SVA?

[Packedup]

There is an Austin wavy grille in the pile of bits, but as the original cab has long since been chopped up it's hard to tell what it might be off! There's such a mixture of bits around knowing what came from where is going to be tricky.

Although I didn't know the late ones still used the wavy grille, so that is another hint that the pickup really is the 71 Austin the reg plate refers to

[bigginger]

Yup, this is all looking pretty conclusive

[Willie]

The Austin badged version of the LCV was introduced from 1968
chassis number 236504, The blue listed for the Austin LCVs was
'Persian Blue'.

[aupickup]

well the only real way to check and see about engines if it is the original is to check on the carb side of the lower block, if it is an austin engine it will have a blanking plate over the hol;e for the mechanical fuel pump. only austins did this.
rocker covers and name plates on them can be changed.
also the majority of austins were painted black.

chasis plates on the passenger door cards, early vans and pick ups did not have them, even to 1966. after that they all had chassis plates on the passenger door, or should have
austins had brown door cards as well, also matching brown or arizona beige seat covers.

[bigginger]

Cheers - I'd forgotten about the fuel pump hole! From 1968, eh - my memories not failing completely then...

[Packedup]

Just to clarify (all this is as far as I am aware, from what I was told when I got involved):

The cab is off a pickup with a rotten chassis.

The chassis is off a heavyweight van(original cab missing, presumed dead at this time)

The engine was the first 1098 dug out a pile of engines. Gearbox the same story. But I will check the blanking plate info - I thought they'd all have the hole with a blanking plate, is this not the case then (I take it non blanking plate ones don't have the hole?)? When it comes to engines, there's half a dozen or so mixed 948 and 1098 - Can the numbers be used to work out what model they originally were fitted to?

There's a random number of doors, and I'm guessing there's been 2 vans and a pickup at least. None of the doors so far seem to have a chasis number on them (assuming it's on the visible side of the door!), but I can't remember how many have card (so LCV only presumably) trim panels.

There are no seats, so can't do a lot about tracking it down through the interior trim. I haven't found any blue doors (to go with the LCV bonnet and van panels outside) so far, which puts the dampners on hunting for a chassis number or checking trim colour.

I would say at this time, as the plate I found in the mud underneath the blue van panels refers to a blue Austin 1098 (the DVLA site isn't any more specific unfortunately) and there's one Austin grille in the workshop, it's looking likely. Add to that it being a 71, and I think it has to be for either another 1098 BL car, or the blue van.


As you can tell, I may well have struck very lucky with that plate! But with a random engine, random box, random cab, and no ID on the chassis itself, this is more deduction and investigation than straightforward "oh, it's that one isn't it" work!


PS Willie - Thanks for that, will look up Perisan Blue and see if it's anything like the blue on the panels

[Packedup]

Only persian blue I can find so far is a naff model! http://racingcarshop.co.uk/acatalog/Triumph_Cars.html - Riley Elf at the bottom. It's hard to tell from that, but it's certainly in the right area shade wise.

I'm a little concerned as there was a light blue wing rotting away in the scrap pile (doesn't match any of the other bits), but going by that model it's definately not a persian one, whereas the van panels may well be

I'm struggling to believe I could be quite so lucky as to find the right plate in the mire while clearing the rubbish out though, this is all seeming far too easy and fortuitous...

[bigginger]

Isn't all that enough for the DVLA? If so, then surely it's enough for their Civil Service comrades, your bosses?

[aupickup]

LCV`S had hardboard door panels only, and late vans and pick ups all had chassis plates on the passenger door card.

all morris engines had no mechanical fuel pump on the side of the block.

do you have any of the original front kingpins, you may well have the larger diameter steering arm, in which case you could deduce it was an austin 8cwt at least, also if original rear leaves would have thicker leaves for the 8cwt austin.

sorry just rambling and may be of no use what so ever

[bigginger]

..but damn interesting anyway

[aupickup]

i think i am very slowly losing the plot, must be the age, or the beer HIC HIC

[Packedup]

Isn't all that enough for the DVLA? If so, then surely it's enough for their Civil Service comrades, your bosses?

Without wishing to get into a rant about the birk who brought up this whole headache in the first place, the general line seemed to be enough for the DVLA wasn't enough for the NHS! Having heard about this chap's previous career, his attitude of claiming outright he knows what he's talking about (when actually he often hasn't a clue, such as believing a car sat copmplete but in need of restoration should be declared scrap) makes more sense, but I'll say no more! Thankfully, he seems to be going now, and the replacement is blissfully ignorant of all things classic related - Which will no doubt be a bad thing at some point, but a good thing for this area of the job

I live in dread of sending off for the logbook based on the plate, only to then find it comes back saying it's an Austin 1100! ;)

LCV`S had hardboard door panels only, and late vans and pick ups all had chassis plates on the passenger door card.

Certainly some, if not all of the doors I've found are LCV then But it's bound to be the case I can't find blue ones as they're the ones stripped and badly primed, with teh door cards long since discarded

all morris engines had no mechanical fuel pump on the side of the block.

So also no hole for one either then? Just seems odd to have 2 castings runnnig for the same engine, that's why I ask. Will also help identify the engines rusting away in the back of the workshop

do you have any of the original front kingpins, you may well have the larger diameter steering arm, in which case you could deduce it was an austin 8cwt at least, also if original rear leaves would have thicker leaves for the 8cwt austin.

With it being such a mix n match I don't know if the painted up kingpins I fitted are the van ones or not, but there is a box full of them in various states of decay. Same goes for the rear end, although I was lead to believe the rear axle is the 8cwt (as was the chassis, although what the difference is I don't know). When you say thicker leaves, are they visibly thicker, or is it a matter of fine measurement? There's a couple of back axles around, I don't know if they're saloon, traveller (there was a traveller stripped up there I think) or LCV as I don't know enough to tell at first glance.


If nothing else, I think I've asked enough stupid questions to compile a decent amount of knowledge about LCVs from you lot, thanks

sorry just rambling and may be of no use what so ever

Whether it's useful for the original question or not (and I reckon it is ) it's very handy stuff to know! And you've rambled a lot less than I have a tendancy to!

[aupickup]

the leaves are visibly thicker, but still had the same number of 8 as the 6 cwt van and pick up.

the 5cwt had 7

[Packedup]

So I'm looking for 8 leaves for a 6 or 8cwt, thicker for the latter? I'll look at the other ones kicking around to make the comparison, shouldn't be too tricky by the sounds of it

And the Austin came in both 6 and 8cwt, or only 8cwt? I think I'm getting information overload here, and I don't have any beer to help soak it in!

[bigginger]

Not a 'first glance' test, but you can tell with the axles by opening them up and establishing the diff ratio... 4.22:1 for saloon and trav. 4.55:1 for LCV - assuming late models of all 3

[aupickup]

ok
yes austins came in 6 and 8cwt.
had plain hubcaps
austin 8cwt had the wider wheel rims

thats about it really

[rayofleamington]

in which case you could deduce it was an austin 8cwt at least,

true in theory - although I found one of those on a saloon. Goodness knows what happens to these poor cars during their lifetime!
(says the guy with a 54 saloon that has an engine out of another SII Minor which originally came out of something else, front suspension from a late 1000 traveller, later 1000 master cylinder taken out of a SII traveller, brake parts from a late 1000 saloon, and even a second hand chassis leg repair panel that had been on anaother car!!)
I'm beginning to feel like Dr.Frankenstine.
I think I'll need thunder and lightening and a set of jump leads with a huge arc coming off them before I drive to the MOT

[aupickup]

well that of course is very true

the only way is to have one from new !!!!!!

[bigginger]

Just think how good it's going to feel telling this bloke on his last day that he talks rubbish

[Willie]

PACKEDUP... did you look for the stamped chassis number onthe
bulkhead adjacent to the bonnet release rod?? If you found one
we could confirm if it was from the austin LCV series.