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: Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:00 pm Post subject: 1958 Austin A35 2 door restoration |
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Last week I was browsing the Freeads section of the A30/35 site, as you do, when I spotted an advert for an A35 project for sale in Brighton. The man selling it had owned it since 1982, and started to restore it in 1995 when he had to stop work for various reasons, and it's been in the garage since then. It was delivered on a trailer this afternoon, and I'm happy to say, I don't think it's quite past it
That's the original front wing, it's not bad but I haven't decided to refit it yet as (surprisingly) the fibreglass one is a good fit. There's plenty of repair sections with the car.
Interior is pretty tatty, but it's all there. Door cards are good
This looks a bit iffy, it's all solid as far as I can see but the filler needs reshaping
Connected up a battery and after cleaning some connections at the fuse box got all the electrics working, apart from the heater motor and horn, both bad connections I imagine.
Looking through the paperwork it had a very expensive partial restoration at A30-35 specialists Bedworth Car Valet in 1989 which involved repairs to the front panel, inner wings and new sills. It's also got resleeved brakes all round which surprisingly work fine, if a little sticky. And as a bonus I found £8.69 in one of the ashtrays!
Going to attempt to fire it up at the weekend
Last edited by Richard H on Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Aar0sc
Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Posts: 98 Location: Surrey
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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Well somebody's got an addiction!
Set fire to our A35 when we jumpstarted it... dunno how it happened, but I was terrified! (and about eight) _________________ Aaron |
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papple
Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 27 Location: Nottinghamshire UK
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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Cracking car Grommit!!! |
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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: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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Great little project there Richard! _________________ 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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FrazzleTC
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 146 Location: Dumfries and Galloway
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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Lovely little project! Good luck, and I look forward to reading the updates. |
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Ironhead
Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 458 Location: Leicestershire
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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nice project,tow bar as well! |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Ironhead wrote: | nice project,tow bar as well! |
I think the next project will have to be a tiny vintage caravan |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Keef wrote: | Great little project there Richard! |
Much cheaper than that one in Dartford too, this one was £250... |
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Keef
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 371 Location: Sheerness Kent UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Richard H wrote: |
Much cheaper than that one in Dartford too, this one was £250... |
I don't think the one here was over-priced from what I saw and you said about the condition. _________________ 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: Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe not the starting price, but it sold for £1200 |
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Keef
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 371 Location: Sheerness Kent UK
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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Richard H wrote: | Maybe not the starting price, but it sold for £1200 |
Someone after the plate no doubt. _________________ 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 Apr 20, 2011 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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Small update
Got the front of the engine stripped down, everything was seized up and very corroded. I ordered the parts I needed, then annoyingly, I noticed the little 'stub' that comes out of the cylinder head and the bypass hose goes onto, was all corroded away. Thinking of trying to bodge it with a piece of copper pipe and araldite.
Anyway we moved onto the rear wing, which as you remember looked like this when I got it.
The previous owner had started to cut out the rust and had bought a huge repair section, you can see his marker pen lines where he was going to cut to fit it in the picture. But I decided it could be repaired without having to cut out so much original metal.
At the end of Monday it looked like this:
Tuesday saw the outer arch fabricated and welded in.
And here's some shots taken this evening, it's not quite finished but is nearly there. I'm pretty chuffed with the way this has come out considering there was so little left of the original metal to guage the shape.
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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 Apr 20, 2011 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Looking good!
You'll be taking this up professionally soon. _________________ 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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