59 Austin Seven

[SteveG]

I have started a thread on this car on the early mini forum but A lot of you don't post there so here it is also.

I have recently bought a Oct 59 Farina Grey Austin Seven so thought I better start a thread. My Sep 59 Morris has been pushed back in the cue as this car is far more complete and easier to do.

I bought the car from a elderly Gentleman here in Christchurch, NZ who has owned it for about 15 years. He bought it from a deceased estate and had planned to restore himself but hasn't got round to it. The estate he bought it from has had it over 30 years. In total its had 7 owners and all lived in Christchurch, NZ.

In Oct 59 it was sent to Wellington (Austin Plant) in CKD form and assembled there ready for the Mini Launch here at the start of 1960. Morris Cars were sent to Auckland. I have the original ownership papers, original hand book and a handy Austin Seven workshop manual.

The guy I bought it from said it was a runner when he bought it. Hes taken it to bits and had the shell bead blasted. Thats about as far as he got. I've not gone through all the parts yet but everything i've checked so far is dated 59, (starter motor, dynamo, ignition switch, wiper motor, radiator, fuse box, voltage regulator, distributor, floor dip switch, horn) Interestingly though most is dated Sep or Oct 59 which is right A few bits are dated Nov or Dec 59. I wonder if some parts were stamped with dates ahead of their time in the UK as they did not know exactly when cars would be assembled? Otherwise its just items been replaced very early in the minis life which is also possible knowing how much stuff went wrong on the earlier cars.

I'll put up some photos I took today and update when I have progress. Progress will be slow I think.

The shell for being 55 years old is very good but does need quite a bit of little welding. There are alot of pin holes from rust mainly in front floors. The brackets / bolts are still attached to the floor where there would have had it on a jig in the factory. The interior is all there except carpet. The cards are fleck but have had nice brown vinyl glued over them! I hope to be able to rescue them.

The front seats are very tatty but the rears are much better. I hope to rescue rather then buy newtons stuff. My last Clipper blue mini had mainly newtons stuff and although its nice, just isn't the same. I have some issues with their fleck material.

[SteveG]

This was the car in year 2000

[SteveG]

And now. Sandblasted shell.

[SteveG]

more

[SteveG]

Captive nuts still in place.

[SteveG]

The original engine still has its tag on. Radiator is dated 59, dynamo dated 59, regulator dated 59, starter motor dated 59, dizzy dated 59. Coil is not the original.

[SteveG]

Magnesium gearbox is present.

[Old English White]

What a great project. Not much that rust-free in the UK!
Good to have all that history with it too.
It'll make a very good car in time.

[rich@minispares.com]

nice find

there are some nice, genuine 59's with some great history turning up now.

I hope you are going to re-instate the interesting paint scheme???


just think, had 59's been made as well as mpis, there would be none left of them now!

[mk1]

What a brilliant find!

It's great to see such a do-able 59 project.

I look forward to following your progress.

[NotNormal]

Great condition indeed, looing forward to follow your resto path

[SteveG]

THe shell still has the bolts on the floor which were used in the factory on a jig to hold shell in the air.

Quote 'bolts protruding from the floor are found on most early cars. They are for mounting the shell on the conveyor jig, using eight floor mounted 5/16 bolts'

See photo taken from the 1959 mini register website and info above.

[JC T ONE]

Does your 8 floor bolts have nuts on them ? mine do, and the way they are cut makes it very hard - impossible to fit them afterwards.

[2311Jethro]

There's another puzzle solved, I had no idea what those bolts were for. Brill.

[SteveG]

Some random photos.

The cardboard/fibre board speedo cowl is there. Outside has been painted green!
Original Rear vision mirror. needs TLC. Slightly different bracket to my 64 car.
Key switch original dated 59.

[SteveG]

This is a good one

With the parts that came with the car is a fully rebuilt early Carb. It was done through a local car parts place here in Christchurch. I still buy parts from the place today (Butlers auto mart).

The box itself is quite cool, but the newspaper the carb is wrapped in is dated early 1970's. It was interesting reading some of the adverts. See below.

One is rude, but the 'sportsman cigarettes' one is quite funny.