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

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Good to see the bulkhead coming back together. I wouldn't beat yourself up over having to undo and redo a small area of work for the master cylinders to fit - better to realise now rather than when the bulkhead is finished and painted!

[SiC]

Got on to doing the last bit of the bulkhead.

 

Ground back the old welds. As usual I took took much off with the flap disc and required a few beads to rethicken the metal.

 

Next bit.

 

Final two bits.

 

Done.

 

Zinc primer. Looks tidyish. There is pin holes in the welds from grinding back. Will put a thin layer of filler to smooth off.

 

Then brushed white paint. If you ever want your walls painting, never let me do it. The bulkhead now looks utterly shit.

[SiC]

I've got something to admit. I have never ever lost any keys until now, but yes I have lost the keys to this car.

(Including your lovely keyring Vulgalour )

 

Luckily my garage door key opens the drivers door lock. However all the door locks are different keys anyway. On the MK3 the door locks go from an integrated lock/handle combo to separate lock and handle. This makes them a bit harder to source. So I decided to pull them apart and see if the lock could be replaced on its own.

 

Quite easy to remove. Take off the c-clip off the arm. Then remove the big Spring clip.

 

As a side note, you can see the plunger that pushes the door open mechanism here.

 

The lock.

[SiC]

Circlip off. Pretty manky with old grease.

 

Now was just a case of fiddling to get it apart. Guessed that I needed to push something in here.

 

All came apart quite easily.

 

Anyone know what to look for to get a new lock mechanism?

[SiC]

Close up of the tumbler lock.

 

I can't think the name of the British company who made the locks off the top of my head.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Wilmot Breeden/Union.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

If there are any records for your car at Gaydon, you can book an appointment to view the ledgers and get a key number.

[SiC]

Didn't most of the Austin records after a certain date get lost/burnt or something?

 

Just noticed the key number on the back of the lock mechanism. At least I assume it is as it is 3 digits and starts with a nine. However these mechanisms are so knackered, I can open it with the wrong key anyway.

[SiC]

Looks like I'm after part number: 24G1345

https://www.minisport.com/24g1345-ignition-barrel-mk1-2-barrel.html

[Eddie Honda]

Key number is that on back of lock. Probably a FS series. Autojumblers have boards of them as there are only 40-odd in a series.

[SiC]

No wonder nearly any key opened this lock! Those score marks are deep enough to allow any key to not be stopped.

 

I think I can turn the mechanism around 180degrees and it'll be all fresh again.

[vulgalour]

Key-loss aside, this is an excellent update.  That bulkhead repair was never going to be any fun to do and you've made a really nice job of it, considering what you're dealing with.  Definitely one of the least pleasant bits of bodywork required on the whole car because of how particular it all is.  Can you get to the back of that bulkhead panel through the heater box hole?  You might be able to jam a paintbrush in and daub a goodly amount of paint on stuff if you can.

[xkjagnz]

I've been off for a while on AS because of "Reasons". Given the explosion that appears to have happened today on here, I best not delve into those "reasons" as I don't want to be responsible for causing more strife!Ooooohhh what did I miss?

[PhilA]

It must be Year Of The Lost Keys. I needed to get a new lock set but didn't plan on forcing my hand by losing the damn keys to the Chieftain, either.

 

Bulkhead looks good, badly painted or not! Keep it up.

 

Phil

[SiC]

Key-loss aside, this is an excellent update. That bulkhead repair was never going to be any fun to do and you've made a really nice job of it, considering what you're dealing with. Definitely one of the least pleasant bits of bodywork required on the whole car because of how particular it all is. Can you get to the back of that bulkhead panel through the heater box hole? You might be able to jam a paintbrush in and daub a goodly amount of paint on stuff if you can.

The interior entrance into the bulkhead area (now) has a piece of steel welded over to direct the rain into the drainage area first - rather than into the cabin. However thinking about it, I could drill some access holes into that and spray that way. Afterwards just stick in a few polyurethaned bungs.

 

I think I'll leave the crown of least pleasant bodywork job to those rear subframe mounts. I am truly not looking forward to that job. It'll be a fight all the way I reckon. Fight to get the hydrolastic pipes undone, fight to get the jack back under, fight to get the subframe off, fight to try and keep it all stable, a fight to find good metal to weld to and a fight to fabricate a new piece.

 

But it'll be the last major metalwork fight!

 

Before that though will be passenger sill. Hopefully today I'll push the car out and turn it around so I can start having a nosy.

[dozeydustman]

Good work sir, seems like an excellent way you have spent the chrimbetween.

[SiC]

Tried two proper old fashioned key shops. First said that he no longer had the master keys to copy from. Second said he'd need to have a search in his cellar downstairs for his master keys as he hadn't done one in well over 10 years.

 

So tried good old Moss. Had both numbers in that I needed (boot lock is different). Was only £5.26 for two keys.

 

I better take a picture of the numbers in case it ever happens again!

 

Now just need to figure out what I'm going to do with the busted locking ignition lock. Lock is off, but the steering lock mechanism is NLA.

Other option could be to put a MK1/MK2 steering cowl on that doesn't have a steering lock and just use a dash based key instead.

[theshadow]

excellent work as always,screwdriver was key of choice back in the day, 8)

[Eddie Honda]

Steering lock on those mk3s uses a bigger Niemann key with a BL plughole plastic head.

[SiC]

The old drivers door lock still has quite a lot of wear. I can't see why right now, but when you return the key to a centre position it pushes the crank arm to the centre. When this was on the car it pretty much was in the position to unlock the door. Going to carry on fiddling to see if I can see what's going wrong. Could just be excess wear. Worse case I'll be a cheapskate and swap the locks over. At least in 20-40yrs when the little used passenger lock wears we will be able to 3D print a replacement.

excellent work as always,screwdriver was key of choice back in the day, 8)

That was the backup method if I couldn't persuade it to unlock with the wrong key.

Steering lock on those mk3s uses a bigger Niemann key with a BL plughole plastic head.

I think the lock is the same as the mini part number: 18G8892

Appears very much NLA. I can't find any references if other locks will work. A similar aged Midget lock looks like it should be roughly right from the pictures - just a bit short. However I don't really know until/unless I have one in hand.

[anonymous user]

Do you have to have a steering lock? Could you just have an ordinary ignition switch on the dash instead. My aunt hated the steering lock on her second 1100, she never got the knack of rocking the wheel slightly to turn the key if it had locked on, fortunately her third and last 1100 was an older one without a steering lock, so the world was alright again.

[SiC]

Do you have to have a steering lock? Could you just have an ordinary ignition switch on the dash instead. My aunt hated the steering lock on her second 1100, she never got the knack of rocking the wheel slightly to turn the key if it had locked on, fortunately her third and last 1100 was an older one without a steering lock, so the world was alright again.

Good question.

 

I believe on construction and use regs, it would require one strictly speaking as they required them by 1972. MOT only requires them after 2001. Insurance I guess depends if they find out and how much of a dick they are. However around here I'd be putting on one of those big yellow steering wheel stoplox thing on anyway.

 

If I don't replace the lock and use a dash ignition, I'd need to find a replacement steering cowling. I think Sharley on here said he had a set spare. Obviously won't be historically correct, but as usual on this car...meh.

 

I would like to fit it back on if I can and I'll try finding a way of doing that first. If that isn't going to be easily possible then I'll put a new ignition switch into the dash.

 

Locking/unlocking I don't think is a problem as I've got it sussed on my MGB ignition.

[holbeck]

If it's any consolation, my MG1300 had the column ignition switch, but also a blank of the dash mounted key switch.

[anonymous user]

 

Locking/unlocking I don't think is a problem as I've got it sussed on my MGB ignition.

Oh it's not that difficult, unfortunately Auntie Winnie just wouldn't accept that it was something she might have to do and would ring up because the key wouldn't turn, despite having had it explained and shown to her several times. This is the person who didn't believe in Pelican Crossings and would reverse on a roundabout if she went past her turning. It was the car's fault that the key was in the wrong place.

[PhilA]

Being as you can pop the door with any of that series keys, screwdriver or simply a stern look, getting it running involves two small pieces of wire.. I would just put the ignition switch on the dash, forego the column lock and concentrate on making the car hard to drive when it's secured as you plan to.

 

Phil

[catsinthewelder]

When I got it the ignition switch was on the dash,  I replaced it with a new dash mounted switch (and rebuilt the dash pod) when it wore out but I think Angyl reinstated the column mounted switch.

 

This car really has found the right owner,  there aren't many who would have bothered fixing it to this standard.  Sorry about the bulkhead bodges,  ISTR it looked fine until the M/C's wouldn't fit and the big hammer came out.

[SiC]

When I got it the ignition switch was on the dash, I replaced it with a new dash mounted switch (and rebuilt the dash pod) when it wore out but I think Angyl reinstated the column mounted switch.

 

I removed the remains of the column mounted assembly as one of the very first things I did with the car. The lock is busted and the electric switch is missing. Even if I could get the bits to repair that, I wouldn't trust it. If it failed when driving and decided to actuate the steering lock ... Yeah I rather not.

 

If I could get a replacement mechanism it'd be great. However I think the chances of me finding one and then after that it actually working properly with good electrical contact is low.

 

I do still have your ignition switch that you put in. I was planning to reuse it ... but I lost the keys.

Looking at eBay they're under 15 quid or so for a replacement, so probably easier & cheaper to just replace it. I still plan to put in the 1300 wood effect dash that Mr Bo11ox apparently donated many years ago. Hopefully minimal fettling will be required to get that in.

 

Electrically I plan to have most of the wiring, fuses and relays built around the back of that dash. Seems a much better idea rewiring it and having it all in the cabin than exposed to the elements in the engine bay as per original design. Engine will be a nice and simple loom - just alternator light, starter relay, coil & dizzy power feed, oil pressure sender and I'll retrofit in a temperature sender. Lighting my plan is to buy a length of multi-core trailer cable and use that. Basically a ready made loom of appropriate cable thickness and colours.

 

This car really has found the right owner, there aren't many who would have bothered fixing it to this standard. Sorry about the bulkhead bodges, ISTR it looked fine until the M/C's wouldn't fit and the big hammer came out.

It probably would have been all fine if the masters fitted and I wouldn't have needed to touch it. I'm still annoyed with myself that I managed to copy your original mistake of not inserting it - despite me knowing it had to and one of the main reasons why I was redoing it!

 

Some of the welds on the bulkhead had failed when I went prodding. I managed to get quite a bit of the metal off by just prying near the welds with a screwdriver as a fulcrum. I am certainly no expert but I guess that the penetration of some of those was a bit low? Not enough current or a bad ground maybe???? Not that it mattered too much as it's not a critical load bearing section.

 

I've got it easy as my magic box of welding tricks tries to avoid that happening as much as possible. Some of those last welds I even clamped onto the hanging negative battery clamp flapping around in the engine bay. Noticed that the welding set was showing higher voltage set point it was using when I was welding - I assume to get around a crappy ground connection.

 

If I hadn't left it so long after grinding off the paint, I probably could have reused most of the metal. Unfortunately I did and by the time I went to sort it all, the metal was pretty pitted and awkward to clean + reuse. So had to use all that fresh stuff.

 

Anyway it doesn't matter. This car has always been about doing stuff to save it. Right now it's probably needed far more than ever it's needed to be saved. If this does become a long termer, I can see myself chopping the whole back drivers side floor pan off and replacing that with a new section. At the moment it has plates on some bits which are functional but just a bit messy. Also depends if in the future this car gets used in only nice weather or if used all year round too.

[catsinthewelder]

I think a lot of my problems with lack of penetration were caused by most of the bead being on top of the metal,  fine if you don't get jiggy with the grinder.

[SiC]

Yeah it's a bad habit of mine grinding welds too far back. It's nice to have it all flat and nearly invisible, except I tend to go too far or catch the panel nearby and thin that out. Then need to run beads back over the top to thicken up.

[SiC]

Tomorrow all being well I plan to do a bit of work again on this. I will hopefully push the car back a bit to give me full access to open the door so I can undo the screws on the hinges properly. Fingers crossed I won't round any heads off this time.

 

Then push out, turn around and push back in. My wife isn't overly keen in doing this as she fears that we need two people to push as it'll be too heavy by ourselves. I'm sure we'll manage fine tbh as it's only a shell, glass and subframes now. So can't be a lot of weight to push. Providing the rear brake shoes are not siezing up from sitting on the handbrake.

 

Once it's turned around, it's passenger sill time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't find anything else big on that side. Rear arches will need rejoining back together again too like the drivers side.

 

After passenger side is done, the only big bit left is the rear subframe mounts. Which is a very big job.

 

I just now need to be careful doing such jobs as moving house may mean it needs to have all four wheels on the ground for it to be easily transported. Depressurising the suspension and removing the rear subframe aren't things that will help in that task.