The new Ruby is home. It is a 1936. 

The Rig






















This is going to take a few messages.....

Good Evening all,

I picked up my new 1931 box saloon 4 days ago!

Being a 21 year old, and having learnt to drive in a modern day Corsa, but have owned 50s and 80s cars, the 7 is quite a difference  espicially the clutch. 

The clutch in my car seems to be incredibly bad. It has the 3 speed box out of a 32, and i have now got used to double declutching down. However I cannot cleanly select 1st or reverse without crunching. 

I cannot believe this is correct? 

Further the movement on the pedal is about 1/2 an inch, and doesn't fully disengage. 

Is there any adjustment you can do with the box in the car? Or will this be an engine and box out and inspection?

Kind regards,

Mike

On eBay item 123068268036

Looks another scam Selling on behalf of a customer

Hello 
I'm hoping a description of a problem may spark some thought from somebody which will help me avoid having top remove the engine from my special!
It runs well for about 20 minutes and then the clutch starts to slip. If I drive on it will normally stop slipping (after another 20 minutes or so). The clutch is fairly new (less than 10k miles) and I have tried reducing gearbox oil to between half and 2/3 pint, reducing engine oil level to bottom of dipstick range and oiling the clutch bearing release through the tube provided. Box is 4 speed synchromesh (with close ratio gears), engine is earlier bacon-slicer type (1930 I believe)..I don't suppose the fact that a Dante fiend sump is fitted would have any significance? Do these symptoms spark any theories? 
(please!!)
Thanks
John

I was very sorry to read that John Miles; Austin racer, chassis engineer, and Formula One driver has died from complications following a stroke.

My condolences to his family and friends.

With the extension of MOT exemption to all cars over 40 years old on Saturday May 19th, pre 1960 vehicles will lose their automatic age based exemption.


If you wish to retain Mot exemption after that date it will be necessary to claim in the same way as newly exempt 1960-1977 vehicles by completing form V172 (which is not yet available?!) declaring that your car meets the requirements to be considered a Vehicle of Historic Interest (VHI).


The key point of the declaration is that the vehicle hasn’t been modified outside the new acceptance criteria in the last 30 years. See https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy...idance.pdf


Its a self declaration process without independent validation so this the only useful help from official sources. Presumably it will be necessary to make the declaration every year when renewing VED, hopefully just by a tick box.

The current VSCC Bulletin has an expansive if unattributed review of "The Immortal Austin Seven"  by David Morgan, described as a colourfully presented history. I have yet to see the book reviewed in the Seven world, so at £45 plus p&p should it join the line of vital volumes already on our shelves? Perhaps if Veloce Publishing could send a review copy to me, or more likely Stuart Ulph, then a review could soon appear on the forum.

hmm.. impossible to add the link to the search, sadly.

The only way to start this thread update is to go here
http://www.austinsevenfriends.co.uk/old_...chbox.html

and search on:
"RK Saloon door latches"

which is a pig, but perhaps this will make a good update and continuation thread in the new world.

Could anyone provide me with dimensions and photographs of a hood envelope to fit an AE Chummy please

Rather than continue the topic under gear changes,  I found some old notes from Autocar 30.7.65 which possibly warrant a separate entry. Included drag coefficients for sample cars, including what seemed to be an RN/RP.
Some may remember the other models.

Vauxhall VX4/90 (Victor 101) .526, Ford upright Popular 1948-1960s .493, VW Beetle 1200 .48, Mini .46, Ford Consul Mk 1 .455, BMC 1100 .453, A55 .441, Rover 90 .41, Standard 10 .403, Jowett javelin .387, Porsche 356 coupe .333, Citroen DS .326. 
Austin Seven .608. 
Max power of older cars is usually reached before top speed. However the 47 bhp Consul about 75mph, the 68 bhp Zephyr 81 mph, the 50 bhp Javelin 80.   Three box saloons are generally inferior to station wagons/vans. Other sources for the same cars differed somewhat.
Unstreamlined Citroen Light 15 56 bhp 73 mph. The unstreamlined post war MG saloon but with front mudguards closed and sloping screen 70 mph on 45 bhp.
It is the cross section area times the co efficient which matters