Dicky's tat: My first prewar car

[Junkman]

I expect pre-war cars don't encourage one to drive on the limits in a life-threatening way and therefore, their potential for murder is mostly unknown.  Even if they did murder you, it would be difficult to blame the vehicle. Most would assume it was obviously the fault of the careless and inconsiderate driver, not the polite and unassuming motor carriage.

 

You know, I thought the same, until a 1930 Bentley Eight Litre taught me the opposite.

[Angrydicky]

I think this one's going to be a pretty decent steer. It's got good suspension, steering and clutch which is a good step in the right direction. The brakes do work and felt ok. I've had the shoes on one side relined so far.

 

If anyone happens to have any spares for a 1935 MY (facelift) 12 (unlikely, but stranger things have happened) I need the following:

 

Radiator grille. The shell is very poor, very dented and the slats have been replaced with chicken wire, which I can't wait to get rid of. I have about 1/3 of the original slats which are all quite battered. It'll need a lot of work to make good.

The '12' starting handle hole cover is missing.

Starting handle.

A pair of 12v chromed horns to go on the front. All I can find are ones at inflated money on ebay. I think the originals were Lucas 'King of the Road'.

Bonnet catches - all four are missing.

Hubcaps - need three more 7" diameter ones.

One wheel nut, and stud is missing.

Some bumpers that aren't twisted and have some chrome left!

 

I think that takes care of all the bits I can't make myself.

[Angrydicky]

How do pre-war cars compare driving to 60s/70s cars? For me, after years of being cosseted by 2000s, being in 60s/70s cars feel like they're thinking of killing me at any moment if I misbehave or just irritate them. So I have no idea what a pre-war car must be like.

They're generally very slow, very noisy and very wandery. Brakes? Plan a LONG way ahead because most prewar cars have either cable or rod operated drum brakes which are notoriously poor. This one has cable, but '30s Morrises, Triumphs and a few others do have hydraulic brakes which makes a big difference. You want to be relying on engine braking to do most of the actual slowing of the car. But my experience is of Austin Sevens and Trojans, which are very small, very basic cars. This one is a big step up from that. It's got synchromesh (or should have) on 2nd, 3rd and top, so no crash gearbox to deal with. The clutch felt like one from a much newer car as the action was super smooth with none of the usual snatch and judder. I reckon I'm going to enjoy driving it.

[dollywobbler]

It's the lack of brakes and the wandery nature that generally cause me most concern with pre-war stuff. You really do need to plan ahead. I always enjoy driving really old stuff though, because it's much more of a challenge. Throw in manual advance/retard and mixture controls to really make life fun.

[Angrydicky]

Unless you've inadvertently strayed onto a dual carriageway, or had a 'failure to proceed' at a busy junction, you always emerge from the cockpit with a big grin on your face.

[Saabnut]

I think this one's going to be a pretty decent steer. It's got good suspension, steering and clutch which is a good step in the right direction. The brakes do work and felt ok. I've had the shoes on one side relined so far.

 

If anyone happens to have any spares for a 1935 MY (facelift) 12 (unlikely, but stranger things have happened) I need the following:

 

Radiator grille. The shell is very poor, very dented and the slats have been replaced with chicken wire, which I can't wait to get rid of. I have about 1/3 of the original slats which are all quite battered. It'll need a lot of work to make good.

The '12' starting handle hole cover is missing.

Starting handle.

A pair of 12v chromed horns to go on the front. All I can find are ones at inflated money on ebay. I think the originals were Lucas 'King of the Road'.

Bonnet catches - all four are missing.

Hubcaps - need three more 7" diameter ones.

One wheel nut, and stud is missing.

Some bumpers that aren't twisted and have some chrome left!

 

I think that takes care of all the bits I can't make myself.

 

Can you post a picture of the radiator grill shell? I have a Standard one hung on the wall of my shed but not sure which model it is from.

 

I have a box of pre war (brass) wheel nuts in LH and RH thread if you are stuck

[Angrydicky]

This is lovely! I'd love another prewar car, although with prices going the way they are it's unlikely, at least in the immediate future. I reckon 12hp cars are the sweet spot, having enough power to be more or less usable in modern traffic, but still small enough to be easy to store and economical-ish to run.

 

Are the brakes cable or rod on these?

Sorry Wuvs, only just seen your post. Yes I would agree with your sentiments on 12hp cars. Obviously there's a lot of weight to drag along, but I'm hopeful it won't be too much of a rolling roadblock, up to 40 mph at least.

 

Brakes are Bendix cable operated on this.

[Angrydicky]

Can you post a picture of the radiator grill shell? I have a Standard one hung on the wall of my shed but not sure which model it is from.

 

I have a box of pre war (brass) wheel nuts in LH and RH thread if you are stuck

That's most kind sir! I will post a picture shortly!

 

Don't know what thread these nuts are, but they are brass (of course) and quite substantial. Strangely enough the nuts on the front are about 1/4" thicker than the ones on the back, and I'm not sure why.

[xtriple]

Pretty sure I've got a Standard rad shell in my garage as well! It currently houses a load of old cards from tea boxes with pictures of ancient cars, they cost me a fortune but now damp and curling... the joys of a damp garage. The shell has no slats as I recall but it was in good nick.

 

I shall go and have a look later.

 

Very jealous, love the car and it is in the right hands. I tried to buy an 30s Austin once (actually tried several times) but the lady owner thought it was worth many multiples of its actual value, but it was so lovely I still though about it!

[wuvvum]

Brakes on this should be better than an Austin 7 or Trojan - they are notoriously shit even for the era.  I've never driven a Trojan but my brief go in an Austin 7 confirmed this (as well as the "sudden" clutch and appalling turning circle).

 

The only cable-braked car I've had was the Renault Novaquatre, and that didn't really count because it had a gearbox-driven servo so would stop on a sixpence.  Austin Ten brakes were rod operated and a bit pants, but still better than a 7.  Vauxhall Ten were hydraulic and weren't too bad, but did need an almighty shove.  That did have a lovely progressive clutch though.  And an overhead valve engine and independent front suspension and column stalk-operated self-cancelling trafficators.  In fact it was pretty much a brand new car really.

[Angrydicky]

Here you go Saabnut and Xtriple - is this anything like what you've got?

 

 

 

[Guest Hooli]

He's got one of them thar french tape measures!

[Angrydicky]

Good a few good old British ones too, but can I lay my hands on them...?

[Saabnut]

Will go out and have a look a bit later and see what I have.

[Spottedlaurel]

Been away for the weekend so only just picked up on this thread, excellent stuff Richard! Will it come and live up this way at some point?

 

Ready in time for the Ipswich-Felixstowe Run in May? The speeds wouldn't be a challenge for it, but it'd test the capabilities of your clutch and cooling system.....

[Angrydicky]

I'm sure it will at some point next year Nigel, especially as I've promised one of the engineers at work a ride in it when it's done (he wants a prewar car too). Whether that will coincide with the Ipswich-Felixtowe remains to be seen, but we're certainly aiming to have it on the road for Spring

 

From looking at pictures of the run, it looks a good event with plenty of 1920s/30s cars in attendance. Older stuff is really starting to thin out at events now, as the giffer owners pass away.

[Spottedlaurel]

I'm sure you'll find something to enter even if it's not done.....

 

A couple of Standards I've seen over the years, are either of them related to yours? Both long since scrapped I fear:

 

1930s Standard by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

1930s Standard HNK648 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

1930s Standard HNK648 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

[Angrydicky]

The first one is an Austin! Not sure of the model, but judging by the size and the style of grille I'd say it's either a 16hp or an 18hp from about 1935.

 

The second one is a 1936-39 Standard Flying model, which is the type that came after mine with the fancy waterfall front grille. I think it's a 12hp.

[artdjones]

Only from memory,but I have heard that those Bendix cable brakes need careful adjustment otherwise they don't work when the car is reversing.Really nice car by the way.

[Spottedlaurel]

The first one is an Austin! Not sure of the model, but judging by the size and the style of grille I'd say it's either a 16hp or an 18hp from about 1935.

 

Ah, how embarrassing.......

[wuvvum]

That blue one definitely looks like a Flying 12 to me.  Rather an elegant looking car I've always thought.

 

Edit:  Never noticed before that the big Austins have 6-stud wheels.  Every day's a schoolday!

[Wack]

TADTS

A new back axle , prop UJs and a steering box transformed it from dangerous to drive to rubbish to drive

 

You really have to like them , a kitted out RR will go 90% of the places a defender will but with much more comfort

[Squire_Dawson]

The hell is all this rot about pre-war shite? You either can't go fast enough for your worries to be founded, or else you're going so fast in such a beast of a car that you'll blast everyone else off the road.

[Saabnut]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The Standard grill on my shed wall turned out to be a Morris but I knew I had a standard grill somewhere. After much searching, I found it, but it is very different to the one you posted. Sorry, I can not help with this, but will ask a friend who used to have a prewar Standard and see if he has any bits left over and will get back to you if he has.

[Angrydicky]

Thanks for checking Saabnut, it is much appreciated!

[xtriple]

I also checked the grill in the garage, I was also wrong! It is a Morris 8 complete with some sort of leaper type thing on the top. If I could work out how to get a picture from the phone to the laptop, I'd post it...

 

[Angrydicky]

Bloody Morrises! Thank you for checking, Xtriple. Anyone else got suspected Standard grilles hanging on their walls? 

[mk2_craig]

Gotta be a "theme" restaurant somewhere with that sort of thing lashed to the wall. Last such place I went to was The Filling Station on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, good burgers and shiny Seddon Diesel badges.