Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[gresham flyer]

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As found in this garage after 28 years.

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After getting it home I drained the oil from the engine,gearbox and axle.Fresh oil was added.The engine was turned by hand first,then with a battery until the oil light went out,an independant oil guage was fitted then the ignigtion system was checked out.After the carburettor was cleaned out a little petrol was poured down the bores and into the carburettor,it was turned over a few times untill it fired.The petrol tank was cleaned out and also the fuel lines.After a little while the engine ran and soon settled down to a nice tickover.The clutch soon released itself and for the first time in 28 years it moved under its own steam.
At the MOT station,she passed with flying colours.
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They still brake test the old way after it has been on the rollers,to get a read out on the floor mounted guage.
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After getting it home from its 28 years of storage,it was pressure washed,then every panel was T-cut and then a good wax polish applied.
The chrome responded well with brasso and some very fine wire wool.
The interior trim was cleaned with good old creme cleanser.
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The underside had never seen a welding torch in its life.[/img]
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The only repairs I had to make was some repair sections to the bottom of the front wings next to the sills.
The rear wing bottoms behind the road wheel also received new sections of metal.
Apart from these small areas no other welding was required.
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The radio works and plays sixties music,well ok then, only when tuned to Classic Gold.
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It required new brake pads in the front,a cluch master and slave cylinder repair kit,and a brake master cylinder repair kit.Th wheel cylinders worked OK,and the front disc callipers had not seized. I have known vehicles stored for only a few years require all new cylinders etc.
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We took it back to its old resting place yesterday to show the gentleman I had purchased it from (his father had owned the car). He could not believe what transformation the car had recieved in a few weeks.
It drove very well indeed,and kept apace with modern traffic with no problem.
I will change the tyres for radials,but can you believe it the originals are not cracked or perished and responded well to a good clean up.
Has anyone got a good set of hubcaps for one of these cars,the originals have some scrapes and scratches etc.

[Ironhead]

what a lovely car!as i've posted elsewhere,same colour as my old series V.one day i might sell my Herald and buy another Minx.

[Jeeves]

Presumably the steering wheel spinner and the umbrella style handbrake were to accommodate a driver with restricted right arm movement.

[gresham flyer]

The handbrake is a standard fitting,used on many cars in the sixties.

The small knob on the steering wheel enabled the gentleman as he got older to turn the wheel more freely when parking. I have left it on at the moment as a period feature.
The colour is Sherwood Green.

Gresham

[Richard H]

That is lovely! Well done on saving her

[Rick]

Can't be too many around in that condition

R
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[bob2]

Nice, it really did respond well to some tlc
well done

[fordf350camper]

I owned one of these about 20yrs ago.Just wonder does it have any owners name with Peter on it.Just a thought.Nice car

[Ironhead]

[Jeeves]

I agree that style hand brake was commonly fitted at that time, but I can only remember the hand brake being on the right of the driving seat on Hillman Minxs, it certainly was on my 1960 model.

[gresham flyer]

This is a genuine one owner car from new. Sorry it must have been another car you owned.
It was purchased in July 1965 from Blue Star Garage, Maidstone Road,Ruxley, Sidcup,Kent.
Perhaps the owner did have the handbrake altered,works fine and looks original.
I need some better hubcaps ,one or two have small dents in them.

Gresham

[bob2]

Cant you beat out the dents, I took the hunter hubcaps to a specialist who does panel beating on chrome and they turned out as good as new with a fraction of the cost to buy another set!

[peter scott]

[47p2]

The perfect garage find and what a great turn around
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One of Britain's Fine Cars

[gresham flyer]

Two of the hubcaps have been dented and scratched and the chrome is starting to lift by hitting the curb whilst parking in the distance past.
They still look OK from a distance but I just want the car looking right.

If I thought they would push or beat out and the deep scratches and pealing chrome would disappear I would certainly do that.

I prefer the handbrake in this position as per Ford Corsair if I am not mistaken,it is easier to get at,sometimes the handbrake is too close to the drivers door as per MK2 Jaguar, and I am sure the previous owner did not do Grand Prix starts anyway (good job).

Perhaps it was advantagous that the previous owner had a slight disability,that is why the car has only covered 49,000 miles from new and it was preserved in a good state of repair.
I was told he wiped it down after every outing,had it meticulously maintained and very rairly had passengers in it.

Gresham