A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

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David Swain
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A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

My Dads A30 van, outside His shop
My Dads A30 van, outside His shop
Austin A30 R G Swain outside shop 228kb.jpg (228.74 KiB) Viewed 5427 times
Well here goes, I have been reading and enjoying all the write ups about your restorations in these forum pages, and have been very impressed and rather intimidated by the level of work carried out. This has spurred me on in my attempts to rebuild my Dads van and has also made me wonder if the work should rather be carried out by someone with more expertise than me. It has been extremely helpful to see how other people have tackled problems, and also very scary at times, seeing how much time and money is involved in restoring a vehicle. So now it is time to not only read other peoples stories but to start writing one of my own. My goal is to have the van ready to go to some events with my Family later this year, I was initially hoping to get to the Lichfield event in June, although the more I read and the more of my van I take apart, the less likely I feel this goal is going to be achieved. But I can definately try........
Van on West End Beach road
Van on West End Beach road
2007_05076-5-07calvary0040.jpg (116.47 KiB) Viewed 5427 times
I returned with my Family and the van at the end of last year 2011, from an Island called Roatan, off the Coast of Honduras (Caribbean side), where we had made our home for the previous seven years. The van was not running on our return to the UK (Engine was in the rear compartment). As it had started making a serious rumbling noise one afternoon on our way home, so the next day I drove the van to a Cuban friend of mine called Hugo (Hugo in my opinion was the best mechanic on the Island, and lived at the top of a very steep hill). He agreed that the noise was very serious and set about taking the engine apart, when He removed the sump He found that the crankshaft was in two pieces, how the van drove the two miles to Hugos and up the hill to His house I am not sure. I ordered another crankshaft from BM and had my sister ship it over, it took a couple of months to reach the Island, only to find it was the wrong one! Hugo was leaving the Island to live in Miami and I did not have enough time to get another sent out, and I did not trust any of the other mechanics with my precious car, and so the engine has remained in pieces. The van also needs bodywork repairs as the humidity took a toll.
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A30 van 55 'R.G. Swain', A35 4 Door 59 'Little Gem', A35 2 Door 59 'The Rev' '+1'
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

Van in Felixstowe fresh out of the container Nov. 2011
Van in Felixstowe fresh out of the container Nov. 2011
RGSwain back in the UK Cornwall Road 19112011a 235kb.jpg (235.22 KiB) Viewed 5407 times
Here are some pictures of R G Swain from November last year, after picking up from the docks at Felixstowe. He does not look too bad, I had to give Him a good clean (or what I thought was a good clean) to get Him through US customs.
Side view.
Side view.
RGSwain back in the UK Cornwall Road 19112011b 219kb.jpg (219.9 KiB) Viewed 5407 times
It was a relief to get Him out of the Port, as the Shipping line had not been given a release by the Honduran agents. Who could not be contacted as they were not yet awake, (Due to the time difference). I managed to get someone in their Miami office to verify that everything was in order. Paperwork is not a strong point in Honduras, it took us over a year to get a Birth certificate for our Daughter, and then they wanted to put the issue date on rather than Her actual Birth Date!
Other side.
Other side.
RGSwain back in the UK Cornwall Road 19112011c 220kb.jpg (220.74 KiB) Viewed 5407 times
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jeff
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by jeff »

From what i can see the bodywork does not look to bad.A bit rust along the gutter and maybe a bit around the headlamp.
Two days to rebuild and replace the engine and you could be at Litchfield no bother.
And it would be good to see another van on the road. :wink:
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

Thanks Jeff,
I love your schedule :D , I have not rebuilt an engine before, so a bit nervous about that, although reading all the wonderful work that you guys have been doing has really inspired me, and I have managed to get a hold of a couple of manuals, one from ebay and the other from the library, so am feeling up to having a go. The bodywork unfortunately is a bit worse than it looks in the photos, as is I think often the case. I will be putting more pictures etc. on as soon as I can, to bring the thread up to date.
The wings need a bit of repair especially round the headlights, the front section between the lower grille and the radiator is bad, the front floor pans have holes, also holes around the windscreen and along the seam on either side, the back door is really bad, and Also as you say the rain channel has some problems. The lights have also rusted through so will need replacing.
But I am willing to have a go, oh yes and I have very few tools to work with! :(
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troutrunner
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by troutrunner »

Good luck David, just keep asking the questions and you'll keep getting the answers and encouragement :D
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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

troutrunner wrote:Good luck David, just keep asking the questions and you'll keep getting the answers and encouragement :D
you certainly will, oh i did drive a 948cc engine with a broken crank about 50 miles it just made some nasty knocking sounds, i continued to drive it home as i know the damage had already been done, at the time i didn't not know the crank had broke until i stripped the engine down after i had fitted another engine in to keep the car going
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Alan
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by Alan »

A30 van gents. not many left.

does it still have an 803 in it? also does it still have that really low diff?
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

Thanks for all the words of encouragement guys, I think I will be asking lots of questions so please be patient. The engine I have is not the original 803cc but a 948cc engine that my Dad put in around 1987ish to give the van more go. The original engine was kept as it was still running, and we had thought we might like to reinstall it at some point. My Father gave me His van shortly before He died, and when my Wife and I decided to move to Honduras we naturally wished to take the car with us (all our friends thought we were insane taking an old Austin van a quarter of the way round the World, but we couldn't bear to part with it!). We thought however that the engine would be safer left here in the UK, along with my Ford Anglia and the rest of our treasured belongings. We kept these all in a lock up garage that we rented, unfortunately just over five years ago someone set fire to the garage and we lost everything, before the news reached us (We were living on a little Island with no post and very little in the way of communications, a trip into the nearest Town for internet was about it.) The fire department had cleared the site including the Anglia a 1500GT engine and the 803 plus all of the things that we could not take with us, but could not bear to get rid of. So no possibility of salvaging anything.
Back of van.
Back of van.
Back of van with engine 202kb.jpg (202.23 KiB) Viewed 5367 times
We have now moved to a larger house in Hollesley, which is in the middle of nowhere but has a Garage :D and so after reading lots of restorations on these pages and equipped with a Garage! I started to take the van apart and try to get it ready for Summer and the MOT (not necessary in Honduras.) The picture above shows a bad section of rust at the rear corner and the engine.
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

Oops sorry,
Yes the diff. should be original as far as I know, although I am not sure what the original spec is. I don't expect you can tell without taking it all apart. And I would rather not do that as it is not causing any trouble at the moment.
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

I got the engine out of the back of the van and onto the bench, I feel the easy part is accomplished!
Onto the bench.
Onto the bench.
948 onto bench 201kb.jpg (201.9 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
And have also been busy taking pieces off the van, to see what exactly I am going to have to deal with.
Garage mess 1 167kb.jpg
Garage mess 1 167kb.jpg (167.43 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
I got a bit fed up though with having to keep moving the van backwards and forwards to do anything, as when we moved in to the new house all the stuff we didn't need straight away, was placed in the garage.
Garage mess 2 181kb.jpg
Garage mess 2 181kb.jpg (181.41 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
So I spent a day finding places for everything and having a bit of a tidy up.
Clean up 4 166kb.jpg
Clean up 4 166kb.jpg (166.57 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
Now I have room to work without feeling like some sort of Houdini type contortionist.
Clean up 2 171kb.jpg
Clean up 2 171kb.jpg (171.67 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
Notice the bucket in the fore ground, I said earlier that I thought I had cleaned the car well for US customs, all of that has come out from under the front wings and front end of the van. It has worked a bit like underseal, as when ever I have done an oil change in the past I have sprayed the old oil under the car and it has formed a thick oily dirty goo. But it is time for it all to come off!
Abbi helping 165kb.jpg
Abbi helping 165kb.jpg (165.61 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
My youngest Daughter Abbi, helped with the clean up after School.
Bench 2 185kb.jpg
Bench 2 185kb.jpg (185.71 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
Bench 4 202kb.jpg
Bench 4 202kb.jpg (202.17 KiB) Viewed 5344 times
I have also created some space for engine dismantling, I need to obviously replace the Crankshaft, as it is in two pieces, and living on an Island in the Caribbean! (I didn't think it worth bringing it back for exchange!) :lol: I am thinking that while the engine is out I might as well take it all apart and clean and replace whatever needs cleaning and replacing, as I have said before though is that I have never attempted an engine rebuild before, so if any of you have any comments or suggestions as to how best to tackle a rebuild, what needs doing and what should not be tackled. Then please let me know. There was a lot of sludge in the sump which I have now cleaned out, and I am also concerned how the CS managed to become two CS's in the first place.
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WAC_Paul
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by WAC_Paul »

Lovely and very rare van you have there David.

The good news (depending on how you look at these things) is that it's a 948 so parts are very plentiful and easily found.

There is a free 948 in the free ads section at the moment which you might find useful for parts - especially the crank! It is in Swindon so a bit of a drive to collect but may well be worth it in the long term.
Big Daddy
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by Big Daddy »

fsu982 wrote:Oops sorry,
Yes the diff. should be original as far as I know, although I am not sure what the original spec is. I don't expect you can tell without taking it all apart. And I would rather not do that as it is not causing any trouble at the moment.
You can determine diff ratio without dismantling anything, by comparing number of propshaft to wheel revolutions - just rotate them manually :wink:

We've used Woodbridge Airfield several times for trackdays and competitive sprints. Only problem is the surface is very abrasive (military spec) which eats tyres at an alarming rate :shock:
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David Swain
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by David Swain »

Thanks Paul,
We love the van very much, it has great sentimental value as well as being a vehicle that creates smiles wherever we go!
I will try and get the engine, as I have a feeling I am going to need a few bits and pieces before I get mine running again. :?
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'
WAC_Paul
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by WAC_Paul »

if its already gone and your stuck I have a gold seal 948 that was in a car that was written off owned by another South West Group member. It was running perfectly then (about 16 years ago). Its just sat in my garage so might not take too much to get it going again. Bad news is I'm even further away just south of Bristol.
Big Daddy
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Re: A30 van R.G.Swain Rebuild.

Post by Big Daddy »

David - Should be able to help with 948 engine/parts and I'm much closer. Just let me know :wink:
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