Post 4: First Engine Run

19 March 2017:  First hump day arrived today - first opportunity to see if the engine works!


Carburettors are all rebuilt and returned to the engine and the new fuel pump installed.  I thought it wise to conduct some basic tests before attempting a start as the I have no idea how long the engine had been asleep - but a long while I think.


FUEL:  A new pump and flush of the transfer pipe so plenty of fuel, in fact on the floor now too as well!
OIL - yes got some in the engine but will have a top up. Lots of cranking before the oil gauge finally rose to a healthy pressure level.
COOLANT: The water had been drained so initially what went in came  out so was expecting a problem - the only issue though was no drain tap which I temporarily filled.  1 and a half gallons of water later it is still in the engine.
SPARK - No spark so an investigation.  The points were well corroded so fixed that with some coarse sandpaper and refitted them.


So, courtesy of Mr Heath, we have an unplanned video, we weren't expecting it but run the engine does!  Not happy about this - much!

So based on this I can now move on to commence the teardown.



Post 3: Carburettors

14th March 2017:  So I want to talk about carburettors!  This car uses the SU carburettor which is a fairly simple beast and was used on most British cars of a certain age.  IF you are like me, being an ex Ford man, the first problem in fixing one is to figure out which type you have - well I found a Moss video that was really helpful as it explains the codes and numbers and its here ->

Having identified I have HD carbs I set about ordering some spares as I needed the main jet as a minimum as the diaphragm wasn't in good shape so I sourced two service kits. 


Dismantling was hindered by the fact that the carburettors were all seized up through years of non use but nothing a bit of WD40, petrol and carb cleaner wouldn't release, all parts are now free as you can see in the video pt1 - yes a video.

And an image of the dismantled parts ready for re-assembly.  I found that the SU kit had many more bits in than I really wanted and I could have ordered individual parts cheaper but now I know!

And below one of it back together, it went back together well and now I just need to do the same for number two.  Maybe the next post will see them both back on the engine.

Post 2: Initial assesment

The car is in the garage!  He did not want to go in the garage though, the brakes were stuck on, on the trailer!  To get him off the trailer I had to do remove the rear shoes - no problem of course apart from the rain - typical, this happens to me every time I put a car on a trailer so I should have been expecting it!


Well now it is in the garage I have had chance to see the poor condition that the car is in, here are some images. . . . . . .



The bonnet off - we can see the carburettors have been taken away.  I removed them as they are stuck from not being used - they need a good service.


The engine turned out to be the original though and has matching number to the chassis which was a bonus.

The interior has been removed, what there was of it, it was smelly having been out in the rain.  This has revealed the extent of the corrosion - basically most of the bottom of the car.  I knew this so not unexpected - a challenge yes.

Lots going on in the boot area.  Fitted a battery to see what works and what doesn't work - pretty much everything does work.  The fuel pump works but is pumping air so as I cant get a service kit (it is a US replacement part) then a new fuel pump it is.




My initial assessment then is that the car is ok, lots to do of course, but broadly as expected, in fact better than I was fearing.
I'm hoping to include some video in these posts.  Next time - Carburettors!

Post 1: Austin Healey 100/6 arrived from Los Angeles

Friday 3rd March 2017:

Clint in the Los Angeles sales room

Clint (not my idea) arrived from the US after an 8 week journey.  Amazing how easy it is to buy a car in another country!

Clint is an Austin Healey 100/6, built on February 28th 1959 and shipped to the USA East Coast, Pennsylvania.  We located him on Christmas Day 2016 in LA, completing purchase on New Years Eve 2016.


From LA he travelled from LA down the west coast of the US, through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic via New York, arriving in Southampton in March 2017.


On his way - waiting for the boat at Los Angeles port

The trip from Southampton though was not as successful as I would have liked! Car is now without it's roof - this is somewhere along the route - not the best start!


These may be the last images of Clint with his hat. Anyhow.  Now that the car has arrived this blog can start as a record of its restoration.  The plan, well, total restoration really - not expecting an easy ride.  First year - thats 2017 is to repair the inner body, but first thing is to see what works!