1923 Bean J&M Thompson

THE 1923 WALTER ENGLAND BEAN 14

This short story is of my accomplishment in restoring a heap of rusty parts to a running Vintage car.   However, it shows that anybody can do any project provided they are prepared to learn on the way and stay with it to the end.

The small photo shows it as it was when acquired.   An engine on a cut up chassis that was used as a power take-off towed behind the tractor on the South East farm to power welders and other belt driven implements.

It took 7 years to build.   I bought a lathe, arc welder and Oxy acetylene welding equipment.   Being a bank clerk and having no knowledge of cars, having never worked on them, it was a real challenge.

I joined the Vintage Sports Car Club of SA and had much assistance from 3 members who owned Beans.

I went to school and learnt to use the lathe, read how to do welding and practiced it.   No weld has come apart yet on the chassis after 21 years of running.

Parts found on the farm were  :- cut chassis, engine, front and rear axles with rear wheels (rusted so bad that they would not roll), tail-shaft, steering wheel, windscreen, dash board with all instruments except the clock, front seat, metal for the scuttle, side screen frames, 3 doors and 5 wheels which were found out to be dangerous, petrol tank and radiator.

It sat for 3 months before the decision was made to restore it.   The chassis was cut up and remade into the correct shape, a floor and body frame constructed and then covered with steel  Rear guards, running boards, valances, luggage rack and hood mechanism and bows, a new radiator core installed.   Safety glass installed in windscreen and electric windscreen wiper instead of a hand operated one through a hole in the glass. After construction it was painted.   Another new trade to learn.   Headlights constructed from old bits.

The seats and interior linings together with the hood were made by a motor trimmer.  7 years after completion I received the side lights.  What a surprise!

The engine was started the day before the 1988 Bay to Birdwood run, but it never made it home.   The radiator was not made correctly and as water was poured in the top it fell out the bottom.  Professionals make mistake too.

My wife Margaret and I are the second registered owners and it has the original number still.  

It is also the oldest known Bean 14 in the World.