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1958 Austin A35 - garage find.
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm, I may well attend Roger, we'll have to see Wink

Keith, resleeved wheel cylinders are avaliable from Bull Motif Spares or the Owners Club, but they are quite expensive at about £45 and £35 each respectively, with exchange. If you need a full set the cost soon adds up!
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Richard Hughes
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neil heavey



Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

great story on your find

looks like she will be a beauty

great job so far!
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Neil, it's coming along slowly but it will be worth it in the end Smile

Oh dear, I haven't updated this for ages!

Today I sanded the wheels on my garage find A35, painted them and took them to my friendly local tyre place for a new set of radials. Yes I know they were Court Grey originally, but I think black wheels look better on black cars.









The new windscreen seal was fitted a few weeks back, after a bit of struggling we eventually got it in and I am quite pleased with it.

Before:



After:



Before:



After (the drivers seat is back in now)



Before:



After:


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Richard Hughes
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22423
Location: UK

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cracking little car that, how's the A55 in the background doing?

RJ
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's coming along Rick, took the drums off to investigate the cause of the pulling footbrake and no-existent footbrake and found five out of six wheel cylinders were weeping, plus the slave cylinder Rolling Eyes I've ordered the new parts from Earlpart and they should be here soon. I've found one or two areas of welding that need doing for the MOT, and it will need a new clutch at some point. All those "Rock n Roll" weekends have certainly taken their toll!

Oh and I sent off my form and £5 cheque to the DVLA asking for the car's history, so that should be interesting. I still think it could possibly be an ex police car, but there are no surviving close up pictures of Southend's A55 fleet so I don't know for sure. Apparently there is a photo surviving of the Morris Oxford police car PJN 317, this was 656.
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Richard Hughes
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
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Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just thought I'd update this. Yesterday we put this in for an MOT and it failed on one thing, a kinked brake hose. Also got advisories for headlight aim and slight play in the o/s kingpin. Not bad considering how long it had been off the road! We changed the brake hose and put it in for a retest this morning, which it passed. I then went to the DVLA office at Chelmsford to change the taxation class to Historic Vehicle and get my new tax disc. 5187 NO is now 100% road legal! Very Happy
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Richard Hughes
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Rick
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent result!! Smile

R
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Roger-hatchy



Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 2135
Location: Tiptree, Essex

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another 'well done'
Richard.

Looks like the lodge is rained out tonight.

Roger
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roger-hatchy wrote:
Another 'well done'
Richard.

Looks like the lodge is rained out tonight.

Roger


Well I don't know, it's dry and sunny here at the moment, although it was raining most of yesterday. I'll definitely be there, whatever the weather, if it's good my dad might even bring this one Smile
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Richard Hughes
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Keef



Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 371
Location: Sheerness Kent UK

PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard H wrote:
It's here! Very Happy




Lovely pair Richard! Very Happy

BTW I had similar blocked pickup with Jasper. Cleared it with an old speedo cable inner in an electric drill. Smile Worth a try, if tank itself is in good shape.
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Keef - Sheerness Kent UK
62 A40 Farina, 65 VDP 1100, 74 Maxi 1750, 76 Maxi 1750, 77 Maxi 1500HL, 79 Maxi 1750HLS, 80 Maxi 1750
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustinMaxis/

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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Keith, I'll have to remember that one.

Took these yesterday.





I saw the Essex badge in an antiques shop and had to buy it - I think it looks great on a car that has spent it's whole life in Essex.




This one was taken at the Chelmer Valley Car Meet last night. It was pouring with rain and we weren't sure if we should take it out...but the good news is it doesn't leak and was dried off carefully before being put back in its dry garage.

It ran well all the way there, but has now developed a slight misfire. Considering it's still running on the old plugs, points, condenser and rotor arm from 1979 it's hardly surprising really! (my excuse is if it ain't broke don't fix it). We've done about 65 miles in it now and it is very nice to drive - smooth, quiet and as close to driving a new A35 as is possible really. We also changed the gearbox oil yesterday, which is a bit of a job without disturbing the original rubber mats!
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Richard Hughes
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Keef



Joined: 13 Jan 2008
Posts: 371
Location: Sheerness Kent UK

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 4:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard H wrote:




This one was taken at the Chelmer Valley Car Meet last night.


Thought it must be your back garden showing a selection of your fleet! LOL
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Keef - Sheerness Kent UK
62 A40 Farina, 65 VDP 1100, 74 Maxi 1750, 76 Maxi 1750, 77 Maxi 1500HL, 79 Maxi 1750HLS, 80 Maxi 1750
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustinMaxis/

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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Time to drag this thread up from the depths, basically the last time I worked on the Austin was about October/November time when I stripped all the paint off the rear wing ready to respray it. Unfortunately it got too cold for spraying, so since then it's been sitting in the conservatory gathering dust.

Well I've got a couple of days off work, so decided to spend them getting 'Nobby' sorted out with the intention of getting it to the Austin/Morris Day at Brooklands Musuem on 6th March. Hmm.

The first job was to get some filler into the damage left when the wing was panel beaten back into shape after an accident. I have been told that the second owner was well into his eighties when he gave up driving, so I think most of the damage dates back to him. I spent ages rubbing down the filler with a little sander, 600 grade W&D then 1200 grade. It's looking pretty good now, one possibly two small low spots but we're hoping to get some paint on it tomorrow. The main thing - no rust!



I then fired her up (started on the 2nd attempt), moved her outside and ran the engine up to temperature.





I then cleaned all the dust off before moving it back inside and starting work on the n/s sill, which was very badly scratched.



So off came the paint, using the sander, 600 grade then 1200 grade W&D.





And that's now ready for paint.

The only bit of rot on this car is the N/S wing bottom, which has always been bugging me, so I investigated further. There are at least two more dents in the lower half of the wing, so the plan is to respray just the bottom half as the top half isn't too bad. It's original and I'm not going for concours.

This is what I started with



Oh dear, but it's only a small bit



So out it comes, and cleaned up with a rotary wire brush.



Welded



I then had a go at making the repair section to form the lower part of the wing, the bracket that goes underneath and the flange that is bolted to the sill. Although this repair section was fairly complicated I find if you just take your time and plenty of mesurements, they're usually quite successful.

Tools used: Tin can, hammer, bullnosed molegrips (great tool) and an angle grinder.

I used a cereal box to cut the template, I always use these for making templates as they're just the right thickness to work with. It was Frosties in case you were wondering..









I have to say I'm quite pleased with the way this one's come out, it needs a little bit more work but it's nearly there, tomorrow should see it welded in Very Happy

A couple of parting shots -



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Roger-hatchy



Joined: 07 Dec 2007
Posts: 2135
Location: Tiptree, Essex

PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking Good Richard
Hope to see it some time.

Roger
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Richard H



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

PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roger-hatchy wrote:
Looking Good Richard
Hope to see it some time.

Roger


Hoping to have it all sorted out in the next couple of weeks or so, so you should see it soon Smile

Richard.
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