Doobies Allegro now named Rex ... Better than i thought

[billyboy406v6]

Great save, lots of work to do mind !

[rovamota]

Looking forward to seeing the progress, having just rebuilt a Leyland rotter ourselves.

[doobietoo]

Ha ha Rex is like new compared to your princess if I ever get fed up I read your thread to reinforce how easy I have things ..... I have been following your thread since it popped up and I am delighted and amazed you saved it.... I owned a few princesses in the 80s an Austin, a couple of morris versions and a wolsley 2200 auto. Happy times.

The NEC is not really my thing but as you are only up the road in Southampton hopefully I will get to marvel over the work you have done at one of the more local shows next year.

[Squire_Dawson]

Good progress. I hope the fuel tank is OK, a bit of rust widening the seam is not a problem; they go at the back where it meets the boot floor. This will only become evident when it is removed. However, I know someone who can assess it for repair if it is holed.

[purplebargeken]

Looking forward to further installments

[MarvinsMom]

me too, i am also looking forward to further news on this allegro, just as much as with the morris wedge.

[vulgalour]

The suspension seems ok

The pivot shaft nut looks to be sitting right at the top of the hole in the crosstube bracket which usually means the rubber bit is knackered and it'll knock when you're driving. You can still get them new at least and they're not bank-breakingly expensive.

 

You probably know it's worth knocking the pivot shafts out and greasing them up anyway so that you can set the rear trailing arms properly and if you didn't, you do now.  Good luck sorting those out if they're seized, they can be a right mare of a thing.

[doobietoo]

Cheers for that ... everything so far has come off after a fight, plus gas is my friend, All the rubber on the car is being replaced and everything that moves or holds things is coming off to be checked and replaced or reconditioned as needed. Not only is it my life but those of others on the road its just not worth skimping and its not like its complicated lol...

[doobietoo]

Got a parcel today so now have two NOS headlights and both left and right front to back hydrogas pipes.... yay away this weekend but next weekend should see Rex in the garage and the real work can begin....

[doobietoo]

well a bit of a delay with this firstly as I ripped my calf muscle trying to push it into the garage and then xmas got in the way but its now safely ensconced in the garage and as I got a card from tnt saying my welder is in transit I thought I would make a start.... with this...

 

 

first thing to do is to take out the rear window the boot lid having fallen off earlier. This can be considered a scary job but as I bangered the odd car in my youf I knew what to do. Take out the filler strip, loosen the rubber all the way round the screen with your finger nails and then lay in the car and push the top of the screen with your feet. with a bit of effort it just pops out.....

 

One of the advantages of having the VDP model is the tinted glass, not immediately obvious until it was put next to the 1100s glass... 

 

 

Next was to cut out the rusty old panel which gave up without a fight.....

 

 

and time to offer up the new panel purchased from the owners club....

 

 

The large stiffener in the middle on the car was still good...

 

 

so I ground the one off the new panel as it will make it easier to weld on.

 

 

The metal under the knackered panel was surprisingly good considering the state of the panel and I just have to clean it up with a flap wheel before welding. I still need to cut the rot out of the boot sides but the trial fit showed the panel fits well.

 

 

In the morning I will go and get some flap wheels, wire brushes and weld through primer to clean up the area and hopefully the welder will be here in time for some OMGNOARCEYE welding.....

 

 

[Angrydicky]

Crispy! And I always thought Allegros were one of BL's more rot-resistant offerings.

 

Look forward to following the progress!

[320touring]

heh you said stiffner:)

[Lankytim]

Nice.. My Allegro still isn't on the road yet but it's nearly there. Should I stick a VP snout on it? I do think they're a bit of a looker...

[doobietoo]

Went up to Stafford today to pick up a front end as mine is a little crispy, agreed a price of £50 if I removed it myself, got there to find an almost perfect front end and a seller saying "what else do you need" an additional £50 changed hands with the agreement that I could *take anything else I wanted. So the work began.... while the seller phoned his mates to say he would "be here all day"

 First off was the radiator c/w hoses and expansion tank still full of water.... then I removed the front tie rods which had new rubbers on them and cut off the front end. Next we lifted it up on the forklift and I removed the petrol tank still with a couple of gallons of rank smelly petrol in it, Finally I unbolted the complete rear suspension including displacers and brakes. Everything came off without protest an I was ready to leave before 1pm in total less than 3 hours.... Result.

 The guy I bought the bits off was great and another shiter as in his shed he had an Opel GSE coupe and an old V6 mustang next to two minis one for sale and the other being rebuilt. Outside were a spitfire and another mini. I have pointed him in the direction of this forum so will leave him to post pics if he wishes.

[Anglevan]

Don't suppose there was a gearbox for a 1500? Need one for a project I've just bought. Looking forward to the next updates on yours,

[Lankytim]

If it's the one I'm thinking of it's an auto I'm afraid.

[doobietoo]

Yep it was an auto...

[Anglevan]

Ok thanks. If you hear of one please let me know.