One thing that any new owner of a Pre-War Austin needs to know is that the Nuts & Bolts are Imperial, well you knew that already didn't you. Well I thought I did, I knew that there were Metric and Imperial measurements and therefore there would be Metric and Imperial sized Bolts. When I first set out I proudly went out and bought a new set of Sockets and Spanners (Wrenches) and set to work, only to discover they didn't seem to fit well, in fact metric sizes seemed to fit better.
Urgh, what was wrong, I had a full set of Imperial sizes so why wouldn't they fit ? Eventually I found the answer, there are more than one set of Imperial standards for Bolts! Around about the 1950's British cars started to use the American standard for their bolts and that remained the common standard for many years until virtually everything went metric in the UK and Europe. As a result any set of sockets or spanners that you buy these days contain metric and AF (American Fine) sizes. What is needed for cars built before that is British Standard Whitworth sized sockets or spanners. Something that will undoubtedly trip up other people who are not aware of this historic fact.
Comments
British Standard Whitworth
Hello Darren and all readers,
regretably, it's not that simple. Most nuts and bolts on the car will probably be British Standard Fine - BSF. The Whitworth thread is courser and was gradually phased out. Whilst you can use the same spanners the sizes are different - a 3/8W spanner will also go on a 7/16BSF nut. This is of course quite confusing for the beginner when the nut fits the spanner but won't go on to the bolt! The sizes go up in steps of 1/16 inch, so one has to learn to think in 16ths, this is difficult at first, e.g. the next size up from 3/16 is 4/16 but according to mathematical practice this is divided by the common denominator (4) which gives us 1/4. So no good looking for a spanner with 4/16 on it!
To make matters worse most electrical components have BA (British Association) threads - so get a set of BA spanners as well!
And the spark plugs are metric which is why you have to buy a 14mm spark plug spanner extra - but at least it's the same as on a modern (with exceptions - pre mid-thirties are 18mm).
And I still haven't found out what thread is on my windscreen wiper, no BA spanner fits, a small metric just about but not properly... Perhaps I should take the trouble of asking somebody!
p.s. I can recommend the ATDC.