My JH1... needs a bit of work...!!!

[BBD2K]

Hi,

I'm a new member to the forum (though I've been a club member for much longer!) and wanted to share my car with you! This one was my second JH - the first one (NLG712L) was sadly written off in 2007 when someone drove into the back of it at 70mph (whilst it was parked), however the second one didn't fare much better....

My dad (also a club member until very recently) took it out for a spin one sunday in May 2010, and ended up upside down. Thankfully he was unhurt other than a few cuts and bruises, which is more than can be said for poor old Jenny (original name, I know).

May 2010 - The accident...

image.jpeg (167.56 KiB) Viewed 1783 times

Dad bought the remains off me and was going to get her back on the road, however he is no longer fit enough to carry on, so he has given her back to me! I picked her up from Bolton at the weekend and towed her all the way back to Surrey. Here she is on the trailer ahead of departure.

May 2017 - The move back home...

IMG_5373.JPG (107.11 KiB) Viewed 1783 times

Dad had managed to do a fair bit of work, but as can be seen there is lots still to be done - I am relishing the challenge.

I will post a few photos of the original damage later on (sadly I have to go to work...), and will keep you all updated on progress!

I am not planning on getting her up to concourse level yet, I just want to get her back on the road and useable!

[BBD2K]

Heres a few photos taken just after the accident showing the damage!

Front End Damage.JPG (219.21 KiB) Viewed 1771 times

Offside Front.JPG (202.72 KiB) Viewed 1771 times

Front end close up

Damaged Cross bar.JPG (219.45 KiB) Viewed 1771 times

Steering Wheel.JPG (202.62 KiB) Viewed 1771 times

Rear Damage.JPG (173.83 KiB) Viewed 1771 times

[BBD2K]

We've managed to get a replacement bonnet, quarterlights and steering wheel from a farm in Surrey which had a JH1 rusting in peace outside and these parts stored in a barn - only cost us a bottle of single malt!

We also have a new windscreen (from Rejen) and a replacement nose cone ready to go once the steering and suspension have been rebuilt (again courtesy of Rejen!)

My first job is to rebuild the off-side suspension and reconnect the steering, afterwhich the nose-cone needs doing before I can concentrate on much else. The interior isn't too bad, but will likely need 2 new seats (the current grey ones really dont work) and probably door cards.

Thankfully the windscreen crashroll survived pretty much intact and all the rear chrome trim is in good condition so I need not worry about those! Electircs are fine other than those that run accross the nose, but this isn't a difficult taks to do.

And obviously - once through an MOT there is the small matter of a paint-job!

In all I reckon a couple of years good work could see her back on the road by Summer 2019!

Fingers crossed!

[David Devine]

Blimey that looks serious your Dad was lucky not to be badly hurt. Good luck with the rebuild and keep us posted.

Dave

[JHV8]

Hi Matt, just curious in the photo of the car upside down behind the recovery vehicle it looks like the front windscreen is flat to the road, so giving the occupants no protection. In your photos "just after accident" the windscreen looks upright like it would have protected occupants. Did yuo push the frame back up when you got it home?

[BBD2K]

Hi,
When the accident happened the car had hit the bank (visible on the left side of the upside down Jenny picture near the green oil can) which caused almost all of the front end damage, gone up it and then rolled passenger side down first. It rested on the windscreen for a couple of seconds before the screen collapsed completely flat. These couple of seconds is why Dad was able to come out of it relatively unharmed as he had time to duck sideways, eventually lying across the passenger seat and central console. The drivers door unclipped during the hit on the bank and opened during the roll, making it easy for him to crawl out afterwards.

When put back on her wheels, the windscreen partly "sprang" back up into position, and was then secured in a better position for the journey home. The frame was unsalvagable despite being almost back to usual shape by the time the photos were taken (which was about 3 days after the accident).

[yellowhealey]

that looks a hell of a project, good luck with the restoration. I see you are in Surrey, if you require any help please give me a shout surrey isn't that big a county.

[Kevin Birch]

When you get it back on the road, lets hope its third time lucky. Hell of a project but looks like its going the right way and will be a great car when finished. I don't understand why you needed a new windscreen, the original with a bit of Sellotape should work

Good luck with it.

Kev

[BBD2K]

Thanks KB! Didn't think of sellotape - had tried bluetak but to no avail...

And thanks KC - I'm out near Guildford and will most certainly need a hand at some point I think!

Was planning on dropping the front suspension out this weekend and assessing the damage there (off-side wishbone definitely needs replacing, not sure about the rest yet) but the weather is convincing me otherwise at the moment....

[ChrisL]

Good for you for being prepared to get her back on the road; a lesser man would have just flogged it for parts.

[Lotus Mike]

Hi Matt.ouch .Good luck with your restoration .Glad your Dad was not hurt .Early car k reg .i will watch with interest .And forgot to say welcome .Mike

[BBD2K]

Hi Matt.ouch .Good luck with your restoration .Glad your Dad was not hurt .Early car k reg .i will watch with interest .And forgot to say welcome .Mike

Thanks Mike - for the luck and the welcome! Glad to be here... someone did say the forum was addictive and I'm starting to understand where they were coming from..!!

The car's chassis number is 10349 so reasonably early and certainly worth the effort of trying to get her back on the road rather than scrapping her for the parts!

Hoping I'll have her ready for the International in 2019....

[Lotus Mike]

Nice one .Cant be that many left .Are you going to spray it red again Matt.Is the motor ok .Mike

[BBD2K]

Hi Mike,

Yes - the plan is to go for a nice red after the work is done! My dad was intending to go for white, as that is the original colour according to the VIN plate, but I much prefer the red!

As for the engine - its not been run since the accident as the radiator, oil cooler and fan were somewhat beyond economical repair. I have the replacement rad and oil cooler ready to fit, and the new fan is already in place, but cant fit these until the front end is back in something like its proper shape. That said, she has been topped up with oil since she was put the right way back up again (and regularly changed too!) and is turned over using a crank at least every fortnight to hopefully stop her from seizing up. I have already stripped and cleaned the fuel pump and the carburettors as they definately needed it (esp the carbs!) so hopefully all will be well when I do eventually get to the position when she can be started again....

Cheers,

Matt

[VFK44]

Probably worth going to an alignment specialist to check everything is straight before you start putting it together. There might even be distortion from accidents before you owned the car. Otherwise you might end up making compromise after compromise with every panel you fit. A motorsports specialist will probably have the equipment and be interested in the job; an ordinary body shop will may not be interested.