Restoring a Top Hat

[Zetomagneto]

I would like to have kept the original side members but they had both broken at the crossmember and had heavy plates gas welded over the sides for 3 or 4 inches along the chassis. Straightening them with over 1/4 inch thickness of metal on each side would have been difficult - the patch would have to be stretched with heat, probably opening up the original break and then shrunk on the other side.
Cannot see why the original repairer in 1930 or so, didn't replace the chassis! There would have been plenty of rotten Austin and Gordon England fabric saloons in the scrapyards at that time and a new chassis from Austin was £5.

We'll see how the side members look with a few hours work, I could probably source another chassis eventually but unfortunately, in the UK, a replacement SWB chassis is a very expensive option assuming you can lay hands on the right one; as Hedd points out, there are at least 3 different variants.

Skillful use with a 1mm blade in the angle grider would soon see those patches away.
If you are going to throw these rails away can you throw them my way please, if I had time I would offer to repair them for you.Best Wishes