Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:29 pm Post subject: My 1957 A35 "Black Pig" |
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Bought this on ebay on Thursday, drove back from Tring on the Herts/Bucks borders on Saturday, and I've done about 300 miles in it so far!
The car was laid up in a barn in 1985 and was Mot'd in May this year for the first time in over 20 years. The car had only done 60 miles in the last 24 years, so it was a pretty nervewracking drive home! I stopped for a rest (the car was running fine) when I noticed steam pouring out of the grill. A leaky heater hose had caused it to overheat (since replaced). As soon as we got home we filled the steering box, which was empty, greased the suspension and steering which hadn't been greased for years, and adjusted the clutch. Unfortunately there is quite a lot of blue smoke on acceleration, so next week we're taking the cylinder head off and giving it a decoke, with new valve stem oil seals. The gearbox is really crunchy on third and fourth gears, indicating synchromesh wear, but it just adds to the character! (and is avoidable if you are careful enough).
Interestingly the car has only had 4 previous owners. The last owner only bought it in May. The previous owners were a husband and wife, she bought it in 1982, and transferred it to her husband's name 6 months later. Which means the first owner had it from 1957 - 1982. The car seems to have spent most of its life in the Welling, Kent area.
Slight problem on the way home...
The original rubber mats and carpets are still present. The mats have been removed in this picture for repair.
Lovely period carpark sticker!
_________________ Richard Hughes
Last edited by Richard H on Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:28 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22438 Location: UK
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Keef
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 371 Location: Sheerness Kent UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: My 1957 A35. |
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640TMP wrote: | The car seems to have spent most of its life in the Welling, Kent area. |
I'll ask around, if you are interested to know more about it's owners over here? _________________ Keef - Sheerness Kent UK
62 A40 Farina, 65 VDP 1100, 74 Maxi 1750, 76 Maxi 1750, 77 Maxi 1500HL, 79 Maxi 1750HLS, 80 Maxi 1750
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustinMaxis/
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | great little car - I prefer the look of the four door A35s too, so is that three you're up to now??? good stuff.
R |
Well, technically two, as one of the others has passed into the very capable hands of my dad, as I didn't want it destroyed by the winter salt. This one is pretty solid, 61000 miles from new, but is a little less immaculate for everyday use. We are able to garage them all now, which has to be a good thing I also prefer the look of the four doors, they're certainly more practical as well.
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I've been looking at something of a similar ilk lately, although I'm not tempting fate introducing it until it's all done and back home
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Sounds interesting
keef wrote: | I'll ask around, if you are interested to know more about it's owners over here?
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Thanks for the kind offer. In with the history there is an email address for the last owner in Kent, no idea if it's current but I'll fire off an email and see where it gets me. If I don't have a response I might take you up on that
Thanks _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Keef
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 371 Location: Sheerness Kent UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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640TMP wrote: |
Thanks for the kind offer. In with the history there is an email address for the last owner in Kent, no idea if it's current but I'll fire off an email and see where it gets me. If I don't have a response I might take you up on that
Thanks |
No problem.
If you want me to pop a note through a door, can do that. Welling isn't far away.
I might even go to the correct address. _________________ Keef - Sheerness Kent UK
62 A40 Farina, 65 VDP 1100, 74 Maxi 1750, 76 Maxi 1750, 77 Maxi 1500HL, 79 Maxi 1750HLS, 80 Maxi 1750
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustinMaxis/
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Keef wrote: |
I might even go to the correct address. |
I should have paid more attention to the location of that Landcrab. Got me there! _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:37 am Post subject: |
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Unfortunately my blue A35 is now on Ebay. It was a choice between keeping the A7, or A35, and the Ruby won! So hopefully it will be off to a new home soon _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22438 Location: UK
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Ah well, hopefully it'll go to a good home _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22438 Location: UK
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | So how are things with the new A35, still going ok?
R |
Well, kind of....
The first thing I did was fit a new top hose as the old one was split and it wouldn't have lasted much longer. It was stamped MOWOG so was probably the original!
While I was at it I removed the radiator and flushed it out as it was partially clogged.
I also fitted new seat straps to the front seats, this is what they looked like when they were taken out:
I have also been fiddling around with the front spotlights, they are period Lucas 'Ranger' and 'Fogranger' items, unfortunately they were very rusty inside and both bulbs had blown, I managed to get one working with a bulb Keef from the forum gave me, along with a couple of Lucas headlights, thanks again Keef
Freshly painted
Last week I emailed the last but one owner to see if she knew anything of the car's previous history. I was very pleased to receive an email from Jacqui, the owner from 1980-2009. She told me how she used to use the 'Black Pig' every day to drive a couple of miles to work and back in the early 80's, and occasional trips into Kent. I sent her some photos of how the car looks now and she sent me the only photo she could find of it, as you can see she had two A35's at the time. She is currently trying to find out more information about it's previous history.
Picture taken around 1980 in Welling.
And the problems....
I was driving along a slip road a few days ago about to enter a dual carriageway. Just after the end of the slip road there were some traffic lights, which turned red and the car in front of me stopped. I tried to stop...but I could see the car wasn't going to stop in time so I ended up yanking on the handbrake to stop the car.
The next day I took off the drums to find them both swimming in fluid. Three out of four front wheel cylinders were leaking So yesterday I replaced one and re-rubbered the other two, changed the brake shoes and bled the brakes all round. Changing the cylinders was complicated by the fact that the bridge pipe between the cylinders on the driver's side was seized on and the unions were rounded, so I had to resort to cutting it off with a hacksaw and replacing it.
I then took it out on test, to reveal vastly improved brakes, still rather a lot of pedal travel, but much more powerful. Unfortunately the car now had a new problem, every time the revs dropped the engine simply died. The car has been cutting out occasionally at junctions for a while now, but yesterday it got worse. I recognised this problem instantly, blocked carb jets caused by dirt in the tank, exactly the same problem that I had with my blue A35 while on holiday in the summer.
Here's what the float bowl looked like when I opened it up!
I was then heading home (dad was driving!) when he suddenly lost all drive and a tinkling sound started from the back end. Snapped halfshaft. Sigh. Luckily we were able to walk home, get the tow rope, then come back with the modern to tow it home.
The car is now sitting in the garage looking sorry for itself, meanwhile this is my new transport:
_________________ Richard Hughes |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7118 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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640TMP wrote: | she used to use the 'Black Pig' every day |
Are we to call you "Captain" from now on?
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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peter scott wrote: | 640TMP wrote: | she used to use the 'Black Pig' every day |
Are we to call you "Captain" from now on?
Peter |
Maybe she called it that because she thought it handled like a ship (it doesn't!) _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22438 Location: UK
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: | A halfshaft on erindoors' A30 snapped too, it must have been all the power from the A35 engine in it that did it!!
RJ |
Hmm yes, all 34 bhp of it!
My blue A35 is being collected on Saturday, and it will be driven back to Lincolnshire, I will be sad to see it go! _________________ Richard Hughes |
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