UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Restoration projects and Austin related chat in here please
AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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The original front suspension arms have been blasted and powder coated (with careful masking of the fulcrum pin threads). Trial fitting the kingpins and fulcrum pins here.
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A replacement used hub was sourced from Robert to replace the bodged one, here with the old bushes drifted out and new ones pressed in.
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Bushes reamed and trial fitting other parts.
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The trunnion bushes on the bottom are original to the car and are well knackered, the trunnion on the top has been well bodged, the pin through the bushes is totally seized in place and a modern metric flange nut has been forced on!
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The only way I found to deal with it was to angle grind it apart!
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The trunnion from the side with the bodged kingpin bushes, yet more bodges! This side had massive endfloat despite having 3 thick shims fitted, clearly something was well amiss if someone has fitted a cork sealing washer under the oilite thrust washer in an attempt to correct it!
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Going together with the pre assembled brakes
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Original wheel bearings cleaned and greased, treated to new seals and the rather battered grease cap renewed
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All assembled and painted as per factory sub assemblies, wheel nuts fitted and painted over to protect the threads, the eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted the deliberate mistake...
:whistle:
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Both sides done and brake hoses to fitted (two deliberate mistakes now!)
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Going on, it was at this point I noticed the extra negative camber- then fitted the trunnions the right way round! :oops:
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All in with spring, just the rebound stop to fit, the bush pins and nuts to the body are originals, stripped and replated zinc. Originally they were possibly bare steel with no protection at all but it was difficult to tell, I felt zinc plating looks OK and gives some long term protection.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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At the rear I've made up a new steel fuel pipe using original unions, fitted the rear dampers and anti roll bar ready for the rear axle.
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The rear springs and axle in place. Due to a lack of critical parts this is only a lash up to get the car on its feet and in a condition to trailer to the National Meet, so I'll cover that in more detail later
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The Sunday morning of the National Meet and ready to go, the left hand front suspension only just fitted earlier that morning... it was a busy day and I managed not one single photo of the day!
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One of the conversations was with :bow: Stan :bow: and he observed the replacement badge was fitted from a
late model van in gold, instead of the original silver. He also pointed out the differences between the Lucas supplied badge with large Austin crest and the Wilmot Breeden badge with smaller crest and the approximate change points.
A new correct badge was obtained and fitted
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Lucas 1 on the rear
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Compared with the original...
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Neil Evans
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Neil Evans »

AustinofEngland wrote:
This side had massive endfloat despite having 3 thick shims fitted, clearly something was well amiss if someone has fitted a cork sealing washer under the oilite thrust washer in an attempt to correct it!
The shims will be adding to the endfloat, surely... :study:
AustinofEngland wrote: ... the eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted the deliberate mistake...
:whistle:

Trunnion fitted the wrong way round... :thumbs:
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Neil Evans
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Neil Evans »

AustinofEngland wrote:
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The factory never actually painted the underneath of the vehicle in body colour. All it ever got was a bit in the wheel arches and a lot of overspray. I'm disappointed in you... :rol:
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Hello all not been on here for a while, the A35 has been on pause because of other commitments so there has been little progress since the National Meet. I was gutted to see the nightmare of photobucket, this thread is very pic heavy with some 500 or so photos! I've made a start in shifting it all to imgbox but talk about A35 restorations, transferring photos and rewriting all the links will take an age...
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First one! Up to date photo of the engine bay, Lincon battery arrived and has been duly "Lucasified", the last shop soiled card battery tray was found by Robert and finishes it off nicely. Engine electrics are connected and it spins over with the emergency start plunger, radiator is in complete with period BMC cap painted as one unit.
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Lincon battery as delivered, drilling the terminal posts was fun to accept the helmet type leads with screws. One post needed filing down to allow the terminal to fit down correctly...
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Aug 21, 2017 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Neil Evans wrote:
AustinofEngland wrote:
Image
The factory never actually painted the underneath of the vehicle in body colour. All it ever got was a bit in the wheel arches and a lot of overspray. I'm disappointed in you... :rol:
Yep, I thought about that but decided to do this way in the end for easy maintenance .. :thumbs:
I did a restoration years ago (2004) on an MG Maestro 1600 and finished the underside with grey stone chip with hints of body colour over strategical areas, this was similar to factory finish as possible...
Neil Evans wrote:
AustinofEngland wrote:
This side had massive endfloat despite having 3 thick shims fitted, clearly something was well amiss if someone has fitted a cork sealing washer under the oilite thrust washer in an attempt to correct it!
The shims will be adding to the endfloat, surely... :study:
AustinofEngland wrote: ... the eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted the deliberate mistake...
:whistle:

Trunnion fitted the wrong way round... :thumbs:
Yes, you're absolutely correct, I was thinking the wrong way round... :oops:
But...


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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Not posted for a while but in the background spending a mass of time sorting out the Photobucket saga, over 500 photos had to be transferred to imgbox and the addresses rewritten manually on each post...
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Back to the restoration.
Here is the lighting switch with typical flaking paint (although much better than average) and reasonable condition chrome switch lever. The braided cable is faded slightly but all wiring in good condition otherwise.
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The two halves look like they have been painted as an assembly with the four screws in place, then removed again for final assembly, note one screw shorter than the rest.
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The switch inside must be universal for other period models and has slots numbers 1 to 5 so that it can be assembled in the correct position. The switch is held in with three pan head machine screws, one is longer than the other two. The longest screw is positioned over the "number 3" cut out of the switch and screwed through the cast body with the master spline to correctly orientate the switch.
Image70E0B3F2-9B22-4A05-ADC0-2CA2DD2F3A96 by Nick B, on Flickr
Three switch screws.
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In the centre of the switch there is a screw that secures the switch to the chrome switch lever, this is undone with a long slim flat blade screwdriver, the switch will then lift away from the body but one wire will still be attached to the horn slip ring contact. The switch detent plate can be lifted out, note this is also orientated against a master spline.
ImageF14D5F8F-C461-4CD1-A730-12696B56A4C2 by Nick B, on Flickr
Push the chrome lever into the switch body and remove the pin which is a loose fit kept in place by the assembled switch.
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The lever can be withdrawn from the body.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:39 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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Rather than drilling the rivet out I found it more straightforward to de solder the wire to the slip ring contact
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With everything stripped down removing the remaining paint with paint stripper.
Image82C958E3-2B9D-4904-9211-0A916CF59C87 by Nick B, on Flickr
I fabricated a bracket to handle the assembled switch body during painted, now completed.
Image1216984A-E71D-4FF5-8ABD-7172DAC97CE6 by Nick B, on Flickr
Assembly is the classic reversal but be aware the the chrome lever can be fitted 180 degrees round. Here the central screw is being refitted to attach the chrome lever. The horn slip contact needs the wire re soldering in place.
ImageF9E95690-266D-4E71-A7D3-BABB94503ECE by Nick B, on Flickr
The completed switch, the chrome lever polished up before assembly and the braided cover responded to a sniff of black paint from an aerosol can.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Image7509B3B6-1964-40CA-A0AD-0AE71D3D5FFE by Nick B, on Flickr
This photo was taken before the rear axle was dismantled, looking at the manual it would appear the brake shoe leading edges are the wrong way round for the right hand side?
ImageE4ECBAF5-5829-49DA-87E5-99B2F1E67229 by Nick B, on Flickr
The left hand expander was in good condition and simply needed a good clean up and hardened grease removing.
Image1A7D770C-7EFA-4DA4-AB1F-ECB6D796C563 by Nick B, on Flickr
The back plates have been blasted and powder coated then fitted with some reproduction rubber dust covers from the club.
Image194A0C21-C73F-4833-AFC2-0D1B6F2561D4 by Nick B, on Flickr
Powder coated brake rod pushed through and fitted to the cleaned and greased expander
Image71A365DD-23CE-47E1-9F14-18115A06DC51 by Nick B, on Flickr
Old stock shoes and springs laid out ready to fit, very easy to fit with no axle and hub in the way!
ImageEFCF569B-CE2B-4C4C-800F-69F87D4565B2 by Nick B, on Flickr
Hooking on the pull off spring the manual does not seem to instruct which way round this fits except with a close look at the exploded illustration, I don’t think it’s essential which way round it’s installed but fitted this way round it gives full access to one of the four nuts holding the back plate on...
Image8B2C09F7-8B7F-48AF-AF66-94802262467D by Nick B, on Flickr
Manual says the small spring installed with the coil facing inwards, now ready to be pulled over the abutment plate.
ImageD1E75DCD-EB4F-4A47-AFEA-AEA068E263D4 by Nick B, on Flickr
Shoes now fully installed with the pull off spring under the spring guide on the bake plate, hopefully an expert will confirm this is all the correct way round!
Image9022A34B-D489-41CC-8446-372B8E072BF1 by Nick B, on Flickr
Rear of completed brake assembly.
ImageA43F075F-16BA-4B6E-A831-698A7735FE47 by Nick B, on Flickr
Right hand expander was corroded and needed some thrashing apart and good clean up.
ImageEC319664-BAD4-44FB-906E-554D3E7AE3F5 by Nick B, on Flickr
Heavy corrosion cleaned off ready for assembly
Image0DBB95E0-5526-4696-84A1-BE5C9528C9E3 by Nick B, on Flickr
ImageDB50C989-DD26-4212-A4F9-6EB8786FF7CD by Nick B, on Flickr
ImageD3B72407-883E-436B-B44A-5B1CFFA76A26 by Nick B, on Flickr
Image5A41FF34-8D21-46FF-A9E0-0C00B4DB762C by Nick B, on Flickr
Mirror image for the right hand brake assembly.
ImageACA8A690-AEBF-4442-BFB7-E4311CAB7192 by Nick B, on Flickr
Rear of completed right hand brake assembly.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

ImageB90B5DB8-9A61-44C6-B8D0-888CEC34F4D2 by Nick B, on Flickr
Rear axle brake balance lever as removed and dismantled.
Image1916A9A4-AD9C-410D-887C-F4A53F8F624F by Nick B, on Flickr
All cleaned up and bracket powder coated, the felt washer is still available as part number 2K5820
ImageE207A602-1806-4E63-939C-7297972DAA6B by Nick B, on Flickr
Assembled ready to fit to the axle...
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

This A35 is old enough to have the Lucas CRT wiper motor...
ImageCRT Wiper motor by Nick B, on Flickr
The rubber pad it rests on has turned to a sticky mess (number 4 in the illustration), my question is what type of rubber is it made from and how thick should it be?
Plenty of other period cars use this mounting system but nothing is available...
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albertrivero
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by albertrivero »

Looking splendid! Thanks for the detailed pictures
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philipangus
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by philipangus »

Hi Nick

You are doing a great job - very inspirational - I saw you car at Hibaldstow and it was superb.

Here is a pic from a Lockheed Brake Service Manual that I have for our cars. It shows the Rear Near Side i.e. what you call left side. Your set up looks to match it.

Hope this is helpful

Philip
Near Side Rear Brakes.jpg
Near Side Rear Brakes.jpg (231.75 KiB) Viewed 1999 times
Edosan
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Edosan »

Great stuff :thumbs: would be very interested to know what you finally choose for that rubber pad under the wiper motor as I will be removing mine soon and it has also turned to mush! :wave:
AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Thanks for the nice comments people, the Lockheed illustration is brilliant and much more user friendly that the workshop manual..
:thumbs:
ImageCRT PAD & MOTOR by Nick B, on Flickr
I’ve dug out some dismantling photos and found this one with the wiper motor still fitted
ImageCRT PAD by Nick B, on Flickr
This one of the pad itself, slowly turning to mush. Its been in a bag ever since but now turned into black jelly! Looking at it I would say 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick? But it is solid rubber or some sort of firm foam...
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