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The 4A is due an MOT so I have just been giving it the once over, mainly to spot any silly things such as a blocked washer jet or feathering on a wiper blade; I am very confident in its overall mechanical condition, were I not I of course wouldn't be driving it! Out of interest I consulted the MOT Inspection Manual, Section 2 'Steering' from which I note under 2. 3 .3 that the maximum free play at the rim of the steering wheel (assumed 380mm diameter) is 13mm for a rack and pinion system or 48mm if there are several joints between the steering wheel and the rack, 'several' is not defined. Horrifyingly, for a non rack and pinion system up to 75mm play is allowed! These limits are adjusted up or down for larger or smaller diameter steering wheels. When observing the RH front wheel while turning the steering wheel I found it very hard to judge at what point the road wheel started to move so I rested a dial gauge on an old can of suitable height and placed the probe against the wheel rim about half way up. I was pleased but not surprised to find that the slightest touch on the steering wheel rim resulted in an immediate deflection on the dial gauge.

Tim

 

 

 

 

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41 minutes ago, tim hunt said:

...for a non rack and pinion system up to 75mm play is allowed...

How times have changed since the 1970’s
I remember friend who had a Ford (I think it was an E93A).
It had recirculation ball steering.
While rebuilding the steering box some of his balls fell out.
He kept it for years with about ¼ of a turn of the steering wheel free play .
I think he told me that the MOT tester said, “Well, it’s an old car and they always have play in the steering.”

There were also the people who had lost their steering wheel and replaced it with a mole wrench.
(Or did I dream that?)

Charlie.

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At the tender age of 16, I bought a Berkeley T60, three wheeler, but only had enough money for fuel. One day the bush on the end of the steering arm fell out which resulted in 1/3 to 1/2 turn of play, still driveable if you are quick on the steering wheel. Took a few weeks to save up for a new bush.

Mick

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Berkeley T60, now there’s a memory. I recall an excentric turning up in a Berkeley in Mariscal College in Aberdeen around 1969 making the most superb noise which gained my admiration and like all British motorcycle engines of the time left a huge pool of oil on the cassies (cobbles)

But you Mick were braver than I as I never did buy one and I succombed to a certain BRG TR2...

 

james

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Hi Mick,

last summer a number of Berkeley's turned up at a small village (Bibury) in Oxfordshire. There were two T60's in theor midst.

They brought back memories of my older brothers T60. It was almost identical to the E type:wacko: if your glasses were not adjusted properly.

I still have the mega tome that is the maintenance book - all four pages and rusty staples. 

 

Roger

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Weird isn’t it!

In the '60s I too had a friend with a T60, and I was really envious.

I ended up buying an Isetta bubble car. (Rolled it over showing off to a girl in her office car park and ended up looking a total prat as all the office came out to see if I was OK.)

 I think I tried to fob it off by saying “Yes… They all do that when they go around corners..”

The T60 was THE three wheeler to have in those day’s.

(Morgans were only for the rich kids.)

 

Charlie.

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I recently read an article on the history of Lotus and was surprised by the following quote: 

There was nearly another "first" for the coupe named Elite which was that its structure was a glassfibre monocoque. Certainly the Elite was the first full-sized "proper" car so designed but Lotus was just beaten to pioneering composite monocoque status by the tiny Berkeley sports car, launched earlier in 1957.

Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Mick

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They look a bit sad.

Mine was BRG with a yellow nose ring and yes, you are right Roger, totally like an E-Type (provided you had dark rose tinted specs) which is why I bought it. We had so many adventures, they kids know them all but they still laugh out loud. Enough of nostalgia, it's not like it used to be.

Mick

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They were on their way to their International Weekend. They had forgotten their cameras/phones and asked me to take photos and e-mail them to them. There is a much better photo than this one but it’s too big to be able to post here and I don’t know how to reduce it. Roger May be able to post it later.

75CB80B7-210C-411D-A846-5DC61EBC940E.png

Edited by SuzanneH
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