Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Roger-hatchy]

DLM 1

This is registered as a DLM 1.
D.L.M. being the original builder Derrick Laurence Masters

I bought the car from a friend in Mill Hill, London, who was with the film and television industry,
He informed me when I bought the car in 1971/2 that it was made for Dr Who, I have never been able to find any information to confirm this

The car is a real Bitsa,

Engine and gear box are Ford E93A
Chassis I believe / was told is from an Austin 12 that has been shortened.
Rear axle at time of purchase was from a 1930's Morris, what model I never new.
Body is an open top two seat sports, like a cross between a Dellow and a Lotus 7 has been suggested, this is a two piece aluminium body with flared wings

We had to tow start to get it running, it smoked like a train under strain, it sounded like a bag of nails being rattled, The gearbox wouldn't stay in ANY gear. the back axle sounded as though it wished it was somewhere else.

Even so it went like ????,

But I had already fallen in love with it £20 and it was mine.

Got it home and started a strip down

Faults
Engine - no piston rings Literally
Gearbox - wreck
Rear axle - found a foreign 2 inch bold that had done its worst, never did find were it belonged, no holes to fit it into to.

Had the Engine reconditioned by a specialist that used to be in Kentish Town, while there I asked if he knew were I could get the gearbox reconditioned
"What gearbox" says he
"This engine" says I
"Hang on mo" says he
Disappeared out the back, came back with a crate on a sack barrow, brand new gearbox still crated,
Recon and gearbox £40, Oh! how times have changed.

Rear axle was beyond recon, couldn't find parts or a Morris replacement, so a Ford 100E axle was modified, spring hangers, and an A frame to the top These were taken from the Morris axle, but were also a modification.

Did about 2,000 miles in the mid 70's, then we moved out of London late 70's, had a few problems with the running of the car Due to the usual, Money but no time, Time but no money, think we've all been there, Made a few starts on re-building, the car has been a big box of bits for 15/20 years

NOW It is under cover, a new garage built for the job, and work has started again in earnest, No chance of relapses this time, neighbour was the one to wake me up this time, And is a classic car enthusiast, and keeps threatening to buy it..

will post some more photos of the car as was then, as was a few months ago,
the garage extension for the as is now

Roger

[mikeC]

Those are Austin Seven wheels on the front. From the apparent size of the car, I would suggest the chassis is Seven, not Twelve - Ford engine in Seven chassis was a popular combination in the Fifties and Sixties, Lotus and Lola both started that way.
You will get lots of info, support and guidance from the 750 Motor Club if needed.

[pigtin]

That's my sort of car. Looks very much like a Lotus Six nose section.
My special (bought as an abandoned, barely attempted project) also had one of these with the pile of bits. The money I sold it for helped finance a pattern A7 radiator and shell. But it looks just right on your car.

The Austin 7 wheels on the front were, I believe, made by a specialist company for sporting reincarnations of the 7. They are lighter, don't have quick release slots for the nuts, give a wider track and don't shroud the brake drums.
If my memory serves me correctly they were made by 'The London Wheel Company.' Don't take that as gospel.

Don.
_________________
Due to the onset of my mid eighties I'm no longer sprightly and rarely seen in my Austin special. I have written a book though. https://amzn.eu/d/7rwRRqL

[Roger-hatchy]

A bit more of a hybrid than I thought

Have been in contact by phone with a local vintage Austin restorer.
It seems the chassis is not Austin, well my description that is.

Pigtin
Interesting about the wheels though as they lay on, as apposed to shrouding (something I have learnt today) the brake drums.
Thanks for another possible lead.

The person I spoke to earlier said he seems to remember a specialist wheel made as such.

thing is a friend has just found some three stud spoked 'Morris' Wheels and the stud spacing looks the same, will try them on the drums later
the morris wheels look about 19 inch.

I described the chassis as well and he seems to think it might be a Morris.

will sling some photos into my bucket and get them on here.

have been scraping away at the chassis, contemplating sandblast and powder coating,
Depends on how deep into the pocket I can go

Not a lot of rust, just a bit of dust here and there, but can't get at a lot of boxed off sections with a scraper or abrasive papers.

Hopefully deadline is next May, HOPEFULLY

[Roger-hatchy]

Some more photos of the car.
Better days (soon to be sunshine again)

[Roger-hatchy]

This was last June, before I started the garage extension
And not before time.



This at the start of October, the old garage can be seen at the back, and the end box was about were Bob is.

[Roger-hatchy]

Might have an idea as to the chassis and axle source.
Might be Standard, still not 100%
I will be taking the chassis for powdercoating next week, while on the roof of the car will take it to a vintage car restore who I have been in contact with, he might be able to ID it.

Will post some more photos soon

[buzzy bee]

Hi

So what is the rest of the car like, do you have the body?

What Gearbox is it, and what is wrong with it?

Cheers

Dave

[Roger-hatchy]

Dave
Some more photos
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n101/Hatchy-62/DLM%201/

When I last rebuilt the car in 1970's about 72/3,
The engine E93A was reconditioned, the gearbox was new and unused, had to fit a 100E rear axle.
Have done about 2000 miles since then, one thing and another it all ended up boxed.

So once the chassis has been powder coated, next week I hope, it will be a matter of cleaning and scraping, painting and putting it back together.
Just hope I remember were it all goes.

Front axle is ready for a coat of paint, then start on each stub axkle with all the bits ready for the wheels.
not yet had alook at anti-rust/rust eater paint of today, last time I did a restore, a VW beetle ground up, I seem to remember the paint I used was curust, or something like that.

Roger

[bob2]

Try this site, they have some very good products, tried them myself and was quite impressed by the stuff, especially the rust converter!! In my opinion beats kurust by a great margin!!

http://bilthamber.com/

[Roger-hatchy]

Hi Bob

Looks good, and good reviews both from magazines and from others via the www

Placed an order for a small pot of Hydrate 80 to start with.

Will have to look around their site later, will need a primer for the aluminium body, that is back to metal as the old paint had crazed and cracked so bad it seemed the best thing to do.

all I need to find, in Essex, is a good aluminium welder, trouble is it is rather a thin metalled body, and there are a few fatigue cracks that need seeing too.

[bob2]

I am no welder but have lately done the odd weld and think you can manage aluminium with tig!!
you could buy one and do it urself!!!

[Roger-hatchy]

Bob
Not sure I would want to risk burning a hole in the body, It's very thin
Not as though I could find another part if I damaged this one
A 'one of' body, which is another point were do I go if someone prangs it.

I know it can be done as a friend of a friend of my sisters did the wings, and they look new, he has moved to ?? now one knows before I got the body over to him.

Chassis is off for powder coating today, might be back for the weekend, if the weather improves.

Also took the chassis and axle to the car restorer to see if he could ID them.
HA! even more in the dark now, might be a singer. then when we had a better look, AAAGGGGHHHH it might be an amalgam of three chassis, the front axle ?? not sure if the hubs belong, the back plates might be another source, Hydraulic twin leading shoe, the steering arms look fabricated.

But the main thing is he's sure he can match the King pins and Track rod ends, The part numbers will be in the book if he can.

I have also found that I had bought new brake slave cylinders (complete) and a new Clutch slave cylinder (complete)
The brake linings are new as well.

front end, bar the kingpins and track rod ends, now ready to go back onto the chassis.

Next job rear axle, Hubs off check the brake and drums, clean the casing ready for paint,

[bob2]

but at least you have good spare parts availability, over here in Malta its a nightmare, I always end up on ebay for the hunter parts and browse the websites of the many mini only suppliers in the uk for my minis!!

[Roger-hatchy]

Picking the chassis up Sat. 24-10-09.
Not only Powdercoated but he has two part primed it for me as well.

Will post some more photos soon.

A good few of the "Before and now" on my photobucket

http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n101/Hatchy-62/DLM%201/

hopfully not too long to the before and after.