LFO675 Back on the road

Restoration projects and Austin related chat in here please
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David Swain
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by David Swain »

Looking good!
I need one of those clutch bars, I tried to get one at the rally auction last year, but missed out, I didn't realise club spares did them. Will have to get one ordered. :thumbs:
Keep the posts coming.
David Swain. Member No. A1743
Contact for 'The Suffolk Group'.
Contact Email suffolk@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

A30 van 55 'R.G. Swain', A35 4 Door 59 'Little Gem', A35 2 Door 59 'The Rev' '+1'
northernboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by northernboy »

Yes Dave - I think it is a new addition to the parts list.
My Fleet : Austin A35 (aka Dads funny old car), 2003 1.8 MGTF - (Dads cool car and Daily Driver), 1982 Mini Mayfair and the family Focus Hatch (aka 'The Skip')
northernboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by northernboy »

Well - LFO675 continues to come back together - another milestone - all main bodywork welding now complete - going round dressing the welds on the sills and rear wings - made some of my own panels - some of the tricky ones from Robert at Austin Motors - light filling as required to ensure as prefect finish as I can get (for an amateur)

Rear axle to spring mount problems solved by a bit of re engineering - now all fits together properly.

Started on the engine rebuild - was running well when I dismantled and most parts seem good - main and big end bearing all look good but will replace as a matter of course. Cylinder bores will get a light hone and new rings to the pistons.

When running I always though the engine pulled really well and have now confirmed at some stage a 1275 big valve head has been fitted ( 12G940 ) but there is no sign of pocketing on the 950 block which is sometimes required so the current cam and rocker must be just right to avoid valve / block interference - I hope it goes back together the same ! The head looks good but valves will require a bit of lapping in.

hours of body prep ahead ready for painting - but that is another story for later.
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Inner wing replacement
Inner wing replacement
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card template for inner wing
card template for inner wing
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lots of rust to cut away
lots of rust to cut away
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My Fleet : Austin A35 (aka Dads funny old car), 2003 1.8 MGTF - (Dads cool car and Daily Driver), 1982 Mini Mayfair and the family Focus Hatch (aka 'The Skip')
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Countryboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by Countryboy »

Coming on nicely :thumbs:
Rest Home for rusty vehicles
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albertrivero
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by albertrivero »

Looking good! :thumbs:
A 25 y.o chemist from Barcelona
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gazza82
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by gazza82 »

northernboy wrote:Started on the engine rebuild - was running well when I dismantled and most parts seem good - main and big end bearing all look good but will replace as a matter of course. Cylinder bores will get a light hone and new rings to the pistons.
I can definitely recommend CMK on Cressex Industrial Estate for engine machining if you need this .. run by two guys who definitely know engines!
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Club WebEditor.

Cars: "Project 757" '59 A35 2-door bought in 1971 & Subaru BRZ SE LUX Auto plus "family fleet": Alfa MiTo, Peugeot 206, (Ex '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TS)
northernboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by northernboy »

948 Engine recondition now almost complete.

As the engine was not original when I got it, in that it has a bigger valve 12G940 head, I decided to replace some parts with more modern equivalents in an attempt to improve serviceability and reliability. Cosmetically the engine looks the same as an original.

The hardest part was reconditioning the rocker assembly as it needed a new shaft and rocker bushes - this took a bit of machining and engineering ( more than expected) but it was good fun. I have written a guide on how to do this which I will submit for inclusion in a future magazine.

I have now completed the following:
Complete strip down and clean of engine and all components
Paint in original green colour enamel
Reconditioned the head, re ground the valve seats and lapped in
Check cylinders and given a light hone to remove glazing
Crank check and journal polish
New main, big end and thrust bearings
Duplex timing chai
New Cam thrust plate to get the end float correct
Used a more modern timing chain cover with rubber oil seal
New piston rings
New core plugs
New oil pump
New oil filter adapter that takes more modern filters
New water pump
Reconditioned the fuel pump
Reconditioned the carburetor
Reconditioned the rocker assembly ( new rocker bar, bearings etc)
New tappets
New gaskets and seals all round
Reconditioned the rocker cover
New Borg and Beck clutch, cover and thrust bearing

Much more enjoyable than bodywork :)

I have only rebuilt Ford Crossflow engines before - the A Series are very similar to rebuild in many ways

There are not many torque setting available in the A35 workshop manual so used torque settings from the minor / mini workshop manuals.
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This is the original oil pump - I decided to replace with a new one for good measure.
This is the original oil pump - I decided to replace with a new one for good measure.
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My Fleet : Austin A35 (aka Dads funny old car), 2003 1.8 MGTF - (Dads cool car and Daily Driver), 1982 Mini Mayfair and the family Focus Hatch (aka 'The Skip')
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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

engine looks nice :thumbs:
Nick Bayliss

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OVY871
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by OVY871 »

Coming along very nicely :)
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northernboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by northernboy »

New years day 2018 - today's task was to repair the near side front wing - what a job it turned out to be.

The original wings were really corroded in the usual places, i.e. around the front and lower rear. They had been repaired before but was a bit rough and added problems to doing the repair this time ( as is often the case) Was tempted to replace with fibreglass but decided to invest time and money in saving the original steel wings.

First job was to remove the crud and underseal from the inside of the wing - I did this with a decorators hot air gun to soften the tar underseal and a scraper - a wire brush in a grinder body did the rest.

Next job was to cut away the rear lower section and replace with a new panel I got from the Dutch Guy. Bit of fiddling around was needed to ensure all lined up ok and this was tacked in place. Original steel was a bit thin around the cut due to previous repairs and rust so decided to weld on a bracing plate at the back to help hold everything firm. Took a few hours but pretty easy.

The front section around the light and front valence was another story - although I bought a ready made section from BM it took hours and hours to cut away and fit, cut away and fit etc. Bit by bit I got the new section to fit properly but was tricky due to three dimensional aspect of this part of the wing and due to it location has to look correct.

Bit scary cutting away at the wing with an angle grinder hoping to get it right. But you have to take care, measure twice and have faith and go for it.

Welding clamps worth their weight in gold again. Tack welded, taking care not to overheat the panel and distort then final weld up the but joint and dress with a flap disk.

Some thin filler will be needed to get the exact profile and cover my welding but it is pretty close.

Here are a couple of photos of the job.

Fun day - good start to 2018.

Near side wing next - hoping will be a bit quicker as I know what to expect :)
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My Fleet : Austin A35 (aka Dads funny old car), 2003 1.8 MGTF - (Dads cool car and Daily Driver), 1982 Mini Mayfair and the family Focus Hatch (aka 'The Skip')
Dave Clark
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by Dave Clark »

Those Intergrips are just what is needed for this sort of job. I have used them for over 30 years.

Re engine building. I have got bored with just an A series build so have been coerced into building a double overhead cam, 16 valve , fuel injected 1293 cc A series - just a bit different.
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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

Dave Clark wrote:Those Intergrips are just what is needed for this sort of job. I have used them for over 30 years.
i use those too :thumbs:
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

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Tight Yorkshireman
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues :)

Post by Tight Yorkshireman »

Hey thats more sterling work and is not straightforward.
Brill! :thumbs:
John (Tight Yorkshireman)
First referred to as the Tight Yorkshireman in editions of the Clubs Spotlight: Autumn 1996 Page 40 and Autumn 1997 Page 15
northernboy
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues - oooops - big mistake :(

Post by northernboy »

Ummm - hit a problem - fitting the offside front wing and offside door and found neither align with the new sill I welded in a few months ago. I realise now, despite lots of careful measuring before I removed the old sills, the mistake was to weld in the sills without test hanging the doors - big lesson learnt and one I won't forget.

The nearside is not as bad but I think will annoy me as not as good as it should be.

Looks like I will have to try and undoo all my work and re align the new inner and outer sill (s) so they align better with the wings and doors.

This will set me back time wise as will probably have to do a lot of re fabricating which is a shame.

So anyone reading this - it may sound obvious if you don't know already, but don't try and fit new sills without first hanging the doors and check everything lines up.
My Fleet : Austin A35 (aka Dads funny old car), 2003 1.8 MGTF - (Dads cool car and Daily Driver), 1982 Mini Mayfair and the family Focus Hatch (aka 'The Skip')
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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: LFO675 Restoration Continues - oooops - big mistake :(

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

northernboy wrote:Ummm - hit a problem - fitting the offside front wing and offside door and found neither align with the new sill I welded in a few months ago. I realise now, despite lots of careful measuring before I removed the old sills, the mistake was to weld in the sills without test hanging the doors - big lesson learnt and one I won't forget.

The nearside is not as bad but I think will annoy me as not as good as it should be.

Looks like I will have to try and undoo all my work and re align the new inner and outer sill (s) so they align better with the wings and doors.

This will set me back time wise as will probably have to do a lot of re fabricating which is a shame.

So anyone reading this - it may sound obvious if you don't know already, but don't try and fit new sills without first hanging the doors and check everything lines up.
always leave things like doors on as you can always check the panel gap before final welding :thumbs:
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

A30/A35 Member A1372 (since 1981)
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