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1958 Austin A35 - garage find.
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22429
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2010 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PS friends of mine have turned up some NOS A35 stuff, not sure exactly what yet, I've already asked about brake bits for the van Wink but I don't think they have anything like that. They did mention new furflex door trims in red, still in BMC packets. I've asked them to do a list anyway and I'll pop it on here.

R
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Sat May 08, 2010 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, new door trims! I don't really need them as the ones I have are in very good condition, but out of interest are they for the two or four door?

I would also be interested in anything else they have Wink Very Happy

The steering box is adjustable, and the seller reckoned the play could be adjusted out, but in my experience when there is play you find the box is adjusted up all the way, due to a leaking 'dogshaft seal' in the box all the oil leaked out years ago and the damage has already been done. My blue A35 VGX 231 always had sloppy steering due to the owner not topping up the oil and that was low mileage. Guess what the first thing I had to do when I bought it was Rolling Eyes although by then the damage had been done Sad
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Richard Hughes
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's here! Very Happy

Here it is emerging from the garage. Amazingly three of the tyres held air!





The garage where it has sat since 1979.

Strapped down and ready to go:




Back home (it started raining on the way back)


The paperwork it came with:


The last MOT. I thought I recognised the signature on it, the tester now works at the garage we send all our cars for tests and he always tests the old cars. How bizarre. The car has done 12 miles since this MOT.


Some of the spares it came with! Among them are two new wheel cylinders, rare as hens teeth, new kingpins, which the seller paid ten bob for, and a set of big end shells.

The original unused tool kit in its bag, complete with the grease gun still wrapped up in BMC greaseproof paper!






This bit will definately need to be resprayed.





An airline?

Finally I found this under the passenger mat, it is a copy of the Southend Evening Echo from 9th April 1979, the last month the car was on the road, with a typically period headline! Also a lot of discussion re. the forthcoming General Election.

First impressions suggest there is no welding required, we put a battery on and everything works, all the lights, the horn, even the courtesy light! The engine turns over ok, but there is a bit of work needed before we will attempt to start it, favourable storage conditions have really saved this car Very Happy

(P.S. Can you move this to the "Your Cars" section please Rick?)
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Rick
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PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Love it!!!!!

<ahemm> http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/silver_city.htm

(I've a badge like that on the modern)

RJ
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rick wrote:
Love it!!!!!

<ahemm> http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/silver_city.htm

(I've a badge like that on the modern)

RJ


Ah yes, I thought I recognised the name!

Surely a badge like that is wasted on the modern Wink
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Richard Hughes
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard H wrote:
Rick wrote:
Love it!!!!!

<ahemm> http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/silver_city.htm

(I've a badge like that on the modern)

RJ


Ah yes, I thought I recognised the name!

Surely a badge like that is wasted on the modern Wink



'tis really, dad put it on when he owned it and it's still in place Smile

Will that rear wing not clean up enough to leave as-is? oily rag job?

R
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's beautiful.

Please just wash it, conserve it & run it as it is. It's a true 'time warp'.

Somebody's sig file says "a car is only original once........"

Mike
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm. The rear quarter with the flaking paint has been resprayed at some point in the past and to be honest the paint is so far gone there I think there is little choice. It is also a different shade to the rest of the car.

As for the rest of the car, my dad thinks it needs a complete respray to show its full potential, I'm not so sure, most of the paintwork I think is savable, although there are bits of surface rust on nearly every panel. Still undecided about that Confused
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Richard Hughes
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Rick
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PostPosted: Tue May 18, 2010 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A thin wipe over with linseed oil would preserve it just perfick Smile

R
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, after a bit of work we got the engine running on a gravity feed, it sounds pretty quiet although out of tune. We drained the stale old petrol out of the tank and put a gallon of fresh in there - unfortunately there seems to be a blockage and there is no petrol getting through. The fuel pump is fine, so I think it must be the same problem Rick has with his countryman, some kind of blocked filter? The fuel guage works but the sender unit appears to be stuck on 1/4. Oh and the oil light is stuck on, we were going to try swapping the oil pressure switch but couldn't find a spanner that would get in there Sad I hope it isn't oil pump failure....

Oh and the clutch is seized Sad
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
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Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Piece of cake! Give me 20 minutes!

Disconnect the fuel line at the pump, on the tank side, & blow it through gently with compressed air. This won't last for ever - at some point you may want to take the tank out & clean it thoroghly. I think the only filter is the gauze one inside the pump.

Spell fuel gauge correctly & the sender will start working - or put enough gas in to make the sender move up & down once you start driving it around.

Clean the oil pressure relief valve - that's most likely what's stuck - it's a spring-loaded plunger, although I can't remember where it is on the A35. Do you think you're getting good oil pressure, even with the light on?
Change the oil & filter - that will help.

The clutch problem is a bit tricky - try wedging the clutch pedal down for a day or two. Or tow the car slowly, in gear, for several yards - this will usually free it, but you may have to change the clutch disk later.

(I hope I'm not teaching Granny to suck eggs!)

Hope this helps

Mike
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2010 4:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Mike, thanks, the oil and filter have already been changed. The fuel pipe appears to be clear unfortunately Sad

Today we removed the oil feed pipe above the distributor and spun the engine over....ah no oil Embarassed So the pressure switch was ok.

So we decided to prime the oil pump by using a syringe to pump oil into the engine via the oil feed hole. Then we spun the engine over, and kept adding more oil and spinning the engine over some more until the oil started pumping out. Then we reconnected the oil pipe and spun the engine over until the oil light finally went out. After a few minutes of running the ignition warning light went out as well Very Happy

Next we connected the gravity fuel feed again, and the little Austin fired up with some choke. It soon settled down to a good idle, although the tappets need adjusting. A fair bit of muck and smoke came out of the exhaust but it isn't blowing.

Unfortunately after running for about 5 minutes there was a "pop" noise from the engine and loads of water and steam started pouring out of the front of the engine, either the water pump or bypass hose, as well as the radiator cap. Further investigation is needed as to the cause of this.

We also tried once more to get fuel through from the tank, a bit came through from the pump but it smelt stale and then stopped coming. We disconnected the union at the tank end and there was no petrol coming through So it looks like the tank will have to come out, and possibly be replaced.
Sad
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petelang



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 442
Location: Nottingham

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2010 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe this car may have belonged to our neigbours, a Mr Mezziner. This would have been in early 1960's. We lived at Central Drive Hornchurch. He was a former London Taxi driver and continued to drive till he was well in his late eighties. When he passed on it was sold by his son. For sure it had a 'NO' reg plate.
Despite only using it once a week for a bit of shopping, about 10 kiles a trip, it was polished weekly and put back in the garage. I would be fascinated if you have a record of ownership on the log book.
I know it was a Frosts car and remember the plate on the dash.
Do let me know if this is the car.
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2010 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

petelang wrote:
I believe this car may have belonged to our neigbours, a Mr Mezziner. This would have been in early 1960's. We lived at Central Drive Hornchurch. He was a former London Taxi driver and continued to drive till he was well in his late eighties. When he passed on it was sold by his son. For sure it had a 'NO' reg plate.
Despite only using it once a week for a bit of shopping, about 10 kiles a trip, it was polished weekly and put back in the garage. I would be fascinated if you have a record of ownership on the log book.
I know it was a Frosts car and remember the plate on the dash.
Do let me know if this is the car.


Pete! This is definately the car, that was the name the previous owner told me! How amazing! The chap I bought the car from worked at Frosts and he said Mr Mezziner brought it in for servicing every year. In 1976 it was brought in to try and sell it, the boss wasn't interested as the car was too old but Roger decided to buy it for himself, and he brought the car with him when he moved to Southend a few months later.

Unfortunately there is no log book as Roger told me he lost it when he moved house a few years ago, there is not even a record of Mr Mezziner's ownership. I am not even sure if he bought it new, although I suspect he did Very Happy

Here is the dashboard sticker:


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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Sat May 22, 2010 3:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice report, Richard.

You're going down exactly the right road (pun) to get this one running again. My Lincoln was asleep in a nice warm, dry warehouse for 10 years, not 30, with 30,000 on the clock, & the first month or so back on the road was spent freeing off innumerable switches, sensors etc.. Tires, brakes & the battery were replaced, but oddly enough, it's still on the original hoses. It's now at 260,000 miles.

The preservation motto: "Conserve, then Restore, then Replace".
& "It's not "Rust", it's "Patina"".

Please keep us updated.

Mike

PS There are plenty of threads here about cleaning out petrol tanks.
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