1963 Austin Countryman

[savetheminis]

Time to get started again - everything has been in pieces for a long time and I now have the opportunity to spend some more time on the car.
Distributor, carbs, gauges, engine/cylinder head, trailing arms, brackets/sheet metal parts/chromework, steering rack are back from refurbishing/plating etc.
The wood frame is on its way back.

I have ordered a spraycan of BMW/Mini Pepper White and it looks like that will be the colour.

Current state of the shell:






Rebuilt the diff today.

The output shafts in the diff had badly worn and chipped teeth and really worn planet gears. Like every other moving part on the car, it was showing its 150000+ miles.
I found some that were 'less bad', can anyone tell me if they are OK to use?

The best ones I have handy (photo makes them look worse than they are, score marks are not deep enough to catch your fingernail):



This is one that I took out. The scoring easily catches your fingernail:

[nunecos]

Really nice! Is it to restore to standard spec ?

[savetheminis]

Standard spec except the coil spring clutch, single leading shoe brakes, cylinder are going into storage, diff ratio changed to 3.4.
Original parts are there for someone else can put that stuff back on if they really want to.
And I'm probably going to paint it old english white instead of almond green.
Everything is very original (original unrebuilt engine, coil spring clutch, carpets, a-type gearbox etc) but the odometer broke at 149,999 miles.
Unfortunately the high mileage means every moving part is totally worn out and a lot of the trim is a bit too far gone. If anyone has any green front seat covers, door cards, left front dash panel, ...

It has had one front wing/a-panel replaced previously because of accident damage.
The doors look almost like new but have some rust in the bottom, which means they need as much work as if they were much worse condition, and the front panels have so many scars that they need to be replaced, which is unfortunate. Likewise the floors are rust free but have been ruined by people putting the jack under them to change the tyres.

Currently battling with the rear load floor corners. As far as I know, nobody makes proper repair panels and the shape is a little tricky to duplicate, even though nobody will see it.

[InimiaD]

Great to see another Countryman being restored back to health.
M Machine do the repair panels you require. I did those sections on my Traveller and although they weren't a perfect fit they did the job after a bit of Tin Bashing.
Keep us updated with the progress.

[savetheminis]

Thanks, I have had a go with the M-Machine patches, but I didn't do a great job of piecing them all together. Easier to fabricate from scratch I think.

Took the door skins off today:



Can anyone say if the lower door repair panels are any good? REPAN037 from Somerford.

[coop12g295]

I got 2 from the mini door co its only the flat part and you would have to
fabricate the corners and they do come with the drain tubes.Avoid the hadrian
ones like the plague no holes and creased to hell.The mini doors are fitted with
new skins ready to fit once the car is a lot further on

[savetheminis]

'A type' gearbox trial rebuild. First attempt at building a gearbox, only 3 parts left over

New mainshaft, layshaft, 2nd gear, synchros, bushes, bearings, selectors., diff ratio changed to 3.44. Not as hard to find parts for as I was expecting.

How much resistance is the plunger/spring for the 3rd gear thrust washer supposed to give? I have two springs that fit, one is short and kindof weak, the other is long but it takes so much force to push the plunger down that I don't see how to get the thrust washer over it. I might have gotten mixed up with the plunger/spring in the synchro hub.

[1071bob]

The plunger springs should be 17mm long, 3.8 diameter and the wire gauge is .76mm. They are quite strong and you'll have to use a scriber or similar to depress it enough to fit the collar. What are the three bits you've got left over?

[savetheminis]

Thanks. I have managed to have a moment of brain failure and put the plunger in before the spring. If anyone has any bright ideas about how to get it out... have tried magnets, heat, gluing a bolt to the top of the plunger.

Now, foiled by layshaft bearing 88G396. The new ones are about 1.04 inches long. They are about 1/8 inch too long, so I can't get the new circlips in. This bearing is supposed to be for 3 synchro a-type gears according to the somerford catalogue and minispares parts books.

Anyone know if I got sent the wrong bearings, or how to order some the right size?
I have sent a message to minispares as well.

[savetheminis]

The plot thickens, 88G396 is the laygear bearing for B-type gears and on.
A-type laygear bearing is 3H2113.
Spoke to somerford and apparently the 88G396 bearing does not need to be used with circlips.
So that is solved.

[savetheminis]

Door repair continues... hammerforming a new lower rail, because it has a slight arc in it.



Are any of the scuttle repair panels any good? I have some Magnum branded ones that would need a lot of filler.

[guru_1071]

Are any of the scuttle repair panels any good? I have some Magnum branded ones that would need a lot of filler.

the only good one is the heritage one - the cheap pattern ends 'will-do' with care.

the full length pattern ones are somebodys idea of a practical joke