Description
The story begins in 2021 when I purchased her on eBay as a restoration project off a family who had inherited it from a family member. It had been saved from destruction and I have a few letters back and forth between the parties. A restoration had been started but was still a long way to go. Once back at my workshop the business of tearing into what I had began. She had suffered over the years of the usual low end repairs and cut corners (inevitable owing to the value of these cars in years gone by, but it had meant the car survived). The roof had been repaired to a very high standard along with both A pillars. I found there to be patches on the floors, lower bulkheads, rear wheel arch patches, rear valance patches and boot floor patches. I decided the only way to go was to replace (I hate patch repairs). So it has received new : Both sides floor pans, Both sides rear inner wheel arches, rear outer wings, rear lower inner wings, boot floor and rear valance, inner outer sills with new reinforcer, new battery tray, new front lower firewall sections, new headlight bowl surrounds, new front bonnet lower wings and wheel arches.
Whilst the body was off the chassis was treated to new front outriggers, bonnet boxes, crossmember, anti roll bar brackets, and front chassis rail sections. It was then painted black with chassis paint and rebuilt up with all new bushes and hardware, steering rack solid mounts, braided goodridge brake hoses, new bearings, new triunons and balljoints, new track rod ends, rebuilt callipers, GAZ adjustable shocks all-round, and new front springs (close to triumph tune specs). All new brake hard lines and fuel lines. All new brake shoes and cylinders. New front pads and discs. A set of compomotive 14 inch wheels where sourced and fitted with new tyres. All new wheel nuts where fitted.
Engine wise, the engine was stripped and rebuilt with new bearings, piston rings and timing chain. A Kent PH2 camshaft was fitted, along with new tappets and all new gaskets. A new oil pump was sourced. New head studs and nuts where used, and the Triumptune rocker cover was redone in wrinkle paint. A new clutch and slave cylinder where fitted. There is a new starter motor and relay, new alternator, new water pump, electronic ignition new leads and plugs. The carburettors where fully rebuilt with the most comprehensive kit, a new fuel pump, fuel sender and fuel filter along with new lines. Aluminium radiator and electric cooling fan have been fitted with all new rubber hoses and clips. A new heater valve and cable has been fitted along with a new coolant expansion tank. The gearbox is overdrive and was rebuilt by Practical Classics years ago and covered approx 1000 miles since. There is a new relay and switch. It has new brake servo assembly. Stainless exhaust with twin exit.
In the interior, its had all new underlay and carpet, new seat covers and door cards along with new seat foams, new head lining, new light switch, new Motorlita steering wheel and matching gear knob. Its had a complete new loom from Autosparks, including the overdrive, separate head lamp looms, new H4 head lamps, new side lights front, all new bulb holders. It has. A new wiper motor, new linkages, new arms, new wiper boxes, new screen wash pump and reservoir bracket. New overdrive relay, switch and wiring (on the column as I dislike the gear lever switch it should have)
Outside its been painted in a fantastic light metallic grey (a couple shades off an Aston Martin colour) with black touches. The bumpers are painted in satin black, along withe waist trims and rear lamp surrounds. It has a lemans style front splitter fitted. It also has bullet style wing mirrors fitted along with new rubber seals. Pressed plates have been fitted. Competitive X spot wheels and the lower stance give it a lot of presence in my opinion. Underneath the car has been gravitated or painted where need be. A new chassis mounting kit was fitted. It also is a very late example, supposedly within the last 10 built and not registered until late 1973. Original colour was a navy blue with blue cloth trim (sadly destroyed by pesky critters). Theres an aftermarket sunroof that tilts, or can be removed.
All in all, a great example of a car, the headlining isn’t great (I should have subbed the job out but hey ho) but its had well over £13000 spent in parts alone, on top of the hundreds of hours spent on her with pictures to prove. Really turns heads and looks a lot better than the usual coloured examples you see. At the moment its not quite finished but will be soon, so this is a little preliminary to gauge interest/ price etc or wether its better to got to auction. Any questions I’m happy to answer. In my opinion one of the hidden gems of classic motoring. A lovely smooth Straight 6, Lovely fastback design and a few period correct touches.
A great drivers car thats been comprehensively breathed on but still very much usable
