Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22125 Location: UK

Hi all,

Just a quick intro to our Standard 8. It's been off the road for a few years but in the main should be a re-commissioning job rather than full resto, which I'm keen to avoid nowadays. Items I've looked at so far include the front brakes, charging system (with advice from ukdave, thanks), tyre swap, and a few other fiddly jobs.

If you've not seen it yet, this vid takes a closer look at it:
https://youtu.be/lylcHs7iBh4

Long-termers here will remember that I ran a Standard 10 for a while many years ago, and also a Companion estate, so these aren't entirely unfamiliar to me.

Bodily it's not too bad, there are a couple of crusty lower edges that'll need attention sometime, but for now it'll do. My youthful assistant has been dropping hints about Standard 8s and 10s for a while now, so he might end up running it in a few years time, who knows. In the meantime, once I get it running right it'll be available for dad to use whenever he wants to (he sold his Minor a few months ago), plus I plan to use it as an all-year-round car if possible.

RJ
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Rick (OCC Admin)
Various 1920s-1960s - Austin, Morris, Commer, Dodge etc.

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 6807 Location: Edinburgh

Just Googling Standard 8 there does appear to be quite a lot of 8s that have a grill although interestingly it doesn't seem to be the same grill as fitted to your car. I guess that the side lights are just modern substitutes.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2½ litre saloon

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22125 Location: UK

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 6807 Location: Edinburgh

The 1957 Motor road test car has a grill although it also has a boot lid. Surprisingly it also has an overdrive.

I was quite surprised that the 1957 Motor road test 0-50 time for the 8 was marginally better than that for the 10. Apparently the previous Motor test of the 8 was in February 1956 and gave 27.7 seconds which dropped to 21.8 in 1957. The overdrive gearing of the 1957 car will have given part of the benefit but it also had an 8.25 compression ratio instead of 7.5.

It looks as if the grill came along with the boot lid.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2½ litre saloon