Starting my restoration.... again

[Magyar]

I purchased my Austin-Healeys in the early to mid-70s. The first, 1960 BN7 was bought as a driver while in the Navy and stationed in Key West in "73". The second, 1959 BN6 was bought from my uncle in "77". He started on it and lost interest. His son got it nexted and continued "dismantling" it. I remember the BN6 from my teens years, prior to the Navy and it was one of the reasons why I bought the BN7. Love at first sight when I saw my uncles. The BN6 was in fairly good shape. Never wrecked, little to no rust. The BN7 on the other hand was pretty well used. I'm not sure the frame is any good. My kids are grown and out of the house. I've built a large garage or small barn, depending on who is describing it. And I'm ready to start building cars. My budget will require me to do much of the work myself. And I like to learn. Both cars are in "boxes" in "the barn" I would like to end up with two cars when finished, figuring that I will need to get a new frame sometime in the process.
I need to get started doing something in the direction of building a car. Can anybody suggest a good restoration process to follow? A book outlining a logical order. I'm figuring to start with the good frame, get it cleaned up and start putting parts on it. Any suggestions or words of wisdow?

Thanks, Magyar

 

[Randy Forbes]

The Bentley Workshop Manual and the BMC Spare Parts Catalog. They both start with the engine, transmission, rear axle, and proceed with suspension, brakes, etc.

There's a place in Toledo (American Metal Cleaning) that can dip-strip the 100/6 chassis. Follow that up with primer and paint, and then start adding parts.

Before you know it, you'll be looking at things like this:

BTW, I'm a big fan of the 6-cyl/2-seater too!

A few more, for insiration: https://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album107 (open any thumbnail, and click on it again for high resolution version)

 

[fordtrucks4ever]

I have no words of wisdow, but it will be a sharp learning curve, if you really want to have a reliable car that is a head turner when finished. Do take lots of pictures, especially if you dont have the gift of doing jigsaw puzzles. These cars are basically simple, but not necessarily easy to assemble without some serious knuckle busting. Good luck, be patient and dont loose interest, if you cant see the light at the end of the tunnel for a few years.

 

[Randy_Gay]

I would suggest joining the National clubs (both of them). There are articles in their monthly magazines about the restoration process. Also develop a library of Healey books. There are many out there - good reading. Best of Luck.

 

[andrea]

Hi Magyar
I don't wont teach--but just help you
https://picasaweb.google.com/searunner44/RESTORATIONAUSTINHEALEY10061958?feat=directlink
I also are a absolute beginner-
I hope to see your cars photo after the start. Picasa albums can be easy and free solution to documents your progres.
good look
Andrea

 

[terp83]

Hi Magyar:

It sounds as though you have already gotten your restorations off to a good start--by building a suitable work site, and being a part of this forum. Currently on loan from me to one of my friends is a book specfic to the restoration of British sportscars. I think that the author's name is Jay Lamm. This book contains a good deal of gereral information.

BTW, I am a native of Newark and lived there until 1988. Back in the early 1980's the Joint Vocational School (I think that it is called something else now) on Price Road, had an evening auto body repair class, and they would let the students bring their own vehicles to the school and do bodywork, using the school's air tools and welding equipment under instructor supervision. I learned to fabricate and gas weld there, and fabricated and installed floor panels on my BJ8. I still have plenty left to do on the car, but that is another story for another thread.

Ditto on joining both national clubs.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Jerry

 

[HealeyPassion]

Magyar, in addition to the other good ideas, I'd suggest getting Gary Anderson and Roger Moment's book, Austin-Healey 100/100-6/3000 Restoration Guide. It's very good with a ton of specific details. Also, I'd suggest getting the articles on restoration that Roger Moment has been writing for the Austin Healey Magazine.....they are available on-line in the technical section after you join....you could also order the back issues. Last but not least there are some really good personal websites you should study, i.e. Lin Rose's The Bloody Beast, Lin Rose, Larry Varley's Larry Varley's Restoration , John Sim's BN-6 site...which also has a very good "Link" page. John Sim's site,
..and if you are really bored you might find a nugget or two on my site Steve's Austin Healey I'm sure there are others but these will take up an afternoon.

Cheers,
Steve Thomton
1963 BJ7 Works rally replica in progress

 

[Legal Bill]

Magyar,

I'm nearing the end of my 3000 restoration, and all I can say is, you can't have too many pictures of how the car is supposed to look and how everything is bolted on in the first place. The probelm with putting one together from boxes of parts is that you do not have the pictoral guide that a good set of diasassembly pictures offers. In hindsight, I would have taken about 200 more pictures. Get all the books you can. Workshop manual, body parts book, mechanical parts book, concourse guidelines, Haynes Manual (yes, the Haynes has info that the workshop manual does not) Moss catalogue (yes, somehow the Moss Catalogue has parts diagrams not found in the parts manuals) Roger Moment and Gary Andersons's book, drivers handbook, the large laminated Healey wiring diagrams that are available on line at ebay, the nuts and bolts inventory that some dilligent person put together for every nut and bolt of the cars (not sure how to find them again, I got them off the List) I often refer to many of the above for an hour or two before I bolt on anything.

After doing this for years, I arrived at the following approach that ended up working well for me. First, do the chassis, as shown above. I had a restorer do mine. Once you have something that is solid, you move on to the body panels. Get them all to fit right. Once they all line up right, you can think about painting them inside and out. What I am telling you to do is to remove the panels once you have them all fitted the way you want and then paint eveything inside and out. Again, my restorer did it this way, and his work was nationally recognized. Now place the body panels aside where they won't get hurt because it is time to install the mechanicals. Start with front and rear suspension, followed by brakes and brake lines, electrical harness, electrical components, under dash stuff, engine and transmission and drive shaft, followed by manifolds and engine ancillary parts. Now the body panels can go back on and then the lights can be installed and wired. Some of the chrome can go on at different times, but I put mine on after all else was hung on the car. Interior comes next and the top comes last.

Before you put on anything, ask youself "what has to go on before this?" Even if you are careful, there will be several things you take off after you have installed them because something else should have gone on first. For me, i have a beautifuly installed exhaust system that I will have to partially diassemble to install the seats, because the nuts that hold downt th eseat rails are pretty much impossible to reach with the muffler installed. That's just one example. There are hundreds more.

For each assembly or sub assembly you are going to install, get the parts book out and make sure you have every part needed down to the washers. The parts books give codes for the hardware and you can use the Moment/Anderson book to make sure you have the right size and type of fastener before you start installing. The list mentioned above gives even more information on hardware. Anyway, make sure everything is the right size and in the condition you want it to be in before you put it on the car. Assemble it lose and then stand back and look at it before you tighten it up. Is it in the right place? Is something else supposed to connect to it? Can you reach the area where the next part has to go?. Once you are sure, then tighten it up.

If you paln to use new modern hardware, your life will be a bit easier, but some of the sizes may be hard to find. If you plan to use the original hardware, send it off to be replated. Check the condition of the hardware before you send itout. It makes no sense to wate monwy replating stipeed, bent or rounded bolts, etc.

If you are painting the black bits black yourself, be sure to strip the part down to bare metal. A parts cleaner followed by a blast cabinet is good here. Once the part is blasted to bare metal, use a paint prep chemical wash and then dry the heck out of the part and prime it twice. After the primer dries, paint it at least three coats. I use a halogen light as a heat lamp and put the painted parts about 18 inches to two feet away from the lamp and bake the paint on. This results in complete drying so that the paint does not transfer on to the car or other parts that you bolt the newly painted part on to.

Those are my general tips and advice. I hope it helps. Good luck, and see you on the other side.

 

[Legal Bill]

Hi Magyar
I don't wont teach--but just help you
https://picasaweb.google.com/searunner44/RESTORATIONAUSTINHEALEY10061958?feat=directlink
I also are a absolute beginner-
I hope to see your cars photo after the start. Picasa albums can be easy and free solution to documents your progres.
good look
Andrea

Andrea, that is an excellent gallery.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Bill, all good tips (you're making me want to take my car apart and start all over...)!

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Magyar,

I'm nearing the end of my 3000 restoration, and all I can say is, you can't have too many pictures of how the car is supposed to look and how everything is bolted on in the first place. The probelm with putting one together from boxes of parts is that you do not have the pictoral guide that a good set of diasassembly pictures offers. In hindsight, I would have taken about 200 more pictures. Get all the books you can. Workshop manual, body parts book, mechanical parts book, concourse guidelines, Haynes Manual (yes, the Haynes has info that the workshop manual does not) Moss catalogue (yes, somehow the Moss Catalogue has parts diagrams not found in the parts manuals) Roger Moment and Gary Andersons's book, drivers handbook, the large laminated Healey wiring diagrams that are available on line at ebay, the nuts and bolts inventory that some dilligent person put together for every nut and bolt of the cars (not sure how to find them again, I got them off the List) I often refer to many of the above for an hour or two before I bolt on anything.

After doing this for years, I arrived at the following approach that ended up working well for me. First, do the chassis, as shown above. I had a restorer do mine. Once you have something that is solid, you move on to the body panels. Get them all to fit right. Once they all line up right, you can think about painting them inside and out. What I am telling you to do is to remove the panels once you have them all fitted the way you want and then paint eveything inside and out. Again, my restorer did it this way, and his work was nationally recognized. Now place the body panels aside where they won't get hurt because it is time to install the mechanicals. Start with front and rear suspension, followed by brakes and brake lines, electrical harness, electrical components, under dash stuff, engine and transmission and drive shaft, followed by manifolds and engine ancillary parts. Now the body panels can go back on and then the lights can be installed and wired. Some of the chrome can go on at different times, but I put mine on after all else was hung on the car. Interior comes next and the top comes last.

Before you put on anything, ask youself "what has to go on before this?" Even if you are careful, there will be several things you take off after you have installed them because something else should have gone on first. For me, i have a beautifuly installed exhaust system that I will have to partially diassemble to install the seats, because the nuts that hold downt th eseat rails are pretty much impossible to reach with the muffler installed. That's just one example. There are hundreds more.

For each assembly or sub assembly you are going to install, get the parts book out and make sure you have every part needed down to the washers. The parts books give codes for the hardware and you can use the Moment/Anderson book to make sure you have the right size and type of fastener before you start installing. The list mentioned above gives even more information on hardware. Anyway, make sure everything is the right size and in the condition you want it to be in before you put it on the car. Assemble it lose and then stand back and look at it before you tighten it up. Is it in the right place? Is something else supposed to connect to it? Can you reach the area where the next part has to go?. Once you are sure, then tighten it up.

If you paln to use new modern hardware, your life will be a bit easier, but some of the sizes may be hard to find. If you plan to use the original hardware, send it off to be replated. Check the condition of the hardware before you send itout. It makes no sense to wate monwy replating stipeed, bent or rounded bolts, etc.

If you are painting the black bits black yourself, be sure to strip the part down to bare metal. A parts cleaner followed by a blast cabinet is good here. Once the part is blasted to bare metal, use a paint prep chemical wash and then dry the heck out of the part and prime it twice. After the primer dries, paint it at least three coats. I use a halogen light as a heat lamp and put the painted parts about 18 inches to two feet away from the lamp and bake the paint on. This results in complete drying so that the paint does not transfer on to the car or other parts that you bolt the newly painted part on to.

Those are my general tips and advice. I hope it helps. Good luck, and see you on the other side.

I would like to make one small note but a very important note...install the emergency brake handle and cable assembly first. I was told to do this by more than one person and after doing it I was sure glad that I did. The chassis is a new Jule frame and painted so it is nice to work this way. Patrick

 

[Magyar]

Wow, THANKS so much to one and all for the response and all the words of wisdom. Saddly, the digital camera was not around when the Healeys were dismantaled, so not too many photos were taken, as was one of the major suggestions. I do see where photo sets of restorations tear downs can be obtained and I plan to get a set. I have been a member one one of the two Healey organizations and I joined the second last night as suggested. I have many of the books and references that were listed. And perhaps, Most improtantly, as stated earlier, and I can see the reason why, is being a part of this forum. Thanks again for everything. I have also dedicated a digital camera to the project, that will stay with the cars so that I can make up for all the photos that were not taken during the first part of this journey. Hopefully it will not be too long before some of the pics are posted on this site.
Best wishes to all,
and to all that your Healeys continue to drip oil and never rust.
Magyar

 

[Legal Bill]

I forgot to mention the gas tank, fuel lines and trunk liner. Be sure to bet them back in too.