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

[plasticvandan]

I did parts of my MZ in craftmaster paint,having brush painted almost all my projects,I have to say it's the best paint I've ever used for coach painting,and I was just using ordinary brushes!

[brownnova]

This stands as absolutely my favourite thread on AS currently!

I too will be watching the hand painting potential, I plan to do the green 2CV as a brush job when we come to do it. Lots of great advice here already! 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

On 4/5/2021 at 2:36 PM, plasticvandan said:

I did parts of my MZ in craftmaster paint,having brush painted almost all my projects,I have to say it's the best paint I've ever used for coach painting,and I was just using ordinary brushes!

I assumed brush painting was always going to make a project look a bit rubbish. Then you posted this. Impressive work! 

[R1152]

14 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I assumed brush painting was always going to make a project look a bit rubbish. Then you posted this. Impressive work! 

That's why I suggested coach enamel. With care, it really can produce a finish as good as a spray. Unlike my visit to a breakers circa 1984, where I encountered a rotten Renault 6 that had been painted all over in gold Hammerite.

I seem to recall that Craftmaster paints are what the heritage railway people use in locomotive and rolling stock restoration.

[R1152]

On 05/04/2021 at 09:42, somewhatfoolish said:

Along the same lines, when googling about Iverine it said one means of identifying it was to warm it with warm water(30-40C) and it releases a camphor smell(because it contains camphor); although having expended effort drying the car out you may not want to start pouring water everywhere.

Unlikely those knobs are Ivorine though: they're more likely urea formaldehyde, a material wrongly identified as Bakelite (which is phenol formaldehyde). It's what your typical light switch is made from.

[Amishtat]

35 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I assumed brush painting was always going to make a project look a bit rubbish. Then you posted this. Impressive work! 

Complete thread deviation, but there is or was a late Standard Vanguard in the Coventry transport museum which had been coach painted by its previous owner. The finish was beautiful, absolutely glassy. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

1 hour ago, R1152 said:

That's why I suggested coach enamel. With care, it really can produce a finish as good as a spray. Unlike my visit to a breakers circa 1984, where I encountered a rotten Renault 6 that had been painted all over in gold Hammerite.

I seem to recall that Craftmaster paints are what the heritage railway people use in locomotive and rolling stock restoration.

That reminds me of the early 90s when I worked in a garage locally. A fella rented part of one of the workshops and was systematically restoring his Triumph Herald. He was immaculate with all of his welding and fab work and took great care with filling too. He seemed to know what he was doing and I was looking forward to seeing the finished article.

My interest vanished pretty rapidly when he eventually got his brushes out and proceeded to make a bloody awful job of painting the entire thing in gloss black. It went from having serious potential to looking like someone's grandparent had lashed some spare gloss he had in an old tin in the garage onto the bodywork using his wife's hairbrush. 

My views on brush painting vehicles have been heavily influenced by this unfortunate event for many years since. The photo posted by plasticvandan has certainly opened my eyes to what an immaculate outcome can actually be achieved with quality paint, brushes and skill. 

It certainly seems a valid option for this Austin. 

[Angrydicky]

Yesterday I spoke to Austin aficionado Dave Whyley (who probably knows more about Counties Austins than anyone else). He said Smiths stuck the knobs to the switches with a blob of some kind of sealant or glue on the end of the switch. The only way to get them off is to warm them carefully with a hairdryer. I have borrowed one now so shall have another go at the switches when I get a moment.

Both Dave and Ray Dawes, who does the Austin Counties spares say they have good secondhand steering wheels. Awaiting pics and prices. The wheel is apparently the same as the early, floor change Devon (GS2 model) up to about 1951. I thought my rim was originally cream but Dave assures me it should be brown and has simply lost its covering over time and reverted back to its natural plastic colour.

Dave also has a bonnet release handle. Seems the handle I was looking at in the middle, under the dash is for the scuttle vent. The bonnet release handle is missing but the bracket is still there with the cable sheath. It looks like the cable broke years ago and someone has modified it to open from the front of the car.

Unfortunately the Birmingham records haven’t survived although Dave said a Heritage certificate might show up if it was first registered by the Austin Motor Company. He said it might have been purchased through the Austin employee discount scheme, especially as the Hampshire was right at the end of its production run by that point and they likely had a few kicking around Longbridge they needed shot of as the Hereford was rapidly approaching the end of the pipeline. In 1950, there was generally a two-year waiting list for new cars. He said Austin didn’t get much of a government steel allocation to build Hampshires, as they were never marketed or sold in the USA. 

The throttle linkage has spent all day in the hot tank at work and just before I left, I checked it and I could feel the tiniest amount of movement in it. It does also look a lot cleaner. I’ll see what it’s like in the morning.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

2 hours ago, R1152 said:

... Craftmaster paints are what the heritage railway people use in locomotive and rolling stock restoration.

Seems so. And those are definitely brush-painted.

Craftmaster website was not responding earlier this afternoon. Wonder if it crashed?

[jonathan_dyane]

It’s probably getting more traffic than usual!

[Angrydicky]

I'll definitely be contacting Craftmaster when the time comes. I have spoken to Adam before actually.

[R1152]

29 minutes ago, jonathan_dyane said:

It’s probably getting more traffic than usual!

Especially with all the heritage railways coming back - well, those that survived, anyway.

 

[barrett]

2 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

I'll definitely be contacting Craftmaster when the time comes. I have spoken to Adam before actually.

Say that I sent you! Not sure it'll make any difference but I've done him a favour in the past (see GN picture above!) So it might oil the wheels. He's a good chap anyway, I'm sure he'll steer you right.

I need to PM you about summat else actually, watch this space...

[Angrydicky]

The front numberplate and mounting bracket on the Hampshire was very bent and twisted. But it looked like it would straighten out ok. Doesn’t look too bad in this photo.

You can see how bent it was here:

I carefully separated the numberplate and backing plate. 

Dressed out the damage and blasted it:

The backing plates on A70s and A90s are extra long, incorporating those ears on the sides presumably to line up with the position of the mounting brackets on the bumpers. These are not available new, so I wanted to save these as often restored cars are missing them. Had to also weld up a split in this one, easy job with a bit of copper clamped behind the work.

The surface rust was doing it no favours so I took the decision to blast and powdercoat it, to preserve it. These are normally rotten.

I straightened the number plate out very carefully by hand, with just careful application of the vice on that bottom left corner where the corner was bent up, and got it probably 95%. It’s certainly good enough for this car. 

I also cleaned it up again, using TFR on the digits and then went over them again with baby wipes afterwards. The original paint is actually in very good condition, with a nice patina, so I left it alone.

Managed to use the original bracket-to car mounting nuts and bolts, blasted and painted. Had to cut one of the numberplate bolts off but found some near identical dome headed bolts of the same thread, which I painted black. I even turned the heads to the original orientation, that’s how sad I am! Used a big adjustable to tweak the LH bumper bracket back into position, as that was bent as well.

I love how you can make out the Bluemels badge now- I’ve cleaned it gently and that’s the best I can get it.

[New POD]

I've got a lob on. 

[Angrydicky]

I was under the impression this could just be left as it is while it's off the road (untaxed since 1988) as it predates the 1998 SORN introduction.

However, I've had a letter from DVLA, requesting I tax or SORN it. 

Does anyone know if it they've changed the rules and it has to be SORNed, maybe once it changes hands, or whether the letter was a generic one, sent to the new owner of any car that is neither taxed nor SORN?

[Skizzer]

I believe it needs to be SORNed (or taxed) after changing hands.

Love the sensitive plate restoration. So much better than binning it for a shiny new one.

[Austin-Rover]

4 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

Does anyone know if it they've changed the rules and it has to be SORNed, maybe once it changes hands, or whether the letter was a generic one, sent to the new owner of any car that is neither taxed nor SORN?

The car could have been dormant for decades and would never prompt a SORN or Tax reminder, but once you've asked for that new V5c in your name, you've woken the record and you're now in the cycle of tax or SORN.

This is a superb thread by the way. I love the car for 1) being something I've never heard of, and (related) 2) a wonderfully obscure model and the history that comes with it. Fascinating! (and a fascinating story for the actual car, too!)

[wuvvum]

Do you know, until this thread I'd never actually registered that the radiator grille on these is split half way up.

[LightBulbFun]

9 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

I was under the impression this could just be left as it is while it's off the road (untaxed since 1988) as it predates the 1998 SORN introduction.

However, I've had a letter from DVLA, requesting I tax or SORN it. 

Does anyone know if it they've changed the rules and it has to be SORNed, maybe once it changes hands, or whether the letter was a generic one, sent to the new owner of any car that is neither taxed nor SORN?

Yeah they do that from time to time, they really should do something about it!

if you want you can call up the DVLA and someone will make sure you dont get anymore nasty letters about it

(as you say since its been untaxed since before 1998 you cant even SORN it if you wanted to, if you do a SORN application it will say it went through but it wont ever take)

im not actually sure what would happen if you just ignored the letters, no ones really tried to find out! (or at least not that I am aware of!)

as above most people go "Oi WTF!" and someone at the DVLA goes "Sorry Sir/Madam we will stop the letters"

 

the curious thing is I dont think you always get the letters, I wonder what prompts them sometimes but not always...

[MisterH]

I am a self confessed numberplate geek, and I love that this is being restored to retain is character.

I have a question here regarding plate restoration:

We have a 1986 Audi WR quattro, bought new by my grandfather from a local VAG dealer, it still retains the rear dealer plate but it has started to deteriorate:

Is there anyway to, if not improve this, stop it getting worse? Maybe a protective film? The car is only used in summer and warm climes, though not afraid to take it in the rain. Have anyone got any advice?

[wuvvum]

You could always sell the car and use the proceeds to buy an island in the Caribbean - then it'd be summer and warm climes all year round.

[MisterH]

12 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

You could always sell the car and use the proceeds to buy an island in the Caribbean - then it'd be summer and warm climes all year round.

Very drole, would have to then toil away for years to regain the funds to get a family heirloom back, or arrange an accident...

[Stanky]

I'd suggest getting some very hi-res pictures of each detail and seeing if any of the show plates companies can produce a new set identical to the old ones. DMG used to be the go-to company for repro plates, which many on here have used to produce extremely good replicas of original dealer plates, but they went bust or vanished a while back. 

Be clear the car is a cherished heirloom and you want PERFECT replicas. Might not be cheap but if they last another 35 years you'll get your money's worth.

I think what has happened is the plate is beginning to delaminate and there really isn't much that can be done when this happens.

[greengartside]

There’s a guy on Instagram (if you do that sort of thing) called Retroplates. His work is seriously impressive and I doubt that would be difficult to replicate your plates 100%.

[vulgalour]

If you're really careful you can use a little heat to soften the vinyl film so you can lift and clean the edges out of that dirt.  Then a little heat to soften the vinyl before leaving weights on it to press it all down again.  A coat or three of clear lacquer on the back and around the edges (mask off the front face) can then seal up where the plastic board of the plate and vinyl backing meet.  It won't stand up to a jetwash, but it would help retain what's there.  Fiddly job though, and very easy to damage the vinyl since it will be quite fragile now.

[MisterH]

Thank you all for your recommendations, sorry for temporarily hijacking this thread, I saw number plate and was gone!

 

I shall see if we can do anything about it

Cheers!

[Angrydicky]

11 hours ago, greengartside said:

There’s a guy on Instagram (if you do that sort of thing) called Retroplates. His work is seriously impressive and I doubt that would be difficult to replicate your plates 100%.

Just checked them out, I'm very impressed. I had previously used a different provider and the service and quality were poor, to say the least. These look great.

Anyone know how much he charges?

[R1152]

Just spotted these for the Austin's front indicators, if they're any help?

https://www.bettercarlighting.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=358

Edit: bugger.

Sadly, we can only do it in negative earth for now.

[Jon]

I have nothing much to say, except that I look forward to every update, love the preservation and definitely think this couldn't be in better hands. I really hope the Counties club welcome you with open arms and respect that you're likely their strongest candidate for keeping these things alive in The Future. 

And here's a ute conversion I spotted a few years ago at Horopito scrap yard.

Everything's for sale (at a price...), so if there's any bits you may see of use from what's left of the bodywork, I should be local to it later in the year, so let me know. Assuming it's still there, of course!