Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Bayliss Thomas]

Purchased my new oldie in January, an Vauxhall 14/40 saloon of 1925/6 vintage. MOT until April. I knew when I looked at the beastie that an few issues needed attention and being these cars are not for sale on every corner, hey ho.
My first run out revealed an burnt out clutch, did'nt surprise me much but it meant removal of rear axle, torque tube and all the rest of it. It was discovered that an pin had been botched in at some point and gave up the struggle, but at least the clutch was fine.
Next up was the rear brakes, although the brakes have all been recently relined it was our old friend botcher had been at work. Broken springs, wrong brake drum screws, bent brake arms. So sorted.
Then the 'recently rewired' believe it or not I had the headlights on and then tried out the mechanical indicators, on switching them on the starter motor sprung to life!! My Son has just rewired it all for me. How the hell it had gotten an MOT is beyond me!
Just an few more minor issues to resolve now and I hope to have an lovely vintage car on the road. Ah yes have to replace the fabric section of the saloons roof as it leaks.
I don't really mind any of this, after all I decided to purchase the car, no what makes me laugh is the fact that the previous owner was 'an vintage car expert'. Dear Oh dear

[Salopian]

Twas ever thus - I always think you need 12 months to get any vintage car up to standard and longer if a reimported UK made car as my Alvis. I always buy on that expectation however recent any restoration etc.
One of the more annoying of the many shortcuts taken on the Alvis came to light during my Brothers ownership. At about 50 going uphill he lost all drive but aquired a horrible noise in the back axle. When I stripped it I found the bearings had been renewed but whowever did the work used low tensile coarse threaded bolts to attach the crownwheel to the differential carrier. These had stretched enough to allow the pinion to override the now loose crownwheel loosing its teeth in the process. This destroyed an irreplaceable 4.3:1 CW&P and the car now runs 4.55:1 after some fairly substantial costs. My recent rebuild of the engine revealed some poor work in the bottom end but thankfully nothing had let go.
It remains to add an Australian I met at VSCC Silverstone a few years ago knew the car and the former owner who he said was - and you guessed it - an Alvis 12/50 expert!!
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[Jim.Walker]

A friend of mine always used to refer to ex-spurts. Saying ex meant used to be and a spurt was a drip. He never did say what an ex-spurt turned into!
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Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

[Keith D]

I'm afraid there were "bush mechanics" in Australia by neccesity. An unfortunate legacy of many British brands imported into Australia is the fact that when the cars were imported, not many spares followed!

Politically, at the end of the war, Australians were forced to buy British cars because of dollar shortages and to support the "mother country", when American vehicles would have been far more suitable having been designed for higher temperatures and long distance driving. And most of those post war American vehicles were very good indeed!

Austin and Morris were generally well supplied, but some of the more "exotic" brands were not!

Because of vast distances from authorised service and spares in days gone by, Australians have had to fix things up as best as they could to keep the cars running!

However, with the internet and the current spare parts set-up throughout the world, there is no longer any excuse for shonky work!

My brother has imported many old cars and motorcycles into Oz from the UK and some of the work done on these is also quite horrendous! I think it is a universal problem!

Keith

[Salopian]

Keith you are correct and I hope my post did not read as critical of Australia in general - bodgers exist throughout the known world and outside it as well I expect. I imagine they thrive where a vehicle is be sold and cosmetics have priority.
What really annoyed in the case of the CW&P was that the original bolts would have served if available and except in dire emergency suitable stronger bolts rather than some better attaching gate hinges surely could be found.
I spend a few years in Canada in Northern Alberta Saskatchewan and the North West Territories in the late 60's and early 1970's and have nothing but admiration for the abilities of the locals there to keep things running and in particular the way old GM products and Fords even with 6v systems handled the conditions and temparatures never mind the graded roads etc. Ideal for the job - our vehicles were not. When I was working at Fond du Lac in far North Alberta a lumber camp next to the Mackenzie river I recall going to collect a just post war Jeep which had sat outside in minus 30 Fahrenheit for over a week. To my surprise it started first try - 6V battery as well!
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[Bayliss Thomas]

Very true having to allow around 12 months to sort an vintage car which you may have just acquired. This will be my fifth pre 30's car, each one has taken a good year to resolve issues. Keep going back because its such an great hobby