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51 Austin 10cwt Countryman

107K views 1K replies 37 participants last post by  budetta 
#1 · (Edited)

just started to rebuid my (devon)countryman for the 3rd time ,only had it for 35years but its that old story .took it of the road in 99 to freashen it up and fit the sills of my drag car ,by the time the sills and bulkhead were cut there wasant much holding the floor pan in so its now channeled 3inches.main reason was chassis to ground clearance !!!!!as already slamed by fitting MGB wishbones and shocks.Anyway got put to one side (long boring story)but now have the space to work on it,as I am between jobs atthe mo (anyone need a MOT Tester Malvern area?) had time to strip the doner Vaux Omega .Last 2 weeks fitted the engine and box and just set up diff mounts.So for those that like to know its 30L v6 manual,omega diff,omega hubs made into Dedion rearaxle,front hubs on scratch built arms(this is to keep abs & traction control) with airbags .Plan is for rear clam doors to be remade using VW Type 2 (bay) rear doors as the originals are naff and have no seals.will see if I can post some pics of how it was .
 
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#106 ·
Today I feel a bit tapped, cut the threads (18mm) in 2 of the 4 bar links and then the 5/8th ones for upper front wishbone . Chuffed with the weld on link, front suspension just tacked as its a design as it gets made job . Its a bugger not having a lathe , T square and file just dosnt cut it ! and took ages to get the tube ends square. Rose joints ordered for front .
 
#107 ·
Sorted rear axle, ended up with a slice and weld to get tracking right. Put axle in place and set chassis ride height to cruising, that meant making some very short stands to go under frame horns (7in) . Luckily there were 2 knackered ones in scrap pile. Watts linkage sorted, waiting on hole saw to make plates for 4 bar. As you all like pics (and who doesn't) this is rear axle , now there is air bags and dampers to go in there and no room for exhaust.
 
#109 ·
True but I would like to hear the radio on the M way (must be getting old), aiming for a nice rumble . Rose joints and lock nuts turned up, threaded inserts from same place not . My fault did separate orders .
Tomorrow will fit wheel to front hub and check lower wishbone setting and see what room there might be for air bag, still looks like air bag coil over. Shortest one I have found is to tall though
 
#112 · (Edited)
with the axle arrangement you have and being tight like the rest of us i'd use seperate bags and shocks. plenty of room to mount both (forget exhausts, they can go out the side if need be) and much much cheaper :tup: you'd fit shocks between the axle and driveshaft in front of your crossmember and bags on the axle behind the crossmember.
neil.
 
#113 ·
Did a lot of pondering , wondering around with a stick of inches. Found the slam height left the front valance about an inch from the tarmac !! reset chassis and looks like front suspension will work. Mygasser the slam air bag shocks are for the front. On the rear worked out room for bags , the shocks will mount of the original hub mounts and a bracket bolted to the original lever arm shock brackets. Just need to find some shocks with a large eye on bottom , shortish and good travel . That leaves enough room for exhaust!! rear of chassis is being redone, didn't like it anyway. Now fuel tank at rear and air tank in front behind axle , all within the new floor pan. Gone back to fitting tow bar as well, thinking art deco van to kip in at rod runs.
Dont you just love it when a plan comes together.
 
#117 ·
busy today, cut out all the 4bar brackets . Hole saw turned up. made the front brackets out of offcuts . Best bit is they line up with the old spring hanger plate so will get welded to that. Top bars will be troublesome as front diff mounting crossmember is in the way but I have a cunning plan.
 
#118 ·
Made the inner brackets for lower front 4bar , did the mod to diff front mounting. Getting it right was fun as damper mountings have been welded on different side to side, I know the ends of factory centre crossmember are different as well. Hand built in Longbridge then--------
Wasted this afternoon trying to make eye end for top 4 bar now I have new joints, piece I spent ages making turned out to be cast forging . Still can use it to line up front mounting points and make mountings tomorrow. Called in machine shop on way home but must be poets day as no one in.
 
#119 ·
Made the front upper 4 bar mountings, had to space away from chassis so piece of 4mm wall tube running through chassis. Think this looks better than a gert long piece of 2x2 box. As to the frame being out of whack from factory I measured it again and still got 3/4 of an inch out to rear of factory crossmember , front of section is spot on though. Jacked axle up to see if it works ,nothing binds so thats a result. Back to front suspension tomorrow as joints turned up.
 
#120 ·
I have a round bar and I need it to be square (sing that to Stones red door) , so called in on machine shop this morning. Come back in a month and we might be able to do it, bugger. Searched through my box of offcuts and found a chunk of round big enough, took me ages to cut it in half with hacksaw. Managed to get a 16mm drill from agri merchant over the road , drilled out centre to take joint and then cut flats on side . Welded some flat bar on to give correct size and then drilled through for pinch bolt, slice with grinder and tidy up with file . Had to cut top bolt hole of hub to get ball joint in correct position then welded block on, bracket from old fiesta damper chopped about and then welded on . Bolt is belts and braces . Do you all think its strong enough?
 
#125 ·
I was going to get a block machined to slide over hub , think I will try machine shop again . At least it has allowed me to set front wishbones up. Must have done something right as minimal camber change until max drop or height . No room for damper so will have to go from top wishbone to a tower , had that planned .
Found the dampers I took of Smart doner axle fit rear perfectly . Running out of steel plate and box , trip to blacksmith then.
 
#132 ·
Found some plate steel the correct thickness so made the other lower wishbone (drill can wait!!) then made the fill in panel for the roof , will need some shaping as slight curve fore and aft . Looks like a job for the hide hammer and open jaws on workmate then as dont have an English wheel. Clamp city at the moment, the edge of roof will need a pie cut to pull it in but cant work that out till B posts are secured. Keep finding its very hand built from Austin's as bits measure different side to side like the gap between font of roof insert to roof cross brace .
and yes that steel has some surface rust , damp in my unit come winter!!Lots more careful measuring to do yet as this is a trial fit.
 
#133 ·
i know i'll get shot down in flames for this but..... i use zintec as it doesn't rust when sat in your garage/shed like bare steel does. if you're welding a lot just keep the area ventilated as the fumes aren't nice but i think that's a fair trade off to have rust free steel when you need it.
neil.
 
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