now that the motor is turning over by hand, next stop is to get her turning over on the key.

I have the starter motor off the car at the moment, and it looks like this:-

now, as it's my first Y, that starter doesn't look right to me. I gather that, when the key is turned, the bendix is pulled into mesh with the starter ring gear. But it doen't look like it has enough travel?

I've tried it against a battery and it spins over just fine, but the bendix doesn't seem to travel far enough (I would expect the bendix to at least travcel the thickness of the starter ring gear?)

or is it fine, and I should stop being an ass and worrying about it!!

Cheers, Taff

1959 Ford Galaxie 2dr sedan, 292 (just woken up after a 38 year sleep!)