Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Richard H]

Last week I went on holiday with a few friends to Camber Sands, East Sussex. The others were going on the train, but myself and my friend Marcus thought it would be a good idea to go in the Austin. Well, as it turned out, the old girl didn't want to leave Essex.....
I hadn't driven the car for a while, and I noticed the brakes were pulling badly two days before we were about to leave. I took of a wheel to reveal the brake shoes covered in fluid. I replaced a wheel cylinder and the front brake shoes and took it for a spin. It was still pulling, and after two days freeing off wheel cylinders, swapping shoes, drums, adjusting and bleeding brakes, and fitting new brake springs, I finally had half decent brakes!


The first time I had trouble was near Brian M's place (on the other side of Southend) I filled up with petrol then a bit later I stopped the car, then drove off and it just died. There was a good spark at number 1 plug so I removed the petrol pipe and spun the engine over - fuel came spurting through. I then connected it back up and it started! Hooray!
We then got as far as Brentwood before it started trying to cut out. I pulled up in a layby then realised I hadn't nipped up the wheel nuts after working on the brakes the previous day. So of course I managed to shear off a wheel stud. I didn't want to drive round the M25 with a poor running engine and three wheel studs, so I called my breakdown assistance:



It took us six hours from breaking down to reaching Camber. When we got there I gave it a test drive and it seemed fine.
I first went to East Sussex Minors at Stonegate (about 30 miles away) to have the wheel stud replaced but didn't mention the running fault as it seemed to be running fine





I cannot recommend this company highly enough. The quality and service is excellent.

At Hastings:


Some more pictures:



On the way back the car was running perfectly until we got to Sevenoaks, when we realised we didn't have any change for the Dartford toll so headed into the town centre to get some. Up a really steep hill....

I waited for the rain to stop and took the float bowl off to reveal quite a lot of what looked like rusty sand in the bottom. I cleaned this out using spray cleaner, and blasted this through the jets to make sure they were clear. While I was working on it a friendly Austin Seven driver hooted at me
I then struggled up the hill in 2nd gear at 15mph to reach Sevenoaks, although once there it did seem to have more power. So we headed for the Dartford tunnel and got though it without mshap. The problem happened when I turned off the motorway for Southend, and it just died in the middle of the carriageway. So we got out, pushed the car up onto the pavement (thank goodness it's such a small car!), and I stripped down the carb again. More rusty dirt. This time one of the jets was so blocked I had to remove it and blast it through. That got us home

The car has an inline fuel filter in the fuel line, which was fitted before I got it, which I think must have failed and is letting dirt through from the tank.
Well, it was an, er, eventful week
_________________
Richard Hughes

[peter scott]

Cars have feelings you know. You must take that sticker off the back or you'll have endless trouble.

Peter


_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Richard H]

[peter scott]

Yer dooomed maan, dooomed a say! You mark my words.


_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Keith D]

Hey Peter,

Which one is you? Either way, you must be older than I thought.......

Keith

[peter scott]

I'm either this one..



or this one...



depending on where you look on the web. I guess I could play either part in Dad's Army without anyone noticing.

Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon