Austin 7cwt van resurrection

[stuboy]

2 hours ago, Mat.T said:

The van has escaped the work shop for now. I've driven it up the road a few times and it drives pretty well. After all the horror stories about the marinas handling I was pleasantly surprised. It does feel like a large Morris minor. Brakes are good and it pulls well up to 60. We certainly need to fit at least 1 wing mirror because reversing with a full load blocking the rear window involves lots of guess work!

needs period rood rack and ladder

[Wack]

Did the plate come off a bentley , that must be worth a few Bob

Great thread , very interesting 

[Mat.T]

Today's big update. Woke the van up from it's winter slumber, checked bulbs brakes etc

And drove to the bodyshop where my mate Keith of KW restorations operates from. (Also where my Saab lives) it's the first journey it's done over about 2 miles in 18years! It drove quite well really and turned a few confused heads!

Its not the only Marina shaped thing being worked on at the minute either

Hopefully we will have some photos of the strip down soon.

Re the number plate it was already on the van when my boss purchased it! One of the reasons the van survived so long it's because of the plate.

[alf892]

Lovely looking thing the marina coupe..........and I always liked those under bumper reverse lamps too.

[trigger]

Brilliant stuff! 

[trigger]

The green Marina would look better powersiding across gravel... 

[artdjones]

Didn't Cars and Car Conversions do a 1.3 Coupé Group 1 rally car?

[Dan302]

Am I right in thinking they put Dolly Sprint engines in some Marina rally cars? If not that would be awesome!

[eddyramrod]

On 2/26/2020 at 3:44 PM, trigger said:

The green Marina would look better powersiding across gravel... 

It's even the same one!  Well spotted Trig!

[Mat.T]

Well that's great! I don't think the coupe owner has had it long. I think he is planning on competing in it.

[Christine]

8 hours ago, artdjones said:

Didn't Cars and Car Conversions do a 1.3 Coupé Group 1 rally car?

I've got those copies !

[spartacus]

I seem to remember CCC having a modified car of the year award and one year it went to a well modified Marina Coupe. It was supposed to be really special.

[Mat.T]

 

[Mat.T]

Keith has already started poking the rust holes. We are looking for a scuttle panel, before we make Keith make it up. Other than that its pretty solid for a 70's van.

 

[pauldoubleyou]

Can i be the first to address the elephant in the room - that number plate is going to be worth more than the van will ever be. 

 

I hope its transferrable. 

 

Aside from that 'kind of thing my dad says' out of the way, loving the thread. 

[New POD]

The one modification I would do is twin rear wipers. 

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, pauldoubleyou said:

Can i be the first to address the elephant in the room - that number plate is an Essex one so could well have come off an Invacar!

FTFY  

(as a side note I do hope it stays on the van, the thought of such a valuable/distinct plate on something most people would consider worthless/"just a shonky old van" amuses me  )

Van is awesome BTW  (I also hope I see more on that bucket truck you use to change lightbulbs ) 

[Mat.T]

Covid, birth of my first child and various other things and this project has ground to a halt. But Keith is back in the case with the rebuild. We have alot been on the hunt for Nos bits including the rear quarter bumpers.

https://www.facebook.com/259202380902017/posts/1793974174091489/

 

Hopefully the face book linkworks

[strangeangel]

Somehow I managed to miss this thread up to now! Watching with interest...

 

[lisbon_road]

This is very impressive.  The bodyshop seems to be removing and replacing a lot of metal, was it actually worse than expected?  (That's never happened before)

More pictures would be very welcome.  Thanks for sharing.

[Mat.T]

It's not that bad really, Most of what Keith has removed are previous patch repairs from when the van was tarted up 20 years ago. This time we are wanting to get rid of the patch repairs and do a decent factory looking repair.

He is reusing the arch arch repair panels fitted all those years ago. Just fitting them better with a proper inner arch this time.

We ordered new sills as they are relatively inexpensive and will make a nice job of it.

I realize I forgot to update this thread about  our Commer lorry/lift I will get some more photos of it and add them.

[Mat.T]

Keith has been busy adding new metal to the van. Outer sills, floor plans, inner sills. Inner wheel arch remade.

[Mat.T]

Welding and fabrication still happening on this old van.

Both A pillars now done and the scuttle panel. Chassis legs welded up.

[Mat.T]

Driver side done

Passenger side much the same!

 

[Mat.T]

Of course now all this scuttle panel work has been done a NOS scuttle panel will turn up! Still its nice and solid now

Chassis leg repair

 

[somewhatfoolish]

Yipes! That's some hungry tinworms. Cracking fabrication.

[Mat.T]

Credit to Keith: (KW restorations) for the fabrication  those A pillars and scuttle got rather more involved than we were expecting!

He has just finished rebuilding the doors with NOS door skins.

Lots more photos on his face book page

https://www.facebook.com/KWRestorations/

 

 

[Angrydicky]

Lovely work! Really good to see such nice fabrication going into this old bus.

Mat - any chance you could pass on my details to your mate with the Austin Hampshires? It would be good to get in touch with another owner, and maybe we can help each other out with spares etc as I have a few bits I probably won’t need.

If that’s ok, I’ll PM you my email.

[Mat.T]

Yes no problem, I'm actually working with him today so I shall pass your details on.

[2flags]

This looks amazing. It is great to see so much work going into what was at the time just another working van. They were disposable. You used them until they broke, then threw them away and got another one.