Dutton Phaeton S2

[mercman]

Last Saturday, a mate text me to ask "Would you be interested in a Dutton?". After asking for more details and getting little or no info in return (He's not really 'into' cars like us! It belongs to a customer of his), he said he'd find out more and I could go and see it the following Saturday. He picked me up to head over to see the car and during the journey I asked him if he'd found out more about the car. He said "Oh aye, It starts, runs and comes with loads of paperwork." I asked if he had any idea how much the guy wanted for it. "Oh aye, he doesn't want anything for it. Just wants to see it and have a drive of it when it's back on the road and looking good."

So, a free Dutton Phaeton S2! This certainly alters any plans I had for the next year. I had planned to restore my DR600, build a cheapo café racer with a mate's Yamaha RS100, get back into touring and camping on the bikes again, etc.

This is the Phaeton S2 with Cortina leaf springs hence the GRP covers over the spring ends at the back. As far as I can tell, it's not fitted with the expected Ford Escort 1.3 or 1.6 motor. one of the previous owners has fitted an 8V Vauxhall 2.0 motor. So, assuming it is still fitted with the standard Escort 1.3 diff, it should be pretty rapid through the gears.








Collecting it later this week. Plans for it? It hasn't been on the road for 3 years so I'll see about getting her running sweet then set about stripping it down to the bones for a ground up build. Thinking BRG metallic, polishing up the sidepanels, powdercoating the wheels suspension arms etc, tidying up the electrics, sorting out a decent interior and getting a replacement hood.

More when I get her back to mine.

Ian

[markgenesis]

Always fancied one of these, plans for it sound great, why powdercoat the wheels though ?, those old slot mags would polish up a treat.

[jules1200]

Brings back memories, my brother built one in about 1980 it was even that same colour. He had an old mk1 escort estate that was rotten, so used it as a donor car. It went pretty well, with just a 1300 crossflow in.
Keep us updated buddy

[mercman]

As far as I can tell, the front end is Herald/Spitfire and the rear is Mk1/2 Cortina. There's not a lot of room for anyone with a largish behind. The S3 onwards had proper seats. This one just has pads on the bulkhead and floor, making adjustment a case of thicker or thinner pads.

[Rebuilda]

Hi Ian
Nice find. It would be herald/spitfire front suspension and escort rear. Looking forward to seeing more of this as it progresses.
If you need help identifying bits give us a shout.
I'll have a look on our club database and see if we have any history on the old dear.
Adrian

[mercman]

Hi Adrian,
The owners club and forums will be my next port of call. Luckily, there's several rebuild threads for reference. Looks like it will be going under a cover in the driveway till I've got the bikes finished.
It will get a full stripdown and rebuild.

[gt]

my mate had one with a 1600 x flow engine we had some great fun in it, we used to get a right soaking when it rained the hood used to blow off at anything over about 50mph

[montythemole]

Can't complain at a free car! A lot of these get the ID nicked for sticking on a non-registered kit cars (Tigers/Robin Hood etc) to avoid the SVA. Dodgy obviously but the amount of 'Duttons' on ebay that have nothing but reg plate in common is surprising. Must get my old one on the road again.

[redratbike]

fun little cars..... so is the dr600 for sale? had to ask

[mercman]

At the moment, the DR600 is my daily rider till I can get a K75S BMW from a mate. Will keep you posted though. :-)

[mercman]

Oct 12, 2013 18:36:53 GMT markgenesis said:

Always fancied one of these, plans for it sound great, why powdercoat the wheels though ?, those old slot mags would polish up a treat.

Having looked at the pics again, I think you're right about polishing the wheels up.

[mercman]

Got the Dutton home today. 4 locked wheels on a gravel driveway. Dragged it onto the trailer and went on our way.

Due to the p**sing rain, no pics I'm afraid but here's what the original builder noted down when first built.

Engine-
Marina/Ital 1275cc from a 1980/81 car.
Carb-Metro 1 1/2 SU HIF33
Ignition-Electronic
Radiator+fan- Pre-1985 Metro Turbo
Inlet Manifold- Oselli Torquemaster
Exhaust- Mini LCB

Gearbox- STD Marina/Ital 1275 type with short lever

Propshaft- Marina saloon (shortened)

Rear Suspension- Cortina Mk2 GT 3.9:1 ratio. Mk2 1300 springs. Spax adjustable Cortina shocks.

Front suspension-Spitfire complete assembly minus anti-roll bar. Shortened std springs and Spax shocks.

Steering column and rack- Spitfire

Brakes- Cortina Mk2 Pedal box and master cylinder. Spitfire discs and calipers front. Cortina drums rear.

Accelerator- Triumph 2.5PI pedal. Marina cable.

Clutch- Std Marina slave cylinder. Std Cortina master cylinder.

Heater- Austin 1100/1300 type.

Instruments- Dolomite Sprint.

Wipers- Marina motor (2 speed) with Mini rack and boxes.

Fuel tank- Mk2 Cortina.

Lights-
Mini headlights and indicators front. Bedford CF van tail lights.

Boot hinges- Hillman Imp

Boot lock- Cortina Mk2

Wheels- Cobra Supaslot 5 1/2x13 with 185/70x13 tyres. Ford PCD rear. Triumph PCD front.

Exhaust- LCB manifold. Custom made with Sidewinder silencer.

Everything else is Dutton or unknown make.

Obviously, things have changed since it was first built. It now has an injected Vauxhall 2.0 8v motor from a Cavalier and a Carlton 5 speed box so I'll be upgrading the front brakes to suit. Ground clearance is tight so will be fitting a side exit with silencer (My Suzuki DR600 has a CCM end can and is nice but too loud in prolonged use) so it won't be too loud.
The aluminium side panels will be going as they're badly cut to shape. I'll either call in a favour from a sheetmetal working pal and get them re-done in thin guage stainless or make new ones from alloy and get them powdercoated.
The dash is a nice moulded item but the clocks seem to have been randomly thrown in there so I'll get the dash holes filled and rearrange the clocks. Pedals are quite tight for anyone with large feet(I'm a size 9 and it's just a bit snug)so I'll see what can be done there.
I've also to investigate the tranny tunnel to see if I can reclaim some bottom space. It's fine for Kylie by not me!
The bodywork is in surprisingly good nick so it'll be going off to a mate sometime for some BRG metallic paint.

So, this evening will be spent on the Net looking at what's available for upgrading the Spitfire front end like brakes and polybushes etc.

Will post pics when the weather improves.

[mercman]

So, having been cracking on getting my 1979 Yamaha DT175MX built for the summer, my attention has turned to the Phaeton.

Fitted a fresh battery, hooked up a slave fuel tank aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand?..............nothing!!! Starter motor seems dead. Stripped it off and bench tested it. Seized but came good after a bit of work with the tools. Refitted the starter then was about to fire it up when, for some inexplicable reason, I squeezed one of the coolant hoses. It felt like it was filled with cornflakes!!!
In order to extend the existing hoses, the installers of the VX motor used lengths of steel tube which have rusted horribly, filling the system with rusty curse word. Stripped off the hoses and flushed out all the brown curse word from the block, radiator and hoses. Refilled once running clean. Turned the key with no joy so fired a 2 sec squirt of easy start down the inlet and tried again.

Bingo!!!

Now, the plan is to remove the Dolomite clocks and the heavily bodged loom and mystery switches, install the Cavalier clocks that came with the car and fit a Cavalier loom to suit the 20SEH engine. This should make for a tidier engine bay and simplify the wiring and switch functions as the loom will then match the clocks and engine.
After that, replace the tyres, service the brakes, replace bushes where required, go round the entire body panels ensuring they are all fitted securely, switch the battery back to it's previous location under the bonnet then chuck her in for an MOT to see how far off she is from being road ready.


Will get some more pics as things progress.
Ian