Post pictures and stories about your cars both present and past. Also post up "blogs" on your restoration projects - the more pictures the better! Note: blog-type threads often get few replies, but are often read by many members, and provide interest and motivation to other enthusiasts so don't be disappointed if you don't get many replies.
Hi Guys
This is my first posting, so I thought I would let you see what I'am up to. I have done a couple of series landys before now a 2a LWB fire engine and a S3 lwb perkins conversion, but this is my first pre 70's car. Its a 65 series III super minx unusually with the 1592cc engine (65 onwards are usually fitted with the 1725cc) It has had one owner from new and only done 55k miles. I literally found this in a barn on a farm. I have done all the welding (not much too do) The body is scruffy but fairly solid and complete and will be re sprayed probably next year but I will just tidy it up for now. The engine is spot on and once the new exhaust is fitted it will be my daily runner. I need to source new carpets as Tripar on Ebay (Danbury carpets) have lost the superminx/sceptre carpet patterns due to the suppliers moving premises. I drove it back 40 miles after its MOT and its drives very well with no problem keeping up with modern traffic and the brakes stop it really well (to me anyway as I am used to landrovers with no brakes and no acceleration ) When I got the thing home and emptied the boot and cabin it was still full of all the original owners tools. His trilby on the back window & coat and sunglasses where still where he had left them folded neatly on the dash shelf. In the glove box there was a fuel ration vouchers, green shield stamps from the 70's and a reciept for petrol from 1977. Its like a time warp inside. The guy passed on in 1984 (when the car was last on the road) and it was left as he had last left it. I have left his hat on the back window cill where he left it just in case He might be riding with me, you never know ! Hope you like the pics.
It looks like nice motor, though I have always liked 60's Rootes Group cars - an uncle had a run of Hillman Minx and Singer Vogues and my grandmother had three Minx's and a couple of Rapiers from the late 50's until she bought an Austin 1100 MkII in the late 60's/early 70's. I nearly bought a 63 SM estate in the early 70s, but couldn't find the £50 that the back street garage wanted (and someone had stuck black quilted plastic all over the dashboard). One of my biggest regrets is that I missed it!
I had a 65 Minx (C reg) a year or two after seeing the SM, it had the 1600 engine and it was a great car (it was an old banger by the time I got it for £75), a friend bought a 66 one at about the same time and it had the 1725 engine and one or two other little differences; we agreed that mine was the better car, in spite of its front wings being more than 50% filler!
There was a bloke with a couple of Landys (one an ex-forces fire engine) on the model railway forum I occasionally frequent. There must be a heck of a lot of them about!!
Thanks for the positive comments guys. The garage I used was local to where I bought the car from. The intention being to drive it from its long term storage to the nearest garage for an in depth assessment on ramps etc. It turns out the garage owner was very familiar with sceptre's and was a classic car restoration and repair specialist so obviously he was the man for the job. I left it with him for him to complete the welding and get it through an MOT so I could drive it home and it also gave me a head start on the way to finishing it off. I am in the process of sorting the interior. I have started to re-do the door cards as the hardboard is shot but the coverings are still good. The seats etc are still in good nick and I am in the middle of cleaning them up. As I wait for my carpets to be made I wanted to tidy up and brush paint the floor pan inside. I have lifted the bit of sound proofing under the pedals and surprise surprise there is a small hole under the accelerator. Now being the type to "have a go" and being that I can largely do most things associated with mechanics except weld I thought this may be the perfect opportunity to learn. Could any one advise me on what would be a good budget secondhand beginners welding unit ? I obviously would practice on something like the wife's washing machine first before attacking something of importance Would I be better with a mig, tig, gas oxy etc ? how many amps do I need ? I dont intend to get too adventurous it would just be for doing minor plates and repairs.
Many thanks
Mark
Hi Tractorman
Which model train forum do you go on ? selby garden railway?
Somewhere on the forum is a topic about MIGs - which to buy etc. I have a Clarke 160EN, which is supposed to weld to 1/4" thick or so. My problem at the moment is that I need to weld some 1/2" stuff together - typical isn't it! However, I would suggest a slightly smaller version - say 130A that could run off a 13A plug without problems (mine needs a 16A socket). I'd also suggest you avoid gasless MIGs - they are OK, although the wire is much more expensive (though may be cheaper than several bottles of gas). However, I find that a gas one makes a nicer weld. I would suggest that, wile learning the "cheap" gas from Machine Mart etc may be more convenient - and that may be the best value if you don't do a lot of welding in the long term (I can often go a year without using my MIG and then use one bottle of gas). However, Hobbyweld sell you a larger bottle and you get it refilled (I think they swap bottles though!), which can work out a lot cheaper if you use it fairly regularly.
I have oxy too - but the bottles cost a fortune to rent and, although you can buy Oxy from Hobbyweld, the acetylene still comes from BOC (or wherever). I was lucky - I was trained to gas weld by a coded welder, it takes a lot more to learn to gas weld. My teacher said he could teach a woman to MIG weld in half an hour - though I have been making bad MIG welds for about ten years now and still can't get the hang of the thing!
A TIG is a nice way to weld - if you can afford a decent machine. However, I would suggest a MIG will serve most of you future needs and be a lot cheaper.
BTW - it's the Model Rail Forum that I frequented until early this year. I haven't been on there for a while, mainly because I haven't had much time "working" on the railway lately!
Thanks Tractorman
Thats useful info. I will have a look for a cheaper gas 13amp mig welder. It sounds spot on for what I need. Sounds like I can just drag it onto the drive plug it in and "have a go" I know about the time thing. I still have 140 foot of track to lay in the back garden I have had for over 12 months but once again its on the back burner till the car is done.
) When I got the thing home and emptied the boot and cabin it was still full of all the original owners tools. His trilby on the back window & coat and sunglasses where still where he had left them folded neatly on the dash shelf. In the glove box there was a fuel ration vouchers, green shield stamps from the 70's and a reciept for petrol from 1977. Its like a time warp inside. The guy passed on in 1984 (when the car was last on the road) and it was left as he had last left it. I have left his hat on the back window cill where he left it just in case He might be riding with me, you never know ! 
Hope you like the pics.
there is a small hole under the accelerator. Now being the type to "have a go" and being that I can largely do most things associated with mechanics except weld I thought this may be the perfect opportunity to learn. Could any one advise me on what would be a good budget secondhand beginners welding unit ? I obviously would practice on something like the wife's washing machine first before attacking something of importance