Austin dorset project.

[tom.marg]

Body is off. Came off so easy! Couldn’t believe it.

[jsf55]

Job done ...move on

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[tom.marg]

Oh it’s moving on!

[tom.marg]

Early august saw the Austin come off the Jig for the first time since the build was started. A huge achievement for any build. For me it was a big personal achievement as the long process of building it had come to a point where you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
A moment where I left the workshop at about 10:30/11 pm cracked open a cider woke Amy up and poured her a drink and had to cheers my moment of achievement!!


The next day, 2 of the lads arrived at the workshop and we said let’s get the body off, suprisingly it came off very easily. I did try my best when building that it wouldn’t be a pain to get off.


At this point the cogs are turning and I’m counting the days to get it out this year, the Lads are helping and we’re all systems go to possibly make the Hot Rod Drags. You gotta try right?


The chassis was stripped to its bare bones and as I was welding the tops of the cage Lee and Alex were cleaning the next bits for me to carry on moving around the unwelded sections. It really sped up the process and we had a fully welded cage in no time.


On with painting some components that were seperate also the long process of cleaning all the tubes ready for some primer and top coat that went on well, we ain’t painters and there’s no booth.
As I was planning to paint the tin work similar to the body the cage now needed masking. Tin foil is the only way to go!


The times been ticking over the last month and various things have happened that were way more important than a race car but it ment time out the workshop. I went on holiday as planned and got married at the start of it ?????? so now I can say I have a very understanding wife!


With a solid action plan for the return i was thinking this could still happen! Well that all went wrong when the flight home from the states was cancelled


The propshaft also hasn’t arrived!


I took a look at the car in the week had a chat with John and various friends.
The general thought process was there was never a deadline, it was always going to be fully finished when seeing the track.


Why rush the last bit of the car to take it to the hot rod drags unfinished and on show, it’s not a show car after all, it’s a race car.
It was a self satusfaction point, proving I could get it there for no reason and will just have to go back and alter things and that just isn’t the way to do things.


This all ment I could attend the euro finals as planned and crew with super gas as I have been. Also attend the hot rod drags still and crew for Nick with Short Fuse.


I can continue with the car as and when like normal with no pressure, get it finished and ready to complete a full class season in 2025!


Boring post indeed but that’s the situation!


Could it be at the hot rod drags? Yes


Would it be the right way? No


Some pics from a little while back.

[jsf55]

Chill out at the HRD and a winter build up ready for a full season ? Sounds like a good plan too me ..see you there

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[tom.marg]

Hi guys, I’m still here, after the hot rod drags I took a quick trip back to America to help my mate Stuart at the nhra division 7 race in stock eliminator, he has purchased a car out there and when he said he had the chance to race it I had to go. I’ve crewed for him for many years and we couldn’t let him go solo so the team all booked flights and we were there, Nick tagged along aswell to help out.
we had an amazing time, they have it different out there that’s for sure. The double header race event was awesome, 2 races in 4 days. Loved it the uk should develop that!
Once we finished up there on the way home we managed to stop at the Nhra museum in LA! That was also great!
Well, after just getting back to normal from vegas, the jet lag hit again I was straight back to work the next day, landed here late Tuesday, in to work Wednesday not a great feeling! A couple of days at work and then off for a weekend away for Amy’s Birthday! To say it’s been a bit hectic is an understatement, the bank has been drained and some lol! Now need to work hard to get it all paid for but you only live once!

I needed to get myself back in to the car so a couple of evenings rest I got straight back in to it trying to remember where I left off sorting out a few bits and re organising the area.

Pretty much back in the swing of things now. I’ve been tinkering on with the car.
I’ve got the coolant expansion line to the rear along the chassis. The motor is on the engine stand ready for a good clean up and new flex plate.
I’ve altered the fuel return line as it was bugging me and just wasn’t happy with it so that’s now neater and gives me more room for the fuel line shield, I’ve also started making that aswell that should be finished Sunday if all goes to plan.
The prop is finally here aswell now so there was no chance it was going to make the hot rod drags!
I’ll be sending the gear set shield and flex plate shield to Robinson race cars soon to get them inspected and re certified. I don’t think the gear set one will be an issue but hopefully they will both come back ok.
When they are back I can sort them on the gear box, assemble the 2 ready or putting them back in the chassis.
It’s all looking good though at the moment I’m storing the painted floor sections in position just to stop them getting bashed about and they ain’t so bad for being pointed out side!!

More updates soon!

[Asbo]

cant wait to see this done get crackin dude

[crumble]

I'am fortunately in the same workshop and it's looking very cool.

[taxirod]

We've missed the updates on this one, sounds like you had a ball in the USA.
We await your further progress pics

[BadAC]

Shame i missed a look see when i came up for the headers.

Looking very good.

G

[tom.marg]

Top secret mate, can’t let people see it in person it’s all sheeted up if I’m not there!!!

[tom.marg]

I’ve finished the fuel pipe protector now. The reason behind this is for if the flex plate exits the building and goes past the shields you have to protect it.
The passenger floor is also bolted in now as technically shouldn’t need to pull it back out now.
Still plodding on, I’ll be back there in the week to carry on tinkering with bits

[tom.marg]

Today I had a little list of bits I wanted to tick off.

Sort the doors out to let the holes be more visable, all that effort and they needed to be seen, out with the satin black and then the interior colour. I’ll show a before and after pics below.

Next on the list was to trim some casing tabs on the gear box to clear the shields that are off for re cert then a quick blast of hi temp Matt black. I go with mat black on the gear box as if you get any initial leaks then you’ll see them easier. Once the brake cleaner sessions it it will probably soon wipe off but at least you’ve found the leak

Some bolts arrived for the steering column so that got bolted in aswell.

The propshaft got a dose of primer today infront if the heater!

I got the electric board out of the pile of parts and got holes drilled for the riv nuts for relays and the fuse box. I trimmed the edges up that needed doing and fitted up for a mock up. It will get a little splash of paint aswell but worked out well.
I have put more relays than I need on the board for lay out purpose as you never know what the future holds.

[Happydaze]

Doors are... bonkers, in a good way!

Chris

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[jsf55]

Good progress Tom

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[Acker]

Doors are... bonkers, in a good way!

Chris

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I thought that. The different sizes look great. Painful to replicate so the doors match.


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[BadAC]

Thats some serious hole cutting there.

Bloody cool.

G

[tom.marg]

I thought that. The different sizes look great. Painful to replicate so the doors match.


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the best bit is I done 1 at the start and the 2nd about a year and half later!
I had measured and marked out and written it down in a big note pad to get all the ones I had done on the first door, I then drew them all out on the second doos and started drilling.
I then added extras to both of them at the same time.
It was just one of them old skool things that had to be done!

[tom.marg]

Some progress today.
Trimmed a small bit of floor out and added an access plate to get to the mounting bolts for the line lock.
Got some more floor sections bolted in as can’t see a reason for them to come back out now.
Trimmed up the motor plate where the alternator mounts, it was a very rough cut while the engine was in the car so it was one of the jobs to clean up.
The seat required some ally adding in to support the cover I am using.
I fill the seat quite well! take that as you will. The harness comes over the top and is still tight to me. I will double check and if required will come through the seat with the belts.
Electric board was painted and braces up to stop the flopping around.
Pro shaft is ready for its next coat of paint now too.
It was cold in the workshop today! Winter reminder

[tom.marg]

My prop is now all painted, also the gear set shield and flex plate shield are back from Robinson race cars for recertification. It was a no brainer to do it now just Incase we dip in to msa racing if possible. I’ll work on getting the shields fitted before the motor and box goes in. Fred who built the box is coming to adjust the band up while it’s out the car also.

Next job is a little stopper for the brake pedal then I can do some mild mods to the pedal to fine tune the position for me.

Next big job is to wire the car really