project 1968 Austin 1100 Mk1 (Take 2) - Gone :(

[TheIsleofShite]

Very nice! What’s the colour called? 

[SiC]

  On 21/05/2020 at 14:23, TheIsleofShite said:

Very nice! What’s the colour called? 

Expand  

Modern blue? Almost certainly not original and a modern colour. 

[Mr Laurence]

  On 21/05/2020 at 14:30, SiC said:

Modern blue? Almost certainly not original and a modern colour. 

Expand  

Might be wrong, but it looks a lot like Tahiti blue to me. Used on virtually everything BL in the 70s.

looks lovely though! Well bought!

[SiC]

Ok some live updates.

She's not running that sweetly.

Air filter fit for the bin.


Plugs sooted up. I've cleaned these and a little better but not a huge amount. Points look alright. Cap is newish and rotor is a newish red rotor. Not looked closer at condenser yet to see if a crappy or good.


Float bowl has fuel. Is this enough? First time I've properly got into HS carbs. MGB are HIFs. Doesn't look like it should be a problem though.


Back of engine on radiator side looks like it's had a watery explosion at some point. Initially thought Hydrolastic but thinking maybe coolant.


Under rocker cover is wet. Breather pipe had actual water come out of it.



Mayo all over.


Dipstick looks clean though.

Just gone in to change clothes to something more appropriate for car work.

Thoughts/suggestions on what to try next?

[TheIsleofShite]

  On 21/05/2020 at 14:36, Mr Laurence said:

Might be wrong, but it looks a lot like Tahiti blue to me. Used on virtually everything BL in the 70s.

looks lovely though! Well bought!

Expand  

That’s what I was thinking, my Allegro is Tahiti and it looks very similar 

 

[St.Jude]

I love the colour, really do. 

It's blue, if it were green it would die, if it were green it would die, if it were green it would die...

[anonymous user]

My experience of modern points and condensers is that more than half of them are complete rubbish. I was a fan of new old stock, but it's getting harder to find. With the Land Rover it was always the points and condenser I even had the distributor changed from Ducellier to Lucas (or was it the other way around?)  still found it hard to find bits that wouldn't randomly die.

[SiC]

I'll have a dig around for some points in my stuff. I should have plenty of spare decent sets for the MGB. 

I will also lob on my spark testers maybe and check they're all firing properly. Might be hard to see them in this sunny daylight though.

[RobT]

Good luck!  Had this in my watch list and thought someone had bagged a potential bargain.

Float chamber looks very clean compared to mine, and the level looks similar.  Probably just needs a tune up and a good thrash is my expert* opinion.

[SiC]

These are cheap points. Contacts look burnt out to me. I suspect usually crappy condenser with these things. Going to have a root around to see if I can find a decent one out of my MGB bits. Almost certainly got a spare set somewhere in this unsorted* garage...




* What I really should be sorting right now, rather than car stuff!

[Broadsword]

Fantastic looking car! A damn good service is the first port of call I'd say. Oils, filters, plugs, points & condenser etc. The top of the engine does look pretty OMGHGF though, let's hope that is historic and someone just didn't clean it up properly.

[vulgalour]

Vinyl roof?  Shiny paint?

 

FLOORS!?!?!?!

 

Lovely.

[Jim Bell]

  On 21/05/2020 at 15:24, The Mighty Quinn said:

The timing sounds retarded beyond belief. 

Expand  

I don't think you can say that any more man. 

On the telly programs the dizzy is always 180 degrees out for extra pre-advert break peril.  That or the condenser. 

[St.Jude]

  On 21/05/2020 at 15:24, vulgalour said:

Vinyl roof?  Shiny paint?

 

FLOORS!?!?!?!

 

Lovely.

Expand  

Think that's what you would call a modified BL car isn't it? Definitely not factory.

Also for the points, for your own sanity would it be an idea to go to electronic points?

[purplebargeken]

Its shit mate, just look at it, it'll be a world of pain. I'll take it off your hands for 50 quid delivered.

Change the plugs, please. Please change the plugs. We know what can happen.....

[purplebargeken]

I can make that interior look a billion times better.

[SiC]

  On 21/05/2020 at 15:24, vulgalour said:

Vinyl roof?  Shiny paint?

 

FLOORS!?!?!?!

 

Lovely.

Expand  

I know right!! Still need to take the back seats out and have a look under there ?

 

  On 21/05/2020 at 15:24, The Mighty Quinn said:

The timing sounds retarded beyond belief. I'd mark the distributor, slacken the 7/16 and turn it to see if it picks up.

Then a compression test. It could be that some clown has run it on UL and buggered the valves. What are the clearances like?

Expand  

It did run really well apparently. Trying to find my spare set of decent points and condenser. Ignition timing could be well out if condenser is shot. I'll get it gapped and statically timed. If that doesn't work, I'll check the clearances and then compression test. 

Previous advert said it had unleaded conversion to the head done to it. Hopefully not those wanky ball things that was on @RobT

 

[SiC]

Just put on my existing policy. £11 for 3 months with admin fee. Full policy is going to be £65 for the year on 1.5k miles ?

Apparently six or more classic cars with Hagerty entitles you to a special rate! That money saving tip didn't seem popular with Mrs SiC. 

[Craig the Princess]

That looks like a cracker, that interior is a beauty.

 

With plugs like that it looks like it is running really rich. Have a look at the choke to see if it is moving the arm fully.

If it is then is the carburettor adjustment correct?

[purplebargeken]

How old is  the pez? It might have the RON rating of gnats piss.

[inconsistant]

That's superb. An early one n'est pas, with the extended rear wings?

[cort16]

Has the dashpot on the carb got the right amount of oil in it?  On my SD1 it wasn't filled up correctly and it made it run like a total shit.

[LuxoBroke]

Much jealousy! That's a Beauty! 

[Zelandeth]

  On 21/05/2020 at 16:10, purplebargeken said:

How old is  the pez? It might have the RON rating of gnats piss.

Expand  

Precisely what I was about to say.  If it's been sitting in there for the last five years it's probably barely combustible.

I'd not worry too much about a damp rocker cover at this stage so long as the dipstick is clean until you've been able to get it run up to temperature for a decent amount of time.  If it's just been shuffled around a compound now and then for years it could honestly just be condensation.

Even if the head gasket does need doing at least it's not a bad job on that engine.  If I'd just bought it and found a stuffed head gasket was the biggest worry and the rest is as decent as it looks I'd still be well happy with the purchase.

Speaking of coolant, the heater hose furthest to the offside where it connects to the heater valve doesn't look too clever...if it's as crusty as the photo makes it look that would want to be replaced sooner than later.

Love the colour.

[worldofceri]

[BeEP]

As above.  Don't worry about mayo (the one I've just bought had at least that much).  That and the state of plugs/air filter suggests many short runs and not getting fully warm.  In the unlikely event it does have HGF it's only a couple of hour's work to do and won't cost much.  Whilst compression tests and checking timing are never bad ideas, I just think it's running way too rich.  As CtP suggests, is the choke mechanism returning fully when pushed in?  They can stick, or even be adjusted such that they never return fully.  I'd also go for a default carb setting; wind the jet fully up then out by 12 flats.

[barrett]

  On 21/05/2020 at 15:24, The Mighty Quinn said:

Then a compression test. It could be that some clown has run it on UL and buggered the valves. What are the clearances like?

Expand  

What else would they be running it on, seeing as how leaded petrol is only available in a tiny number of places at great expense? Using u/l should have absolutley zero effect on an old car unless it's a brand new rebuilt engine and you blast up and down the motorway at 80mph all day.

Nice buy btw. I think that's what's known as a 'budget colour' but apart from that and the vinyl roof (and the saggy suspension) it looks pretty good! I really want to have a go in one of these asap.

[Steve79]

  On 21/05/2020 at 16:10, purplebargeken said:

How old is  the pez? It might have the RON rating of gnats piss.

Expand  

The 5% ethanol crap that they put in unleaded now really can gum the fuel lines up when it "goes off". I'm praying the e28 isn't suffering from this when i finally get it out of the garage.

[SiC]

  On 21/05/2020 at 17:08, worldofceri said:

Expand  

COVID hair style there. 

[purplebargeken]

Hey, at least you have hair.