Austin 101 Restoration: June 2010

Thursday, 3 June 2010

Tinworm is tinworking again - after TWO YEARS!!!

I got back to work on the van today - for the first time in TWO YEARS!!!

Progress was made in August last year - but by someone else.) The last time I did anything on it myself was way back in July 2008.

I fabricated the tops of the windscreen, as planned and welded them in on both sides. At present it may look a bit rough, but I will do the fine finish at the painting stage. I will use por-patch to fill holes and to seal the the joins between old and new metal. For now, the entire windscreen surround is solid!

The scuttle now rings instead of rattles

The more astute among you will have noticed that my 101 images actually have the Morris JB front panel. My 101 came with a JB panel and evidence of accident damage, so presumably, as fewer 101 panels were ever in circulation, a JB panel was used as a replacement?

The Austin 101 was a badge-engineered Morris JB, which in turn was a J Type van with an OHV B Series engine and 4 speed gearbox, in place of the sidevalve and 3 speed of the original J.

I now have both the JB panel and an ex-stock 101 one which I bought from a fellow restorer.

Blog Aliases

I agree an alias with anybody I refer to on my blog because I decided to give myself my alias, Tinworm, after attracting the atttentions of a very unpleasant stalker last year. I'd like to be able to call people by their real names, but I really advise against anyone using them online these days. Seems such a shame, not least of all because there are so many I'd like to be able to thank here. Real names (with one notable exception) have been used only with agreement with their owners.

Since writing the above I have bought a microlight which is registered with the CAA, which publishes the register online....making my anonymity impossible to keep. So increasingly I will be less guarded, but I will continue to respect the aliases of others.