Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject: 1934 Austin 10/4 |
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Ok, I've already introduced this venerable old machine elsewhere, but briefly, this is a '34 10/4 Cabriolet (3 position hood) that has only had a couple of previous owners. Fortunately it still retains its original registration (the number sharks haven't got hold of it, thankfully), and was last in regular use in the mid 1960s.
I found it down in Somerset, and retrieved it a couple of months ago. After a bit of fiddling (carb & fuel tank cleaned, fuel pump stripped and cleaned, plus the ignition side sorted out) it ran, and didn't sound bad at all. Unfortunately the rad leaks a bit, and the clutch mechanism is innoperative (not just a quick unseize job I suspect), so the box will need to come off.
Three of the tyres are shot, so plan is to whip the spoke wheels to a local blasting company, that is sympathetic to older motors and their ways, and have them blasted and painted. Then I'll need to find some affordable 4.50x18s to go on the rims. The car is up on jacks at present with the wheels off, and if I find some time I'll pull the gearbox off too and inspect the inner workings of the clutch and/or linkage.
Rick |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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Just a few pics to be going along with
(links removed as the original pics no longer on server)
Rick. |
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Uncle Joe Guest
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Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Am I correct in thinking that what you are doing is getting it into a reliable and roadworthy condition before thinking about any major restoration?
From the photos, and I think that I've said this before, it does look like a tidy motor. |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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Hi UJ
Yes thats the plan, I have enough vehicles that are either in pieces, or else need stripping down. This one is good enough to keep 'as is' within reason, and just do the work required to make it safe, reliable and so on. You'd don't often see cars at shows that are largely unrestored. I'd like this one to wear its age with pride, rather than be dolled up to look like a new(ish) car.
Rick |
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Uncle Joe Guest
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Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:35 am Post subject: |
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I think that you are right there, and thats the best way to go. Get it reliable first, and think about everything else later!
In another post, you asked about powder coating the wheels. Thats the way I would go as well. You can probably find a reputable company by looking in MCN. |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:49 am Post subject: |
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UJ, did you mention that tyre supplier you said you knew of? I'm sure I read it somewhere, maybe in an email???
I'm on the lookout for 4.50x18s (4 of) to suit the Austin 10, I've seen them for sale with various specialists, but if I can find a set at a discounted £price, even better
Rick |
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Uncle Joe Guest
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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Rick, have a look at http://kenthortlund.se/tires.htm The tyres are listed with him, but no prices I'm afraid. They are usually poa with him. I suggest that you send him a mail. Dont forget that you can remove our VAT (25%) from his prices, but check that he has included it first! |
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Uncle Joe Guest
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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Moved the old girl this afternoon from her temporary home, over here to my garage. The plan had always been to find a corner in the back of the garage to squeeze it in, and it fitted (just).
One problem was that it was on donor wheels. The originals have been blasted but don't have tyres on them yet (don't ask), so I had to get the Austin near to its final position, then remove the slave wheels, fit the blasted rims, and do the final few feet gently on the rims, down a slope, and into the final parking place. It took a while, gently rolling it down a slight slope (buzzy bee's ramps coming into play) with strategically positioned blocks of wood, to stop it running away and into the back wall of the garage. Finally managed to get it tucked away, and the other junk piled back in the garage. I think I'll need to sell at least one of my vintage trailers, rather than leave them outside, but it means the Austin can go inside which is the main thing.
Er indoors arrived home from work and greeted me with the news that the drivers window would no longer go up in her MX5 (cheap tat), so a hasty bodge job (a block of wood inside the door for now) rectified that minor niggle - fortunately it wasn't raining.
Give me 70+ year old ragtops any day
I'll jack the 10/4 back onto some axle stands soon, then I can resume my hunt for some cheap s/h tyres to use while its stored in the garage. I'll put new ones on when it goes back on the road, but seems a waste while its just stored. The donor wheels will go back onto their own vehicle tomorrow I think.
Rick |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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tucked away in the dry, will be up on stands again soon!
Rick |
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buzzy bee Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:06 am Post subject: |
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Hi
Hey them wheels look tidy, are they the ones we removed the tyres from? A litlle bright though!
Glad the ramps worked, it looks like it fits in well, is there much room between the step and the front of the car? Did you work it down the ramps on chocks?
Cheers
Dave |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Yup same wheels, blasted and given a coat of red oxide by a guy outside Whitchurch. Took him ages to get into all the nooks and crannies he said
Yeah I rolled it down the wooden ramps, very slowly, moving just a couple or three inches at a time, shifting blocks between wheels. Also had to move it backwards with a trolley jack under the diff at one point, to stop the exhaust grounding on the step I was going down. As soon as all 4 wheels were on the deck, I could pull the ramps out and it gave me enough room to move it back and forth, to get it into final position
One idea I had was to get some sleepers, and a couple of blocks, so that I could run straight from the top garage, onto raised sleepers at the same level, so that I'd have room to work underneath it without jacking it up
Rick |
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buzzy bee Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Hi
Yeah, That would be a good Idea, you could get say for sleepers and put them 2 high and I think they are maximum £10 each so quite cheap!
But, my ramps will become redundant!!!!! hehe
Cheers
Dave |
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admin
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 925
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:09 am Post subject: |
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do you know offhand how long, and how deep, standard sleepers are?
Ideally I'd need to cover 13' long or so (perhaps 2 end to end, and 2 high?)
R |
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buzzy bee Guest
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:35 am Post subject: |
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Hi
Yeah it depends if you go for new ones or reclaimed ones, the older ones allways seem to be a little bigger from what I have seen but they all seem to be about 8.5 foot long, 9 or 10 inches wide, and about 5 or 6 inches depth.
Have a look on the net as there are loads of places that sell them. Or see http://www.tomlinson-reclamation.co.uk/, we got a load from him. he should tell you the exact size!
Cheers
Dave |
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