So I started him up, the Morris Minor battery which is currently fitted just about did the job, I knew it was too "small" (a morris minor battery is 38amp hour, while at side valve J should be 57 amp hour rating) but that's what I had too hand. He started up OK but a new correct capacity battery will have to be sourced soon.
I drove him to the end of the drive (I must mention to the gardener about cutting back this hedge).
( ROD stopped in my driveway, as some idiot with a camera was standing in the road ).
I took ROD to the local village pub, unfortunately shut, so no time for a swift half!
I then took ROD on a bit of a scenic road run, wandered out into the countryside, and stopped in this field entrance. ROD had driven well, clutch a bit sharp, maybe all side valves/chain linkage J's are like this, I don't know this is my first. ROD had started well on full choke and had been running on half choke OK, but would not idle on no choke so I tweaked the mixture screw. Half a turn in, no real difference, half a turn out still not much change, after a couple of tweaks I had forgotten where I had started!!!! 
So I went for a little walk to let him cool slightly and take a couple of pictures of him sitting at the side of the road. He needed a rest, he had, after all done about four miles so far, rather a lot having rested for the last twenty odd years.I think ROD is rather photogenic and it was very nice being out early, on this spring Sunday morning, all these pictures were taken before 7a.m. a glorious time of the day.
ROD started straight away and we drove home very well, this first "shake down" road trip high-lighted some things that need attending to.
1, A new correct size battery and clamp required.
2, The mixture needs setting up again as its running weak. (some idiot's been fiddling)
3, The induction noise is very loud from the air cleaner/carburettor, this is normal but I wonder if I can fit a better paper air cleaner assembly to quieten it down a bit.
4, The brakes are soft, they got better each time they were used as the new shoes bedded into the drums, though I feel a bleed of the brake fluid would also help.
5, The speedo does not work! So I will have to investigate the speedo head and cable to see what's going on.
ROD ran rather well, I was surprised just how nippy the side valve engine proved to be and I was getting a bit of a "high", I know I had a big grin on my face as we drove along. Even at this early hour many people I know were out and about, they all did a bit of "head turn" as I went by. (Was that a look of shock or surprise on their faces, I wonder?).
I also got a bit carried away driving home and was trying to hurry the gear changes, bad error there by me, you cannot do that to a side valve, three speed J.
So at long last the two years work so far carried out is coming to an end and an MOT test is on the horizon. I will be sorry to sell him but needs must.
Another 20 J type pictures have been added to the album on the right, enjoy.
