stories. I have similar 😂
My experience of starting handles was fairly frequent on my dad's Ford Popular 103E with its 6V electrics. That Ford Pop was also the first engine rebuild I ever witnessed at the tender age of 6, while I was supposedly "helping" my dad with his project.
Do grind the valves or even replace the exhaust valves while head is off. Head removal is easy on the 10 .
I have run a 1983 Granada 2.8 for years on unkeaded with no problems . Used at moderate speeds yours should be fine .If the engine is in good condition should be very quiet indeed. The fan makes more noise than the engine ! They can last 150 k or even more if looked after . If ever you need to remove the gearbox , drill holes in floor to reach the top bolts . Makes life a lot easier . Good luck .
Great advice thank you
I've been running a Austin 1300 for 56 years and 109K miles with the head never off on USA unleaded petrol since 1976. No problems from the unleaded fuel.
All these "cheap, consumer grade" English cars of this vintage have the same "starting" problems....
just get a 8VDC coil as was fitted to Japanese cars in the 1970's...
and all your starting woes go away.
12VDC batteries are dragged down to 10VDC on cold mornings under the load of the starter...but 10VDC is till 120% of 8VDC...so super hot spark.....and the engine usually fires straight away.
(pending a decent fuel pump filling the carb bowl...and there's the cheap little in line clicky-clacky Facet copy 12VDC fuel pump to solve THAT problem as well)
When the starter circuit stops feeding 12VDC through the coil directly.... the "run position" 12VDC goes through a ballast resistor and feeds the coil 8VDC......
There is a diode blocking the 12VDC supplied to the coil being back fed into the starting circuit.
I did this conversion on a 100E Anglia that wouldn't start well...
and the owner came home after a 3 week vacation,
found snow heaped on the car,
hopped in...
and it started as it it was a hot summer day!
(Previous owner of a 1967 JO Bedford...bought 1976
and then nothing but Japanese (latterly JDM import) cars thereafter...until a 1972 Jaguar XJ6 as a project car.
I was rather pleased to see the cylinders once you got the coolant out. Looks to me to have little to no ridge in the cylinders. Which means it's either very easy mileage and/or very well maintained. It looks like the head might not be straight and true cause on the head gasket there are some exhaust witness marks on top between number 1,2 cylinders besides the piece that's missing between 3,4.
Therefore after a bit of a tidy and square check I think you'll have a bit of a darling on your hands.
She’s been off to the machine shop already. Stay tuned next week for results!
Liam you are a wise man
I can’t disagree with anything you say
You stepped up and done a fantastic job
👍
Lovely Car that ......Hope to hear it soon
Me too!
The Radiator factory was literally just across the road from the car factory, it was still there when I visited in 1982.
Great video, and it's fantastic to see someone from your generation getting excited about cars which were part of my yoof. (Mum and Dad had a Standard Vanguard).
One small demerit. All that work with the battery still connected and in place? You only drop a 7/8 spanner across the terminals once to know to always take it out in future. 😂
It's always a good idea to disconnect the battery before working in the engine bay.😁Obviously not when cranking the engine though🤣
Yeah my bad!
Nothing to plug in just plain and simple great era for cars
Steph it's not looking too scary... I had a suspect head gasket on my Minor.. I was losing coolant, but that was all... I decided to check by pressurising the cylinders with air and found a leak... I was hoping to find something like you have (but not as bad). I had some suspicious marks on a couple of bores, so in the interest of being cautious as I'm driving across to Western Australia next year, we took the sump off and dropped the pistons/rods... it was not good.... it looked like sand had gone through some of the bearings and had scored the crank as well... my head had 4 cracks and valve recession! So I've had to source and rebuild a new head as well as polished the crank... basically aside from not getting recorded, it'll be a new reconditioned engine... I'm thinking you're be in a much better position.....❤
Wow I look forward to seeing you go across to WA! Send me some pics
I good simple headgasket test..note a hesitancy when starting(water clearing)
Or hold stiff paper over spark plug holes(water spray)
I see that one has a heater, ours didn't, I suppose it was an optional extra. Brings back a lot of happy memories.
When you do the compression test on a car with a separate starter pull you do not need to turn the ignition on. That way even less danger of cooking the coil.
About 10 other people have written this. I’ve replied saying thank you but I cannot edit a video which is live.
Saw a nice Standard 8 in a museum yesterday and thought of you. My seven year old pointed it out as his favourite car in the hall and said to me that i should get an older one! Vids are great, i like to see dismantling and repair vids like you do with Kev. I think you are taking over at ADO as manager?
Ha. I am marketing and business manager at ADO. It’s refreshing to work in a business which is largely men and yet be treated as an equal and respected. I’m so lucky really!
@martingPE4. My first car was a 57 Companion.A bit of a wreck when I bought it.I found out it was fitted with a high compression head gasket and after some fine tweaking of the carb settings it was capable of speed well in excess of of the makers handbook spec of 67 mph. I actually paced it against a rover P6 at 110 mph.If the body is sound you have a great little motor there
Another great instructional video Steph. Still got the 1300fwd? Took mine down the road the other day after its 40yr slumber. 👍
Provisionally sold! I met this little Standard and decided she needed me more and I felt a calling.
Great series really enjoying following the progress, I still can't believe how little rot there is in this lovely car. I'm quite jealous, but as I have almost zero practical ability it's probably best I just enjoy watching the journey 😄
Ahh but you’re only ever a few attempts away from victory. Have a go and I bet you’ll ace whatever you attempt.
At least you can still get parts for the car and it's not full of a lot of complicated electronics like cars produced over the last 30 or so years.
Well done about the advice on the starting handle (usually called a crank handle in Oz) I once had an old Allis Chalmers tractor which we always started using the crank handle. And did she ever kick at times when you least expected it.
My dad had one and put a spitfire 1500 tc in it and the speedometer used to be all the way around at 85 , real speed was probably a bit less but my fondest memory as a child was my dad’s standard 10
Great vid Steph just in time for my first break love the docs 👍
Enjoy!
Hi Steph, that seems to be a weak spot in those engines. I had a 1959 Austin A40 - exactly the same problem - Gasket gone between 3 and 4. A weekend in the garage stripping down and replacing said gasket and 'geronimo', all was well. Take care 🙂 X X
You take care too lovely x
Having seen the underside on the ramp this car is really good and what you should do with it is to fit a Spitfire engine and box. It would make a nice "Q" car.
Worth getting that radiator re-cored rather than replaced. Still a few places around doing this
Yeah there’s a few places locally. Deffo one to be done asap.
When I bought my antique car it was overheating. Took it to a shop to have it boiled out. Turns out squirrels had gotten into it and filled it with acorns.
@@idriveaclassic Do tell who does re-cores Steph :) I can't find anybody to re-core a radiator for less than a grand round here in Oxfordshire.
If the radiator is not leaking, I would just flush it out thoroughly in both directions.
Great show 👏
Thank you!
My Grandfather worked at Cov Rad. The standard factory was literally down the road from there 😊
Oh wow love that!
This is a car anyone can repair at home and that's its charm.
Nice update.
Thanks!
Looking forward to seeing the old girl running again. I'm sure she will be good for that 15k miles a year, Steph!
Can you do a video on skimming the head? I did all this stuff as my first proper job after leaving school. Should be interesting and show those who don’t know what getting your head skimmed is all about.😊
Yeah that’s the next video!
In the United States starting handles were pretty much gone by the 1930s. I don’t think I ever saw a starting handle in my life outside of a museum and I’m almost 60.
I'm admittedly older but not old enough to remember cars of the 30's. However, I've used a starting handle many times on marine diesels. In sailboat auxiliaries, if you sail all day using today's electronics your battery will be flat by the time you get to your destination. Switching to the other battery might not help so that's why the boat came with a starting handle. A manual start and you can motor sedately into harbour as if you planned it that way.
for me and going back to basics to assume a head gasket has failed by a simple compression test could be misleading and by just pulling of the head off could be a wrong move i am not saying the head gasket has not failed but unless i missed an episode were the vales clearances checked before compression test was completed just to eliminate leakage due to vales not seating good luck hope to see it at the NEC
What a beautiful car!
Awesome Steph, your Standard 10 is in better shape than my recently purchased Land Rover. 😊👍
Wishing you luck for the Landy ☺️
@@idriveaclassic Thanks, same to you for the Standard, hope you can sort the engine out. 👍
Hi Steph, I think you mean Gold Seal Engines. They were manufacturers total rebuild engines or even new engines. They were painted that light gold that your head has. The block looks like it is not painted gold so you only have a Gold Seal Head .Thats how you have the higher compession. Use addative in the petrol to stop burning out the valves with this modern unleaded petrol. The head and manfolds came off very smoothly and a manifold gasket on the parcel shelf tells you just replacing the head gasket will not work. Head nuts need to be re torqued after a few miles if not gaskets can blow . An easey check on the rocker arm , contact wear, on the end of the valve will show if it hasnly done a few miles.. New thermostat and radiator cap is always a good thing . Blowing between cylinders ,new head fitted ...Me thinks block will need some work . Modern designed head gasket if you can ,copper gaskets not so good..Keep the compression ratio as low as you can , minimum head and block machining..Looking forward to the next jar of wormes episode..
Standard engines were Gold Star, BMCBL was Gold Seal ☺️. Some interesting literature in and around the internet on the engine x
yes, Steph, God bless the Middle Manager, the eternal impediment to progress
Hahaha so true.
Love your enthusiasm 😄
All the water should have been drained out first, there is not meant to be any water sitting in the bores! Glad to see you removed the water!
In case you missed the bucket below, we did. There was a wee bit of water left but it had stopped dripping!
@@idriveaclassic ....i'm just wondering if Standard fitted the block with a drain tap as well...? Well hidden, low down, covered in grot so hard to see..? It' would take you over into 2025, but while skimming the 'head pricing up (and assessing availability) of hardened seat inserts for the exhaust valves would be worthwhile. Skimming the head's not a problem provided it's not been done previously, (Super unleaded tends to be 97 to 99 RON) however if the seats recede too far an iron 'head is - as you know- rendered scrap. I skim watched this vid so i may have missed some chat on these subjects, apologies.
So now you have found out why it was so cheap. Fortunately it looks like it's a straightforward fix and not very expensive to do. Also, you have the assurance that comes from knowing the condition of the top end of your engine.
@disleyade5470 as I said in the first video, I knew there was a problem. Steve was totally honest. Nothing was hidden.
@@idriveaclassic Sorry, I didn't pick that up from the earlier video. All the best with the repairs.
It would be really interesting if you could keep a note of (and tell us) the number of hours of labour all your friends and colleagues put in to help bring this car back to life, so that the average buyer can work out if they are prepared for similar. Also those who aren’t mechanically minded can work out if they could afford it. Thanks.
Yeah we’re doing a video at the end on this! At the moment I am still racking up costs.
You can carry out a rough & ready compression test using the starting handle - if there’s a loss of compression, it takes less effort!
Howdy Steph, when I first got my current 101 I was able to start her on the handle, now with the Tickford Windsor it isn't possible, I do miss it, it's quite a party trick.
Oh really!!
Reminded me, that the core plug at the back of the head went on mine but it can be done in situ if necessary (order a set for the boot 😂)
Thank you! I’ll order some x
I have blown plenty of head gaskets and changed them not a fun job and l owned a couple of Hillman Gazzells with the Rootes with alloy cylinder heads notorious for blowing head gaskets glad l got rid of them
What a great video, made me nostalgic for my DIY days although your shop is obviously much better able to handle major work than I could working outdoors. I was horrified when No. 4 could be seen, brim full of water, but neither Steph nor Paul said anything, not even, "well that's not a good thing." One thing I did wonder about: whenever I removed a major engine accessory like a manifold or carburetor (yeah I remember those well) I usually found that after unscrewing the fasteners it was often a hard struggle to make the component let go. Yet in the video, the two people seem able to just lift off the head like it's not adhering to anything. Did you "cut" the cameras and use a block and tackle to an overhead beam or something in between unscrewing the head and lifting it off? Or did it really let go so easily?
The doors aren't emormous Steph, you're smaller.
At least the fault with Speedy 🙂is obvious: my E34 BMW used to drink coolant but it never seemingly came out of the exhaust or contaminated the oil - but in the end it turned out to be a crack in the alloy head between 5 and 6 that only showed up when heated and subjected to a vacuum test. I really enjoyed that video - in true Reithian style, it was informative, educational and entertaining. I've now subscribed to your channel and will enjoy the progress on the car. By the way - is it grey or pale blue?
The wonderful thing abour cars of that era was anyone could repair nearly everything on the kerbside.
If you like cars with room to work, get a Spitfire. Same engine, double the carbs. Plus you can sit on either tire and put your tools on the scuttle. As comfy as old boots.
I recently had a battery that went bad when I was out in my 1963 Austin Cambridge. I stopped my car when I was out shopping and had to jump out and get the starting handle. Sounds easy - right? Not so easy when your car has an automatic transmission. I got it started after some very hard cranking on the handle. My old Magnette and A55 MK2 were very easy to start on the handle. Barely took any effort.
This car will be “right as rain” really soon I’m sure.
A couple of hours you have the engine out. Inspect the parts. Buy replacements from Standard club. Head gasket, and if nesessary, piston rings and bearings and a gasket set. That's it!