New member - Wanting an Ulster body

[Eddamoo]

Hi All,

I'm overwhelmingly excited to get my teeth into my 1933 box saloon restoration - a car I've owned since birth but only just having the facilities (garage, money, time) to get her back on the road.

I'll be doing the car up with my father who's a retied sheet metal worker by trade.  He made a box section lift to remove the body from the chassis to commence work, and ever since he's been saying he wished it was a Chummy/Ulster instead!  I mentioned he should make one, but he said the curvatures would be difficult without lots of tooling.

So that brings me onto my question.  I'm aware of body kits existing, but does anyone know a good place to find one that is good quality not costing the earth?  The 'Roach Manufacturing' ones online appear costly don't seem to be a boat tail.  Do GRP ones still exist?

Many thanks

[JonE]

look up 'Rod Yates Austin 7 Specials' group on Facebook...
But please don't destroy the integrity of yours - find a suitable spare chassis!

[Martin Prior]

Hi All,

I'm overwhelmingly excited to get my teeth into my 1933 box saloon restoration - a car I've owned since birth but only just having the facilities (garage, money, time) to get her back on the road.

I'll be doing the car up with my father who's a retied sheet metal worker by trade.  He made a box section lift to remove the body from the chassis to commence work, and ever since he's been saying he wished it was a Chummy/Ulster instead!  I mentioned he should make one, but he said the curvatures would be difficult without lots of tooling.

So that brings me onto my question.  I'm aware of body kits existing, but does anyone know a good place to find one that is good quality not costing the earth?  The 'Roach Manufacturing' ones online appear costly don't seem to be a boat tail.  Do GRP ones still exist?

Many thanks




There are loads of spare chassis and unfinished Special projects around.  Please, please don't butcher a complete car for this project!

[Austin in the Shed]

I'd agree with the above,don't butcher a complete restorable car for an Ulster rep.
I wouldn't build a LWB one either unless using the SWB tub and long bonnet,or a GRP body if you find one.
The nicest most desirable and valuable Ulster reps are built on a short chassis with the right running gear,instruments and lights.

[Eddamoo]

Thanks for the feedback all. Yes i do agree, consider myself told

[Tony Betts]

A lot more to consider today, unlike 20 years ago.

When not many people voiced an opinion on Ulster reps or specials.

I would consider the condition of the doner car you are useing.

If it is restorable as it is, not to much rot etc. Then I would agree with others above, I know it will never be worth the amount it costs to rebuild. But its another original car gone.

If the body is seriously bad, and the originality of parts has gone. Then I'm sure many would rather see the car rebuilt as and ulsteroid rather than never going back together at all.

The problem you have from there is with the DVLA. I'm sure someone can update you with how things stand. As far as I have heard is they don't mind a car being re bodied, but it must be with a body type that was used for the age of the car.

As austin never done an Ulster body on a long wheel base, you may get problems in the future.

I agree with austin (dave). The best Ulster reps to build are copies of the originals on short wheel base. And yes with all the right bits. But this can be expensive, and that's why higher prices are asked for them.

Good luck with the build which ever way you go.

Tony.

[Dave Wortley]

May I put in a good word for box saloons. I have an RN saloon which has been in the family for the last 82 years andk although it is different to my pretend Ulster I enjoy driving it as much as the Ulster. It has a mildly tuned engine and
double front and rear shock absorbers which makes it corner slightly better. As a bonus it is warmer, quieter and can carry up to 4 people and I can fit much more shopping in it. It has now carried my daughter to her wedding and also 2 nieces and fathers and my nephew's bride. You can't do that so easlly in an Ulster. It's also much better for "courting" if you see what I mean.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

[Robert Leigh]

Hi All,

I'm overwhelmingly excited to get my teeth into my 1933 box saloon restoration - a car I've owned since birth but only just having the facilities (garage, money, time) to get her back on the road.

I'll be doing the car up with my father who's a retied sheet metal worker by trade.  He made a box section lift to remove the body from the chassis to commence work, and ever since he's been saying he wished it was a Chummy/Ulster instead!  I mentioned he should make one, but he said the curvatures would be difficult without lots of tooling.

So that brings me onto my question.  I'm aware of body kits existing, but does anyone know a good place to find one that is good quality not costing the earth?  The 'Roach Manufacturing' ones online appear costly don't seem to be a boat tail.  Do GRP ones still exist?

Many thanks

My Ulsteroid started with a late Ruby chassis which was shortened, and in this case 'spread' at the rear so that a late axle could be used, so it is now short wheelbase. It has the first of the Gould grp bodies, but for various reasons was not completed until the end of 2002. When it came to registration it had a V5, so I informed the authorities that it now had a tourer body, and this was accepted without question. I don't know whether the same could be done today. I believe that the most competitively priced Ulster style bodies are offered by Compound Curvatures at Nottingham, and they are available off the shelf sometimes.
Robert Leigh

[Reckless Rat]

I wonder if eventually some not very good specials will be back converted into the useful comfortable and family friendly saloons they once were?