Austin A35 Project

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gazza82
Posts: 413
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:38 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#31 Post by gazza82 » Fri Jan 08, 2021 11:52 am

Nuts, bolts, washers, screws, etc are all going in the Jizer tub, getting a good clean and then bagged up and labelled ..

As you say it is a simple car. Engine has two mounts - 3 studs - and gearbox bracket two fixed studs and two bolts through tunnel.

It currently has a mechanical clutch so a rod fits into a bush in the side of the gearbox .. that was the hardest piece to remove! There is no sideways play and as I couldn't get the pedal rod off the end it really was a PITA. You can't push the gearbox away as the mounting stops it. Tried to remove the mounting but can't get to two bolts!! Catch 22 plus plus plus!

The new Midget-source gearbox will have a hydraulic clutch so that gubbins doesn't need to go back. I should be able to get a puller on the clutch pedal once the master cylinder is out. That resides under the drivers floorpan and was always a nightmare to fill with brake fluid without overfilling.

There is probably a correct order to dismantle this little monster .. but I don't think anyone has it documented yet. I'm just going for it!

(Next up: rear axle and springs. 45+ year old EP90 comes out like treacle too!)
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#32 Post by gazza82 » Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:01 pm

Well I didn't drop the rear axle but stayed at the sharp end to finish clearing the engine bay ..

FIrst up was to pull the engine and gearbox out from under the car and split them. Both are pretty thick with oily dirt so the gearbox will get a pressure wash soon. It was when I was removing the clutch I noticed one of the three springs keeping the pressure ring in place was missing .. and absolutely no sign of it in bellhousing. Clutch plate and pressure cover weren't bad but unsure how many miles that one had done.

Got the small 75mm angle grinder out to remove the last 3 "horseshoe" clips that seem to want to keep me attached to the car everytime i go near (and were in danger of tearing the car cover too!).

Then removed the bonnet to give me more access.

"Boldly going where no man has gone before" .. ie into the engine bay for the first time someone has been in there for over 61 years .. to remove the last few items, most of which needed the angle grinders to cut off the screws that refused to succumb to penetrating fluid and/or impact wrench. There was also a big build-up of a mix of dirt, oil and underseal in the gearbox tunnel to either side which needed a scraper to remove. In some places nearly an inch thick! The rest of the engine bay will need a large amount of cleaning fluids, wire brushes, scrapers, etc to remove the build-up that has collect there.

A few more wires to remove that feed the headlights and indicators but that means getting the headlight bowls out and those screws are going to need the grinder-treatment.

I should then be able to split the steering joints and get the steering column and idler out soon, and the brake and fuel pipes.

Then I'll move to the rear ..

And while I had the scraper to hand, removed the underseal from the propshaft. That will get the wire-brush-in-the-drill treatment and I'll replace the UJs one of which is very worn before packing that away in a suitable corner.

It's the typical "how to eat an elephant" project .. small bite-sized chunks.
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#33 Post by gazza82 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:44 pm

I started to take the front suspension off yesterday ... well actually I went looking for the long bolts/thumbnuts as Iwas planning to do this tomorrow. So I spent a few minutes getting the nuts to run up and down the bolts. One kept jamming so swapped them over and they both work now .. plus a good clean with penetrating fluid ..

But then I put them in place, removed the two remaining spiring pan bolts and sort of got carried away .. so one spring is now out and the other will follow tomorrow I hope along with the suspension arm/kingpins/tub axles/brakes/shocks/steering arms as planned :-) Then I can get the steering box and idler out next.


Anyway, back in the 80s when I swapped over the suspension for A40 Farina 8" brakes I must have had it in my brain that this was a temporary fit because ...
20210330_203238.jpg
20210330_203238.jpg (193.17 KiB) Viewed 2815 times
That is the lower fulcrum pin and should be screwed right into the suspension arm/pan bushes!!


[And that is the daftest design ever as when the suspension moves up and down that pin rotates in the bronze threaded bush as the kingpin is 'pinned' in place on it .. and so it wears into the bush .. sometimes to the point that you cannot actually remove the old fulcrum pin because the step is too wide and there isn't anything left to screw on to. Many resort to angle grinders at this point and cut through the pin either side of the kingpin. New suspension arm/pan and new fulcrum pins. Luckily I have two good "used" arms to go on but I probably will need two new fulcrum pins/cork seals/etc.]
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#34 Post by gazza82 » Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:38 pm

Finished removing the o/s suspension .. that fulcrum pin did screw in further but the threads were very dirty ..

The N/S is also off apart from the lower arm where one inner pin refused to budge and has rusted solid to the arm bush sleeve. That's going to need heat, the rubber drilled through and cut out or using the angle grinder .. but the rear side of the pin is very hard to access with the arm in place. The arm is basically scrap as those threaded bushes are shot, so I may just chop it up where it is to get to the pin.


Another small gem: I noticed that there are two types of spring pan that are fitted to the arms .. turns out the Spridget type is about 1/2" higher so it hits the bump stop earlier than the saloons that use the same suspension. They are more "curvy" of the two types with the others more rectangular.


The Spridget arms also have strengthening plates underneath as well as holes for the a/r bar droplinks. I've got a good pair of arms I purchased from a club member and a pair of refurbished spring pans are now on order. I'll order all the new bushes, fulcrum pins and assorted parts from my Owners' Club and anything they don't stock with probably come from Moss Europe in Feltham as I can easily pick this up visiting my son who lives nearby, now we are nearly back to normal. It's going to be "poly'd" where I can.
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#35 Post by gazza82 » Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:34 pm

So the n/s is now off .. and yes an angle grinder was involved and I have a scrap arm ... (I do have two pairs of the reinforced type as backup). The arm was destined for the bin as the fulcrum pin bushes were both badly worn.

I also picked up two reconditioned spring pans from a well known auction site which is probably better than hunting for one and ending up with a rusty one and a new one! (Plus these two were cheaper than a new one!)

So yesterday entailed removing the master brake and frame cylinders - both of which are solid - and some of the brake pipes. Both the brake and clutch pedals are out now too.

I also split the front pipe from the silencer which was actually much easier than I expected after 40+ years. That must have been a newish system back in the 70s. It's a two-piece system but the rear section runs over the axle so is fun to extract ..

I also loosened a few nuts on the leaf springs and axle mounts - that is my next challenge - along with the old fuel tank. I'll get the fuel line off first as I need to move the axle stands to under the floor so plan to sandwich a piece of 3x2 between them to avoid denting the floor. The floor above the nose of the diff will be rust free judging by the oil and grease that has accumulated up there! The diff cover is also under a thick coating of gunge (oil, grease, dirt, and probably underseal!)

The inner arches at the front are well coated in underseal which will help with the tin-worm but is going to be so much fun to remove. Started by soften it with Jizer and scraping .. that's a fun job .. but a nice County Cream beneath. A knotted wire brush on an angle grinder will help as will a heat gun - dirty, filthy job though! The underside is planned to get a coat of Raptor.


I must try and stop whacking my digits with a hammer though ... luckily the gloves I was wearing prevented too much damage but there's a nice tender bruise!
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
Posts: 413
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#36 Post by gazza82 » Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:07 pm

So quick update .. as only a little progress since 8th.

Fuel tank is out now but the fuel pipe refused to undo .. snip! .. luckily a complete replacement is on the list as the new tank is slightly different and there will be an electric pump being fitted at the rear. The existing fuel pipe is also over 60 years old!

I also moved the axle stands to under the rear of the floor pan, with a length of timber to spread the load, so I can drop the rear axle and leaf springs.

So today I tried to take the tank sender out and out of 6 screws, 5 were easy to loosen ... Philips head has gone on the sixth so that will need to be drilled-out ..

Also found the near side door, that doesn't shut properly, is down to the hinge. It's not the normal hinge pin problem (worn cone/ball), but looks like the actual hinge bracket. That needs a deeper look as it could be the A-post and hinge support, or the hinge has somehow taken a big whack and is bent out of place. I know the A-post has a bit of corrosion, and I've bought a new panel, but the wing has to come off to see the real state of the steelwork .. but I'm expecting some new metal is needed.

Another update next week (hopefully) ...
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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gazza82
Posts: 413
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 7:38 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#37 Post by gazza82 » Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:44 pm

The only mechanical parts still attached to the shell are ...

Steering column, idler and cross tube
Rear shocks and a/r bar

The latter are proving fun as the a/r bar is mounted to the lever arm shocks using two small u-bolts .. neither of which want to come off and I've got at least one rounded shock mounting bolt!

Then I've got to get the glass out ...
Last edited by gazza82 on Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

Dick
Posts: 1280
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:31 pm

Re: Austin A35 Project

#38 Post by Dick » Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:49 pm

Bit of heat on the nuts? Or get the grinder out?

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gazza82
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Re: Austin A35 Project

#39 Post by gazza82 » Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:29 pm

Dick wrote:
Thu Apr 29, 2021 5:49 pm
Bit of heat on the nuts? Or get the grinder out?
I've got both shock mounting bolts loosened on the o/s shock but I can't get the upper bolt out as it hits the shock body or a/r bar (can't quite see!). The n/s nuts are loosened a tiny bit (400Nm impact driver) but now both bolts spin although I haven't tried a metric spanner on them yet .. I'll probably cut those off as a plan is to go telescopic ... but if I stay with the levers they are easy enough to replace.

The nuts are actually off the small u-bolts .. just needed a squirt of penetrating fluid and a ring spanner ... but the bolts are stuck where they pass through the shock arms .. it's these I don't really want to chop as they are hard to get ... I might try some heat after cleaning off some of the gunk that has collected (EP oil from diff or LM grease from wobbly rear UJ) ..

As are the forward leaf spring hanger bolts .. but they came out with the tinyest tap of the tappy-tool! (Lots of grease when they were re-fitted in the 70s). The current supply of "new" hanger bolts are wrongly sized and don't fit properly .. !!


I'm betting the steering gear will be fun to get out too as access to the remaining ball-joints is limited to say the least!
"If you're driving on the edge ... you're leaving too much room!"

Retirement Project: '59 Austin A35 2-door with 1330cc Midget engine and many upgrades
Said goodbye: got '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TSpark to 210K miles before tin worm struck

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Luxobarge
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Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: Austin A35 Project

#40 Post by Luxobarge » Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:19 pm

gazza82 wrote:
Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:29 pm
but if I stay with the levers they are easy enough to replace.
Yes, they are, sort of. However, my experience with my Midget (same shockers as yours) was that replacement lever arm shock absorbers are a nightmare unless you go for brand new ones - the quality of so-called re-manufactured ones is shocking, I had one on the front that fell apart, which could have resulted in a life-threatening failure, and others have leaked oil and another was massively stiff. I still have one that makes an awful rattling racket once warm. So beware if you go for "reconditioned" ones, unless the quality has improved in the past few years. I guess brand new ones (if available) would be OK but you'll pay for the privilege. If you end up with a spare known good front right one, I'd be very interested in buying it from you!

The above applies to the front ones - I went telescopic on the rear, I do still have the old lever arm units though. The tele set up on the rear was reasonably expensive but works really well, I don't regret it.
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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