American Bantam body restoration

[Zetomagneto]

I am surprised at the number of people who are impressed with this, or think it is skilled work, 
I would be devastated if this was my car given to a co for body restoration.
As said would needs ton of filler to shape up and hide poor work.
If you want to be impressed look at Ian Williams car building skills

[Tony Griffiths]

The frame inside is just to jig the structure so that the doors etc fit. It's far too flimsy for anything else. A roll cage it is not! It's certainly an odd body at the back and not a lot appears to have been done to the rusty panels - though perhaps they've had some anti-corrosion treatment before the undercoat. I hope...
The owner certainy seems to have bashed in into shape - but one wonders where its off to on the trailer.

[Ian Williams]

Mike, I am not talking about the braces, I am talking about the dreadful box section frame inserted into the B posts and around the tail. And for those impressed with equipment, none of it is required to do good quality work as I have tried to illustrate many times here, a couple of hammers and dolly's together with a little knowledge some improvised steel straps and MDF jigs is all that is required. Wheeling machines, folders, jennies, fancy welders only speed up work but they are not required, and in the case of Mig welders particularly appear to encourage some fairly nasty bodges.

[Tony Griffiths]

From what I see of American "hobby" machine shops - and it's a lot - there does seem to be a propensity to have everything possible, even if on many occasions, the skills and knowledge are not there to use it all properly. Having said that, there are some incredibly clever, self-taught chaps out there who clearly have the money to indulge their every wish.

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Mike, I am not talking about the braces, I am talking about the dreadful box section frame inserted into the B posts and around the tail.

Those are there to hold the electric motors to raise and lower the hood. No, no, not the hood, that's the bonnet. What do they call hoods in the USA? Is it "canvas top"?

[squeak]

A convertible top in the states, a rag top here in oz.
I fully agree with Ian on every point, the MIG welding and panel skills are appalling. 
Credit must be given for the temporary bracing and the concept if not the construction.

[Tony Press]

Not to mention an overload of pictures !

[Ruairidh Dunford]

What an owner does to their car is up to them, I suppose - the example above would not be a line I would follow but is vaguely reminiscent of the Oz Roadster-styled bodies, many of them illustrated in this lovely booklet: http://austin7.org.au/wp-content/uploads...7-2007.pdf - I particularly like the photos pre-restoration...

I should be very interested to hear of any Big 7 tourers for sale in the UK please.

[Tony Griffiths]

Not to mention an overload of pictures !

That's what I was thinking as I struggled to copy and sort the bu**ers!

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What an owner does to their car is up to them, I suppose - the example above would not be a line I would follow but is vaguely reminiscent of the Oz Roadster-styled bodies, many of them illustrated in this lovely booklet: http://austin7.org.au/wp-content/uploads...7-2007.pdf  - I particularly like the photos pre-restoration...

I should be very interested to hear of any Big 7 tourers for sale in the UK please.

Thanks for posting that, Ruairidth. What an absolutely splendid booklet - somebody must have spent a great deal of time and trouble putting it together.

[Chris Garner]

Our antipodean friends seem to do this sort of thing very well. The Vintage Austin Register of New Zealand, to celebrate their 50th in 2019, produced a lovely 94 page colour booklet and some years ago a similar publication ( Centennial Tour 2006? - I have a copy but can't find it! )

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I agree - I have copies of those too, lovely things which signify an active and healthy Club.