Jump to content

Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - a WEDGE joins the fleet 4/8/24


Angrydicky

Recommended Posts

More cleaning. 

827AFE72-AC5D-4A2E-B95F-8E61E7D62F72.thumb.jpeg.0ff80938ceecd0d80b3960d44c457839.jpeg

597F2BE1-2DB7-43DC-889A-7DC0939E395E.thumb.jpeg.896511d111203b66f8ae1219bc35dab9.jpeg

5E1224EB-AECB-4B1C-A37C-E49B6B3131C6.thumb.jpeg.6b98439756c7f171b5b681478fe6bcf8.jpeg

83B6CB83-111B-45CA-9255-49A75379B156.thumb.jpeg.9a94f668f0a91251faee669279c098c3.jpeg

7476CA3F-A645-4B76-A06A-651CBE10BACC.thumb.jpeg.a6785e1433b0d929e68f44809f06db29.jpeg

0F32BAE8-BAC5-4CBC-B539-839FB293509C.thumb.jpeg.637d77332388a55c377860e5aa930830.jpeg

ADAE367B-A6F9-4E37-989F-FB400BFB07AA.thumb.jpeg.d2bdb205782e5dc1371cfb34b124a1ee.jpeg

BAF5AF1F-D69A-4232-8D76-59914B7AC8B9.thumb.jpeg.88b2185245444709df2756f06da9fb68.jpeg

The dashboard came up very well. Most of the original wood effect paint is in good condition, it’s just around the windows where surface rust has come through.

542F6241-B9D7-4496-876F-C8B43451001E.thumb.jpeg.27460cb0419ea05864135fd0b2d9c564.jpeg

The dash plastics are in amazingly good condition. Normally on Hampshires and Atlantics they’re all falling apart and they are made of unobtanium. The only other car I know that used those particular switches was the Triumph Mayflower (and they’re always disintegrated on those too). I gave them all a wipe down and they look good. The gearknob is pretty good too. 

073CD7CE-6E79-486E-A281-BE255CF7C3B9.thumb.jpeg.298e23db4b10caa4c5a0ae5a50847ad5.jpeg

Sadly, the steering wheel is fucked. Normally owners just put a cover on but this one’s beyond that! 

1772C213-2D5A-438E-8367-B53A95C43ECB.thumb.jpeg.6dad0fcefa9ab4cd462922255146ba0d.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Angrydicky changed the title to Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - The Hampshire work starts 30/3/21

I love the dashboard too. A really nice piece of design.

377781B2-72ED-44E2-8BFD-4021A1B57CCB.thumb.jpeg.afef3140fbbf75600d540e5ab63c27ee.jpeg

B39D0258-7564-47FF-A09D-67B00A729922.thumb.jpeg.b9bb03639dfc043111e6fc9b20e1f8ba.jpeg

25E04A2B-2EB5-42A2-BFE4-9306752E8FBC.thumb.jpeg.1ce09cca7f8144f058d8954804b727fd.jpeg

Seats are starting to look good now. They should respond well to some leather cleaner and conditioner when I get that far. Took the rear seat base out to clean it and discovered some more rot underneath. The foam of the seat base was soaking wet and it had held water against the metal like a sponge! I’ve cleaned it up and brought it in the house to dry out.

762D1BBE-2461-41D6-A428-2CAA4E3CDA79.thumb.jpeg.9ebbd37645f125b78a5028b3324cd7fc.jpeg

5818C1BA-F258-42BC-A87F-E2D7EAA4640E.thumb.jpeg.64b78932283b988283f57f8e476ceb6b.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My attention turned to the engine bay.

2D1F504C-E301-4562-A93C-F168FF823C69.thumb.jpeg.a305a23afb3aca40223051822b4baae9.jpeg

28AB535F-557F-4E6F-9B8A-C1C8F1302783.thumb.jpeg.e931a9882123d4eb6a897ee27d5f6cfc.jpeg

The starting handle was missing, but the Somerset one fitted. I turned the engine over, it felt ok and was showing clean oil on the dipstick. 

5EC9668A-35DA-42DA-BEF9-A0F022A80A77.thumb.jpeg.48ce3daacc20b72771ff8de18d7825d7.jpeg

C9E9C27D-B22E-43C4-8D7E-00AC74225722.thumb.jpeg.f64e20dd25f428ba5d9bf697ce26bf1f.jpeg

AF72BCF6-D524-48DC-BFF8-30A1FB474416.thumb.jpeg.c250aff09e37f40aa76189f4454504d5.jpeg

DD1202FF-D0DD-4C8D-A9A7-5E8CC14075E8.thumb.jpeg.b22daa433a858570678f6756c7904934.jpeg

I started by removing the carb. All the linkages are seized solid on it, as is the bulkhead linkage where it goes through an aluminium housing. I’ve never come across that before and it goes to show just how damp this poor car has got. For now, I’ve soaked the bulkhead linkage in penetrating oil and left it to soak in. 

The carb needs all cleaning up and freeing off. Luckily, there was an overhaul kit in one of the boxes of spares. It still had the receipt from when it was bought. 1978!

81C92312-1900-45E9-83C9-DD588B133ED7.thumb.jpeg.9d50ce044e6a00e90b7a1f458bfab52b.jpeg

91CE8E54-1947-40E3-8494-FC0BEDC104FD.thumb.jpeg.08eb9b984c9589141f49e5b919c70d45.jpeg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is one hell of a classy car and has got you written all over it,there couldn't be a better new custodian for it.

And as it has a big stout chassis under it then the rot in the floors and lower panels is all reparable bit by bit without it loosing its shape.

Also that lovely careworn front bench seat with its cheeky arm rests is the dogs dangley bits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ended up removing the rocker cover to give better access to remove the inner mounting bolt for the carb. Having done this, I turned the engine on the handle while watching the rockers. All the valves were opening and closing, with the exception of number one which was stuck. I was also surprised to see really smelly, stale old petrol come spurting out of the disconnected fuel pipe! Normally if the pump works there’s a blockage in the tank or line. But this fuel system seems good. I had been planning to use a gravity feed when I come to start it, but maybe I don’t need to. I don’t know how much petrol there is in the tank but I’m tempted to just drain it and put some fresh in.

After cleaning up a few corroded connections, I put a battery on it, too see what worked and what didn’t.

The dash starter button didn’t seem to be working, but the solenoid button did. I thought there was something wrong with it until I remembered that the A70 and A90 starter switches don’t work unless the ignition is on. 

The engine cranks over happily on the starter. The horns work but that’s about it. The trafficators, wipers, heater and fuel gauge are all dead. It’ll probably only be one or two corroded connections preventing them from working, as all that stuff goes through the same fuse. The horn and lights run through the other fuse, and I am sure that if the light switch wasn’t seized we would have at least one or two lights working too.

8E195EBE-D5F9-4CC7-A473-E37B00C97D0B.thumb.jpeg.314ae2dd7045b0d23282694b818ce47f.jpeg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I very carefully cleaned the mouldy headlining. It’s mega fragile and here and there I felt it give way as I was cleaning it, mostly around the sides. It’s far from perfect but a big, big improvement on what it was like. It was originally beige, but they normally do look not far off this colour these days!

I did discover the original rear window blind (a prewar throwback, I didnt even know they were fitted on Hampshires) is still present and in surprisingly good condition, though the cable that used to connect to the dash so you could pull it up to hide the world behind from view, is sadly broken.

B48344A4-9BD8-44DB-BEAE-6403E1F055A2.thumb.jpeg.5a981988c46284ceda2833e3a59c10e7.jpeg

8DE599A2-9F4D-44C8-9D1C-485236E90255.thumb.jpeg.ad35732c0de85a2754ccc23347a527d9.jpeg

41BCDF44-2441-4BD2-83DE-B0A796B25D30.thumb.jpeg.2678e58a6d3e0856722c2301435d571e.jpeg

The headlining just in front of the sunroof has come down, and the roof above is flaking with surface rust. It’s solid but needs cleaning back, rustkilling and painting before it’s too late. Same with the sunroof aperture. I did attempt to open the sunroof but the mechanism is seized. I got showered with rusty flakes while attempting it, which went all over me and my nice clean seats. I’m hoping to be able to stick the headlining back up when it’s all painted. 

73EC7A8C-97F6-47E4-9EBF-5853D45E9EE1.thumb.jpeg.cec22fad9530e3adf37c345c0b143f01.jpeg

1C813B22-1A71-44CA-B8C6-A902C47B95B9.thumb.jpeg.9d26fd592ffae62d228ff3c58dbf7b7e.jpeg

3C629A13-C493-4B7E-A84F-3470033D3A4F.thumb.jpeg.406ea26225c99f6e308c797367ec579e.jpeg

8CF0EDBD-915E-4FCE-81CC-2B6F998D372D.thumb.jpeg.e7530d835f0bc2a778bdfd638576f30c.jpeg

The main identity plate on Counties Austins is a little Bakelite plate usually fitted on the back of the drivers sunvisor. Sadly, the sun visors in this car have really suffered. have have a good spare Somerset one that looks the same to me but the all important plate is in very poor condition on this car. There is a bloke in Canada doing repros but they’re just not the same. The chassis plate, the one riveted to the chassis, has actually corroded through the middle on this car! 

EED79E22-CCE9-4FDA-8A07-6AD74EEC4B27.thumb.jpeg.c55e4b7f0e02955a0b38241b52403661.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Angrydicky changed the title to Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - Rust, Rust, Rust 30/3/21

Hey Rich, that's epic, and as usual a great read.

On a practical note, something I've been thinking a while, is there anywhere that still sells leaded juice? I had a quick google and there's a place in Hertfordshire listed - Ashwells - but who knows how accurate/up to date that is.  Or are you going to have to use additive?

Comparitively speaking the rust isn't as bad as I expected, when we were racing we had mark 3/4/5 Cortinas that were rustier than that and took some work (me, with a hammer, a fucked welder and some reclaimed* road signs) to get prepped!

 

Good luck mate, you've got this. Is it near home or work? Will love to come and have a look.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, outlaw118 said:

Hey Rich, that's epic, and as usual a great read.

On a practical note, something I've been thinking a while, is there anywhere that still sells leaded juice? I had a quick google and there's a place in Hertfordshire listed - Ashwells - but who knows how accurate/up to date that is.  Or are you going to have to use additive?

Comparitively speaking the rust isn't as bad as I expected, when we were racing we had mark 3/4/5 Cortinas that were rustier than that and took some work (me, with a hammer, a fucked welder and some reclaimed* road signs) to get prepped!

 

Good luck mate, you've got this. Is it near home or work? Will love to come and have a look.

 

Hi Bob, good to hear from you! Yeah I’ve got it up in Suffolk, you’d be more than welcome to come and poke around it (not through it) if you’re ever in the area!

Leaded 4-star, yeah as you’ve noticed the website is years out of date and most of the garages on there either don’t sell it anymore, or don’t exist anymore. I use Castrol Valvemaster Plus which seems pretty good, it also incorporates an ethanol stabiliser.

If you really want the full fat lead, google tetraboost. They are a company who sell the neat tetraethyl lead which you can mix with unleaded to make the good stuff!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, barrett said:

Your knobs are in remarkable condition!

I recently learned of the existence of this thing, which I would love to have
4932978562_d32ed69463_b.jpg

This is a beauty. Have you seen pictures of the Hampshire convertibles bodied by Penneck of The Hague? I have a Dutch friend who is really into these old Austins, and he reckons one does survive over there, but it’s modified.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

.....If you really want the full fat lead, google tetraboost. They are a company who sell the neat tetraethyl lead which you can mix with unleaded to make the good stuff!

This. Absolutely this! Good for any car that originally ran on leaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

 

 

The dash plastics are in amazingly good condition. Normally on Hampshires and Atlantics they’re all falling apart and they are made of unobtanium. The only other car I know that used those particular switches was the Triumph Mayflower (and they’re always disintegrated on those too). I gave them all a wipe down and they look good. The gearknob is pretty good too. 

073CD7CE-6E79-486E-A281-BE255CF7C3B9.thumb.jpeg.298e23db4b10caa4c5a0ae5a50847ad5.jpeg

 

Definitely worth photographing exhaustively and taking a lot of measurements, as they will likely disintegrate in the same way; with measurements and photos they are well within the amateur 3D printing realm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

I did discover the original rear window blind (a prewar throwback, I didnt even know they were fitted on Hampshires) is still present and in surprisingly good condition, though the cable that used to connect to the dash so you could pull it up to hide the world behind from view, is sadly broken.

Never mind the sunroof, this gets me all hot and bothered.

Never heard of such a device; and it's hopefully a feature that can be repaired at some point (although I can well appreciate there are somewhat more pressing matters to attend to first).

I know diddly-squat about 1940s/50s motors, so between this and Vulg's Lanchester thread, a whole fascinating world of Bakelite, scumbling, and Bluemel is opening up to me.

It's marvellous to see work begin on this so quickly after decades of neglect; more power to your elbow, sir!

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joking apart, this is great stuff, not least that window blind as Mr Cog says above. Love it.

The welding and metalwork looks extensive but at least not horribly complicated, and the interior is ace.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/30/2021 at 8:48 PM, Angrydicky said:

I found this in the back window. Reg comes back to a Talbot Avenger, last taxed in 1991.

E882A069-9891-4DEC-9ADD-B400FEB9A977.thumb.jpeg.d1febb53942a8187f0e8f3016b9b3bb8.jpeg

arkiolijy.jpg.f682e66f2ec3b7916030bc4867c9f1f5.jpg

 

The levels of post war austerity oozing from this thing are making me want to treat myself to some tinned meat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/31/2021 at 8:04 AM, outlaw118 said:

...is there anywhere that still sells leaded juice? I had a quick google and there's a place in Hertfordshire listed - Ashwells - but who knows how accurate/up to date that is. .....

Chalk Hill filling station  in Dunstable still had a 4-star leaded pump when I last passed it - the only one other than Ashwell Garages that I know of. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Never mind the sunroof, this gets me all hot and bothered.

Never heard of such a device; and it's hopefully a feature that can be repaired at some point (although I can well appreciate there are somewhat more pressing matters to attend to first).

I know diddly-squat about 1940s/50s motors, so between this and Vulg's Lanchester thread, a whole fascinating world of Bakelite, scumbling, and Bluemel is opening up to me.

It's marvellous to see work begin on this so quickly after decades of neglect; more power to your elbow, sir!

Tbh I'm looking at them going wow, projects and restorations that are more in my price range and skills etc. Almost gives one motivation to titivate ones own car! (prob more the Lanchester than this for the rust but meh) 

Could happily see an old thing like this for Sundays and show days and pissing off the locals when I'm bored and the xsara/modern for actually going places

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 31/03/2021 at 08:04, outlaw118 said:

Hey Rich, that's epic, and as usual a great read.

On a practical note, something I've been thinking a while, is there anywhere that still sells leaded juice? I had a quick google and there's a place in Hertfordshire listed - Ashwells - but who knows how accurate/up to date that is.  Or are you going to have to use additive?

Comparitively speaking the rust isn't as bad as I expected, when we were racing we had mark 3/4/5 Cortinas that were rustier than that and took some work (me, with a hammer, a fucked welder and some reclaimed* road signs) to get prepped!

 

Good luck mate, you've got this. Is it near home or work? Will love to come and have a look.

 

No need for leaded fuel for this with it's 6.8:1 combustion chambers. Only petrol available back then was "pool" grade, rationed until May 1950. 80 octane not yet available. Nobody was concerned about valve-seat recession as car engines just did not last long enough without serious maintenance back then.

As discussed in parliament...

130176554_Screenshot2021-04-01at10_05_51.thumb.png.ef01f3d49534410e0d22f640eaa55553.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New V5 is here @LightBulbFun

Impressive speed, I did it online Monday morning and it arrived today.

I thought it might have automatically updated to Historic Vehicle status but it hasn’t. What’s the easiest way of doing this do you reckon?

B209578D-928E-4A1D-B3C4-E6699EA45E4B.thumb.jpeg.a4bbb78be696ef1299b1ec96cd837405.jpeg

B6809C78-A886-4F3B-A830-EFB268702AAC.thumb.jpeg.e93fcac5251e55120183f78d02efa538.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

New V5 is here @LightBulbFun

Impressive speed, I did it online Monday morning and it arrived today.

I thought it might have automatically updated to Historic Vehicle status but it hasn’t. What’s the easiest way of doing this do you reckon?

 

very interesting it just says number of former keepers 1, no "since such and such date"

on the 1987 V5 you have does it say "Number of keepers XXX since such and such date" 

 

something like so? (note not my image just an example I pulled from ebay, if you put old logbook into ebay its a bit scary what shows up but its great for saddos like myself who like to research DVLA history like this LOL)

image.thumb.png.2971e27d3346ef7a388f7d79c827d47c.png

image.png.ee82bac84722d08e9c92c18579d5028a.png

im just trying to figure out if the DVLA have dropped that from new V5's or not, not found a solid answer yet tho

the date is when the vehicle was computerised, as keeper counts from buff logbooks did not carry over, so the DVLC put "Number of keepers since such and such date" to specifically tell people the keeper count only goes this far back and that before that date it could of had 100 keepers for all we know

(can you imagine how many continuation books that would be LOL)

 

(PS may I advise you crop the image so the right side of your first picture so the Chassis number etc is not visible?) 

 

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

I thought it might have automatically updated to Historic Vehicle status but it hasn’t. What’s the easiest way of doing this do you reckon?

on this front, just take the new V5 to a post office that deals with vehicle tax, with a filled out V112, and then ask them to tax it into the historic vehicle taxation class and they will do so and take the V5 from you to have it updated

note this will tax the vehicle so make sure its insured or make sure to SORN it right away once you get the new historic vehicle V5, or the DVLA will then break your knee caps if you dont SORN it in good time after getting the new-new V5, for having an uninsured vehicle on the road

 

however vehicles untaxed before 1998 do not have to Be SORNed and the system wont actually do it, so you dont have to worry about SORNing this one if you dont want to change the tax class right away

 

anyways my sleep inducing DVLA ramblings aside,

Awesome to see things are progressing at a steady rate already with the new Austin tis very awesome to see :) keep up the good work!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...