Project Belle'

Dano said:
Hi,

Look what I found, when I went looking for a 404 Bonnet.

Meet Belle’, she has been sitting in a dry shed for the last 22 years.

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She was last registered in 1993. Surprisingly it is relatively rust free. There is none in any of the doors, bonnet or boot lid, a little around the battery area, a few small holes in the front floor. The Sub-frames look perfect. There is an ugly section between the two rear jacking points under the rear of the boot floor. All around the fuel tank looks OK though. There has been a prior rust repair in the engine bay and right floor section, but time will tell what lies underneath that. I am sure that I will find more, but hey, it is nearly 60 years old.

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The previous owner had started to restore her by removing some body panels and trim as well as removing the motor and stripping it. The head has been reconditioned and from what I can work out, all the engine parts are all there as well as the body panels and trim.

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It is a 203C and if anyone can date her by the chassis number, I would appreciate it.
By the plate attached to the firewall, it would appear that it was sold by a company in Brisbane called McIntosh Motors. I am not familiar with the name, although I lived in Brisbane all my life. There is also a code stamped on the plate that I have never seen before, QI 3 ?

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I know I am nowhere near finishing my 404, but I just could not let it slip through my hands. It is just another case of being in the right place at the right time.

Buying it has now made finishing the 404 a priority, time to stop procrastinating.
The plan is to put it in a garage and not touch it until, Keith is finished.

I have not stopped smiling all afternoon.

Will post more photos on Saturday when I pick her up.


Cheers,

Dano
Click to expand...
old, but still absolutely mind blowing 🤯
 
Putting the cart before the horse, but I'd thinking of ways to install a temperature gauge in/around the 203 dashboard, without making it look gaudy or out of place.

A few weeks back, the problem was solved. Whilst looking around the web on French sites, a 1959/60 dash cluster was found. It has a temperature gauge fitted as standard.

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I knew they existed, via listings in the parts manual However, I do not recall ever seeing one in OZ or on the web.
Not in keeping with an original 1955 model, but it's a no brainer in my opinion.
The original MPH fascia will replace the KPH one as shown above.
 
Dano said:
Putting the cart before the horse, but I'd thinking of ways to install a temperature gauge in/around the 203 dashboard, without making it look gaudy or out of place.

A few weeks back, the problem was solved. Whilst looking around the web on French sites, a 1959/60 dash cluster was found. It has a temperature gauge fitted as standard.

View attachment 240142
View attachment 240143

I knew they existed, via listings in the parts manual However, I do not recall ever seeing one in OZ or on the web.
Not in keeping with an original 1955 model, but it's a no brainer in my opinion.
The original MPH fascia will replace the KPH one as shown above.
Click to expand...
I have the same temperature gauge in my 203C. It came out of an ex South African car that was being wrecked many years ago.
 
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