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Post by mistersocks on Feb 7, 2011 23:01:41 GMT
Right then, I've finally pulled my finger out and made a start (albeit a small one) on one of my crabs. Having bought a 1969 1800 ute late last year its made me realise how much fun these care are to drive, so having another one to drive would be even more fun! Huge order from Earlpart hoprfully on the way, heres a few pics although not much progress...  cant believe its been off the road almost as long as ive been alive!  mrs socks can barely contain her excitement...  out in the fresh air again  i think the service might be overdue...  and after 10 minutes with the pressure washer theres a bit of a queue in the barn of unloved bmc beauties awaiting my attention, im determined to have them all on the road by the end of the year. please feel free to point and laugh!  1973 austin 1300  1972 austin 1800 auto  1972 austin 2200  1971 austin 3 litre cheers! rich |
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 7, 2011 23:55:59 GMT
Luvverly stuff........  So, dodgy front valance and some work on the O/S front wing at a quick glance. What else do you reckon? P45. |
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Post by mistersocks on Feb 8, 2011 10:47:23 GMT
Luvverly stuff........ So, dodgy front valance and some work on the O/S front wing at a quick glance. What else do you reckon? P45. famous last words of 'probably not much more than that' engine is seized, so theres diesel in the bores at the moment. bodywork is surprisingly solid, the front valance is only surface rust, so will be treated and painted. there are lots of little rust scabs all over the car but i am leaving them for the moment, gonna go for a recommision rather than full on resto. once the engines unseized then its a question of replacing plugs ponts leads etc etc and getting it running. as its been sat for 37 years, the brakes and cooling system will be rebuilt too, followed by a valeting of massive proportions. the previous owner obviously liked a gasper or two judging by the amount of old holborn wrappers in the ashtray, so the interior although complete and undamaged, does have a liberal coating of nicotine... then its just new tyres and full xorst system and straighgten out the rear bumper. doesnt sound like much if you say it fast! hopefully, if the engines frees up and doesnt cause any more problems, i'm expecting it to be completed by the end of march ;D |
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Post by threelitre on Feb 8, 2011 11:00:38 GMT
Nice collection - sensible choices, I'm sure the Mrs. will fully appriciate this one day. Also a nice idea of not having them in pairs like I do (2x 1980 Maxi 1750, 2x Austin 3litre de luxe auto) - they definately don't breed!
Regards,
Alexander
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Post by dave1800 on Feb 8, 2011 11:21:32 GMT
You've made me very envious! I wish I had your problem, my difficulty is trying to find one here in Thailand. I know the area where there is one, but I need more info as it's 500 miles from where I am staying.
regards
David
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Post by Keef on Feb 8, 2011 14:30:46 GMT
Nice collection! I especially like the 3 Litre: much to do on that one? |
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Post by mistersocks on Feb 8, 2011 22:15:34 GMT
Hi All! Not much progress today except the engine is nearly unseized, can move the car in gear with the plugs out any rate. Once its properly free I'll be steam cleaning the whole engine bay (probably at the weekend) and the order should've turned up so it may even be running again soon... Alexander - I like your idea about keeping them in pairs, I think I'm trying for the full collection. Keeping my eyes peeled for a Mk2 landcrab and a Mk1 1100 but I think I may already be pushing my luck with the missus. Having said that, there is a rather tempting Ambassador on ebay at the moment.... David - Sometimes I think I'd be better off living somewhere where there isnt landcrabs available easily. I seem to be a magnet for unloved unviable projects  500 miles would be a long way to travel for a car, but 1800's are such good cars that (in my opinion anyway) it would be worth the journey! Keef - The 3 litre, or Christine as its known (after nearly killing my mate and a couple of bottle fed lambs when it put itself in gear and reversed itself of the axle stands) is a bit of a bone of contention in my collection. I bought it unseen after being told it was a minter that had been restored, all it needed was a replacement engine fitting, which it came with. Needless to say when it arrived, it was rotten (it is a BMC car after all!) Inner wings, bulkhead inner sills, floorpans and probably loads of other places that I havent found yet all required extensive welding. Plus the interior was shot, woodwork all wet and flaky and electrics pretty much non existant. Even one of the sidelight units (same as the mk1 landcrabs) was made of filler!!! After a solid week of welding and wielding the power probe on the electrics I fitted the supposedly mint engine, only to find the headgasket was gone. Then the axle stand incident occurred. Then it got pushed to the back of the barn until I can forgive it  I still love it though - hell, its a three litre!!! |
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 9, 2011 1:30:21 GMT
3 Litre sounds like the sort of car I should be dealing with..... . I do do fancy one. Chris. |
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Post by threelitre on Feb 9, 2011 17:28:15 GMT
Alexander - I like your idea about keeping them in pairs, I think I'm trying for the full collection. Keeping my eyes peeled for a Mk2 landcrab and a Mk1 1100 but I think I may already be pushing my luck with the missus. Having said that, there is a rather tempting Ambassador on ebay at the moment.... It wasn't really on purpose - let's say it just happened. My Maxis are only a few vehicles apart and are the same apart from the colour in- and out. If I count all Hydro-suspended cars in the family, they are 4 ADO16, 2 ADO17, 2 ADO14 and 2 ADO61 (all even numbers - how odd!). My last purchase - my beautiful Innocenti IM3 - was pushed a bit by the Mrs. - call me lucky (one of the ADO16s is hers) Regards, Alexander |
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Post by mistersocks on Feb 9, 2011 22:23:17 GMT
Power cut here today from 6am to 5pm, so spent most of the day sorting out eggs - 9000 chickens laying their eggs in the dark isnt an ideal way to start the day. Still a job lot of NOS lucas light units arrived so all wasnt lost! Chris - That almost sounds like you're making me an offer on the 3 litre! I'm determined to see it through to the end though, its like a battle of will now. Plus I have got too much conscience to sell it to anyone, even most banger racers would probably baulk at it Alexander - Wow, what a collection! It certainly puts my little lot to shame, and an Innocenti as well!!! That must be a rarity. If I had the space and the cash I'd probably just end up buying every 11/13/18/22 or maxi etc that i could. Mrs socks has a scimitar and a herald, I've yet to convert her to the BMC way ;D |
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 10, 2011 1:12:01 GMT
Chris - That almost sounds like you're making me an offer on the 3 litre! I'm determined to see it through to the end though, its like a battle of will now. Plus I have got too much conscience to sell it to anyone, even most banger racers would probably baulk at it Wouldn't dream of it. I'm 51. I'll be 52 in May - MrsC would kill me..... I'd like to see that birthday! Mrs socks has a scimitar and a herald, I've yet to convert her to the BMC way ;D [yoda]Scimitar? Wise Mrs Socks is....[/yoda] I take it that she's good at electrics? Not sure about the Herald.  Chris. |
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Post by Penguin45 on Feb 10, 2011 1:15:25 GMT
Blue Ambassador on eBay? Went for £400, bit of a steal.
Chris.
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Post by mistersocks on Feb 16, 2011 19:39:06 GMT
Progress is slow, hampered by an engine that refuses to free itself off! Its had two weeks of diesel soaking, I even resorted to the coca cola trick but all to no avail.... Stripping it down was ridiculously easy considering its been sat for 37 years, head off reveals shiny bores but solid pistons. Im back off to the barn in a minute to remove the radiator and try turning the crank, but it looks like an engine rebuild is on the cards. Oh well, at least it 'll give me an excuse to open the tin of BMC green enamel I have sat on the shelf!   Hopefully the calipers will be off tonight as well, I have bottled out rebuilding them myself so shall be sending them off to Bigg Red. Should have a nice shiny set back with me in about 10 days! Cheers Rich |
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Post by Keef on Feb 17, 2011 10:15:06 GMT
Progress is slow, hampered by an engine that refuses to free itself off!  Hopefully "wingling" the crank pulley will do the trick.  |
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Post by mistersocks on Feb 17, 2011 11:23:26 GMT
Progress is slow, hampered by an engine that refuses to free itself off! Hopefully "wingling" the crank pulley will do the trick. Thats the plan Keef ;D Radiator off, water pump off (seized solid!) and bottom rad mount off so got good access to the crank pulley. After googling how to free a seized piston, it seems like my last options are crank pulley, heating the block with gas, belting the pistons with a wooden drift and pouring boiling engine oil down the bores. I get the feeling I will need to do all of the above Think I have said this before, but it seems very odd that evrything so far I have removed has come undone incredibally easily,even the exhaust clamp, but yet the pistons still refuse to budge  |
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500 miles would be a long way to travel for a car, but 1800's are such good cars that (in my opinion anyway) it would be worth the journey!
