Project The Austin 2dr 1100 story - Part IV - Now in sharleys hands

[SiC]

^^ this.

 

Both accidents I've had while driving were rear enders. Both I could not have avoided. First in the Saab (with good whiplash protection too) was traffic coming to a sudden halt on the motorway. The van driver was looking at the accident on the other side and not concentrating. I could see it happening in my rear view mirror but couldn't do anything as the lane to the right was free flowing and the hard shoulder on the left was barrier off with Armco. The force shunted me into the car infront, setting off the Saab airbags. As I saw it happening in the rear view mirror, it's likely I tensed up and that did more damage to myself.

 

Second was this year. Two sets of lights. I was at the first set in a queue. Queue pulled off. Traffic backed up at the second lights in front. I stopped so I didn't block a yellow box junction, also a car wanted to turn across. There was a second or two delay from me stopping and being hit. Car behind obviously wasn't looking where he was going as went straight into the back. Probably accelerated from the traffic lights too. Police officer estimated he was travelling around 10-15mph.

 

This and a side swipe is the most likely type of accident driving around the city. Especially given the amount of distracted drivers in traffic. Being rear ended is what I'm most fearful of. A low speed accident (i.e. sub 15-20mph) and very much like the one I had the last accident, an ADO16 shell would likely hold up just fine. However no headrest is likely to lead me into a lot of pain and possibly worse.

[SiC]

You need some of these:

 

Looks like something out of 50 shades of grey...

[406V6]

Great to see an 1100 getting a lot of love even if there's a long way to go. When I was growing up there were several 1100s in the family so I knew them well and even learned to drive on an MG1100.

 

Sorry if it's already been mentioned but the wavy Austin grille on this one looks wrong for a K reg. Only on the Mark 1 (pre-67 or thereabouts) ?

[SiC]

Yup it's wrong. It was fitted by Vulgalour. I still have the original. Like Vulg, I prefer the crinkle grille so it's staying!

 

This car is such a mismash mismatch that such things are ok - at least to me anyway. Hence less guilt about putting in a super de-luxe dash in a car that would never have had it. Maybe, if I can find a reasonable price one, a stripe gauge dash.

[purplebargeken]

Twat in a Mazda hit me whilst I was stationary. This was in Mrs PBK's first Micra which was only a couple of months old at the time. They knocked the car forwards about 25yards. She hit me at somewhere between 30 to 40 miles an hour. This is likely what cased me to break my neck.

[dozeydustman]

I can assure you SiC that Scimitar seats are very good if you get rear-ended. That was what caused me to take my first one off the road, because a British Gas van plowed into the back of it. 

 

I'm a pretty big bloke - 6ft 6, mid-high end of the 20 stone scale and there were no twists, bends or breaks to the seat frame after the van hit a stationary me at 25mph.

[DeeJay]

I had these in my Anglia and mk1 Escort (at the time I thought they looked cool).

They dug in my back something ruthless.

 

[PhilA]

Si, I'm surprised you didn't eyeball inside my old man's Sprite when you were there- he has a pair of slip over head rests similar to those above but less wide, I'll have to ask him where he got them from and what they were meant to fit. I know it wasn't anything Austin, but they sit well, match and are surprisingly functional.

The car has a roll over bar also, because floppytop... But that's another ball game.

 

 

Phil

[Noel Tidybeard]

bostin allegro seats? available in vinyl, three door tipping and with head rest - same goes for maurice marauder coop- maybe early metroids were available in plastic fantastic as well

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yup it's wrong. It was fitted by Vulgalour. I still have the original. Like Vulg, I prefer the crinkle grille so it's staying!

 

This car is such a mismash mismatch that such things are ok - at least to me anyway. Hence less guilt about putting in a super de-luxe dash in a car that would never have had it. Maybe, if I can find a reasonable price one, a stripe gauge dash.

 

 

Not entirely wrong. The 1100 had the crinkly grille (Austin) or straight bar grille (Morris) until the Mark III arrived in late 1971, Mark II's were available on the K plate. The basic 2 door 1100 Mark III was really a Mark II with the later grille. The dash, steering wheel, seats etc are all the older style. I'd add a set of 'A' Austin hubcaps.

[Christine]

Late registration  I had an M reg mk3 ...  Anyone seen an N ?  There must be 1 or 2 that got left hanging about  in a showroom ??

[adw1977]

Late registration I had an M reg mk3 ... Anyone seen an N ? There must be 1 or 2 that got left hanging about in a showroom ??

I've seen an N reg Vanden Plas version, they stayed in production slightly longer than the Austin.

[BeEP]

I briefly owned a N reg Vanden Plas many years ago, and currently own an M reg two door 1100 deluxe.  Although as Rev BJ says the deluxe carried over Mk2 seats, steering wheel etc (presumably to use up old stock) there were some differences.  For example the Mk2 deluxe had a wood finish to the central instrument binnacle, Mk3 had what is best described as cardboard.  And whilst the Mk2 had carpets, the Mk3 made do with rubber mats.

[SiC]

Found more rust! I need to stop poking the car with a screwdriver.

 

Not quite sure how I'm going to fix this one? I'll tackle this bit when I've got the floors and sills sorted. Hopefully I'll have more stick time by then.

 

Finished holiday now, back to work. I'm desperately hoping this weekend I can at least start having a play with the welder on scrap metal.

[SiC]

I've made another list too.

 

 

Target is to get this all done by end of this week/weekend.

[purplebargeken]

[ ] Sort out world peace

[Geep]

Get some thickish metal SIC, 3mm or so then you will find it easier to start with as not too concerned about blowing holes. I was taught in college as part of apprenticeship on gas and then we played around with arc. No mig in those days. First lesson was setting up torch correctly then 'moving' a molten puddle of metal around the piece of metal. No adding filler rod at this stage, just experimenting with the weld puddle and what it did. 

 

Always loved gas welding, even after mig took over but too dear now for home use and insurance have a fit if you tell them you have it. If you don't and something happens, even worse problems. Once you get some runs on thick metal, you can try going for thinner stuff. Start on thin and you'll just blow holes or end up with cold weld stuck to the metal rather than fused. 

[Crusty Sills]

Just found this thread, what a great project and you seem to already have made some good progress.

My advice, don't set yourself time periods. I'm sure others will agree with me that doing this will demoralise you when you don't hit them.

Bear in mind that we are half way through the year leaving about 20 weekends to work that's dependant on if you work any weekends.

Now out of that there will be the usual family stuff and time spent with the significant other ( bailing out of uncle Edwins 80th birthday only holds for so long!) Dipping into the garage for 5 mins and reappearing 2 hrs later is only funny a few times.

Break it down into bite size chunks and good/bad weather work, working on the engine in the garage will be great when it's wet/cold or you're just pissed off with bodywork.

 

If, like me you like things done well then don't underestimate the time that working on that 'other' bit takes, I couldn't leave the painted part on the suspension next to a grubby rusty part on the Beetle and as you move on there will be lots of those!

 

Getting a concours finish is lovely but add to time and cost exponentially. Some things will always have to give. A good friend of mine once said when I was getting upset about the headlining being slightly wrong (by my own hand) "99% of people will just see a nice shiny car only you will see the negatives". After that I relaxed a bit on it and just did my best.

 

Financially as a normal person restorations are crippling. There is always another part, can of paint, clip or tool that is needed, spreading these costs over time helps massively and you need to budget flowers and chocolate after doing most of the above!

Oh and don't keep a cost spread sheet they are depressing!

 

Most importantly, when you get fed up walk away until the mojo returns, it is a hobby after all. It's not nice freezing your arse off are stripping the skin off you knuckles just to do something. That's when you literally stand over the fucker with a hammer, but remember 10 seconds of anger will cost weeks of rework and $$$.

Of course you don't have to listen to me, just my experience.

[vulgalour]

Was that hiding under some seam sealant?  From memory I think you can just drill out a few spotwelds on the under dash bar to get it out the way (probably best to put a brace in lower down the A pillars, just in case), and that should give you lots of access for that repair.  Providing it's not gone through to the outside, you should get away with not having to remove the wing, etc, as I had to on the driver's side for a similar repair higher up.  It should be an easier repair and finish won't be too important since it's hidden when the car is all together, but it's probably best to ignore it for now and focus on the other bits.

 

I'm guessing that rust spot is from the bulkhead not draining correctly, which is hardly surprising since it's a poor design, and then gently festering for years unseen.  Certainly it's a bit I hadn't noticed.

 

Crusty Sills' advice is spot on too, everything he says rings true for what I've experienced trying to sort out thankless old turds.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

[ ] Sort out world peace

 

 

 

[ ] Buyers remorse.

[Guest Hooli]

[ ] Buyers remorse.

[ ] Divorce

[SiC]

Was that hiding under some seam sealant? From memory I think you can just drill out a few spotwelds on the under dash bar to get it out the way (probably best to put a brace in lower down the A pillars, just in case), and that should give you lots of access for that repair. Providing it's not gone through to the outside, you should get away with not having to remove the wing, etc, as I had to on the driver's side for a similar repair higher up. It should be an easier repair and finish won't be too important since it's hidden when the car is all together, but it's probably best to ignore it for now and focus on the other bits.

 

I'm guessing that rust spot is from the bulkhead not draining correctly, which is hardly surprising since it's a poor design, and then gently festering for years unseen. Certainly it's a bit I hadn't noticed.

 

It was hiding behind the dash but I can't remember if it was hiding behind the vinyl trim. Wasn't very big hole I started poking it with my finger. That bit is just below the fresh air vent. So likely water gas got in over 45+ years and slowly eaten it away.

 

Removing that beam would entail removing the steering column. The bolts securing look like some form of security bolt that will shear if trying to undo. How should I remove these? Carefully with a ratchet or is that almost guaranteed to snap the head part off?

[SiC]

[x] Buyers remorse.

FTFY.

 

 

In all seriousness, I knew that it would be a big project and likely that it will require a fair amount of work. I do keep finding new jobs but that's mostly because I'm pulling a lot off and I have a habit of fiddling with/poking stuff.

 

The main reason for me getting that wipeboard and making lists. If I don't I then end up doing a small job and finishing, after which I end up fiddling with something completely unnecessary as I can't think of what to do next. ...Like poking holes in the bodywork. Having a list literally reminds me of what I need to do next.

 

Deadlines are just to stop me procrastinating too much and focus on the job in hand. They're not hard deadlines. I would like to roughly keep to them though. But there is no ultimate end date as such. Apart from I'd like to have got the welding done before the weather starts turning, as I'm doing it outside. The welding set is a bit too expensive for me to allow it to get rained on.

 

Time wise, weekends will be fairly limited to avoid this:

[x] Divorce

Usually when Mrs SiC is doing her own hobbies (baking / sewing) I get free reign fiddling with the car!

 

The intention is to primarily carry on with it in the late afternoon/evenings. If I got my arse out of bed earlier and actually left work on time, I could get home earlier and have more time too. Also have 5 days holiday I need to use by start of October. Once welding is underway, I'll book time off in lumps to give me full days to work on it in peace.

 

 

No remorse (yet).

[Crusty Sills]

SiC PM me your address and I'll send you something to help with metal work.

[stonedagain]

SiC PM me your address and I'll send you something to help with metal work.

A bigger hammer?

[Mally]

Anvil?

[Crusty Sills]

Ssshhhh don't spoil the surprise on the anvil!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not going to put enough stamps on it either so he can pay the remaining postage!!!!

[timolloyd]

Bucket of wob?

[Guest Hooli]

Left handed rust bucket?

[anonymous user]

Bucket of wob?

No an 1100 sized block of filler and a set of sculptor's tools