UOL 524 1957 A35 Restoration

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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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I've been waiting for some time now for the platers to finish the zinc coated parts I dropped off to them. This was careful selection of finding out which parts were coated in this manner (as opposed to painted black etc). I asked about the brightness of the silver beforehand and they said that the parts would have been very bright to start with but 60 years later they go dull!
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1000 piece jigsaw anyone? Were possible I've saved original fixings, but some were far too corroded and have to be renewed, in any case spring washers etc renewed for safety. There are a handful of parts that had no coating at all, but felt it was OK to deviate slightly for the sake of long term preservation...
With this lot back its opened the door to complete many other sub assemblies.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Aug 28, 2017 11:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Duncan wrote:is that your dishwasher underneath, or a washing machine that the filings are making their way into? (causing the popularity of which you speak)
Washing machine. One tip always clean up the night before and NEVER leave it overnight because you were going to continue the following day. I did it once and quite rightly was sentenced to forty lashes of the tongue.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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The original starter switch with 4 57 date mark cleaned up and cable ties fitted under the rubber blocks to raise them for painting
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Several coats of the cad paint.
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Finished article with new washers and original replated nuts fitted
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Aug 28, 2017 11:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Duncan
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Duncan »

^ that's come up well!
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David Swain
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by David Swain »

Wow.... Stunned by your attention to detail, and speed at which you are getting on with the restoration!
In your picture above of the parts Zinc plated (To the left, top) It looks like you have a couple of foot pedal discs, I may well have misidentified them. But in my dealings with Austins, all the pedal discs have been painted black. Great job on the door latches too. When you are finished, this is going to be a brand new Austin that you will be driving around in. :clapping:
Is it coming to the National?
David Swain. Member No. A1743
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A30 van 55 'R.G. Swain', A35 4 Door 59 'Little Gem', A35 2 Door 59 'The Rev' '+1'
AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

David Swain wrote:Wow.... Stunned by your attention to detail, and speed at which you are getting on with the restoration!
In your picture above of the parts Zinc plated (To the left, top) It looks like you have a couple of foot pedal discs, I may well have misidentified them. But in my dealings with Austins, all the pedal discs have been painted black. Great job on the door latches too. When you are finished, this is going to be a brand new Austin that you will be driving around in. :clapping:
Is it coming to the National?
Thanks, interesting about the correctly identified pedal discs. I had put three of them through the process as I had bought one with some other spares, all three of them were finished in very dulled zinc plate.
I've found a photo of "before" parts...
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A before photo of most of the parts
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This photo of the original coil goes some way to illustrate how bright the original plating was on the inside of the coil mounting bracket.
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As for the speed of the restoration, well I've been at this for some years now! There are still some small chunks of sub assemblies to finish off such as the power unit, front suspension and the handbrake lever. As for the national that indeed is the question of the day, the aim is to get there and I've set aside a fortnight for final assembly but there is also some paint rectification to do as well, it's going to be tight!
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Aug 28, 2017 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

In the early 1980s a Lucas screenjet system was retrofitted in line with new MOT regulations. In pre restoration state it was pretty useless as it didn't work! It was decided to restore this original system and although an earlier version exists with an enclosed pump more period to when the car was built, this was what was first fitted to this particular A35.
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Trialling the relocation of the wash system to allow future fitting of a heater, this allowed the wiring loom to be built according.
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Original bracket and strap before dismantling
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Starting with a replacement strap, cut down from some spare Pirelli webbing, the original fixing washers saved.
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Punching the holes with an office A4 paper hole punch, in this case a pink one works best!
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Original mounting bracket powder coated
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Measured round the bottle and cut to length, hole punched and riveted on.
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Bottle cleaned up, new pump and some period clear pipe. At this stage missing is some foam to sandwich between the bracket and bottle that I have since acquired and yet to fit.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Aug 28, 2017 5:06 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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This is the only electrical unit that has been renewed on the car since it was built, not bad for 60 years! Date marked 1981, all I've done here is cleaned it and the clip and screws have been replated.
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The steering rods were in serviceable condition except for the dust covers, cleaned up and ready for painting.
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After painting, I was unhappy with the general dust covers available but after some research I was able to track down a suitable copy of the original type, this can be seen placed next to a very cracked original.
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Now assembled with original fixings replated.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

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A mixture of parts from Robert (Austin Motors) and the Club, stainless sleeved cylinders and new pistons
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Assembled and ready to go, now fitted with titanium bleed nipples
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Brake master cylinder as removed
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Refurbished with stainless cylinder and all brackets and fixings replated, I assume that the gasket is not available new?
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The filler cap was well mashed, years of removing with pliers and screwdrivers. I ordered one of the reproductions for Mk1 Mini etc, the inside baffles swapped over from the old cap to the new but decided on fitting the rubber seal instead of the original cardboard one..
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Bushes removed from the pedal shaft pivot and powder coated.
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Bushes pressed back in and powder coating filled off around the master cylinder pushrods fork area
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Assembled with new clevis pin from the kit of 10 from the Club.
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Finished but pushrod locknut left loose pending final adjustments when fitted.
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:01 am, edited 4 times in total.
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

The handbrake lever....mmm....
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The handbrake lever trigger has a special stepped rivet holding it onto the lever body and the trigger spring loaded pushrod inside to the prawl also has a plain chamfered rivet inside. Removing these will partially destroy the rivets of course (which are listed as replacement parts in the book), but no replacements are available off the shelf as far as I can find.
ImageHandbrake lever rivets by Nick B, on Flickr
Should anyone get to this point the measurements are as above. I've contacted various specialists to have a batch remanufactured, but nobody was interested.
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I've tracked down some 3/16 mild steel rivets that are much longer, and I'm sure they could be modified on a lathe but I haven't got one!Image
The handbrake components roughly assembled. The trigger has been rechromed, the lever has been powder coated (the alloy dust cover looked fragile but did survive the process!) and the rest has been de rusted and replated with zinc. The clevis pin that holds the prawl in the lever needs renewing, but fortunately is still available to order. But I'll have to pull a rabbit out of a hat with those special rivets to get it back together...
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The clutch pedal rod assembly as removed.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/F1r7t6]ImageClutch pedal assembly by Nick B, on Flickr
I've had better success with this and this is as far as it goes pending assembly into the car. The original pushrod is fitted, but a new Club spares pushrod is on standby just in case.
:thumbs:
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:09 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Neil Evans
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Neil Evans »

AustinofEngland wrote:
Finished but pushrod locknut left loose pending final adjustments when fitted.
The ring that secures the boot is missing... it's on in the photo of the master cylinder before you stripped it...

You'll also find these aftermarket boots need wiring to the push rod or the shaft will push through the boot. I also 'tenderise' the boot to try and make it more pliable as they don't concertina like the original Lockheed ones do... :whistle:
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Dave Clark
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by Dave Clark »

Maybe it would be possible to find a modelmaker who would be able to fabricate those rivets ?

It does not look to be a difficult job for someone with a lathe.

And no I am not volunteering because although I have a lathe I cannot aspire to the levels of perfection that you very clearly need on this project.
AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration

Post by AustinofEngland »

Neil Evans wrote:
AustinofEngland wrote:
Finished but pushrod locknut left loose pending final adjustments when fitted.
The ring that secures the boot is missing... it's on in the photo of the master cylinder before you stripped it...

You'll also find these aftermarket boots need wiring to the push rod or the shaft will push through the boot. I also 'tenderise' the boot to try and make it more pliable as they don't concertina like the original Lockheed ones do... :whistle:
Thanks for pointing that out I hadn't realised. It's been some 12 months since it was sent away for reconditioning, I've just had a look at it and it appears to be stuck to the master cylinder body (this might be a dab of glue but may have also been assembled over tacky paint?). Having not dismantled it I've no idea if the ring is a continuous one or like a horseshoe, there are a few old original Lockheed kits floating around that I could get and pinch an original boot from, but they don't include the ring... If nothing turns up in the very short term then it will have to wait until later.
Dave Clark wrote:Maybe it would be possible to find a modelmaker who would be able to fabricate those rivets ?

It does not look to be a difficult job for someone with a lathe.

And no I am not volunteering because although I have a lathe I cannot aspire to the levels of perfection that you very clearly need on this project.
Thanks! :thumbs:

It would seem help is at hand as someone has kindly volunteered, I'll keep you informed how things progress....
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AustinofEngland
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Re: UOL 1957 A35 Restoration- HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY!

Post by AustinofEngland »

It would appear from records that May 9th 1957 UOL was being built! So happy 60th Bithday!!

This could have been built on a night shift so in the sprit of this I have just put the front brakes together and finished them at 01.20...
:whistle:

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Parts assembled, astonishingly the original brake pipes have survived!
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Hopefully someone can validate that it's all assembled correctly!
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And the shoes on the right way round!
:study:
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Sun Aug 27, 2017 10:38 am, 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:
Thanks for pointing that out I hadn't realised. It's been some 12 months since it was sent away for reconditioning, I've just had a look at it and it appears to be stuck to the master cylinder body (this might be a dab of glue but may have also been assembled over tacky paint?). Having not dismantled it I've no idea if the ring is a continuous one or like a horseshoe, there are a few old original Lockheed kits floating around that I could get and pinch an original boot from, but they don't include the ring... If nothing turns up in the very short term then it will have to wait until later.

Ah, the perils of using 'expert' services... It's a continuous ring and is difficult, though not impossible to refit because the inflexibility of the vastly inferior aftermarket rubber boot... The Lockheed boots are much more supple, to the point that the Brovex ones are not of merchantable quality... :whistle:
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