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Austin A50 Barn find !!
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Bob T



Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 128
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk

PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:04 pm    Post subject: Austin A50 Barn find !! Reply with quote

Hi,
My Morris 8 is nearly finished and so I decided to look for another project for the winter. Someone told me about an old car that had been rotting away in a barn on a farm near where I live. So I went to look.
I must be mad but decided to buy the car, it had been in the barn since 1972, and had been the home of many mice as well as a tramp who ripped out the headlining to put on his fire. The resident barn owl had used it for target practice too !





AS you can see it is not in the best condition, I think an MOT is some way off.





First things first, up on stands to have a good poke around underneath with a large screwdriver and hammer.


Some good news, some not so good. Sills and front corner outriggers need replacing along with repairs to the fron floors.
Rear floors, and the main chassis rail where the spring hangers are fixed are very sound.

It has been converted to a floor change. There are no brakes, clutch is seized, but the engine turns over it has a spark and most electrics seem to be working, And I can't turn the window wipers off!!

More to follow soon.
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Nic Jarman



Joined: 05 Oct 2008
Posts: 1031
Location: Stoke by Clare, Suffolk

PostPosted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bob, you have lost the plot. But you are not the only one!
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1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
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alan 869



Joined: 07 Mar 2011
Posts: 388
Location: Linköping Sweden

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fantastic, this is what it´s all about Wink
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Proper barn find! Look forward to following progress with this one - any rot at the top of the rear wings? That seems to be a common problem area with these.

RJ
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Riley Blue



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 1750
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would have left that 'as found' but mechanically together - guaranteed to get the most stares at any show!
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Nic Jarman



Joined: 05 Oct 2008
Posts: 1031
Location: Stoke by Clare, Suffolk

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

riley541 wrote:
I would have left that 'as found' but mechanically together - guaranteed to get the most stares at any show!

What, including the smell?
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1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush
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Riley Blue



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 1750
Location: Derbyshire

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nic Jarman wrote:
riley541 wrote:
I would have left that 'as found' but mechanically together - guaranteed to get the most stares at any show!

What, including the smell?


Nothing a Magic Tree won't sort....
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Bob T



Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 128
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk

PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

riley541 wrote:
I would have left that 'as found' but mechanically together - guaranteed to get the most stares at any show!

Hi,
I am seriously thinking of doing as you suggest. Just do the welding for the MOT and then sort out brakes etc.
Cheers
Bob
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
Posts: 2148
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent, really jealous! Looks a lot more original and unmolested than mine. Your front wings look particularly good, well the whole car does really, and it's still got its original registration number!

I'd get some leather cream on those front seats as I reckon they're savable, unless you are going for the full retrim?

The inner wings look decent from what I can see of them as well. Mine are absolutely peppered, mainly from the two small inspection holes having lost their grommets, meaning all the mud and road salt gets thrown into the box section there. If this area is still sound on yours you need to get some wax in there and cover up the holes pronto!

Overall, it looks like a great project and it's a thumbs up from me! Smile
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JC T ONE



Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 1139
Location: Denmark

PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazing car, these barnfinds, are soo cool Cool

Good luck with the project.

Jens Christian
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll dig out the photos I have of a two-owner (one since 1957) A50 a friend and I uncovered. There was some tinworm around the rear end (boot, wings) and localised bits to the sills, but otherwise wasn't too bad. The interior was like new, and still had the old maps etc on the parcel shelf Cool

RJ
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Bob, I don't know if you keep up with updates on the main site or not, but this story of the A50 I found a while back might be of interest Smile
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/a50-car.htm

rgds, Rick
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Bob T



Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 128
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk

PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the link.

I have spent some time trying to start the car now. I have renewed plugs, leads, condenser, dizzy cap, coil etc and do have a spark albeit a bit on the weak side. I have repaired the petrol pump with new diaphram and valves etc and the engine has reasonable compression.............but even with a new battery it won't come any where near to firing.

With a spark, fuel and compreesion I am now at a loss as to what to try next.....any bright ideas, anyone?????
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Timing perhaps?

Are the plugs getting wet, and is there a spark at the plugs, or just across the points?

RJ
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Bob T



Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 128
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk

PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Plugs smell of petrol, and ther is a spark at the points and at the plug.
The timing may be out, but if it was you would expect some sign of ignition even if it misfired/backfired, but I am getting no suggestion that it is even thinking about firing.
Bob
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