1950 Austin "Back2Stock"

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Revell Drag Austin... I've got a soft spot for slow English cars. So now I'm going to "restockify" this Austin. Gluing the doors shut because I hate hinges... New seats, new wheels, smaller diameter rear wheel well, taillights, grille... Cosworth 4 cylinder engine? Hmmm....

Here's what I'm starting with.

[Pim]

Cool idea I love these sorts of British cars how about a mini engine it would probably look more like the original

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I looked online and it has a "Line 4" engine. Inline 4, I assume. I do have a Mini engine, however. I'd still have to find a transmission for it. I have a Cosworth engine from the Lotus Super 7, which is where I'm sourcing the wheels from.

[1 bad55 stan]

I carn't wait to see some progress on this 1.I'll be watching with interest.

[Mark]

For reference info, go to: www.austinworks.com...lots of good stuff there, including a frame diagram that you could print out and resize to 1/25 scale. If you want a frame that's "in the ballpark", the MPC Datsun pickup unit is pretty close. The rear kickup doesn't match with the Revell interior floor though, and the suspension has to be changed. My older brother built a 1:1 pickup about ten years ago, starting with a rusty stocker. As I recall, the Revell kit body bears only a vague resemblance to the 1:1 in regards to the body creases and the shape of the windshield. If I remember right, the stock Austin engine is the same one that was used in the Nash Metropolitan, and it was used in a number of other cars also. I remember the stock radiator looking like a large heater core, and the stock brakes were hydraulic in front and mechanical at the rear. The pickups were converted from sedans also; a lot of the body work on the rear of the cab and the bed was of poor quality as-built.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I was looking at my Datsun with suspicion today, thinking it might work. I'm saving that for a dually conversion or something. I'll check out that website. It's about time I actually built my own frames....

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I'm thinking very lazy on this. I have a multitude of Dirt Modified frames, and I figger I could modify one of those to be somewhat like this, and dig around in the junk box(es) for suspension and drivetrain parts.

[Mark]

As I remember it, the 1:1 frame was made up of pretty thin stock (for an American car, it would have been heavy gauge sheetmetal back then). It was several layers overlapped in some places like the X-member. The truck my brother had, had been sitting in a dirt floor building in Ontario for a bunch of years before he bought it, so the underside was pretty scabby. He cut the frame up with a Sawzall, didn't use any of it. I want to build a Revell Austin as Jim Oddy's gasser, which would have used the original frame as a starting point. I did use the Datsun frame under an Orange Blossom Special '37 Chevy pickup many years ago; it fit that pretty well. I lined up the front wheels with the wheel openings and then cut the kit's bed down (and moved the rear fenders) to match up with where the rear wheels ended up.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Don't even start with the stories of rusty British cars.... I've got a poor Triumph GT6+ that needs a full resto I love that old rust-bucket...

[skymnky721]

Thats cool,,those are great little cars,,its fun restoring busted up kits ,,this should be neat.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Removed all the decals and chrome today. Took off the parachutes, headlights, and hood scoop and sanded all the glue spots smooth. Then I plugged up the hole in the hood with plastic and filled the gaps between the plug and hood with patching plaster. Pics tomorrow.

[spotarama]

oops, see below

Edited August 31, 2014 by spotarama

[spotarama]

building one of these too (slowly) and using the motor, trans and rear end from the Airfix 1/24th Jag E type

its very much the sort of hotrod that was being built in england right up to the 80s, easily available parts and relatively cheap (the other option being the Rover V8)

much modified roll cage, front suspension/steering, engine mounts, seat, trandss tunnel and much more to be done yet

Edited August 31, 2014 by spotarama

[chunkypeanutbutter]

I've heard a lot of people use Jag rearends on their T-Buckets... lookin' mighty sharp there!

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Gah. School this past week. Burnt me out after a summer of vegetating. Now it's the weekend, I have my iPad with a fairly decent camera and some models to work on, this being one of them.

[geordie]

Great project, I will be following with interest, how about a saloon car circuit racer, similar to the ones that still race at the Goodwood Festival of Speed / Revival?

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Great project, I will be following with interest, how about a saloon car circuit racer, similar to the ones that still race at the Goodwood Festival of Speed / Revival?

Good idea. Just looked it up. It would make more sense with the Cosworth!