Austin Nippy for Sale-thoughts

[Tony Betts]

the crankcase in the spares looks to have bulges on the side. so you get the bassis of an original nippy engine. IF IF IF its in restorable condition. if it is WHY WASNT IT USED.

with it being built on a ruby chassis, its quesswork to how much nippy you are actually getting.

was it originally a nippy that when it was restored, the owner replaced a damaged chassis with what was to hand? if so you are likely to get an original front and rear axle. original flat springs. maybe even a close ratio gearbox etc.


or is it a body that was bought on its own, and built onto a donor ruby. 

it will im sure make somebody a fun car. but be careful not to pay to much. for what could be a shinny bitsa.

tony, the dash does look like its there. but somebody has put a poorly cut piece of aluminium between the dash and the dials.

tony

[Ian Williams]

I would anticipate that the chassis and running gear were robbed at some point in the distant past to build a 750 racer or similar, the body and what ever else left over was on sold and then built up into the car we see today. Obviously I could be completely wrong but I would be checking all the mechanicals very thoroughly to see if there is anything Nippy left, if it was simply a chassis swap to in order to support a sagging body then the axles springs, gearbox steering column should still be Nippy. I know many cars suffered this fate back in the 50's and 60's, and provided it has been reconstructed in a workman like manner it would make a perfectly good usable little car, but any prospective owner needs to be aware as they could be disappointed if they are seeking something more original.

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Snap, I see Tony Betts has posted similar thoughts as I was typing!

[Tony Betts]

sorry ian, beat you to it.

I fully agree with you though.

There are give aways.

With the front axle assembly, yes the steering arm is wrong, and yes aftermarket radius arm ends, but look at the spring. It's not an original sports, or even a good after market copy. So why would the axle beam be original?

So the front is wrong, and the chassis is wrong, so why would we guess the rear end is any different?

There are also some suttle giveaways on the body, if you want to join the dots that is.

When a body is separated from a car, especially for some time. All those little bits get lost.

And when a body is then married back to build a new car, you have to find all those little bits again.

Door latches are not the biggest giveaway, and neither are the wrong seat hinges, (so likely wrong seats). For me it's the access panel at the rear prop. And the handbrake cover being wrong. Start adding them all up though.

Although if I was buying the car for what it is, I would forgive all of that.

What I really don't like is in the right up, with all the little cars falts. It has a suggestion it comes from a car collection. As if to give it provenance? 

And we all know how expensive that word can be. 

Tony.