Changing the Pop kingpins

[Jonny69]

Got the nod from a mate that there was a space in his garden to do the kingpins on the Pop so blatted over there this morning. There was a bit too much play in one side which makes the steering a bit vague and it wanders about on the road. For anyone that doesn't know kingpins are what the wheels steer on and you just replace them when they get worn.

Fitted a new condensor because the other one I bodged on was playing up a bit but I couldn't get the engine to fire at first because there was no spark. Then all of a sudden it kicked into life so the old one must have charred the points up a bit or something. Also noticed a loose stud in the head was spewing out a bit of water, did it back up real tight and the engine suddenly has a lot more power and is a bit quieter. Bonus.

Spent the afternoon stripping down the front end and I now have two very diddy very grubby Pop spindles in my small toolbox, yes they are that small, ready to clean up for some new bushes. They were a sod to get off, the securing pin was jammed in and wouldn't have come out if it wasn't for my mate's comedy oversize splitter and the kingpins themselves needed some serious beating with my big hammer to shift them.

I was expecting the bushes to be knackered but actually there is heavy pitting and a step on the actual kingpins. Ironically the new pins are a good fit and I could probably get away with not changing the bushes, doing the reaming etc but for the sake of doing things properly and doing things once I'll go the whole hog. It was surprising how much movement there was so I've got my fingers crossed that this is really going to tighten up the steering. Someone tell me it will be so...

Spose you'll be wanting some substandard overexposed phone pics...

Pop spindle complete with wheel bearings:

Top of the kingpin, you can see the pitting:

Old kingpin next to a new one, you can see the step and the wear:

Hopefully will drop them over to another mate on Tuesday who's good at this sort of stuff who can press in the new bushes and line ream them for me, then it's back on the road again.

 

[Jonny69]

So what's the plan for this pop then? Keep it standard or big power 'rod?

Standard-ish as it's my daily. I'm going to build another engine for it with some tuning goodies, I'll mill the head down to up the compression, turn the valve stems down to aid flow and use a bumpier cam, twin carbs and I'll weld up a tubular manifold. Just enough to motorvate it a bit better and sound nice and healthy. Not got any plans to gut it for an 8 as that's major conversion work and I like it how it is

 

[Jonny69]

Probably 45-50hp, not a serious amount but 50% up on the standard 30

 

[Jonny69]

Yes it is worth it because it builds a lot more power across the rev range and the maximum rpm goes up from a measly 4500rpm to a better 6000rpm. As it stands I have to rebuild an engine anyway so lathing down the valves and milling the head (which is about an evenings work) is no beef to me. At 750-800kg it isn't very heavy and 45-50hp puts it into a small new hatchback acceleration bracket. I wouldn't put any more through it because I don't intend to change the braking system. You can almost direct swap in the engine from the 100E and that can get 60hp+ but it needs extra stuff like a cut-up sump, different hoses, alternator doesn't then fit etc. With a hot pop engine I can just swap it in one evening or weekend and drive it to work the next day.

Because of the vintage suspension system you can't swap just the engine and box to a more modern 4 pot. The axle is mounted on an A frame with a torque tube rather than a prop and that all pivots off a huge eyeball on the back of the gearbox. Swap one bit and you have to change the lot, then you have to change the braking system to hydraulic which means a different pedal box, sort out some kind of clutch mechanism etc etc etc. This is why you see a lot of V8 pops because if you do it you might as well go the whole hog.

 

[Jonny69]

And it's called one because?

Ford Popular 103E, generally known as the Ford Pop

Edit: Popular was like their poverty spec range that they used up to the bottom of the range Mk3 Escort I think.

 

[Jonny69]

How many are still alive?

Well what we know as the Pop there's also the top model which was the Anglia and they sold quite a few of them too. They didn't really rust as badly as the later 60's cars so there are loads still about. It's in the thousands.

I would say it would be quite fun with that amount of power. Just right I bet for it.

So that will increase the top speed from 62mph, so hopefully you can do 70.

Those extra revs should help a lot with the long difference between 2nd and 3rd gear, especially up hills.

Pretty much what I think too

 

[Jonny69]

Yes, improvement in performance, but the difference between 30hp and 50hp won't be as noticable as 300hp to 450hp for example.

It is actually quite noticeable. Like we said above it has a habit of slowing right down on hills but with the extra it won't at all. It's the difference between being under powered and adequately powered. If I wanted to make it go fast I would but I have a fast car nearly done in the garage.

 

[Jonny69]

How big is the engine in the pop?

1172cc sidevalve

 

[Jonny69]

Now, I appreciate classic cars and the likes more than most here, but dear god man, how can you live with that as it is, as your daily driver?

I don't understand

What's fuel economy like?

Gets about 30-35mpg round town I think. Book says something like that.

 

[Jonny69]

Quick random question.

Whats its 0-62mph time?

It doesn't go that fast

I'm not trolling at all, I just find it hard to believe that he can live with that as his daily driver.

For anyone deciding to flame me, you'd honestly swap your car for that pop, and be happy driving it every single day, in all conditions?

Heh.

I think what you're missing is you sit in your bland ncap eurobox every day getting frustrated with everyone trying to squeeze one car ahead in the traffic and you live in a bland house painted cream inside with beige carpets with furniture from Ikea because it's a bit less dull and more sensibly priced than the stuff from MFI. This is all very sensible and I'm pretty certain you probably don't do much interesting stuff and your job probably doesn't interest you much. You can't understand people who are different who might want to do linger outside your safe little box, but I don't like beige and life is too short to go worrying about whether my car has seatbelts or not. I ride a bike the rest of the time and I don't have that branded as unsafe even though I am much more likely to die on that or stack it into someone else than I am in an old Ford pop. Noises don't bother me, I like getting my hands dirty and if I break down I fix it and drive on. I don't drive slowly, the only person I am holding up is you.

 

[Jonny69]

Thats a lot of insulting and sweeping generalisations just becuase he doesn't like your car, don't you think?

Totally not. I post on this forum for a bit of fun, a break from the norm of what gets posted here and an insight into what it's like driving something other than a sub 5 year old car because some people like reading it. I don't post to get my threads trolled especially when it's technical pictures of worn out mechanical components that I'm replacing. I can take banter but if you don't like what I'm doing or if you don't agree with it then don't post in my threads.

What was it that big hairy belly button lint fairy thing in Ren and Stimpy said? If you don't got nothin' nice to say don't say nothin' at all.

 

[Jonny69]

Is there a website like that of some "Mature car" results

There's quite a few crash tests on Youtube of 80's cars but if you watch them prepare youself for a shock as they fold up pretty bad. Watch your legs

 

[Jonny69]

Put the kingpins back in last night, all tight and shiny and new. It's transformed the car, the steering is tight as it should be, doesn't wander about and the brakes now pull the car up in a straight line as it should do

Some pics, cleaned up spindle with the brake back plate bolted up. Decided to clean out and re-pack the wheel bearings while I was at it:

Round the back of that is where the kingpin goes. Drops through the top of the spindle, through the axle and through the bottom bush in the spindle. It's held in place by a big cotter pin and there's a bronze bush under the axle to steer on:

Then I drove it from deepest darkest Kent up to the Frankie and Bennies on the A21 as there were a few hotrods and chops meeting up. Great drive getting it all out of shape on the roundabouts and generally being irresponsible but meh you only live once and it's not as if I was going very fast. There were a couple of really tidy rodded Pilots and a fresh out grey Pop running a modern 4 cylinder and sitting real low over a narrow axle. Quite a few Harleys down there.

 

[Jonny69]

Yeah I'm looking about for a second hand Aquaplane head. I was goign to mill down a spare head I have but I'm worrying about how thin the metal will be and if it will take the combustion pressure. Then whether it will clear the valves etc etc. It's just a lot of money for not much power but meh, it's payday next week, have to see what the postman brings