Bodywork & Chassis

technical data -

Body is mounted on 3 mounting brackets on each side of the frame, with packing, one mounting each side at extreme rear of frame and two on centre of X-member.

Ground clearance is 6", (dry) weight is 22 cwt, overall length, width and height are 13' 2.1/4", 4' 10" and 5' 2.1/2" respectively.


maintenance -

To be written...


problems -

Corrosion - the chassis jacking points, the sills and the rear of the chassis are prone to rusting. Check the chassis where it passes around the fuel tank as this can become weak and bulge out sideways (the sides should be vertical and parallel). The jacking points were originally fitted with rubber plugs, but these actually trap water and accelerate rusting - if still fitted, it is probably prudent to remove these plugs.
If replacing the sill, it is possible to use a sill without cut-outs if the jacking points are modified to clear such a sill. This prevents the ingress of dirt and water into the sill and hence limits future corrosion.

The rear wheel arches are particularly prone to rust and rot - check these often, or apply a sealant. The steel, rear wheel arch inserts (Barker only) are often missing or badly rusted. The design tends to trap mud and water between the edge of the insert and the arch (or the drainage channel fills with mud) which leads to unseen damage. Whilst not strictly necessary, they do provide support to the bodywork and prevent mud from reaching the rear light cluster. It is possible to fabricate replacements from aluminium instead.

The boot seal (Barker) was originally held in place with biff rivets at regular intervals. It frequently perishes or lets in water, leading to considerable damage inside the boot due to the use of absorbent felts and millboard. If replacing the seal, it may be prudent to take extra precautions using contact adhesive and tacks as necessary.

Warping woodwork (Barker) will cause door panels to no longer fit snugly but be aware also that coach-built panels tend not to fit other vehicles well (ie. if the doors are not original they may never fit the frame well) - for possible remedies, see notes below.


removal -

To remove body:
1) remove front wing, radiator assembly, and steering gear
2) lift front of body and insert carrying pole - a second pole can be passed through the rear wheel arch
3) remove petrol tank to allow body to be lifted


other notes -

Many pieces, eg. the boot lining for the Barker bodied cars, are not always interchangeable between cars due to subtle differences in size and shape. It appears many body parts were hand finished and are thus unique to the vehicle, meaning a part from a donor vehicle may simply not fit. This warning holds true for much of the woodwork (frame and interior) also.

Apparently, Morris 1100 sills can be used to replace the LD10 ones, these may or may not need some modification. Please let us know if you have any further details.
It is believed that the Barker sills may have a greater curve than the Briggs sills and the fit at the front wing may differ along with the cut-outs at the jacking points - the sills may therefore not be interchangeable.
Note that the sills are not structural and rotten sills will therefore not fail the MOT, provided there are no sharp edges.

For those trying to disassemble a Barker bodied car, it is worth noting that the pillars and the ash frames were clearly built together first, then the aluminium body shell was fitted over the top. The aluminium was then folded round underneath the flanges on the tops of the pillars, so that the screw heads are not visible, or accessible. The aluminium door pillars were designed not to move, as they are bolted with vertical machine screws, that pass through the top flanges of the pillars, through the timber frame, through steel plates above the timber and into hexagon nuts that are not locked in any way to prevent them from turning. The steel plates ensure that the timber does not compress.
The bolts must have been too long, because they were then cut, using bolt croppers which damaged the threads and prevents the nuts from being removed without a great deal of resistance being applied to them. Two of the four nuts are accessible once the head lining has been removed, but the other two are trapped in an inaccessible space that can only be got at if the aluminium body is removed or cut away, or if an inner steel plate were to be cut away. Unfortunately this is why most people just wrench the pillar out and break the top off it.

Several rebound buffer plates have been remanufactured and are available at cost from the website (please contact for details).

There are 4 screws to a captive plate on the bottom of each door (Barker), and 3 at the top - this enables some (slight) adjustment to the way the door hangs should it not be fitting snugly.
If the door 'kicks out' on the bottom corner furthest from the pillar, this can be rectified by placing a block of soft wood (eg. old floorboard) between the door and the sill, then applying pressure to the ouside of the door until it bends the door enough to make it fit.
Be careful when making adjustments not to apply too much pressure too quickly - perform slow, steady motions, working gradually over the piece and check progress at regular intervals.


diagrams -

All images are scanned from originals, wherever possible, at 100dpi (unless otherwise noted) and must be scaled when printed to preserve the original size (eg. scale up by 3 times for a 300dpi printer).

Note, however, that due to slight scaling inaccuracies during both the scanning and inevitably the printing, these images should be taken as an approximation for reference only.
In addition, drawings, measurements and notes of materials used are intended as a guide and aid to the restorer, and not necessarily a definitive, or even guaranteed correct, reference.

The profile of the rubber door seal as used on all 4 doors of the Barker-bodied LD10.
The seal is screwed to the door thru the flat of the profile, with the body pointing outwards.

The profile of the top rubber door seal as used on the Briggs-bodied LD10.

The profile of the rubber boot seal as used on the Barker-bodied LD10. Approximately 160" total length. A suitable replacement is available from Woolies as part #SRS27.

The scuttle should contain a rubber seal, in the outer channel, to prevent excess water entering. This has often perished, and the inner drainage channel become blocked.
The image shows a silicone mold taken from the outer channel for use as an (approximate) template. Note that this example may be slightly distorted due to the flexible nature of the mold.
Although the depth of the channel is 1/4", it is thought a correct seal should be 1/8". The material should be flexible to allow the edge of the scuttle to seal adequately.

The engine cover buffer assemblies (two rubber-topped, mushroom-shaped studs protruding from the top of the radiator cradle to act as bonnet buffers) are often missing or damaged. The soft rubber top often becomes detached from the stud and lost. If making replacements, the rubber is approximately 12 shore.

The rebound buffer plates (2 of, located in the hangers under the chassis, adjacent to the front wheels) consist of metal plates with an oblong of rubber bonded to them. The rubber often becomes detached, distorted or otherwise lost or damaged. If making replacements, the rubber is approximately 20 shore.


None yet.