Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Old-Nail]

Hello all,

I have owned my old Austin a40 since August of last year, I bought it from a number plate dealer so have no history of the vehicle other than to say it was built one day in November 1953 and registered the very next day.

I bought the car to try and save it as it had obviously stood idle for many years by the look of it - but under the grime there is quite a solid car with very little rot.



As some of you will know I am not a mechanic, in fact it's fair to say that I am temperamentally unsuited to working with anything 'fiddly', I have little or no mechanical aptitude, a quick temper, and worst of all I am notorious for starting jobs I never finish!

With this in mind I thought it might be an interesting project to begin remedial work on my Somerset, detailing my progress in words and pictures here on the forum.
For those of you that are seasoned mechanics/restorers etc. be warned that my methods and practices may have your toes curling in your boots... but I'm a resourceful chap and what I lack in knowledge and experience I'll make up for with ingenuity!

This is not intended to be a 'restoration' as I haven't the time, money, or skill required for that, but more of a low budget rejuvenation you might say, and at the same time a learning process for myself, and hopefully the end result will be pleasing.

My tools are limited to a mixed box of bits and bobs (twelve quid at a car boot sale!) and a couple of power tools, my workshop is an area of driveway no bigger than the car itself!



Working outside I will be at the mercy of the elements but I won't be the first or last to contend with that, keep watching this space to hear of my latest cock-up.... er... progress and feel free to help out with tips or advice wherever you can!

[Rick]

Hi ON, great stuff, look forward to your instalments as things progress

Rick
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[Brian M]

O/N

Did you get you bit of history from a Heritage Certificate? In case you or any other BMC owners are not aware of this service you can, for the price of £33, get a certificate giving production and original registration details, supplying dealer, and optional extras fitted by the factory.

http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/archive/certificate_index.html

When I was restoring a Standard Pennant my certificate led me to the Dealer who was then still a BL dealer, but they did not have any records going back that far, but I have heard of some dealers who have kept old sales records.

Knowing the address of the supplying dealer can sometimes lead you to the original owners details at the local County Archive Office. My local Records office has ledgers from 1900 to the late 1930's for Southend-on-Sea registration numbers, that you can access for a couple of pounds.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I say go for it. The best way is to have a go! I like the look of your tool box, that is the kind of box I buy, but I have found myself getting that kind of thing over and over again. I think I am adicted tyo tools, is that posible?

Sorry drifted off topic again!! I will look forwad to reading about your progress!

Cheers

Dave

[Rick]

Is that an old Austin scripted spanner at the top left of the toolbox photo?

R
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[Old-Nail]

[Rick]

Hehe I'm well versed at spotting interesting spanners at great distance

There was a Somerset on ebay only a month or two ago that was rough bodily, but had a newly-done interior, did you see that one? I think it was over Liverpool way. The body was black and the interior I think tan or brown

Rick
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[Old-Nail]

I saw it, bid on it, and let it go when the bidding went over a grand as I'm sure I can do a lot to this one for that money.

Once I learn the ropes there will be no labour cost to pay other than the odd night out for Mrs nail for using her sewing machine skills!
I'm sourcing materials at reasonable cost, not necessarily 'cheap' stuff but I think the resto fund will go further if I don't just go and buy everything from Woolies!

My next concern is getting the thing watertight, only Scotts auto rubber down under do the original endless screen rubbers but they have an ordering system that involves faxing my credit card details unsecured so that makes me give up that idea.

I can get new rubber in the uk but they aren't endless and at this moment (perhaps because I don't understand yet) I cant see how a good seal can be made DIY with just an open length of rubber?

[chimpchoker]

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Now this may be the agricutural engineer in me talking, but you seem to be lacking hammers, breaker bars, and scaffolding bars, but hey I would never be caught using them on a classic!

He he he he

Cheers

Dave

[Old-Nail]

DAY ONE

I spent the first day of the revamp removing the rotten and mildew smelling interior, much of what I removed promptly fell apart when released from the body!

I've removed all the various panels and then turned my attention to the headlining which came out relatively easily but is very fragile, as it is needed later for a pattern it took some care not to have it in tatters!



On the extreme left of the rails you will see marker tape on which I have numbered them as each one is different to suit the curve of the roof and must go back the same way.
The headlining has now been handed to Mrs Nail to make suitable templates from while I busied myself removing the many rusted-in tacks that once held it in place.

The soundproofing felt was then removed to reveal very slight surface rust which was rubbed down and treated.
In this pic you can see the aperture for the single 6.5 inch speaker (which I need to replace) and the wiring for the interior light (ditto).





While inside I decided to remove the dashboard fascia to access the temperature gauge which will need replacing, it is of the capillary tube type and has snapped off at the radiator end connection.

It was here I made a discovery - can anyone spot it in the picture above of the dash?
I mentioned that I had bought the car from number plate bandits and the only aim of those guys is to gain an MOT pass in order to steal the number, this explains why the exhaust currently fitted is made up of four unrelated components welded together with flexi pipe for example!

Another bodge is the speedo... I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner! Does anyone know what this is off? Early Morris minor perhaps?



The immediate clue should have been the integral warning lamps as the Somerset has them on the dash, but never having seen a Somerset speedo it looked 'of the period' and went un-noticed!

Next session I'll be tidying up the wiring a little which is a disaster waiting to happen!

[Rick]

you might have found this already, but theres an article on Somerset headlinings on the Counties site:

http://psimmonds.org.uk/technicalarticles.htm

Rick
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[Old-Nail]

Yes thanks I saw that Rick.

Not much else has happened to the car since the last post as I'm still trying to source various bits before pulling the old ones off, I don't fancy being left with a dismantled car on the driveway so I am taking a fix/replace as I go along approach.

As yet I have a genuine speedo coming to replace the A55 item installed, the front chromey bits have arrived along with replacement water temp gauge and connections, and all the interior door handles.

I'm looking for a good replacement engine unit now that I know that the knackered one fitted is not original to the car, I now feel less inclined to have it rebuilt when another replacement would work out cheaper.

I've just read an article about fitting the Somerset with an A60 1622cc engine and a Hereford diff, apparently that combination transforms the car...but the A40 Sports brakes are also needed too - and of course the latter two items are the proverbial hens teeth!

I'm currently debating whether or not to paint the engine bay once the engine comes out, the factory original is a sort of '0rrible matt brown finish which looks awful.
The only thing that is making me think twice is that if re-painted everything else in the engine bay will look shabby and I'll create more work for myself!

[Old-Nail]

This weekend has been quite a productive on for the Somerset in one way or another, firstly a box of spares arrived from Scotland that included new radiator grille halves, temperature gauge, interior door and window handles, boot hinges, a head gasket set and sundry other parts that were missing or broken.

Then yesterday I had a trip over to an old gentleman (late 80's perhaps) who had owned Somersets in the 50's and 60's and still had a garage full of bits!

That visit may just have solved my smoking engine problem as I bought a complete engine and gearbox from him, the engine still has it's ancillaries attached and looks to be a good oil-tight unit, he assures me that it is sound but I'll strip it a little to check it out before fitting.

I also came away with a genuine Somerset goldseal gearbox too, and various other bits including three starter motors and two dynamos!



So with the gearbox that comes attached to the engine I now find myself with two spare!
Also he threw in a pair of inlet/exhaust manifolds complete with carb, and this old oil bath air cleaner that I have wire brushed ready for repainting, I much prefer this type to the home market cylinder one.



There is also two boxes of smaller bits and bobs that I haven't had the time to look through yet so there may be some interesting stuff in there too.

Now to degrease and strip the engine unit to see if anything nasty awaits!

[Old-Nail]

April 23rd - St Georges day!
..and it's poring with rain so not the best time to work outside on my old Somerset!

The car is left parked up against my garage door and when I need access rather than start the engine I tend to grab hold of the rear bumper and pull the car away.

Because of the rain I go to plan 'B' which is to inspect/clean/re-paint items that have already been removed from the car such as these dash bits which will then be stored away to await their turn for re-fitting.





I also started my attempt to free the old engine that I bought recently as although it was dry stored it has become stuck.

To do this I have removed the plugs and put penetrating oil down the bores, next I put my jack under a spanner connected to the crankshaft pulley and each day I will go in and give the jack another turn or two.
I hope that by keep adding penetrating oil or diesel to the bores and increasing the torque on the spanner by raising the jack the motor will free up without too much damage.



(Note the goldseal cylinder head)

If anyone knows a better/quicker/safer way to free the unit feel free to post below as I'm always open to ideas!

Finally, after closing up the garage I learned something new...you can't PUSH a wet Austin Somerset!
The car is so round and curvy that all purchase is lost once the surface is wet, in fact it becomes so difficult that a person could easily slide right off and onto the floor...er...well I imagine so... not that I did or anything! oops: