Renault 1929 RY1 Monasix

2 minute(s) of a 217 minute read

It may seem that I am filling my days with mindless tasks but they are all things that must eventually be done and while I am waiting for the apparently endless paperwork to be completed so the engine that I bought what seems like lifetime ago can finally leave France I am taking the opportunity to tick a few boxes. My Renault is one of the last of the models produced with the radiator mounted in two sections one either side at the rear of the engine. The top tank acts as a bridge linking the two together and a collector pipe forms the link at the bottom. This requires no less that four water transfer ports each with quite a complex gasket to seal the joints. I have managed to make these laminated cork gaskets over the last two days. Being the Easter Holidays I have not worked full time but probably for a total of about four hours. i.e. and hour each which may seem excessive but not when you consider that each gasket is laminated out of three pieces of sheet cork using two layers of 3mm sheet and one layer of 2mm. Each piece of cork had to be individualy hand cut.Hopefully the photos may go some way in explaining.

If you look closely at the fifth photograph you will note that the gasket is in fact three layers with the bottom 2mm layer cut so that it forms the seal between the top tank and the radiator. The three pieces of cork will be bonded together using silicone to form the one gasket.