Tommy's A-series Misery - Mini road trip!

[Matty]

2 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

It very much is! It needs a bit of bodywork yet but it's in the pipeline once I have finished the considerable amount of welding

Now I'm sat up and paying attention!

[Tommyboy12]

I took my white Mini to a car and coffee meet this morning. Having been to a couple of shows the last few weeks I'm always reminded that smaller car and coffee style meets always draw the nicest people. They're always happy to chat and you learn so much about what people really care about with their car.

For example. This man told me about is 367,000 mile Beetle! He has owned it for 45 years.

The owner of this MGB told me about how he fitted the map reading light and starting button from a Lancaster bomber. It also happened to be supercharged.

This CX had driven from Germany for FotU yesterday. He was staying very local and said he really enjoyed both FotU and this Car and Coffee meet.

This Beetle was a single lady owner from new

[Tommyboy12]

Got some more welding done on the project '79 Mini. I repaired the passenger side inner wing panel which had rotten through. You can buy inner wings but I have just been using off cuts to rebuild these as it's £60 for an inner wing and I don't want to pay that when I'm already sinking hundreds into panels

Out with the rust

In with fresh metal

I also removed the seam of the old wing ready for the new wing to go on

Then a lavish of my favourite hammerite brown

Next up I have to tackle this. The whole flitch panel is rotten. I'm not looking forward to doing it as it'll mean taking the door off and I can guarantee you that the studs will shear when I try to remove the nuts. I'm going to try and carefully remove the A-panel so I can reuse it as it's the original colour and in good condition (again panels are expensive)

I'm running out of panels now though and my next order of panels hasn't arrived yet. I've ordered direct from the supplier so prices are lower but they're a bit slow at dispatching.

I also fitted a new Speedo cable to the Cambridge and pulled the gearbox dipstick to check the oil. There can't be many modern cars with a dipstick under the carpet. You can't see it well but the oil was just below 'low'. It blows my mind that the recommended oil for the gearbox is just straight SAE 30 engine oil. Cars of old were so much simpler.

 

[comfortablynumb]

Great to see this coming on, makes me feel bad about the lack of progress on my projects!

How do you find hammerite stands up to the underwing environment? Last few tins I've tried have been pretty poor, allowing rust to reappear pretty quickly 

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, comfortablynumb said:

Great to see this coming on, makes me feel bad about the lack of progress on my projects!

How do you find hammerite stands up to the underwing environment? Last few tins I've tried have been pretty poor, allowing rust to reappear pretty quickly 

Well I did the rear panel repair back in February and it's holding up well. I'm using the ultima paint as it's the only way to get brown.

[Matty]

3 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

Got some more welding done on the project '79 Mini. I repaired the passenger side inner wing panel which had rotten through. You can buy inner wings but I have just been using off cuts to rebuild these as it's £60 for an inner wing and I don't want to pay that when I'm already sinking hundreds into panels

Out with the rust

In with fresh metal

I also removed the seam of the old wing ready for the new wing to go on

Then a lavish of my favourite hammerite brown

Next up I have to tackle this. The whole flitch panel is rotten. I'm not looking forward to doing it as it'll mean taking the door off and I can guarantee you that the studs will shear when I try to remove the nuts. I'm going to try and carefully remove the A-panel so I can reuse it as it's the original colour and in good condition (again panels are expensive)

I'm running out of panels now though and my next order of panels hasn't arrived yet. I've ordered direct from the supplier so prices are lower but they're a bit slow at dispatching.

I also fitted a new Speedo cable to the Cambridge and pulled the gearbox dipstick to check the oil. There can't be many modern cars with a dipstick under the carpet. You can't see it well but the oil was just below 'low'. It blows my mind that the recommended oil for the gearbox is just straight SAE 30 engine oil. Cars of old were so much simpler.

 

I have to take the carpet up, remove a plug and finger it. Obvs to ascertain fluid levels. Not for pleasure.

[MrT]

Although I am by no means gifted when it comes to making cars work, I am full of admiration for those that can. I have followed this thread with interest  and a bit of awe. 

The Cambridge brought back memories of the two tone green one my great uncle had. He bought it new in 1956, and I last remember seeing it in about 1972, still immaculate as he only drove it about once a fortnight. He was a farmer in Lincolnshire, and like his brothers was tight with money. If he came to Nottingham, my Grandad had to pilot him as he couldn't cope with the big city. 

I assume that the photo with the F5E was taken at Alconbury, former home of the 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron from 1976 to 1989. The  original N156 and T38 was a near contemporary of the Cambridge, first flying in 1959. 

 

[Tommyboy12]

2 hours ago, MrT said:

Although I am by no means gifted when it comes to making cars work, I am full of admiration for those that can. I have followed this thread with interest  and a bit of awe. 

The Cambridge brought back memories of the two tone green one my great uncle had. He bought it new in 1956, and I last remember seeing it in about 1972, still immaculate as he only drove it about once a fortnight. He was a farmer in Lincolnshire, and like his brothers was tight with money. If he came to Nottingham, my Grandad had to pilot him as he couldn't cope with the big city. 

I assume that the photo with the F5E was taken at Alconbury, former home of the 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron from 1976 to 1989. The  original N156 and T38 was a near contemporary of the Cambridge, first flying in 1959. 

 

Thanks for the kind words and interesting story!

It is indeed Alconbury for the F5E. I drive past it quite regularly. I should stop by the Canberra at Wyton too and get a shot as although it's a bit earlier it's still a contemporary plane of the era of the Cambridge

[Blake's Den]

I am in great admiration of this thread. I'm trying to get my '89 Designer back on the road and it has been a long slog so far. It is inspirational to see the progress that you are making. Keep up the good work! 

[Stinkwheel]

On 03/08/2024 at 18:38, Tommyboy12 said:

Next up I have to tackle this. The whole flitch panel is rotten. I'm not looking forward to doing it as it'll mean taking the door off and I can guarantee you that the studs will shear when I try to remove the nuts. I'm going to try and carefully remove the A-panel so I can reuse it as it's the original colour and in good condition (again panels are expensive)

 

 

 

I feel your pain on the flitch panels. Ive 98% done one side on mine and the other side has now become a 'I dont want to even look, as i know how bad its likely to be' situation 

[Tommyboy12]

1 hour ago, Stinkwheel said:

I feel your pain on the flitch panels. Ive 98% done one side on mine and the other side has now become a 'I dont want to even look, as i know how bad its likely to be' situation 

Thankfully the drivers side was ok except round the vent which I've already done. The passenger side is far worse and likely needs the whole thing replacing 

[MrT]

On 05/08/2024 at 20:33, Tommyboy12 said:

Thanks for the kind words and interesting story!

It is indeed Alconbury for the F5E. I drive past it quite regularly. I should stop by the Canberra at Wyton too and get a shot as although it's a bit earlier it's still a contemporary plane of the era of the Cambridge

If it is a PR9, then just about the time the Farina body Cambridge appeared. 

[Tommyboy12]

I washed my tractor this weekend. It's perhaps been sat a little longer than I would like...

[Stinkwheel]

I know this will sound daft, as i have not enough land or need for one, but i really want an old tractor, what i'd do with it gawd only knows, but it seems a great idea.

Is yours a 'little grey fergie' that everyone refers to when speaking old tractors?

[EyesWeldedShut]

Now that would be a hell of a Collection Thread?
"Three weeks on a Fergie"
Worked for Prince Andrew back in the day...

[Tommyboy12]

4 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

I know this will sound daft, as i have not enough land or need for one, but i really want an old tractor, what i'd do with it gawd only knows, but it seems a great idea.

Is yours a 'little grey fergie' that everyone refers to when speaking old tractors?

It is indeed a Grey Fergie. They're very common still and quite cheap. Quite a lot of them are hobby tractors now and don't see much work, this one included. It lives with my dad at the moment as I have no space but when I go to it I drive it to the shops or the pub 😅

They're good fun to drive although 12mph is top speed so you're not going anywhere quickly. They're also really simple to work on

[tooSavvy]

@Tommyboy12 .. "..fun to drive although 12mph is top".

Spent quite a while in a lonnggg Q, behind some yoofs >> trotting a cart/buggy.

12MPH.... Seems less at the time 😕

TBF none of those passing were 'revving the gears' and the horse seemed to be enjoying the outing!!

🚙💨

[Tommyboy12]

I admit it's sedate when you're in something much more capable but 12mph is fast enough when you're sitting on a tin seat, not strapped in, with the wheels spinning right next to you and only rear drum brakes 😅

[JeeExEll]

My grandad then my uncle had a 1950s grey Fergie for many years on a small working farm, from about 1969 until about 10 years ago. If I remember correctly finding rear tyres for it was becoming a problem without spending loadsamoney.

I remember sitting in it, or rather 'on' it, myself when I was about 5. I managed to accidentally start the engine and just about shit myself.

[Matty]

I've always toyed with the idea myself as they seem silly cheap but then you'd need somewhere to use it

[Tommyboy12]

Been a busy 24 hours. Spent yesterday evening taking the turbo Mini to a local meet with a club I help run. It's a really varied club with lots of different stuff turning up. A 300hp Toyota Starlet, Astra B Club, Citroen Visa Special, and a Lotus 21 just to name a few.

Then today I had the Cambridge collected and my new project arrived.

Out with the old

And in with the new...

@sharley17194 and I are planning to do the NC500 in 3 wheelers next year. I'm sure that will go well 😅

[rob88h]

27 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

@sharley17194 and I are planning to do the NC500 in 3 wheelers next year. I'm sure that sill go well 😅

Incredible. That sounds truly appealing. 
(and I genuinely don’t understand how that might not be a popular opinion amongst normies)

[Dyslexic Viking]

I really hope it gets a turbo a series.

[LightBulbFun]

5 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I really hope it gets a turbo a series.

I hope not! the Reliant engine is a sweet all alloy little thing, an A series is a boat anchor in comparison (which genuinely might have legal ramifications because there is a weight limit for what is legally classed as a Tricycle which reliant where always pressed up against, why do you think the very last Reliant Robins only had 1 wiper!)

stick the Turbo on the Reliant engine itself instead

 

Awesome buy on said Reliant, certainly looking forward to seeing more on it  

[Zelandeth]

Seconding the keep the Reliant power plant opinion.  Yes they can be a bit finicky if neglected, but they're sweet little engines when running right, and love to rev.  A Rialto is light enough that so long as everything is in good shape they actually feel quite lively to drive - it's just a fifth gear/overdrive that you'll miss on a long run I'd think.

One of these is very much on my "must own one day" list.  It's a long, long time since I last drove one.  Being rather more used to three wheel motoring these days I'd really like another go of one.

[Tommyboy12]

I will be keeping the original power unit. I've had three of these so know they're pretty peppy in standard form. The plan is to drag it back to life kicking and screaming before giving it a run round to know if it'll make it round Scotland!

[EyesWeldedShut]

https://www.facebook.com/share/7X2G8TLcMPjqPfpn/

Twins? £850 but a non-runner

[Stinkwheel]

But what about the brown mini welding and supercharger?

*joking*

The rialto looks like it will be a lot of fun*

[Tommyboy12]

On 06/09/2024 at 09:22, Stinkwheel said:

But what about the brown mini welding and supercharger?

*joking*

The rialto looks like it will be a lot of fun*

Im getting there 😅 Slowly... 🥲

[Tommyboy12]

I've been on holiday recently so not much progress but today I did take some time to look at the Reliant. It had a brake pedal that sank to the floor and no handbrake when I picked it up.

I assumed a blown line and snapped cable but I found my problem when I took off the rear wheels...

The cylinder looks nasty so I'm replacing those while buying the missing shoes! I'll also be pulling the front wheel off to make sure it's not missing shoes up front too.

I'll also be replacing these prehistoric tyres. If the info I have received is to be believed this Reliant has not been on the road since 1988 (the 25k mileage and remarkable condition of the interior attests to this) and despite the lack of visible dry rot these tyres are well past it. Plus I don't believe Goodyear have made a 10" for at least 20 years.