Tommy's A-series Misery - Back on the Welding

[stuboy]

On 18/08/2026 at 13:31, Tommyboy12 said:

Not much to report except I got married and my Mini made an adequate wedding car. My bride only got a small amount of engine oil on her wedding dress... 😅

 

you in the dog house ref the oil mess on the dress>??

[Tommyboy12]

19 minutes ago, stuboy said:

you in the dog house ref the oil mess on the dress>??

I'm in the dog house for buying two cars straight after my wedding... 😅

The VDP came to my club meet tonight. Behaved flawlessly of course!

Plenty of other nice metal there

[Tommyboy12]

So the 2CV has gone. It lasted two weeks. I have committed to buy something else 😅

It's still on the forum! It now belongs to @Jimblob so you can see updates in his thread.

I did enjoy it to an extent. It's an engaging drive and fun to drive flat out constantly and it sat very happily at 70mph. I even drove it in the dark and the rain and didn't get wet! But it just wasn't really for me. It's in good hands though!

I did take it to a French car meet at Caffeine and Machine so have some hot French Fancies.

A personal favourite of mine was the Avantime but also @Jimblobs very retro Visa GTi. I love the period features on it. It's just missing the graphics in the rear window in my opinion!

The VDP has seen a bit of love. I've identified various key numbers and now have a set of keys to lock it which is nice! I also mopped the bonnet. It's not perfect but it's a lot better

I then took it to a car meet that my lovely wife had organised for my birthday over the weekend just gone!

@sharley17194 turned up in a familiar and progressively more ropey Mini

A familiar Panda was also in attendance

And I may have bought one of these Volvos... Although I won't be picking it up for some time

On Sunday I also attended Stanford Hall Mini Show with a few friends.

I had a flat tyre before I'd even made it off the driveway so I was rocking an odd wheel all day.

It was very wet and miserable and I took no pictures until we left for afternoon tea.

I'm off to another car meet tonight. I can't decide between turbo Mini or Austin 7...

[Tommyboy12]

Another car meet last night. I made the effort to take my turbo Mini as I didn't fancy 6V electrics in the dark

Got a couple of shots of my own car for a change

And plenty of the rest of the cars too including some other nice Minis

Matching Smarts with matching plates anyone?

Another appearance from a certain Panda

And two opposite ends of the scale in these Visas. Club 2 cylinder vs. a lovely late 115CH GTi.

I drove home in the dark after a great evening

[Matty]

That green Mini 1000. Exactly how mine'd look if i could have one 🍆

[Tommyboy12]

Took the Austin 7 out for spin yesterday. Unfortunately before I had left my village I lost drive. Initially I was concerned it was the clutch. However the prop shaft was still turning. Pushed it home and pulled off the rear hubs. I was greeted by this...

The woodruff has slipped out somehow and the hub and half shaft were chewing each other up. They're meant to be machined and matched and a tapered friction fit. Power isn't transmitted through the woodruff. Unfortunately this means a new half shaft and hub are required. Not expensive but it does mean disassembling the axle to change it. I've put it back together for now so I can move the car around while I sort out parts.

[Tommyboy12]

Fleet updates continue in my efforts to make sure I make progress on everything I own (which as it turns out is too many things 😅)

I have done some more welding on my brown Mini! Embarrassingly, I think it was last touched in August... Last year...

First empty it of all the shit I store in it

Then I welded up a hole in the boot floor that I forgot was there

Then cover it in lashings of hammerite. Unfortunately I've run out of brown hammerite so black will do for now till I acquire more brown

I rebuilt the corner of the wheel tub too and rear quarter too. I had t got to this yet. It's not pretty but it's strong.

I also finished off the drivers side rear subframe mount and drowned the whole lot it in tetraseal which is great stuff but it gets everywhere. It's now ready for a subframe on this side!

This is the last bit of welding left on it now and boy is it by far the worst... The passenger rear subframe mount is basically non-existant.

But progress is progress! I reckon it'll take probably 6-10 hours to finish it off which is only a day or two. But I do need to move the car before I can tackle this last bit as I've parked it next to the house and there's minimal room to operate.

Did I mention I bought a Volvo?

[2flags]

You have a very understanding wife! I love the VP. Will be good to see how you tackle the mini. They can certainly rust can't they!

[Tommyboy12]

Took the VP to Rustival. It wasn't the only ADO16 present but it was the only Vanden Plas!

Went with a couple of friends from my club

Including my very briefly owned 2CV which is already looking considerably less lilac!

There were a couple of MG ADO16 variants in attendance

And a very similar Austin 7 RP to mine. He was braver/closer to Gaydon than I was!

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Took the VP to Rustival. It wasn't the only ADO16 present but it was the only Vanden Plas!

Went with a couple of friends from my club

Including my very briefly owned 2CV which is already looking considerably less lilac!

There were a couple of MG ADO16 variants in attendance

And a very similar Austin 7 RP to mine. He was braver/closer to Gaydon than I was!

What a different look, between yours and the MG!

[2flags]

The ADO16 really was all things to all men. You could have a utilitarian model in the Morris or Austin 1100/1300, then you could have the sportier models in the MG or Riley 1100/1300, or again you could plump for the luxury of the Wolseley or the top of the range Vanden Plas Princess 1100/1300. Same basic shell, but so many variants, there really was something for everyone!

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

12 hours ago, 2flags said:

The ADO16 really was all things to all men.

 

12 hours ago, 2flags said:

Same basic shell, but so many variants, there really was rust for everyone!

Joking aside, 1100/1300 kept parts of my family motoring for years, eventually replaced by Allegros and then Princesses.

[Zelandeth]

17 hours ago, 2flags said:

The ADO16 really was all things to all men. You could have a utilitarian model in the Morris or Austin 1100/1300, then you could have the sportier models in the MG or Riley 1100/1300, or again you could plump for the luxury of the Wolseley or the top of the range Vanden Plas Princess 1100/1300. Same basic shell, but so many variants, there really was something for everyone!

To top it all off, they are actually really quite pleasant to drive.  I was really quite surprised by how nice the VP now belonging to @LightBulbFun was when I had a loan of it.

Could absolutely see one as a daily driver classic.

[Bear]

On 19/09/2026 at 07:40, Tommyboy12 said:

Took the Austin 7 out for spin yesterday. Unfortunately before I had left my village I lost drive. Initially I was concerned it was the clutch. However the prop shaft was still turning. Pushed it home and pulled off the rear hubs. I was greeted by this...

The woodruff has slipped out somehow and the hub and half shaft were chewing each other up. They're meant to be machined and matched and a tapered friction fit. Power isn't transmitted through the woodruff. Unfortunately this means a new half shaft and hub are required. Not expensive but it does mean disassembling the axle to change it. I've put it back together for now so I can move the car around while I sort out parts.

Ouch!

Putting the rough in woodruff!