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1956 Standard 8
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 8:14 am    Post subject: 1956 Standard 8 Reply with quote

Hi all,

Just a quick intro to our Standard 8. It's been off the road for a few years but in the main should be a re-commissioning job rather than full resto, which I'm keen to avoid nowadays. Items I've looked at so far include the front brakes, charging system (with advice from ukdave, thanks), tyre swap, and a few other fiddly jobs.



If you've not seen it yet, this vid takes a closer look at it:
https://youtu.be/lylcHs7iBh4

Long-termers here will remember that I ran a Standard 10 for a while many years ago, and also a Companion estate, so these aren't entirely unfamiliar to me.

Bodily it's not too bad, there are a couple of crusty lower edges that'll need attention sometime, but for now it'll do. My youthful assistant has been dropping hints about Standard 8s and 10s for a while now, so he might end up running it in a few years time, who knows. In the meantime, once I get it running right it'll be available for dad to use whenever he wants to (he sold his Minor a few months ago), plus I plan to use it as an all-year-round car if possible.

RJ
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 8:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just Googling Standard 8 there does appear to be quite a lot of 8s that have a grill although interestingly it doesn't seem to be the same grill as fitted to your car. I guess that the side lights are just modern substitutes.

Peter
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Last edited by peter scott on Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:34 am; edited 2 times in total
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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

peter scott wrote:
Just Googling Standard 8 there does appear to be quite a lot of 8s that have a grill although interestingly it doesn't seem to be the same grill as fitted to your car. I guess that the side lights are just modern substitutes.

Peter


I'm not quite sure where the grille comes from, I know things changed regularly throughout production and there were variations of the 8 sold alongside each other .. eg Family 8, 8 Gold Star etc. and then the 10s of course. It'll stay anyway as it brightens up the front a bit.

RJ
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The 1957 Motor road test car has a grill although it also has a boot lid. Surprisingly it also has an overdrive.

I was quite surprised that the 1957 Motor road test 0-50 time for the 8 was marginally better than that for the 10. Apparently the previous Motor test of the 8 was in February 1956 and gave 27.7 seconds which dropped to 21.8 in 1957. The overdrive gearing of the 1957 car will have given part of the benefit but it also had an 8.25 compression ratio instead of 7.5.

It looks as if the grill came along with the boot lid.

Peter
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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More work done to the Std 8 recently, mainly looking at the brakes (front cylinders, shoes, pipes etc) and also the charging system, that on close inspection wasn't looking too fantastic with broken wires and inoperative parts.

Today's upload to the OCC YT channel covers it in detail ... and also my thoughts around fitting a few period mods to it.

https://youtu.be/FSgTDxH2bTc



RJ
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Rick
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 09, 2022 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Evening all,

Today's upload recalls last week's first test drive in the Standard, which went ok although a few more jobs have been added to the "to do" list since then, including the speedo (or cable) which, operationally, has decided to go AWOL.

https://youtu.be/4K3gNNm1A8s



RJ
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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Standard's seen a bit of use lately, this week on various shopping trips.




RJ
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It presents nicely, doesn't it?
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Rick
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2022 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
It presents nicely, doesn't it?


It's a twenty footer in many respects, but if it was perfect it wouldn't be out playing in the ice and snow so I like it.

PS here's the latest upload of us getting it started in sub-zero weather, then heading off to a small Sunday meeting.

https://youtu.be/gtkBXOMjl7c


RJ
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norustplease



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have always liked the look of these little cars and have often wondered why they don't enjoy the same sort of popularity as the A30/35 range.

Perhaps if Wallace and Grommit had used a Standard......?
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

norustplease wrote:
I have always liked the look of these little cars and have often wondered why they don't enjoy the same sort of popularity as the A30/35 range.

Perhaps if Wallace and Grommit had used a Standard......?


I had expected the A30 was cheaper but on checking I find it was £20 dearer. On the other hand the A30 had better (mechanically operated) windows and a boot lid. Both were unit construction with 803 cc OHV engines so similar in many ways.
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Rick
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
norustplease wrote:
I have always liked the look of these little cars and have often wondered why they don't enjoy the same sort of popularity as the A30/35 range.

Perhaps if Wallace and Grommit had used a Standard......?


I had expected the A30 was cheaper but on checking I find it was £20 dearer. On the other hand the A30 had better (mechanically operated) windows and a boot lid.


A30 had pull-up windows didn't it? The Standard's wind up. Late 8s had a boot lid too, plus decent engine accessibility Smile

RJ
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Ray White



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I seem to remember the A30 had a lever for the windows. The Eight when it was introduced had sliding windows; wind up came later.

Engine accessibility was always better on the Standard. Surprised


Last edited by Ray White on Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Rick
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ray White wrote:
I seem to remember the A30 had a lever for the windows. The Eight when it was introduced had sliding windows; wind up came later.


Yes the very first 8s were very basic, no hubcaps even. On the plus side, hydraulic brakes to all four corners unlike the A30/A35/A40 Mk1.

RJ
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Ray White



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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The downside with the A30 brakes was the lash up at the back; a sort of rod system. I replaced mine with the later A40 set up ...but it made no difference! Laughing
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