1961 Austin Se7en

[AustinSe7en]

Polished, greased and reassembled.
Full set of catches

[Mrgoose]

The horrible bit of cleaning up bits and pieces of chrome
But all come up rather well considering it’s all 59 years old

What liquid did you put them in? My 1961 chrome needs cleaning too.
Ta

[AustinSe7en]

The horrible bit of cleaning up bits and pieces of chrome
But all come up rather well considering it’s all 59 years old

What liquid did you put them in? My 1961 chrome needs cleaning too.
Ta

It had all been stored in the garage for thirty years and was filthy! Just left it all soaking in duck oil for ages to clean off all the dirt. Then a rubbing with fine steel wool, followed by a good polish with a product called “Quick-glo”.
None of it is perfect, but as it’s all original I am happy with a bit of genuine “patina”

[AustinSe7en]

Bit more fiddling around!

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Original bonnet badge. Filthy and the chrome deteriorated badly.
Looked at the new ones available (or rather unavailable!) and they don’t look to be three dimensional like the original?
So thought I’d clean it up and put a bit of Humbrol enamel in and see how it looked.

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Not very “chromey” but at least you won’t see the colour of the bonnet through it anymore.
More “patina”

[Philsa]

Hi

I used to own a MK1 station wagon and bought the chrome surround for the austin bonnet badge about 4 years ago and like you say I have not been able to find a Austin badge for some time. Your restored one is looking great.

[AustinSe7en]

Hi

I used to own a MK1 station wagon and bought the chrome surround for the austin bonnet badge about 4 years ago and like you say I have not been able to find a Austin badge for some time. Your restored one is looking great.

Thanks!
I am both happy with the way it looks, and with the fact that it’s the one it left the production line with! Can’t wait to get it on the bonnet

[AustinSe7en]

Pretty much all of the original interior was packed away in the loft and seems to have survived pretty well.

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So it was just a question of carefully peeling back the vinyl. where it was coming adrift, and gluing it back down to get rid of the wrinkles!

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Then re-stick the back

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[AustinSe7en]

Then a good scrubbing
Still a few marks to try and shift, but overall I am happy.

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One down, three to go!!

[AustinSe7en]

Now for the worst one

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Same as before, carefully peel and re-stick - but a lot more!
I added some material behind the tear to hold it together and strengthen it.

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Well, considering the state it was in, I am very happy with the end result

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Just a few more awkward marks to try and remove.

[kevs 1961 mk1]

nice job mate ,always satisfying to rescue a bit of the cars history

[AustinSe7en]

Decided to go the LED route on the indicators in order to be seen.
I bought supposedly “non hyper-flash” bulbs....No Hyper-flash, but no flash either!!
So I have had to get creative!
Had an LED relay left over from a job, which worked fine - but
hideously ugly to look at! So I’ve done a Frankenstein creation!
Modern electrics in the original ‘61 casing!

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You’d never know

[AustinSe7en]

Nasty dent in the front bumper, never going to get it out properly without having to re-chrome, but I thought I would give it a go....
Decided to put it in the press and push it out from behind.
Again, not perfect but good enough for now.

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[AustinSe7en]

Lights assembled, lid on and glass popped in
to see how it looks

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Found five over riders in a box, so need to clean those up
and see if they are any good.

[jay weinstein]

Nice work...looks like you're enjoying yourself !

[AustinSe7en]

Well, they put up a good fight!
But that’s the side windows in. Just the catches left to fit.
Front and rear screens sealed and the chrome filler strips in the rubbers. Misplaced the joint covers for the moment though
Near side 1/4 glass is sitting too far back - I think it’s being pushed by the rubber at the hinge, so I have ordered another one from a different supplier. If that doesn’t work, then some shaving may be in order!

[AustinSe7en]

Not really had much of a chance to play for a while, only in drifts n’drabs. But some trim work in at last!

[AustinSe7en]

Still got to strip the rears down for repair, but just wanted to see how the back fixes to the parcel shelf.
Shelf’s seen better days, and I never liked the red, so I will be changing that for a fleck one.

[AustinSe7en]

Decided to fit a boot board too, but I doubt I will ever put anything in there!!

[AustinSe7en]

Original badges and number plate lamp fitted.
Looking a bit more like it!
Renewed my enthusiasm

[AustinSe7en]

Bit of work done on the front end now.
Oil cooler fitted and then some shiny bits