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AustinofEngland
Posts: 204
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 7:05 pm
Location: Burton upon Trent
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Hello everyone!

Post by AustinofEngland »

Hello everyone!

I've been a typical "lurker" on this forum for a while and thought it was about time to do a first post and introduce myself. My name is Nick and I am currently restoring a 1957 two door Austin A35 in Court Grey with red interior. My wife Jean and I run a small independent garage specialising in MGR cars (and vans!), always with a busy work schedule, so fitting in a full restoration is challenging. I must say that any full restoration is not something we would normally carry out because of the huge amount of time involved out of regular work, but as a friend my arm was twisted and here we are!

In times past with a regular job and more free time I have carried out several "nut and bolt" restorations on 1970s Austins and 1980s MGs, always with a slant to factory produced as new standard. Plenty of research of period factory press releases, films, review magazines, brochures etc and of course having a good look around good original unrestored cars for tips on how they were originally put together has always been a starting point before attempting a full restoration.

This A35 has been in the same family from new and normally lives barely a mile away from where it was born in Longbridge. It is in mostly original condition with only a few things changed over the years as you would expect with everyday use until the 1980s. Some of you may have already seen this car as it was briefly recommissioned for the road about seven years ago and attended at least one of the National Meets. The bodywork has never been welded but was on a knife edge with heavy surface corrosion over the entire underside yet retaining factory well weathered paintwork complete with plenty of rust spiders creeping in.

I'll start a thread on this in the restoration section but ultimately it will be re-built as far as possible to factory fresh standard. I should stress at this point that although factory fresh there is neither the time nor the budget for a concourse restoration which I believe to be something different again.

I've carried out plenty of research on this period but as always there are questions, which I'm sure people will help with on here! Because the car retained quite a lot of factory originality I've kept a record and the strip down alone produced about 400 photos. The original red rubber front floor mat did survive with the car, but age has finally got to it and is now crumbling away into many pieces, so the appeal goes out for a replacement!

On the subject of age, none of the people involved are getting any younger and with the A35 already a few years into its restoration I've set a deadline for 2017 season to get it up and running!

Image
Last edited by AustinofEngland on Mon Nov 28, 2016 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
AUSTIN - you can depend on it!
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Countryboy
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Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:45 pm
Location: Leafy North Hampshire

Re: Hello everyone!

Post by Countryboy »

Welcome Nick

Please keep us posted :thumbs:
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Neil Evans
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Committee Role: Technical Officer
Location: Boston, Lincolnshire
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Re: Hello everyone!

Post by Neil Evans »

Looks a good starting point... :thumbs:
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A30/A35 Club Member A191 (since 1972)

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A40FARINAGURU
Posts: 16412
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:14 am
Committee Role: A35 Registrar
Location: Birmingham (Home of the Austin)
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Re: Hello everyone!

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

AustinofEngland wrote:Hello everyone!

I've been a typical "lurker" on this forum for a while and thought it was about time to do a first post and introduce myself. My name is Nick and I am currently restoring a 1957 two door Austin A35 in Court Grey with red interior. My wife Jean and I run a small independent garage specialising in MGR cars (and vans!), always with a busy work schedule, so fitting in a full restoration is challenging. I must say that any full restoration is not something we would normally carry out because of the huge amount of time involved out of regular work, but as a friend my arm was twisted and here we are!

In times past with a regular job and more free time I have carried out several "nut and bolt" restorations on 1970s Austins and 1980s MGs, always with a slant to factory produced as new standard. Plenty of research of period factory press releases, films, review magazines, brochures etc and of course having a good look around good original unrestored cars for tips on how they were originally put together has always been a starting point before attempting a full restoration.

This A35 has been in the same family from new and normally lives barely a mile away from where it was born in Longbridge. It is in mostly original condition with only a few things changed over the years as you would expect with everyday use until the 1980s. Some of you may have already seen this car as it was briefly recommissioned for the road about seven years ago and attended at least one of the National Meets. The bodywork has never been welded but was on a knife edge with heavy surface corrosion over the entire underside yet retaining factory well weathered paintwork complete with plenty of rust spiders creeping in.

I'll start a thread on this in the restoration section but ultimately it will be re-built as far as possible to factory fresh standard. I should stress at this point that although factory fresh there is neither the time nor the budget for a concourse restoration which I believe to be something different again.

I've carried out plenty of research on this period but as always there are questions, which I'm sure people will help with on here! Because the car retained quite a lot of factory originality I've kept a record and the strip down alone produced about 400 photos. The original red rubber front floor mat did survive with the car, but age has finally got to it and is now crumbling away into many pieces, so the appeal goes out for a replacement!

On the subject of age, none of the people involved are getting any younger and with the A35 already a few years into its restoration I've set a deadline for 2017 season to get it up and running!

Image
nice tidy original, restore it?, doesn't look like it needs it, original patina is the word :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)
AustinofEngland
Posts: 204
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 7:05 pm
Location: Burton upon Trent
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Re: Hello everyone!

Post by AustinofEngland »

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome.

The decision to restore this A35 was taken by the owner (a member of the Club) and a mutual friend (also a member of the Club). There is definitely a fine line between "oily rag" restoration and an outright nut and bolt rebuild. As I've said this one was in original condition and to this point had no welding, but was on a knife edge to start crumbling away and then need welding. That is the risk you take or do you get stuck in and try and give the car the best possible chance to survive in one original piece?
I have to admit that the camera never lies and that the first photo is the A35 at its best angle and even the chrome looks good. But the paint was in a condition that any amount of cleaning, polishing etc wouldn't touch and all the chrome was peeling or pitted.
I'll start a thread on the restoration section...
AUSTIN - you can depend on it!
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