Hello everyone! 

I best introduce myself and explain what kind of nut case I am so this post makes sense. 

My name is Delia Chapman I'm 24 (nearly 25) and a antiques collector who has worked in the antiques field from the age of 16 till recently.  I am based in Belfast Northern Ireland. 

I collect antique bicycles. Restore valve radios, record players and black and white tvs (mostly 405 line standerd) my main TV is a 405 line ekco I've just never liked colour TV. 

I also collect antique Teddy bears, antique light bulbs (any pre 1970 electrical goods) , clocks, phonographs and gramophones, furniture, live steam toys especially O gauge live steam locomotives, vintage and antique clothing etc. 


I'm currently sadly not a 7 owner but hope to rectify this in a year or two. My dream car from I was a very small child was a Austin 7. Probably the fault of having grown up with Brum on TV. 

My current "daily driver" is a 1950 98cc two stroke New Hudson autocycle (seen in my user image) with a top speed of 30mph. So I'm rather used to a slower vehicle. 

I have no intention to change to a modern vehicle as I have a deep dislike for them.  I am rather machanicaly minded and have always loved maintaining my own equipment. 

As can be seen from my user name my favourite 7 is the wonderful RP Box saloon. I like Rubys as well but the styling is a little modern for me 

My intention is to use one as a daily Driver and my first car and if all goes well my only car. 

My question is to those who already daily there's have you had trouble finding insurance companies to cover you? 

Have you found the car to be reasonably reliable? ( I don't mind doing repair work just curious) 

Do you use lead replacement mix in your petrol? 

How has running costs been?

Plus any advice to someone new to 7s.

Thanks for your time and help

I look forward to talking with you all and eventually joining the fraternity of owners. 

Regards Delia

I have decided the way to go with my new front spring and old rears.

The new front leaves are painted all over with KBS Coatings RustSeal (a very tough paint).
I will grease between leaves with constant velocity (CV) lithium based grease containing MOLYBDENUM DISULPHIDE -- a very slippery additive in the grease (basically flat plates of lubrication molecules). Have used Moly before especially in steering box to transform steering.  The Moly is very persistent and does not disappear/dry out.

Round the assembled springs I will wrap DENSO tape to keep out dirt/water and keep grease fresh.  Over this I will fit home made leather covers made from old leather jacket (sleeves).  Leather jackets available in charity shops so you can even colour co-ordinate to your car!  The leather will be held in place with copper wire removed from old electrical cabling (60 amp).  (Leather kept subtle with grease or waxoil?)
Using Denso means springs can be got at without removing any pins/shackles as compared to using heat-shrink-wrap.

Can anyone tell me how long a roll of DENSO I need to do both rear springs (standard A7) and a big 7 front?.  (rough spring lengths 18" each rear springs and 15" each side of front spring.........finger poised ready to order (ebay).

Dennis

Does anyone know who would have made this type of exhaust manifold or anyone who currently makes them.

   
   

The oil pressure topic morphed into a discussion of top speeds. I have mentioned the following previously but readers go and come.  
My standard car managed a rousing 50 mph but this very rapidly fell away. Moving the advance over a large range made little difference except to the noise. A decoke and all was restored for another four thousand miles or so. The car used a lot of oil but was never hopelessly carbonised. Has anyone else noticed this effect? I did not notice it with 37 head or any other make of car. It is hard to figure a cause A complaint years ago was that other cars went worse after a decoke due the lowered cr.

The speedo read somewhat lower than all cars compared so was presumably reasonably accurate. Incidentally few roads are truly flat. I travelled 60 miles north of Wellington most weekends. Most would guess the route as perhaps 40 miles flat, but as sensed by the Seven  only 2 actually were.

Curiously, although hill climbing, acceleration  etc was much improved top sped with 37 head and SU seemed little altered, although with a tail wind it would mange 60 and I was pulled over for this. (I was too surprised to insist on a ticket!) No other car sampled, including employer’s,  ever required the skill or produced adrenalin like the Seven at speed, so I have never been lured by supposed high performance cars!

Many contemporary road tests struggled to much exceed 45 mph. However many would be running SAE50 in cold conditions, and were not bored oversize as most are now with associated cc and cr increase.

Spotted by a chum who is busy at present hunting for old cars in the USA and facilitating their 'repatriation'.

(If anyone's interested and could use some support with the logistics I'll happily put you in touch).

https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/d/1932-austin-seven-special/6628701322.html

Can anyone advise as to what the Oil Pressure should be on a 1932 RP Box travelling at say 30mph.
I find that on start up it reads full pressure on the dial, then when hot, it drops to around 3 to 4 at 30mph.
Is that acceptable or should it be higher.?

 I would like to lower the back of my GE Cup by a few inches as it sits a bit high at the moment and I think this will improve the appearance and handling. Doing this would reduce the available suspension travel but I’m not planning to do any trials so I think I can live with that.
 
The question is whether to have some early type springs made up with reduced camber (say 3”), or just to use Ruby springs which I think have a 2½” camber as standard.

I imagine Ruby springs would make the suspension quite stiff which might be good if there is limited travel. Does anyone have experience of using the later springs on a relatively light early car? Will they fit into the ends of the chassis rails without modification? Are there any other issues watch out for (like the axle oil pouring out of the front of the torque tube due to the change in angle?)...

RN, rebuilt engine, lots of work done, pretty interior, plenty to do. Looking for a new project ?. Rather sell it through friends but will post elsewhere later.

Is this the shortest Austin Seven?

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C979153

does anyone out there have a rear window frame for a pearl cabriolet available for sale,I have just acquired a very original but "scruffy"! car running and driving plus as a bonus it stops very well .There is no rot anywhere and the original interior is very usable and will be preserved it has had a new hood at sometime and  I think that was when it lost its window. could any owner of a pearl post the size of the frame and the height it sits from the top of the body best regards Rob.