WHAT TO LOOK FOR
CHECK THAT TRIM IS INTACT
Cabins don’t come much simpler than this, so just cast a critical eye over the state of seat covers, door trims, carpets and headlining. Aside from the latter – which can be fiddly to replace – it’s hardly the biggest re-trimming job, obviously, but refurbishment costs can soon add up. A few trim bits are getting scarce/expensive and you’ll certainly want to be sure that water ingress hasn’t caused corrosion. Otherwise, it’s a case of checking that electrical wiring and connectors aren’t frayed and corroded respectively, and asking whether there’s been a swap from positive to negative earth on an A30.
WATCH FOR NEGLECT
The suspension – coil-sprung up front with semi-elliptic rear leaf springs – is simple but doesn’t respond well to neglect. Regular greasing is needed – leaf spring shackles benefit from lubrication every 1000 miles, for example – and you’ll need to check for wear in front wishbones, bushes, kingpins and damper top mounts, and for cracks in rear spring leaves. None of this is a deal-breaker because it’s all simple enough to overhaul, but budget accordingly. More worrying is corrosion around the rear spring hangers, and repair of the rearmost ones can become expensively involved if it’s been allowed to spread over time.
SEARCH OUT CORROSION
For something so tiny, this British classic can harbour remarkable amounts of rust trouble. Begin by examining the bolt-on front wings and front panel, and behind the headlights, and look for rot afflicting the box section where the lower wing and sill meet. The front valance and radiator support are rot-prone, as are the inner and outer sills, door bottoms and frames, and door pillars (don’t assume it’s just worn hinges if doors have dropped slightly). Muck gets into panel seams and joints so check for tell-tale bubbling, and be sure to scrutinise the rear wings and the metalwork around the rear lights. Replacement wings aren’t easy to find and secondhand doors often need plenty of fettling to make them fit.
HOW’S THAT A-SERIES?
The 803cc engine will usually last 50,000 miles before worn big end bearings mean a rebuild is due; the 948cc unit is longer-lasting and cheaper to overhaul. Both need checking for the usual A-series issues such as oil leaks, rattling timing chains and valve-gear, rumbling bottom ends and blue exhaust smoke caused by worn bores or valve guides. A neglected cooling system quickly leads to overheating and cylinder head gasket failure, so be wary of a unit running hot. An unleaded cylinder head conversion is a bonus, as are electronic ignition and a screw-on oil
filter to make life easier.
WEAR AND TEAR
A gearbox that’s ripe for rebuilding will give the game away by being overly noisy in first or reverse, or will jump out of gear on the overrun; budget £400 for an overhaul. You can swap an early ‘box for an A35 unit but not without additional mods, or go for the stronger, ribbed-casing unit from later models – again some modification is needed. Rear axles aren’t always oil-tight so watch for leaks that have contaminated the brakes. Worn propshaft joints are easy to sort, while stronger Midget/ Sprite halfshafts can replace breakage-prone originals.
BRAKE BOTHERS
Drum brakes are operated by hydraulics at the front and cables at the rear, a set-up that works admirably well if properly adjusted. Fluid leaks from master or wheel cylinders, wear or corrosion in the various rods and clevis pins, and general neglect are the main bugbears although an overhaul is neither difficult nor worryingly expensive. As for the steering, it’s wear in the ball joints, idler arm, drag links or the box (which needs topping up with EP90 oil) itself that are the main bothers; check for excessive play, too.
DODGE THE BODGES
Major corrosion can also lurk in the cabin floor, toeboards, jacking points and boot floor. Pay particular attention to the offside sill beneath where the handbrake mounts. Cheapskate repairs involving poor welding and patching, or panels bodged with filler or glassfibre, are potential risks so don’t be fooled by a shiny paint job. And remember to take a good look at the chrome trim and window rubbers – you may struggle to source some bits. Body repair panels and sections are easier to source, and none of them are particularly expensive.