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

[SiC]

  On 22/06/2018 at 09:19, Exiled_Tat_Gatherer said:

properly lovely these cars...... mine was absolutely shagged though, and I thought I'd 'checked'!

Best of luck wi your first resto...... if you're estimating end of year - 2020 should be doable

I didn't check this one but got told it was shagged before I bought it!

 

Spoken to a couple of mates who are going to give me a hand to help pull the engine. They've not pulled a lump before, so will be a learning exercise for them too. I may drop and remove the fuel tank too, to give one more less thing to catch fire.

[junkyarddog]

Do you actually need to remove the engine?

[OwdChina]

  On 22/06/2018 at 07:57, Parky said:

Ahem......

 

Austin America VTEC. Just saying

California car too.............so no rot.

[SiC]

  On 22/06/2018 at 18:44, junkyarddog said:

Do you actually need to remove the engine?

Yes of course! I want to learn how to.

 

In all seriousness, the clutch is jammed/siezed and it'd give me a chance to properly clean out and check the engine bay. I'll probably change the clutch while I'm at it. Plus I need to replace the Schrader valve on the suspension, which will possibly possible to not need removing the whole pipe if the engine is out the way. Finally, the lack of weight in the front should make it easier to move around on my drive.

 

When it's out, I'll probably give it a clean down and paint too. Plus maybe do a few other bits to it, like replace commonly gaskets that leak. Going through the cars history on catsinthewelder thread, it appears it has had oil pressure issues when hot. So I might replace out the oil pump + oil pressure relief valve while its an easy job to do.

[anonymous user]

  On 22/06/2018 at 18:44, junkyarddog said:

Do you actually need to remove the engine?

Probably not, but it will make it lighter, although on some newer cars you probably need to remove the engine to change the starter motor

[junkyarddog]

That's fair enough.

 

It's just that if you working with limited space removed parts will take up an awful lot of it.

 

Personally I'd be looking at doing all the welding first.

If anything's going to beat you it will be that.

 

Best of luck.

[vulgalour]

Removing the engine, for the amount of work you're planning, is probably best done by dropping the whole subframe out with wheels and suspension attached.  You'll need to disconnect brake lines, cables, suspension interconnecting pipes, etc. but once done you should then be able to just roll the subframe out from under the car.  You can then work on the subframe lump on rainy days/evenings and work on the engine bay on the nicer days.  It'll weigh about as much as an empty crisp packet with the subframes off too, so you might want to put a big rock on it to stop it blowing away.

[SiC]

I was thinking about dropping the whole subframe, but the guys on mk1-forum reckoned pulling the engine will be easier and quicker. Plus it leaves wheels on still for me. Once the engine is out, I can always drop the subframe separately.

[BeEP]

  On 22/06/2018 at 18:13, Skizzer said:

Aqua green (or whatever this early 70s turquoise colour is called) is THE best colour for these, and Minis too. FACT.

 

EA99A329-7B3A-47E8-B2FA-70357C5E878E.jpeg

 

Yep, that's Aqua.  The colour of the estate I owned unitl it was demolished by a Ford Ranger pick-up on the A12, whose driver may* have been 3 times over the drink drive limit.  Also my favourite colour for 70s 1100s, just beating limeflower.

[Skizzer]

Like for your excellent taste, obviously not for the very sad demise of your estate at the hands of some arsehole wannabe redneck.

[BeEP]

It was his third such conviction; he was still banned from the first, but he hadn't thought to tell his employer this, whose vehicle he also wrote off.  Whilst I'm not going to suggest that crash protection hasn't improved since ado16s were made, a relatively high speed crash in one fitted with static seat belts didn't result in the instant death many people seem to think is certain to happen if tthey don't keep buying new cars with whatever the latest safety innovation is.  In fact I walked away without a scratch.

[SiC]

A few more pictures, this time in the day light. I've emptied the inside but it's gone dark now. I'll try and get a few more pictures another day of the bits that need welding.

 

This is the wheel offset that Vulgalour was saying about and buggers his back up. I'm sat straight ahead in this picture.

 

Very weird. It's like they put the steering column in the wrong place at the factory! I can only guess that they must have ran out of room to move it further over.

[SiC]

After a good fiddle and poke around tonight, I've made a to-do list. It's not in any particular order.

 

Ready? Let's go!

 

Welding - Drivers footwell

Welding - Drivers footwell subframe mounting

Welding - offside cross member bottom panel

Welding - offside rear floor

Welding - drivers inner sill

Welding - drivers sill membrane

Welding - drivers outer sill

Welding - drivers closing panel

Welding - offside rear subframe mount

Welding - drivers a-pillar

Welding - passenger inner sill

Welding - passenger sill membrane

Welding - offside rear arch

Welding - offside rear arch liner join to arch

Welding - both side rear of arch to boot side floor

Welding - behind master cylinders

Welding - heater box mounting

Welding - seat stay reinforcement

Mech - remove engine

Mech - unsieze & replace clutch

Mech - replace oil pump

Mech - replace/inspect oil pressure relief valve

Mech - clean and paint engine

Mech - rebuild carb

Mech - replace front brake flexis

Mech - replace rear brake flexi

Mech - replace brake master

Mech - replace/clean up clutch master

Mech - inspect & clean up front brakes

Mech - inspect & clean up rear brakes

Mech - inspect and possibly replace front to rear brake pipe

Mech - inspect front suspension bushes

Mech - inspect rear suspension bushes

Mech - service! Oil, filter, sparking plugs, coolant, points, distributor cap+rotor

Mech - inspect distributor (e.g. vac advance)

Mech - replace hydrolastic Schrader valve

Mech - fix windscreen washer

Mech - flush radiator

Mech - refit heater box

Mech - fix/replace seat belts (passenger side missing)

Elec - inspect/rebuild wiring loom

Elec - fix indicators

Elec - fix lights

Elec - replace front lights

Elec - battery clamp

Elec - remove steering lock barrel

Elec - replace condenser with High Quality

Elec - fuse alternator, main and starter circuits (e.g. Mégane II battery fuses)

Elec - replace battery connection wires

Elec - check all systems

Body - replace boot seal

Body - inspect rubber seals

Body - tighten any loose fittings (e.g. door handles)

Body - refurbish seats

Body - replace carpet

Body - replace rear view mirror

Body - unify locks

Body - replace gear gaiter rubber

Body - paint!

 

Phew!

 

This is going to keep me busy for a while.

[Kiltox]

SiC, mate, you’re a fucking legend for taking this on.

 

If you need any tools or help please let me know

[SiC]

 

 

  On 22/06/2018 at 23:46, Kiltox said:

SiC, mate, you’re fucking stupid for taking this on.

 

FTFY.

 

  On 22/06/2018 at 23:46, Kiltox said:

If you need any tools or help please let me know

I would be massively thankful if yourself or someone in the South / South-West of England or Wales could teach me the basics of how to weld and weld safely! I still haven't had a chance to start practicing. Mike has advised me that where I was going to start practicing, I need to put up a welding curtain so I don't get myself into trouble. My biggest concern is setting fire to something like the neighbours fence, car or even the garage.

 

I'm also struggling to find a source of sheet metal. The offcuts I got from eBay don't look like ordinary mild steel and more galvanized stuff. Not something I really want to be practicing on.

[SiC]

That list above looks big, but it's expanded out pretty deeply. A fair few can be left till later or may not even need doing once I get to those bits.

 

A bit daunting at first, but once you go through there isn't anything too bad. Biggest risk to the project is that there's a lot of welding. No doubt will be other bits I haven't come across yet either too.

 

I just wished I had a bigger space I could do this work in.

[vulgalour]

Washer pump - check the pipes on the back of the pump haven't fallen off and that there's fluid in the bottle.  Then give the plunger a few pushes, it might be that the pipework needs repriming.  It does work, and quite well, or it did when I tested it out.

 

Seatbelts - fronts are from a P6 and the 1100's originals are fitted in the rear, if I remember what Cats told me when picking up the car.  Not sure why the passenger belt is missing, I know the latch side is there because I tucked it into the seat and I didn't have cause to remove the other half, I assume it was in the car.  Perhaps it wasn't?

 

Indicators - I can't remember if I replaced the driver's front, or if that was the dicky holder.  A new bulb/wiggle of the old bulb should sort it.  The stalk is a bit of a duff connection, after a bit of use they do wake up and work reliably but I think the connections are corroded slightly from lack of use.

 

You may need a battery clamp too, I can't remember if there was one or not.  You'll definitely need a rocker cover gasket, in part because it's weeping and because being an A Series, TADTS.

[xkjagnz]

How about this one then?

New Zealand unfortunately

https://touch.trademe.co.nz/motors/listing/view/1672485391

[xkjagnz]

inside

[SiC]

Very posh! Rileys are really rather rare here too. That price isn't too ridiculous either.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I used the sheet steel I was slicing bits from as a type of shield near me welding...... if you get back to clean metal and set up and prep it properly you'll minimise the spatter..... you'll nail it I'm sure. Plenty of online vids to help too.

 

I'd advise trying to minimise wind too if doing it all outside...... makes it a sodding nightmare, especially if learning, you'll never know if it's you or the conditions.

 

 

As an aside...... as your posts seem to be thinking of extraordinary ways of improving things. How about BMW bike engine head on the Austin lump while it's out? Just sayin like

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I’m still not sure whether I should offer my congratulations or condolences.

You’re a brave man.

[Eddie Honda]

Indeed. Whilst I'm an absolute sucker for punishment, I'd rather climb Everest in just my undercrackers than attempt this!

[SiC]

Getting such positive vibes here!

 

There's a lot to do, but I don't think any of it is particularly difficult or complicated. Just a case of cracking on and churning through it.

[captain_70s]

It is indeed a case of just cracking on and doing it, it's the finding time/motivation to crack on and do it that'd be the hard part.

 

There is also quite the difference between doing a job to a standard of it being functional but neither pretty or perfect (the way I do things) and being done "properly" as you tend to have done with your MGB. One is quite a lot harder and more time consuming than the other!

[vulgalour]

Perfection is over rated.

[captain_70s]

  On 23/06/2018 at 18:45, vulgalour said:

Perfection is over rated.

When you run old BL chod it's also un-achievable!

 

(Old retired duffers with infinite tinkering time aside).

[DodgeRover]

  SiC said:

I'm also struggling to find a source of sheet metal. The offcuts I got from eBay don't look like ordinary mild steel and more galvanized stuff. Not something I really want to be practicing on.

PC tower case side covers, gas central heating boiler casings/ covers, washing machine sides. Grab a bent bonnet from your local body shop.

[captain_70s]

  On 23/06/2018 at 00:21, SiC said:

I'm also struggling to find a source of sheet metal. The offcuts I got from eBay don't look like ordinary mild steel and more galvanized stuff. Not something I really want to be practicing on.

Generally galv tends to be mentioned as such as is more expensive, although you could give these guy's a shot:

 

http://southweststeelsupplies.co.uk/

[Eddie Honda]

Last time I bought a 2.4 x 1.2 sheet of steel it was less than 30 yoyos. It was a bit of pain transporting it in my trail (for length) and did a good job of chewing my straps up.