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[Cabman77]

From memory I think those grills and other trim pieces are made from an alloy called Spalzac (I think that`s how you spell it, it`s definitely how you say it), when I was in the polishing game (as a youngster) I remember that it is so soft that you can polish it to a mirror straight after using a sanding belt on it. I say all this but I may be wrong. I know a lot of trim parts were made of it. Doubt if you can weld it if it is this stuff.

[The North]

Sounds promising cabman , and i am sure you are right you wont weld this stuff. I am not sure but from the adds i remember that lumiweld was like a paste and you just warmed it up with even a normal plumbers propane lamp, reckoned to mend bike crank cases etc. Some one must have used it on here if it is good or bad.
    What about benzola that chemical metal they use. Another idea was to cut the grille bars out and back it with a expanded diamond mesh and may be spray it matt black, that way i get to keep the Austin grille design but a slightly different look. I don't want to spend too much time on this but i don't want it to look a bodge either, and the grille is the focal point of the entire front end.   Focal point i sound like a dodgey tv show  house designer.  

[hunter]

I have seen Lumiweld used to repair a carburettor,And that's a zinc material,
It's actually a rod and flux,just like welding you heat the metal and feed the rod.
Worth a try.

[The North]

Lumiweld is on ebay for 18 quid for 10 rods..  I thought about cutting out the bars as i said above and backing the grille surround with diamond expanded mesh sprayed black.

As a last resort i dont think it will look too bad .
  This sort of idea taken off the damaged bonnet and how i think the effect will look on a car

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[Manky Monkey]

Couldn't you remake the grille in, say, round rods?
You could cut out the originals as you've shown, then make a steel surround from flat sheet, to attach to the inside of the steel bonnet & weld curved struts across, behind the original central upright. That'd give you a similar look to the standard grille, but be an interesting twist on the design. 

[morrag]

With so much of the original intact, I would consider well before removing the remainder as you could eventually regret it. Far better to prefab an alternative along the lines suggested by Mr. M, and retain that original, "as is" until you find a satisfactory method of effecting a suitable repair. Incidentally, Morgan still manufacture their grilles in the method suggested, silver soldering each rod in place individually, so........Morrag

[Manky Monkey]

Gotta agree -seems a shame to destroy an original fitting when it's only partly damaged -yeah, I know I cut my "classic" car in half!
A simpler alternative- fit a badge or plaque of some sort over the damaged area. Something like a vintage AA or RAC badge, or an owners club plaque. Or you could have a word with Steve Brock & get him to laser cut something of your own design. 

[The North]

I hear you! I will hang fire lets face it i got enough to do without getting boged down just yet, Devons are not crawling out the wood work i can testify to that when i started looking for one. But they do show up and parts appear on the gumtree and ebay from time to time, perhaps a grille or a bonnet will turn up at the right money by the time i need it.

grille badges like this would nearly replace a grille entirely 

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Look here them Ausies again cornering the market on Devons and Devon bits. and i only want one.

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[Manky Monkey]

Sheesh! Looks like you need to take a holiday in Oz with a very large suitcase.

[poprodder]

hi,

worth a call to bob pike 01603 408021 , he sells a lot of motor related items and could have a grill or know where one is.

tell him chris from yarmouth passed on his number to you.

cheers chris.

[kapri]

Errr, first thing if you don't have a logbook DON'T dismantle it . DVLA may well require a verification letter from an Owners club on their V765 list to confirm its originality and then want it taken to them for the,m to confirm the letter tallies with teh vehicle.

There is an 8 points system if you want to avoid issues with the logbok later and to remain legal forever.

Details here  :   http://www.the-ace.org.uk/chassis-and-monocoque-modification/

It's perfectly feasable to build a modified Devon under the rules as I've done it myslef , using Rover V8 and auto, Mk 2 Jag (solid) axle on original leaf springs , retaining original steering assembly and adding MGB discs  ( very slight machining of MGB upright to make it fit ).

[The North]

Thanks for that i did call him up on the grille he had nothing at the moment nice bloke . But there is no mad rush,some thing will turn up always does , i had a hour today on cutting out the rear inner wheel arch rot, that's not as bad as it looks, tell you what i did find today a pile of rat ++++ I hate the things on a plus point probably from the 70s   FOSSILIZED
      Looking at room for an engine   That central X section of the original chassis restricts the size of engine i can use without altering the chassis a fair bit . A four cylinder is about it length wise.
  

A picture of the nett to illustrate my point..

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[The North]

Errr, first thing if you don't have a logbook DON'T dismantle it . DVLA may well require a verification letter from an Owners club on their V765 list to confirm its originality and then want it taken to them for the,m to confirm the letter tallies with teh vehicle.

There is an 8 points system if you want to avoid issues with the logbok later and to remain legal forever.

Details here  :   http://www.the-ace.org.uk/chassis-and-monocoque-modification/

It's perfectly feasable to build a modified Devon under the rules as I've done it myslef , using Rover V8 and auto, Mk 2 Jag (solid) axle on original leaf springs , retaining original steering assembly and adding MGB discs  ( very slight machining of MGB upright to make it fit ).

It was striped when i got it, and whats worse is its been off the road apparently since 1971. Now some time around 1975-1980 Swansea decided that you had to say if you still had the car or not or it was presumed scraped,and they got to sell your reg number in latter years i obviously don't know if this cars owner at that time bothered to tell Swansea, could that be a problem?.
     On a positive note it is a genuine thing all the plates are there the one on the front o/s chassis leg and one on the body side near the n/s bonnet hinge, both are readable. The Engine and gearbox are long gone.  What is my first move then with regards the log book, i can get it to Beverley or Sheffield if need be, But should i just apply for a log book first see what happens, my mate got an Anglia log book straight off, but it had only been off the road since the mid 80s.

  MGB front brakes  i got a front hub set up off a MGB with this car . talk me through it thoroughly please, parts are similar but not the same.  

like this when i got it last week.

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i got the MGB brakes and the originals with the car.

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[poprodder]

pictures taken today, maybe some help!!

[The North]

Well its certainly made me sit up and take notice poprodder. 
     That is a nice car i like your front axle  . My pile of oxide and cheviot fawn paint have a long way to go to get near that, i cant see me getting that deep in to the modifications on this project.
    That is one neat looking thing for sure.