This Was Tricky! | Austin J40 Pedal Car Restoration | Ep.5

Dominic Chinea
12 May 202422:44

TLDRIn this engaging episode, the host is thrilled to collaborate with Austin pedal cars, appreciating their support throughout the restoration project. The video begins with a focus on remaking the boot floor of the pedal car, a task that proved more challenging than expected. The host and John, a fellow restorer, take guidance from Jeff Moss of mph motor panels, who provides valuable insights into their initial mistakes. With improved tooling and a new approach, they successfully create a better version of the boot floor. The episode also features the return of Randa key rings, which are back in stock and quickly sell out, with proceeds going towards the AO engine fund. The host takes a trip down to a repair shop, exploring various rural crafts such as wood turning, clog making, and broom making, highlighting the joy of traditional craftsmanship. The episode concludes with the host and his team making progress on the pedal car's side panel, despite the complexity of the task, and celebrating their achievements with a well-deserved pint at the local pub.

Takeaways

  • 🔧 The video is about the restoration of an Austin J40 pedal car, highlighting the challenges and process involved.
  • 🤝 The project is a collaboration with Austin pedal cars, which provides support and parts for the restoration.
  • 🛠️ The boot floor of the pedal car was remade due to initial dissatisfaction with its quality.
  • 📈 Improvements were made by creating new tooling and addressing issues like pre-stretch and wheeling in the panel shaping process.
  • 🔗 Jeff Moss from mph motor panels provided guidance on correcting mistakes from a previous attempt, leading to a better result in the 'mark 2' version.
  • 🎉 Randa key rings are back in stock and available for purchase, with proceeds going towards the AO engine fund.
  • 🏕️ The video also features a visit to a repair shop and a description of various traditional crafts and activities at a 'bodgers ball' event.
  • ⚒️ The presenter discusses his experience in making handles for hayr, which will be used in an upcoming championship.
  • 🏆 The presenter has a history of winning the English style Championship in pole Laing, a traditional craft.
  • 🎊 The video includes a celebration of a subscriber milestone for the show, with a special award presented to the team.
  • ⚙️ The process of reshaping and fitting a new side panel for the pedal car is shown, emphasizing the complexity and precision required.

Q & A

  • What is the main project being discussed in the video?

    -The main project being discussed in the video is the restoration of an Austin J40 pedal car.

  • Why is the Austin pedal car restoration project considered tricky?

    -The Austin pedal car restoration project is considered tricky due to the complexity of remaking the boot floor and the numerous repairs required on the car's body, which involves a lot of curve work and patching.

  • What was the issue with the initial boot floor?

    -The issue with the initial boot floor was that there was too much pre-stretch in the panel, causing wheeling problems, and it did not meet the restorers' satisfaction.

  • Who provided guidance on the mistakes made during the initial restoration attempt?

    -Jeff Moss at MPH Motor Panels provided guidance on the mistakes made during the initial restoration attempt.

  • What is the significance of the Randa key rings mentioned in the video?

    -The Randa key rings are back in stock and for sale, with the proceeds from each key ring purchase going towards the AO engine fund.

  • What event is the speaker preparing for with the mention of the 'queen cyfir'?

    -The speaker is preparing for the Queen Cyfir, which is the national scything championships in Somerset.

  • What is the historical context of the English style scythes being used in the championships?

    -The English style scythes were stopped making in the 1970s, and the technology behind them essentially stopped progressing in the 1950s as the industry began to decline.

  • What is the purpose of the 'bodgers ball' event mentioned in the video?

    -The 'bodgers ball' is an event that celebrates rural crafts, featuring activities like wood turning, clog making, and blacksmithing.

  • What is the material used for making brooms as discussed in the video?

    -The material used for making brooms is broom corn, which is specifically grown for broom making and originally from Northern Africa.

  • What is the milestone being celebrated in the video?

    -The milestone being celebrated is reaching 100,000 subscribers on their channel.

  • What was the advice given by Jeff that significantly improved the restoration process?

    -Jeff advised a minor adjustment on the bead roller die, which made the process of fitting the new panel much easier and more precise.

  • Why did the first attempt at shaping the side panel prove to be unsuccessful?

    -The first attempt was unsuccessful because it was overcomplicated and did not fit correctly, leading to the decision to start over with a new piece of steel.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Collaboration with Austin Pedal Cars and Restoration Update

The speaker expresses excitement about working with Austin Pedal Cars, emphasizing their support in a restoration project. They encourage viewers with pedal cars to visit Austin's website for parts. The video continues with a workshop session featuring Honest John, where they discuss improvements made to a pedal car's boot floor with new tooling after receiving guidance from Jeff Moss. The speaker also announces the restocking of Randa key rings, which are available for purchase with proceeds going towards the AO engine fund.

05:01

🎉 Bodgers Ball and Traditional Crafts Celebration

The narrative shifts to the speaker's experience at the repair shop during the Bodgers Ball, a gathering focused on traditional crafts. The speaker describes various activities such as wood turning, clog making, and blacksmithing. They also mention their own participation in crafting broom handles for an upcoming championship in Somerset, discussing the history of the craft and the tools used. The segment highlights the importance of preserving rural crafts and the community surrounding them.

10:02

🎉 Subscriber Milestone and Metal Shaping Tips

The speaker shares their gratitude for reaching a significant subscriber milestone and thanks their viewers for their support. They celebrate with a trip to the pub and the opening of a commemorative package. The video also includes a session with Jeff, a metal shaping expert, who provides valuable advice on improving the process of metal work. The speaker emphasizes the value of learning from experienced professionals and encourages viewers to take metal shaping courses.

15:06

🛠️ Challenging Panel Repair and Creative Problem Solving

The focus returns to the workshop where the team faces challenges in repairing a car panel. They attempt to shape and fit a new panel but encounter difficulties due to the complexity of the car's curves and previous repairs. After some trial and error, they devise a new approach, using tools like a bead roller and hand shrinker, to achieve a better fit. The process is time-consuming and requires precision, highlighting the meticulous nature of the work.

20:07

🔩 Finalizing Panel Repair and Future Project Teasers

The video concludes with the team finalizing the fitting of a car floor panel and making progress on the long side panel. Despite the challenges and time constraints, they manage to achieve a satisfactory fit. The speaker also teases future developments in the AO engine project and reminds viewers about the availability of Randa key rings, urging them to purchase one if available. The session ends with a reminder of the dedication and effort put into the project and the video content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Austin pedal cars

Austin pedal cars are miniature, child-sized replicas of the full-sized Austin cars, designed for children to ride and play with. In the video, the project involves restoring one of these classic pedal cars, which is a significant part of the video's theme as it showcases the process of refurbishing a vintage item.

💡Restoration

Restoration refers to the process of repairing and renewing an old or damaged object to its original state. The video's main theme revolves around the restoration of an Austin pedal car, highlighting the meticulous work and attention to detail required to bring the car back to its former glory.

💡Boot floor

The boot floor is the floor of the trunk or cargo area of a car. In the script, the creators discuss remaking the boot floor of the pedal car because they were not satisfied with the initial result, indicating a key step in the restoration process.

💡Beading

Beading in the context of car bodywork refers to the process of shaping the edge of a metal panel to create a flange or bead, which is then used to secure the panel to the car's frame. The video mentions the issue with too much pre-stretch in the panel beading, which was corrected in the 'mark 2' version of the boot floor.

💡Wheeling

Wheeling is a metalworking technique where a metal panel is shaped over a form using a wheel or similar tool. It is mentioned in the script as a process that the presenter got 'carried away with,' leading to the need for a remake of the boot floor.

💡Randa key rings

Randa key rings are a product mentioned in the video that are back in stock. They are significant as they are linked to the video's narrative because the funds from their sale contribute to the AO engine fund, which is another project the presenter is working on.

💡Bodgers ball

The bodgers ball is an event that the presenter attended, which is a gathering of craftsmen and women who practice traditional woodworking crafts. It is relevant to the video as it provides a backdrop for discussing various rural crafts and their importance in preserving traditional skills.

💡Pole lathe

A pole lathe is a type of lathe powered by a pole and a pedal, used for woodturning. It is significant in the video as it represents one of the traditional crafts showcased at the bodgers ball and is used by a maker named Shannon to demonstrate the craft of woodturning.

💡Clog making

Clog making is the craft of creating wooden-soled shoes, known as clogs. It is mentioned in the video as one of the activities taking place at the bodgers ball, showcasing the traditional craft and its continued practice.

💡Broom making

Broom making is the process of crafting brooms from specific types of wood and plant material, such as broom corn. In the video, the presenter learns about broom making from Raleigh, who teaches how to make stick brooms, highlighting another traditional craft.

💡Scriber

A scribe is a tool used to mark metal or wood for cutting. In the context of the video, the scribe is used to mark the new panel of the pedal car to ensure it fits correctly alongside the original panel, which is a crucial step in the restoration process.

Highlights

Collaboration with Austin pedal cars is highlighted for their support in the restoration project.

The importance of reproducing parts for pedal cars is emphasized, with a website link provided for sourcing parts.

The video features a remake of the boot floor, addressing previous concerns with the initial attempt.

Jeff Moss from mph motor panels provided guidance on improving the boot floor remake.

Introduction of new tooling and addressing issues from the first attempt with the panel's pre-stretch.

The progress of the pedal car restoration is showcased with the new boot floor looking promising.

Announcement of Randa key rings being back in stock, with a limited quantity available.

The key rings are made by Steve at Nelson and Forge, and their sales contribute to the AO engine fund.

A visit to the repair shop during the bodgers ball event showcases various rural crafts and tools for sale.

The narrator expresses interest in the craft of clog making and the use of pole lathes.

A discussion about the queen cyfir, a national sing championship, and the narrator's past achievements in the competition.

The process of making brooms with broom corn, including the history and origin of the material.

A subscriber milestone is celebrated with a special award, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the team.

The panel repair process is shown, with a focus on precision and careful shaping to match the original car's curves.

The complexity of the side panel repair is revealed, with multiple attempts and adjustments needed to achieve a proper fit.

The use of a bead roller and hand shrinker tools to shape the metal and achieve the desired panel curvature.

The final fitting and welding of the new side panel, demonstrating the culmination of the day's work.

The narrator reflects on the day's progress, acknowledging the challenges and the satisfaction of overcoming them.

A reminder about the availability of Randa key rings and their contribution to the AO engine project.