Dicky’s Disastrous Debris - Austin A70 pickup 30/5/26

[Angrydicky]

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[Angrydicky]

First thing to do was give it a bath. Ken had gone over the interior and that was very nice, but the exterior was a bit green around the edges. I opened the boot and cleaned around the edge, around the fuel filler cap and also opened the posh electric sunroof and did around there. It came out very nicely - with the exception of a few giffer parking scrapes and touch ups the paintwork is in great condition. It’s by far the smartest “modern” I’ve owned!

[Angrydicky]

Ken had his personal reg on the Rover but hoped to transfer it to his new Espace. I agreed to post him back the plates. Fortunately, the original plates from SMC Rover of Uxbridge were in the boot, so I gave them a clean and fitted them after buying a fitting kit. Curiously, the front one was originally screwed on while the rear was stuck on. I replicated this and soon had them swapped.

Also I removed the stickers - I’m not really a fan of stickers on cars (unless from supplying dealers) the AS one was damaged anyway. Used a bit of T-cut to remove the residue and polished the back end:

[Angrydicky]

The interior is pretty much perfect. This pre-Project Drive wood is quite lovely!. It would really benefit from some Rover mats or even just a drivers one as the others are in place @Lord Sterling - do you have any in your collection? Also I could do with at least two wheeltrims as they’re broken and ratting. It’s only the cable ties holding them on!

The fabric on both front door cards is peeling, looking at others on eBay it looks like TADTS.

[HMC]

Great work! The interior does look a lot nicer than the later one in mine (2004) have you got much history with it?

PS the door card fabric is peeling off mine too

[Shep Shepherd]

Any progress on the Royale? 

[purplebargeken]

This has to be one of the best cars I have ever had the pleasure to own. It was comfortable, easy to drive, had more than enough poke to compete happily on the motorway and it really did suit the colour.

I miss it already.

All the interior needs is a set of fastener covers for the grab handles. I bought a set and despite being confirmed as fitting the 45, they didn't.  I think the only way forward is to find a scrap car in a breakers. 

 

[Angrydicky]

18 minutes ago, HMC said:

Great work! The interior does look a lot nicer than the later one in mine (2004) have you got much history with it?

PS the door card fabric is peeling off mine too

There is apparently a very thick history file which PBK has mislaid and is trying to find!

7 minutes ago, Shep Shepherd said:

Any progress on the Royale? 

Yes, had it running just after Christmas but an intermittent overfuelling problem led to an engine fire which has damaged some of the wiring. Will get back on it when the weather gets a bit warmer.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

OWW, indeed!

For the past three weeks, I've been trucking down your street in order to avoid the fuckery on Prince Avenue, so I've seen the car every day. Best of luck with getting it back on the road.

[Lord Sterling]

5 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

The interior is pretty much perfect. This pre-Project Drive wood is quite lovely!. It would really benefit from some Rover mats or even just a drivers one as the others are in place @Lord Sterling - do you have any in your collection? Also I could do with at least two wheeltrims as they’re broken and ratting. It’s only the cable ties holding them on!

The fabric on both front door cards is peeling, looking at others on eBay it looks like TADTS.

Nice. Sadly no Rover 45 mats in my collection as far as I know. I'll see if I can find an alternative.

[Angrydicky]

Cheers mate! It would really smarten the old girl up, not to mention protecting the drivers carpet.

Rimmers only have 400 mats and the grey ones are quite expensive. I suspect they're the same apart from they say "400 series" on them. They do have beige ones going quite cheap which is tempting if nothing else materialises.

There's a scrapyard near Mildenhall I've been to a few times which had two or three 45s last time I was there, might be worth a visit to see if I can snaffle some parts.

[Spottedlaurel]

23 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

There's a scrapyard near Mildenhall I've been to a few times which had two or three 45s last time I was there, might be worth a visit to see if I can snaffle some parts.

Look forward to seeing it at some point.

Greengartside will know better than me as he's a regular visitor, but have you been to David Yarham's place? He seems to have older stuff that you wouldn't see so much in other yards now.

[Angrydicky]

8 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Look forward to seeing it at some point.

Greengartside will know better than me as he's a regular visitor, but have you been to David Yarham's place? He seems to have older stuff that you wouldn't see so much in other yards now.

I haven't yet, no! It's definitely on the to-do list. I might try there first as it's closer!

Are they quite easy going there for someone to wander round and bring their own tools to remove parts?

[Spottedlaurel]

2 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

I haven't yet, no! It's definitely on the to-do list. I might try there first as it's closer!

Give me a shout if you go. You'll be driving quite close to me to get there and I'd like to go again.

[loserone]

It's weird seeing pictures of this.

[cpjitservices]

Lovely motor!

 

Are these any good?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/genuine-rover-400-45-beige-carpet-mats-eah103280smj/322849890587?hash=item4b2b5a611b:g:atsAAOSwBkRZ8wF5

 

 

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, cpjitservices said:

Lovely motor!

Are these any good?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/genuine-rover-400-45-beige-carpet-mats-eah103280smj/322849890587?hash=item4b2b5a611b:g:atsAAOSwBkRZ8wF5

Or these for £16.49 delivered:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-ROVER-400-PREMIUM-CAR-MAT-SET-BEIGE-4-MATS/323721463391

[Angrydicky]

I’ve now got back home, having left the 45 safely on my parents drive where it will stay until the V5 comes through with the original registration on it.

While dad was moving it earlier, he noticed that not only does the car have reverse parking sensors which work, it has a digital display which hangs from the roof in the back of the car and reads the distance from the object you’re reversing up to. The display is reversed so it can be seen in the rear view mirror. Very clever, neither of us have encountered this in a car before. It looks like a factory option, if it’s aftermarket it has been very well done.

I also noticed earlier that the front tyres are not great. One is a winter tyre and the other an all season, one has a nick in the sidewall, and both are worn on the inside edge and almost at the limit there. So two new tyres and tracking required then.

[greengartside]

12 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

I haven't yet, no! It's definitely on the to-do list. I might try there first as it's closer!

Are they quite easy going there for someone to wander round and bring their own tools to remove parts?

Hiya, yes it’s a wander in and remove yourself yard. I did comment on your Instagram post that there is a 45 hatchback with full leather interior in at the moment. Some pics...

These were taken yesterday. Hope that’s a help.

[Angrydicky]

Oooh, I should definitely get my arse up there soon! Might be able to get a headlight and grab handle screw cover if nothing else!

[Isaac Hunt]

Have a look on eBay, there are several sellers of carpet mats.  I purchased a set for a family Beemer 2 coupe, I think they were 600 grade.  They are ok and at about £16, cheap enough to to replace when the driver side wears through.  The fit was good.

 

[busmansholiday]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

While dad was moving it earlier, he noticed that not only does the car have reverse parking sensors which work, it has a digital display which hangs from the roof in the back of the car and reads the distance from the object you’re reversing up to. The display is reversed so it can be seen in the rear view mirror. Very clever, neither of us have encountered this in a car before. It looks like a factory option, if it’s aftermarket it has been very well done.

Looking at the pics they are EBay specials, and I've fitted a few to cars (even brand new ones). Available with two or four sensors, and either buzzer or buzzer/distance monitor and in multiple colours. They are actually worth fitting, even come with the hole drill.

[Angrydicky]

In other news, I managed to get three correct wheeltrims on eBay for £12 delivered. They’re not perfect but should be a big improvement on the originals. Two of the old ones are completely fucked, one is a bit kerbed but serviceable and one is pretty good. Hopefully I should be able to make up a half decent set.

[purplebargeken]

Tracking has been done very recently mate, probs the tyres were as a result of earlier unhappy tracking, sorry I really didn't notice.

Cracking progress being made. 

[Angrydicky]

5 hours ago, purplebargeken said:

Tracking has been done very recently mate, probs the tyres were as a result of earlier unhappy tracking, sorry I really didn't notice.

Cracking progress being made. 

Thanks mate, that's one thing I don't need to get done then.

Do you know when it was last serviced? 

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Cor, there's some ripe pickings on that scrapper- take a van!

[Angrydicky]

4 minutes ago, Crispian_J_Hotson said:

Cor, there's some ripe pickings on that scrapper- take a van!

Well you say that, but it's a later project drive model, with completely different interior, it's a manual rather than auto, hatchback rather than saloon, different colour etc. Coupled with the fact that my car is in such good condition it doesn't really need much.

If I could find a Wedgwood Blue saloon breaking, that had tidy bodywork it would be well worth nabbing the front bumper and passenger wing as that would be cheaper than getting them repaired/painted at a bodyshop. I could also get the springs for the bootlid as they're very weak and it fell down on Ken's head last week, nearly knocking him out!

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Oh yeah, didn't notice yours had a boot. Out of interest, would that interior fit straight in?

[Angrydicky]

I'm not really sure! I'm not too fussed about leather really. Had the scrapper had a beige interior it might have been a different story, but all the upholstery is in fantastic condition and I'm not too bothered about swapping it!

The interior is never going to be up to 800 Sterling or even 75 Connoisseur standards, but one of those cars wouldn't be practical for me at the moment. Would love a Sterling at some point though.

[purplebargeken]

Ah yes, the concussion inducing bootlid.  Fuck, did that hurt!

Service. That would be a year ago my friend. There is an oil filter in the boot, and washer. I did the plugs when I got the car, filters could do with changing, as in air and cabin filter which I think it has but never hunted down.