Great project. I trust you are making good progress. I really enjoyed working on one 5 or 6 years ago. Everything was so simple ! I'm getting another shortly which I drove last Saturday. It needs work but is roadworthy and great fun. Thanks a lot for the video. Colin UK 🇬🇧
I have one, fortunately not as far gone as yours but still needs restoration. Some of the chrome on yours seems to have survived remarkably well. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Maybe it will inspire me to get on with mine.
It is a B-series. It was named that long before the MGB came along, all the MGAs had a variant as well. It is different to the MGB because they moved the bore centers and eventually added 2 main bearings. There are other changes along the way but they are generational.
As I understand it the Austin A40 engine is physically a little shorter than the later engines due to smaller bores. So a MG A or MG B engine cannot be bolted into an Austin A40 of this era due to the front cross member. It is very similar and you say later to those later engines.
Thanks. I am behind on videos but here is the chop. Its now a 2dr. www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/repair-and-maintenance/project-austin-special-four-becomes-two/
Hi, Mr. or M&s. Oakswamp! To confuse people, they confused people by bringing out consecutive models of A40's. A for Austin, 40 for 40 horsepower. This is the follow up to the Devon model, and is called the SOMERSET.
I have a runing Somerset A40 a 1953 , it had been parked since 1965 in Duncan BC barn ..........those seats are metal forms .........Mine it tooks some getting it to run again but no rebuild just things like going through the carb. and ignition and fuel pump . change the oil and filter which was hard to find . But it runs now real great starts and drives well . I like mine and am keeping the patina look . Mine was light grey like your .. I wish you luck with it . Those frames in those cars are of boxed design and were used by Hot Rodders building gassers out of the Devon and Dorset cars back in the 1960s you simply cut off the the front rail and use box steel and use a straight axle. many ran 327s in them ask me how I know ...........These days I like them as they were stock . But having said that you can up grade one with a MG engine and trans and rear end many have been done like this and some with other makes like a V6 . They were very well built cars . Look forward to seeing what you do with her.I know when I drive my Somerset around it sure brings people out and puts a smile on their faces and that is worth bring them back.
I hate to say it but mine is no longer stock. Its now a two door - sort of a salesman coupe. MG B rear axle and working on adapting a MG B front right now.
@@dentsgarage7234 That is OK , at least you are doing something with it and enjoying it Would like to see more of the build . I built a lot of cars in my time . And raced a few as well . Good to see the hobby getting interest in the younger crowd because it has been always a big part of my life and a blast .
Good luck with that. My parents owed an original that they bought in Germany and eventually had shipped over in ‘54 when they returned to the states. They drove it from the east coast to Montana and back with no problems.
Those holes above the missing tail light are probably for an amateur radio antenna. Is that an A-Series engine, then? Like from a Mini or an Austin 1100/1300?
I'm amazed that so many parts are still available for these cars. Looking on ebay in the UK you seem to be able to get pretty much everything, even new hub caps, carpet sets and headliners. I guess it may not be the same where you are. Some models had a false floor in the trunk but not yours from what I can see.
I don't have the false floor in the trunk. It might have been there at some point. The top of gas tank is the trunk floor. Parts are pretty sparse in Canada. Kip Motors carries some in North America. Some are a little pricy like wheel cylinders.
@@donaldtucker4914 About $300-400 per wheel cylinder. I might go with MG B front and rear axles to solve that problem and upgrade to discs in the front at the same time. But it certainly might be worth looking on eBay UK.
@@dentsgarage7234 Yes ebay UK sounds a bargain then, even with shipping and duty on top. As for discs, whilst I'm all for originality, discs would be worthwhile. They are quite a heavy car and brakes on mine, although working properly, do need three days notice in writing to bring her to a stop!
I hope you can get it looking like it did, the day it left the factory. These things in original, and unblemished condition are incredibly rare. I think it is a pity, because they really are stylish.
I'm sorry to find that funny, but are you SURE that, in the case of metal things, like cars, the name DENTS is that suitable for the garage! But well done for finding this one sought after car, with so much character! Hopefully you would be able to source spare parts, from the very enthusiast AUSTIN COUNTIES car club, in England! You might make one good one, from another that still has (The luxurious) interior), and put that into YOURS, which looks salvageable because the rust is not beyond repair! The RED colour is LOVELY, and will look great against chromework! By the way, my aunt and uncle did gave a black one, though I never got to ride in it. Dud you know they also made a larger engined version with 6 cylinders called the Hampshire, as opposed to your Somerset version? That one was 2200cc, as opposed to1200cc like yours. Cars after the second world war often were made with TWO engines - a smaller one that didn't get through much scarce fuel, and a larger engined one - which could keep up with today's traffic. Do you also know about the Nash Metropolitan? Perhaps NOT actually called a Metropolitan, in the States. These were actually made for Nash by Austin, and sold as a stand-alone make in the UK, as the Metropolitan. The point I'm making, is they were therefore available in the States, with their obviously cool Americana styling - and they had the same 1200cc engine. Because they stayed in production for a bit longer, they got updated - featuring a better 1500 engine, that made all the difference. OR you of course could actually go for gold, and actually fit an MGB 1800 engine! That would anyway be "true" to this "family" of engines! Good luck - you will have a truly individual car at the end of it! And please post up more videos, so we see how it goes!
They did not vary the keys much with A40 A50 A55 A60 Austins so if you have a key for one you have a key for most of them!!! I had a good number of those cars as a teen. A40 a50 etc. Viewing on Westcoast Vancouver isle.
Great project. I trust you are making good progress. I really enjoyed working on one 5 or 6 years ago. Everything was so simple ! I'm getting another shortly which I drove last Saturday. It needs work but is roadworthy and great fun. Thanks a lot for the video. Colin UK 🇬🇧
I have one, fortunately not as far gone as yours but still needs restoration. Some of the chrome on yours seems to have survived remarkably well. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Maybe it will inspire me to get on with mine.
It is a B-series. It was named that long before the MGB came along, all the MGAs had a variant as well. It is different to the MGB because they moved the bore centers and eventually added 2 main bearings. There are other changes along the way but they are generational.
As I understand it the Austin A40 engine is physically a little shorter than the later engines due to smaller bores. So a MG A or MG B engine cannot be bolted into an Austin A40 of this era due to the front cross member. It is very similar and you say later to those later engines.
thats really tidy , lovely shape the devon, the pick up version is cute as hell...look forward to the chop😉
Thanks. I am behind on videos but here is the chop. Its now a 2dr.
www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/repair-and-maintenance/project-austin-special-four-becomes-two/
@@dentsgarage7234 nice one man, im so glad you didnt go silly with it , it messes with the proportions.....look forward to the vid !
Hi, Mr. or M&s. Oakswamp! To confuse people, they confused people by bringing out consecutive models of A40's. A for Austin, 40 for 40 horsepower. This is the follow up to the Devon model, and is called the SOMERSET.
@@nygelmiller5293 the british motor industry eh....alot of badge engineering going down too...good luck with the build mate
I have a runing Somerset A40 a 1953 , it had been parked since 1965 in Duncan BC barn ..........those seats are metal forms .........Mine it tooks some getting it to run again but no rebuild just things like going through the carb. and ignition and fuel pump . change the oil and filter
which was hard to find . But it runs now real great starts and drives well . I like mine and am keeping the patina look . Mine was light grey like your .. I wish you luck with it . Those frames in those cars are of boxed design and were used by Hot Rodders building gassers out of the Devon and Dorset cars back in the 1960s you simply cut off the the front rail and use box steel and use a straight axle. many ran 327s in them ask me how I know ...........These days I like them as they were stock . But having said that you can up grade one with a MG engine and trans and rear end many have been done like this and some with other makes like a V6 . They were very well built cars . Look forward to seeing what you do with her.I know when I drive my Somerset around it sure brings people out and puts a smile on their faces and that is worth bring them back.
I hate to say it but mine is no longer stock. Its now a two door - sort of a salesman coupe. MG B rear axle and working on adapting a MG B front right now.
@@dentsgarage7234 That is OK , at least you are doing something with it and enjoying it Would like to see more of the build .
I built a lot of cars in my time . And raced a few as well . Good to see the hobby getting interest in the younger crowd because it has been always a big part of my life and a blast .
Good luck with that. My parents owed an original that they bought in Germany and eventually had shipped over in ‘54 when they returned to the states. They drove it from the east coast to Montana and back with no problems.
Thanks. Its a big project for sure.
Those holes above the missing tail light are probably for an amateur radio antenna.
Is that an A-Series engine, then? Like from a Mini or an Austin 1100/1300?
Good thought.
These have a so called pre-B-series which is a 1.2L engine very similar to what became the B-series. Similar to a Nash Metropolitan.
@@dentsgarage7234 we call the B series ' the big block morris' and obviously the A series...sbm 🤣
To Andreroy - yes, that's right an "A" series engine!
I'm amazed that so many parts are still available for these cars. Looking on ebay in the UK you seem to be able to get pretty much everything, even new hub caps, carpet sets and headliners. I guess it may not be the same where you are. Some models had a false floor in the trunk but not yours from what I can see.
I don't have the false floor in the trunk. It might have been there at some point. The top of gas tank is the trunk floor.
Parts are pretty sparse in Canada. Kip Motors carries some in North America. Some are a little pricy like wheel cylinders.
@@dentsgarage7234 Set of 4 front wheel cylinders in UK is £98 (about 168 Canadian Dollars) but maybe less at an autojumble. How much there?
@@donaldtucker4914 About $300-400 per wheel cylinder. I might go with MG B front and rear axles to solve that problem and upgrade to discs in the front at the same time. But it certainly might be worth looking on eBay UK.
@@dentsgarage7234 Yes ebay UK sounds a bargain then, even with shipping and duty on top. As for discs, whilst I'm all for originality, discs would be worthwhile. They are quite a heavy car and brakes on mine, although working properly, do need three days notice in writing to bring her to a stop!
I hope you can get it looking like it did, the day it left the factory.
These things in original, and unblemished condition are incredibly rare. I think it is a pity, because they really are stylish.
I'm sorry to find that funny, but are you SURE that, in the case of metal things, like cars, the name DENTS is that suitable for the garage! But well done for finding this one sought after car, with so much character! Hopefully you would be able to source spare parts, from the very enthusiast AUSTIN COUNTIES car club, in England! You might make one good one, from another that still has (The luxurious) interior), and put that into YOURS, which looks salvageable because the rust is not beyond repair! The RED colour is LOVELY, and will look great against chromework! By the way, my aunt and uncle did gave a black one, though I never got to ride in it. Dud you know they also made a larger engined version with 6 cylinders called the Hampshire, as opposed to your Somerset version? That one was 2200cc, as opposed to1200cc like yours. Cars after the second world war often were made with TWO engines - a smaller one that didn't get through much scarce fuel, and a larger engined one - which could keep up with today's traffic. Do you also know about the Nash Metropolitan? Perhaps NOT actually called a Metropolitan, in the States. These were actually made for Nash by Austin, and sold as a stand-alone make in the UK, as the Metropolitan. The point I'm making, is they were therefore available in the States, with their obviously cool Americana styling - and they had the same 1200cc engine. Because they stayed in production for a bit longer, they got updated - featuring a better 1500 engine, that made all the difference. OR you of course could actually go for gold, and actually fit an MGB 1800 engine! That would anyway be "true" to this "family" of engines! Good luck - you will have a truly individual car at the end of it! And please post up more videos, so we see how it goes!
They did not vary the keys much with A40 A50 A55 A60 Austins so if you have a key for one you have a key for most of them!!! I had a good number of those cars as a teen. A40 a50 etc. Viewing on Westcoast Vancouver isle.
That is amusing on the keys. Perhaps I have a chance of finding a some exterior keys then!