Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - free Austin gets more miles under its belt, 18/1/25

[Asimo]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

AR were really branching out, almost pitting Lockheed against Girling, I guess for cost. Repair seal kits used to be abundant

This was a real nuisance, with their incompatible fluids.

This Riley 1.5 for example: Girling master cylinder for brakes (red fluid), Lockheed clutch cylinder (yellow fluid). Expensive failure resulted if the wrong fluid was used - all of the seals would swell up and leak.

[Matty]

2 hours ago, Asimo said:

This was a real nuisance, with their incompatible fluids.

This Riley 1.5 for example: Girling master cylinder for brakes (red fluid), Lockheed clutch cylinder (yellow fluid). Expensive failure resulted if the wrong fluid was used - all of the seals would swell up and leak.

And we wonder why it all went wrong....

[artdjones]

On 19/11/2022 at 12:43, Joey spud said:

Yes I can mostly relate to that view too. 

There's a lot of weak (I'm being polite) content washing around the place nowadays.Having a 20,000+ post count doesn't necessarily mean your content or viewpoint is thererfore better than that from a new guy who posts infrequently (quality not quantity anyone?).

The front page used to be rammed with projects and progress reports.

The effort you put into chasing down long obsolete parts for this old Austin is impressive.So too are all the images you take time to post up not forgetting your knowledgeable write ups too.

I feel there is just a tiny dark corner of Autoshite left now for the lovers of genuine old tat.

Then again I may be totally wrong and i haven't been hanging around wearing my rose tinted specs in vain hoping the place would return to better times after all.

I still like the forum, but do we need page after page of nonce modifications? Especially if you get jumped on when you mention stuff that a lot of nonces have actually used. 

[SiC]

20 minutes ago, artdjones said:

I still like the forum

That's a nearly 2yr old post now. Times change.

Right now I personally think the forum has plenty of interesting content - albeit intertwined with some that I find less so but that's easy enough to skip past. Plenty of new members coming in too and things are fresh.

[SiC]

I find it quite interesting yay this princess was 27yrs old when this forum was created in its current incarnation in 2005. In 2024, a 27yr old car is something like the original Laguna. They're still around and available to buy cheaply (like this princess would have been) but getting very rare. The Laguna still feels modern but that's more that I'm just getting older and remember them vividly when growing up (my parents & grandparents had one from new too), while the Princess wasn't really on my radar until I was a lot older and I don't remember them when I was younger.

[artdjones]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

I find it quite interesting yay this princess was 27yrs old when this forum was created in its current incarnation in 2005. In 2024, a 27yr old car is something like the original Laguna. They're still around and available to buy cheaply (like this princess would have been) but getting very rare. The Laguna still feels modern but that's more that I'm just getting older and remember them vividly when growing up (my parents & grandparents had one from new too), while the Princess wasn't really on my radar until I was a lot older and I don't remember them when I was younger.

The kind of driver who likes a wedge would probably also like a Mk1 Laguna. I know I do.

 

[Angrydicky]

7 minutes ago, artdjones said:

The kind of driver who likes a wedge would probably also like a Mk1 Laguna. I know I do.

 

Funny you say that!

Had this lovely example in the stable recently. Admittedly it’s a facelift so not the original Laguna, but still a Mk1. Really nice cars!

[artdjones]

1 minute ago, Angrydicky said:

Funny you say that!

Had this lovely example in the stable recently. Admittedly it’s a facelift so not the original Laguna, but still a Mk1. Really nice cars!

They are both very restful to drive.

[wuvvum]

I still have an occasional pang of regret about not nabbing the V6 manual one that RobT once owned.

[2flags]

I just wanted to say well done on the Hampshire. I love the fact it is now back on the road. Have you done any more to it? Love the Princess. I remember these when they were new. Such a smooth ride and so much room. And yes, they should have had a hatch from new. 

[artdjones]

The wedge should have had self levelling rear suspension. No-one was that worried about it being a saloon in the mid 70s. The Ford and GM competitors didn't get a hatch until 1982.

[grogee]

5 hours ago, artdjones said:

I still like the forum, but do we need page after page of nonce modifications? Especially if you get jumped on when you mention stuff that a lot of nonces have actually used. 

@Joey spudIt's all relative I suppose. 

The best page on Faceplace or InstaChat doesn't get close to the worst page on AS. 

This is my social media, like everything you home in on the subjects you like. I love seeing someone fix an old Triumph with some baking soda and a knitting needle. 

Honestly though I share my own mechanicing of newer (but cheap/end of life) stuff in the hope it'll help someone else in the future (especially my mistakes). 

I like to think the definition of 'shite' is a moveable feast. A Mk5 Astra has lots of equipment and safety stuff but can still be bought (and fixed) cheaply. 

Yes it's not a Vauxhall Viva but the only ones left are either fully restored or terminally rusty. 

[Angrydicky]

Quick update for those who may be interested:

I’ve taken the Princess off the road to overhaul both master cylinders and calipers. Plus sort out the head gasket. I’ve stripped down the brakes on it, I’ve splashed out on a full set of stainless pistons, repair kits and new bleed nipples from Bigg Red, the thick end of £150 worth! Hope the car proves to be reliable after this! The master cylinder was actually leaking, just caught it in time before it breached the nose seal and ended up in the servo.

Clutch master wasn’t leaking, surprisingly, but was full of black gunge and when stripped the sprint fell apart. Both are away being stainless sleeved.

I picked up the roffle win Honda PC50 from Reb while I was on holiday in Scotland, brought it back home in the 1950s Eccles caravan.

I sort of fiddled around with it and tried to get it running, but the carb was full of corrosion and it didn’t have any compression (turned out to be a stuck valve/bent pushrod).

A good friend of mine and a proper bike licker expressed an interest in it as he used to have one in the 80s and regretted selling it. So I sold it to him and he’s already made a good start restoring it to original condition. All the shitty silver paint has gone and although he’s on a tight budget (he’s painting it with rattle cans etc) it’s looking good.

It’s actually a very original bike and has all the correct bits on it (apart from the aftermarket brake light switch and associated bodged wiring) which went straight in the bin. The frame isn’t rotten (which considering it sat outside for a long time is a bit of a miracle). 
 

Having got the bike bug I decided I wanted another. But something slow, British and porridgey. I also didn’t want to spend very much. 
I was looking at postwar Autocycles with the Villiers 98cc engine. Another friend of mine down in Essex just so happened to have one he wanted to sell. As well as cars he was big into bikes but unfortunately as a result of a stroke he’s no longer able to balance on a bike, so he’s sold off all the decent bikes and just has a few projects left.

I had seen this Autocycle but dismissed buying it ages ago as I wanted a complete and original one, but after getting outbid on what I thought would be a cheap basket case on eBay I asked my mate for some more pictures.

I had a day off work Monday so hot footed it down to Essex in my trusty Rover 600 to go and view/buy it.

Fortunately, it was mates rates again so I didn’t pay much for it! He said the front brake shoes were missing and he’d struggled to find some. However, as I examined the bits in his dining room I quickly found there were quite a lot of other bits missing. Since getting it home I’ve found more missing parts and some incorrect ones. There’s also not much in the way of nuts and bolts to fix things to the frame. He bought it from an auction in Rayleigh about eight years ago along with a Francis-Barnett. The frame had been sandblasted and left in primer by a previous restorer. Mark has painted all the bits and had the chrome replated.

Good news is that most of the hard to find bits are there and I’ve already located/purchased most of the missing bits on eBay. Bad news is no paperwork, and no idea what the registration was, but there is a good visible frame number so hopefully registering it won’t be too much of a chore through the owners club.

The engine turns over and looks pretty decent from what I can see but unfortunately the plug thread in the cylinder head is stripped so I’ll have to find someone to helicoil that.

This is what it should look like. It’s about a 1953 model with the Villiers 2F 98cc engine.

[Angrydicky]

Last year I bought a little A30 from one of my new Lincolnshire neighbours. It belonged to his late father who owned a bit of land and outbuildings filled with clutter. He never threw anything away. He had no real interest in the A30 (he took it in lieu of payment for a job circa 1981) but kept it anyway. I had a right old fight with the dvla to get the original number plate back as he’d never bothered updating the logbook. But fortunately the original buff logbook came with the car. It’s been a local car from new and although the bodywork is quite fillery it drives surprisingly well. I’ve rebuilt all the brakes and fitted new tyres, and given it a jolly good service but haven’t had to do a lot more.

His dad also owned three old tractors. All had been sitting outside for decades.

There was a Ferguson (with front loader) an International B414 and a Nuffield 460. All early 60s. 
He asked if I’d be interested in one. Long story short I have bought the Nuffield and hopefully it’ll be delivered this side of Christmas. It’s only 3 miles away but the tyres are absolutely lethal and it’s not even road registered. It also weighs 2.6t so dragging it back with the Freeloader is out of the question. The seller is supposed to be organising delivery with his nephew who has an HGV and low loader but there’s no great hurry.

All I know history wise is his dad owned it around 40-50 years, the head gasket failed at some point and it was left in a hedge for the last 30 odd years hence the ‘patina’. The current owner dragged it out and fixed the engine with a head skim, new valves, gasket and so on and it starts on the button now and runs really well (the main reason I went for this one).

It’s fairly rough but seems sound in the bits that actually matter. I’m looking for some headlights, ploughing light, BMC diesel badge and radiator grill if anyone has any bits.

It had a couple of old tax discs on the side from 1966 and 1972, showing the original registration of 996 FFU, but obviously no longer on the system and no paperwork. However, I went to the Lincoln archives and although the info was sparse, it did give me the supplying dealer (Lyon’s of Gainsborough) who only got taken over earlier this year. I rang the new company and as luck would have it, got through to an old timer who had worked for Lyon’s since 1974 and actually remembered the farmer who bought it new in 1963! He’s long gone now and I think had probably already sold it by the early 70s. The 1972 tax disc was issued north of Scunthorpe so presumably that was a different owner. The farmer who bought it new was a chap called Alan Riggott who owned a small farm in Bishop Norton which is just between Gainsborough and Market Rasen. Then at some point it came down to Frithville near Boston where it is now.

Anyway, as luck would have it the original Lyon’s sales records have survived and they recorded every serial number on the tractor, as well as the complete spec and all the optional extras, even the details of the tractor that was traded in for it! I’m hoping the dvla will accept that as evidence. I’ve hand painted some old number plates I had kicking about. I think I’m going to take the light and reflector off that rear number plate as they’ll do for the Hudson.

 

[tooSavvy]

Excellent detective work.... hope you're fixed up with the plate 👍

🚙💨

[Angrydicky]

I’ve taken my Austin A70 Hampshire down to both of the Austin Counties Car Club’s rallies this year. Both long distance. The national rally in the summer at Exbury near Beaulieu and the autumn rally at Tenterden in Kent. Only 400 and 360 miles respectively. No real problems on either, the only casualty being the rearmost exhaust mounting which failed again while I was in Kent (I had welded it up before) but my mate in Kent had a few mountings in a box so we managed to fix it quite easily. I love driving this car.

It was spotted by an artist who loved the patina and homed in on it, I bought the painting from him when he’d finished (would have been rude not to really). Also I got to drive the other Hampshire there, JDT 328 which belongs to my mate Graham. It was similar but highlighted just how noisy mine is as it doesn’t have any sound deadening under the original threadbare carpets.

 

[Angrydicky]

Nothing really to report with the Mayflower, I’ve just been trundling around in it when the weather has been nice. I did adjust the points gap on it and it’s running much better now. It had partially closed up.

Took this picture of it outside the fantastic art deco showroom of Crawfords Agricultural Engineers at Frithville.

In other news, I have sold a car. My Austin Somerset, which I had owned for 11 years, has gone. I made a half arsed effort at selling it by taking it to stickney with a for sale sign in the window. It’s gone to a 20 year old girl as her first classic car, assisted by her dad who is really enthusiastic about it and is into classic lorries so he definitely knows one end of a whitworth spanner from another.

It’s gone to a fantastic home and I was really impressed with how well she drove it on the test drive, she’d never driven a column change before but I showed her where the gears were and she picked it up straightaway. Much quicker than I did when I first started driving column changes, although it’s second nature now of course.

[Matty]

47 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Quick update for those who may be interested

Always. Keep it coming 👍

[Angrydicky]

4 minutes ago, Matty said:

Always. Keep it coming 👍

I’ve got loads more but I’m just flipping lazy when it comes to typing up reports! I have to be in the right frame of mind to do it. I also don’t like working on cars much in winter, hence the New Hudson as I can put a small bike in my office with the heater on and tinker away with it in the warm.

Also I’m sick to death of welding cars, I’ve done a load of welding recently on my dads Minor Traveller and Hillman Minx (and both cars need more) at least motorbikes don’t (usually) need welding.

[Matty]

19 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

I’ve got loads more but I’m just flipping lazy when it comes to typing up reports! I have to be in the right frame of mind to do it. I also don’t like working on cars much in winter, hence the New Hudson as I can put a small bike in my office with the heater on and tinker away with it in the warm.

Also I’m sick to death of welding cars, I’ve done a load of welding recently on my dads Minor Traveller and Hillman Minx (and both cars need more) at least motorbikes don’t (usually) need welding.

I haven't done a hands tap in ages. I've fucked a second gearbox so I'm having some time off. Never mind, that's what winters for 😆

[captain_70s]

Blimey. End of an era with the Somerset!

[Angrydicky]

6 hours ago, captain_70s said:

Blimey. End of an era with the Somerset!

It certainly is. That car has been all over the country with me and to be honest I thought it was a keeper. But, since getting the Hampshire on the road I’ve barely used it and had no real interest in using it. Much better it goes to someone with plenty of enthusiasm for it rather than it sitting here gathering dust.

[Angrydicky]

Day off work today so I made a start assembling the Hudson. Got the engine and exhaust on, and the handlebars and levers. Painted the pinstripe on the leg shield and the white on the side of the tank ready for the very expensive transfers to be applied when they arrive. 
It’s about 80% complete. Most of the important bits are there and I have managed to source most of the missing bits on eBay. The mudguards are from a different bike, but they’re roughly the right size so just need some extra holes drilling for the mounting brackets.

 

 

I think there’s enough thread left in the cylinder head to hold the plug so as the engine looks so good, I’m sure it’ll run if I can get a spark (hopefully just needs the points cleaning) and I need to get the correct plug as the one that came with the bike fouls the tank.

Both tyres have pumped up ok and aren’t actually that bad despite being really old, so they’ll be fine for pootling up and down the driveway on.

The headlight that came with the bike is a correct type but the mounting brackets that came with it are for the other type of light with the side mounting. I’ll have to make a bracket for this one by modifying a pushbike mounting bracket. I mocked it up with cable ties so I could see how it looks.

I think all I need to complete this are the cables (all of them except the throttle) the front brake backplate and both sets of shoes. Plus a myriad of nuts and bolts but I think they’re standard BSF threads which is useful as I’ve got loads of new stuff left over from doing the Hampshire.

The exhaust silencer is completely rotted out but Villiers services sell them new so at least there is something I’ve found I can buy off the shelf.

It does look a bit of a bugger to ride with five levers on the handlebars. Two brake levers, throttle, decompressor and clutch. All are fitted and ready for the cables except the throttle, a nos one is winging its way over here from eBay. I’ve also ordered a nice set of nos handlebar grips for it and a rubber bulb horn.

Anyway- some good progress made today.

[Matty]

Be fascinating to see what it's like to ride and operate with all the levers. I'd say make a video but probably not the best idea thinking on 🤣

[Vantman]

11 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

Last year I bought a little A30 from one of my new Lincolnshire neighbours. It belonged to his late father who owned a bit of land and outbuildings filled with clutter. He never threw anything away. He had no real interest in the A30 (he took it in lieu of payment for a job circa 1981) but kept it anyway. I had a right old fight with the dvla to get the original number plate back as he’d never bothered updating the logbook. But fortunately the original buff logbook came with the car. It’s been a local car from new and although the bodywork is quite fillery it drives surprisingly well. I’ve rebuilt all the brakes and fitted new tyres, and given it a jolly good service but haven’t had to do a lot more.

His dad also owned three old tractors. All had been sitting outside for decades.

There was a Ferguson (with front loader) an International B414 and a Nuffield 460. All early 60s. 
He asked if I’d be interested in one. Long story short I have bought the Nuffield and hopefully it’ll be delivered this side of Christmas. It’s only 3 miles away but the tyres are absolutely lethal and it’s not even road registered. It also weighs 2.6t so dragging it back with the Freeloader is out of the question. The seller is supposed to be organising delivery with his nephew who has an HGV and low loader but there’s no great hurry.

All I know history wise is his dad owned it around 40-50 years, the head gasket failed at some point and it was left in a hedge for the last 30 odd years hence the ‘patina’. The current owner dragged it out and fixed the engine with a head skim, new valves, gasket and so on and it starts on the button now and runs really well (the main reason I went for this one).

It’s fairly rough but seems sound in the bits that actually matter. I’m looking for some headlights, ploughing light, BMC diesel badge and radiator grill if anyone has any bits.

It had a couple of old tax discs on the side from 1966 and 1972, showing the original registration of 996 FFU, but obviously no longer on the system and no paperwork. However, I went to the Lincoln archives and although the info was sparse, it did give me the supplying dealer (Lyon’s of Gainsborough) who only got taken over earlier this year. I rang the new company and as luck would have it, got through to an old timer who had worked for Lyon’s since 1974 and actually remembered the farmer who bought it new in 1963! He’s long gone now and I think had probably already sold it by the early 70s. The 1972 tax disc was issued north of Scunthorpe so presumably that was a different owner. The farmer who bought it new was a chap called Alan Riggott who owned a small farm in Bishop Norton which is just between Gainsborough and Market Rasen. Then at some point it came down to Frithville near Boston where it is now.

Anyway, as luck would have it the original Lyon’s sales records have survived and they recorded every serial number on the tractor, as well as the complete spec and all the optional extras, even the details of the tractor that was traded in for it! I’m hoping the dvla will accept that as evidence. I’ve hand painted some old number plates I had kicking about. I think I’m going to take the light and reflector off that rear number plate as they’ll do for the Hudson.

 

I have  a mate with 3 old Nuffields and i also know of a local farmer with a restored one,i will question them about spares when i next speak to them.

[Angrydicky]

My first effort at applying water slide transfers. Only broke one in the process which isn’t too bad I suppose. Also painted the gold pinstripe on the tank and fitted the front mudguard. It’s a few inches too short as it’s from a different bike but will do for now. The front mudguard stays were missing, the ones I’ve sourced were £6 pushbike ones from eBay. They fit ok with a bit of tweaking.

 

 

I’ve managed to source most of the missing parts for this now (at a price!) including front and rear brake shoes, cables, chain, wheel bearings and a 1” to 7/8” stepped seat post so I can use one of the two good seats that came with the bike.

All I really need to find is a front brakeplate and lever, to suit 4” brakes,  and a rear wheel spindle. I would absolutely love to fit the rear wheel back on but the spindle is a stumbling point. It’s a 7/16” diameter. 7/16”x26 tpi threads. Does anyone have anything suitable?

 

[plasticvandan]

Nice to see the New Hudson,I've had a few autocycles,a very early 1940 New Hudson,Excelsior,Norman,Ridge,all pretty similar,all had the JDL engine. Similar performance to a 50cc from the fifties/60s, marginal brakes lol

[reb]

On 20/11/2024 at 09:10, Angrydicky said:

(turned out to be a stuck valve/bent pushrod).

I had a feeling it might be fucked beyond my capabilities, the way it just stopped starting one day suggested it was worse than just the fuel leak. It's good to see it getting some attention from someone who knows what they're doing and obviously likes this sort of thing. As much as I wanted to like it, I knew it would be a hell of a lot of work to get it up to a good standard and it would probably be unsuitable for where I live even in perfect condition. Not to mention slower than the last motorbike I rode (when I was 10!)

[Angrydicky]

20 hours ago, reb said:

I had a feeling it might be fucked beyond my capabilities, the way it just stopped starting one day suggested it was worse than just the fuel leak. It's good to see it getting some attention from someone who knows what they're doing and obviously likes this sort of thing. As much as I wanted to like it, I knew it would be a hell of a lot of work to get it up to a good standard and it would probably be unsuitable for where I live even in perfect condition. Not to mention slower than the last motorbike I rode (when I was 10!)

My mate hasn’t done anything with the engine yet apart from deposit it under his workbench. He has, however, made new bushes for the suspension and painted some more bits.

He said the frame was in really good condition, the only rust being on the rear swing arm where it’s getting a bit thin. 
He’s hoping to have it back on its wheels within the next couple of weeks or so. He’s fixed the seized brakes and got them working as well.

[Angrydicky]

Where did I get to with the Hudson?

I wedged the rear wheel in place and took some photos for the DVLA:

Fitted the nos rear number plate I got from eBay. It was a little too narrow so I made a custom backing plate to bolt to the luggage rack and to hold the rear light.

The light was missing, this is an old one I found in my spares, I gave it a good scrub up and it looks perfect. It’s maybe slightly too new but it is a proper moped one and I’ve seen other Hudsons with this one fitted.

Painted the chain cover and applied the decal.

It’s coming together now. I have sourced a front brake plate from a chap on the Autocycle Facebook page in Canada would you believe. That will be on its way shortly. 
I managed to find the correct rear spindle on eBay - it was £30 so an expensive gamble but it looks good and Mopedland in Suffolk has supplied all the cones, nuts and bearings to fit it, as all I had were the brass end caps, nothing else!

I’ve had a fiddle with the electrics to try to get a spark. Set the points gap, it was way too small and the points were unevenly worn. Spun the flywheel and I’m getting a fat spark at the points despite cleaning them. Looks like the condenser has failed so I’m going to order new points and condenser, see if I can get a spark at the plug as I really don’t feel like it’s far off running.

Oh, I also received my dating certificate from the owners club today. They have dated the frame and engine by their numbers. Both are 1952. I’ve filled out the necessary paperwork for the dvla and got it ready to post with a fat cheque inside. Hopefully soon I’ll get a registration number for it. The fixings have finally come for the front pedestrian slicer (another nos item from eBay) so I can get that fitted now and I’m itching to apply a registration to the lovely plates.

Both mudguards are unfortunately from a different bike and are short. They’re also in poor condition with numerous holes and frilly bits. You can see in the picture above how short the rear one is, it should drop below the number plate by at least 4” or so and I’ve got a period reflector I’d love to fit so that’s a bit annoying. These will do for now but I’ll keep an eye out for the correct ones.

At least it shouldn’t be hard to match the colour my mate painted it with- I asked him what shade it is and he said it was hammerite!