Hot rod A35 - bodyshell work begins: Trial fit

[Deleted]

The front suspension came off the Austin today, and we managed to get it into the shed/workshop. I have begun to cut the nose off, but I am still only halfway to getting it off. I'll have cut out the floor too after bracing it. The body was free becasue the preveious owner gave us the whole car and said we could have it for free if we took off the rear axle, front suspension, took out the engine and gave him the parts. The body does have some serious rust on both the rear arches, but I will have to fix up that once I get the new floor and bulkhead in. The body is pretty solid though, and definetley salvageable. Here's a few pictures off it today and a couple frrom yesterday when the front suspension as still on it.

[Deleted]

Today I worked more on cutting the front off, and cut the floor across. There is a shelf under the dash (?) which is soft soldered on. That needs to come out to let the front come off. The left hand side is harder to cut becasue it is hard to get a grinder in, and I know I can swap the handle and the guard to make it left handed, but it isn't the same. If I invert it so I cut down you just get sparks on you face. There is going to be more work getting the cuts nice so they can sit flat on the new bulkhead, so that probably means a little more cutting , grinding and a little sanding and deburring once the front is off. I will also take out that fabulous speedomter so I can work without cutting it or damaging it once the front is off. I plan for it to have no front and look like this.

i37.photobucket.com/albums/e71/gotzy/Build%20ups/HRD%20Special/Photo0352.jpg

I cut the front panels off as has been before pictured, not as much as where the rest is cut now, so I could see how it would look and get to the front suspension. Now they are off I can get cut underneath, but to intall the new bulkhead they need to be on, and that means they need to be cut down to size and the rust on the bottoms of them needs to be fixed. I was wondering how I should attach the bulkhead. I am thinking of Riviting it with nice traditional rivets so it is a tad easier to get into the part which I am cutting at the moment in future, but I will still put Waxol in there. I know how importantly MOT and IVA tests take bulkheads, so I will probably weld in some cross peices, probably two, so I can get that bulkhead nice and rigid.

Heres today's pictures. Enjoy:

[Mephiston]

oooh this looks promising, what engine, suspension etc... are you planning to run ?

[Deleted]

Reliant Kitten chassis, rear axle and engine with a Pop front axle and Triumph Spitfire front brakes. It will need an IVA.

[belairlugosi]

Needs a HUGE roof chop me thinks.
Body looks to be in great condition.
All the rot looks like its in the floor your cutting out.

[grizz]

Ohhh Yes.

[Deleted]

I plan to do a 2 inch roof chop, using the same practice as you would with chopping a Minor. I am stilll wondering if I should, but I will see once I place it on the chassis with that 4 inch channeled floor. Still a fair way to go yet. Thanks for the comments.

[fordf350camper]

What will be on the log book when it is done.Austin or Kitten.Love what your doing.

[luckygti]

Looks like it'll be a bit bonkers What's the plan for the front end?

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2009 19:50:17 GMT fordf350camper said:

What will be on the log book when it is done.Austin or Kitten.Love what your doing.

It will need an IVA, so neither.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2009 21:53:33 GMT luckygti said:

Looks like it'll be a bit bonkers What's the plan for the front end?

You mean after I cut it off, what will I do with the front end?

[Anglia68]

This car really deserves it's own build thread in Readers Rides so that everything is in one place instead of being spread between 4 or 5 posts.
It would be so much easier for people to keep up with what's going on and not miss an update.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2009 22:24:33 GMT Anglia68 said:

This car really deserves it's own build thread in Readers Rides so that everything is in one place instead of being spread between 4 or 5 posts.
It would be so much easier for people to keep up with what's going on and not miss an update.

I didn't know you could do that. how can they be moved?

[briandamaged]

Aug 31, 2009 22:25:50 GMT stroprock said:

Aug 31, 2009 22:24:33 GMT Anglia68 said:

This car really deserves it's own build thread in Readers Rides so that everything is in one place instead of being spread between 4 or 5 posts.
It would be so much easier for people to keep up with what's going on and not miss an update.

I didn't know you could do that. how can they be moved?

Drop Rmad or HotWire a PM, I'm sure they'll sort it for you.

[luckygti]

Aug 31, 2009 22:15:37 GMT stroprock said:

Aug 31, 2009 21:53:33 GMT luckygti said:

Looks like it'll be a bit bonkers What's the plan for the front end?

You mean after I cut it off, what will I do with the front end?

Yep I think you mentioned it another thread, but how will you finish it off?

[Deleted]

I am going to make a new, flat one out of 1.6 sheet steel, and a new floor too, 4 inches higher than the stock one made out of the same steel, made to fit the chassis in terms of kick up ect. It wil have an exposed engine like a hotrod. The front end I will take off parts and Ebay them.
Speaking of cutting the front end off................................











I got the shelf under the dash off last night and spent about four hours getting the front off today, cutting this and that and whatever was left holding it on until it dropped off.

[luckygti]

Mad. Great idea though, will be watching with interest

[Deleted]

I am wondering if I should channel it more than 4 inches. If I don't chop it, It might look too big, or high, and not look right. Perhaps 5 inches. The thing that stops it being channeled too much is the rear wheels and the arches, which will need re radiusing and flaring, and the kickup of the chassis will make the floor so it is level with the bottom of the boot. The problem with chopping is I was going to do the same procedure as a Minor chop, but there are a few problems with that. First one being the B pillars, which don't join the roof at right angles like on a Minor, but instead they curve out, so it will be differant from the original. The rear side windows also are a problem because on a Minor they keep going before they curve down, whereas these are like a quarter circle, so the B pillar won't relocate very easily on the roof. Thirdly the C pillars have some serious reinforcing on the inside, which is due to the monocoque construction. This reinforcing will add some trickiness.
But, reasons to chop would be it would look good and the windows are flat so they are much easier to work with. I will see how it will look on the chassis when I get a floor in in a few months time, and chopping is a long way off if I do do it. The next step is this weekend I will remove the speedometer, deburr the cut edges, clean up the inside sides near where the bulkhead will be and tack in some bracing there, and perhaps cut the first section floor out to the bottom of the kickup.

[Deleted]

I admire your balls, they are clearly big and hairy ;D

[manbearpig]

Goooooooooooood, Goooooooood......


(strokes hands together in menacing way)