I've had my Austin 7 Ruby based special off the road for a year or so whilst I sent the block to be re-bored and I also had all the head stud holes helicoiled. I finally got around to sparking it up and got it to run for around forty seconds, I stopped the engine as I needed to fill the cooling system before running it for longer. I filled the radiator with fresh water and antifreeze. I then turned it over and water came not dribbling but gushing out of the the exhaust, the same fresh water and antifreeze I'd put in a few moments ago. I was surprised by the volume of water that came out. I haven't taken the head off yet but it seams as tough the water did not get into combustion chambers as the water did not cause the engine to lock up whilst turning over. Any ideas?

In a box of parts I have just purchased there is a water outlet from a high compression head made from bronze. Would this be from the marine version of the A7 engine, or is it an after market part? Here in New Zealand it is not uncommon to find tools etc copied in bronze because the imported versions were so (relatively) expensive and workers were not well paid. 
If it was a marine part would that mean that the water take-off on the block was also made of bronze?

In the Austin Seven service Journal there is a chart which is supposed to help identify which combination of front wing, running board and rear wing were used on various years of Austin Seven.

   

My seven  (A9- 309) AD body style had very butchered rear wings where the rust had been cut of so I have no idea what the rear of the wing looked like originally.  I suspect that they were like other 1929 A7s I've seen pics of which would be identified as illustration B in the journal.


   

  rear wing panel.jpg (Size: 43.68 KB / Downloads: 226)

However the Journal indicates that my wings should be as in in illustration D which I've not seen in any of the pics of 1929 A7s I've looked at.


   


Well you can imagine my surprise when I found the letter D stamped into the forward lower edge of the right hand rear wing !  I've repaired the wing to the way it was before the rust was cut away and am making up the rear panel that is spot welded to the flange so that the wing will look like all the others I've seen, namely Illustration 2.


   


Has anyone else come across this discrepancy or seen type D wings on a 1929 A7 ?   Have any of you seen Letter stamps on your wings ?
Cheers,
Stephen

nice pics here
http://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17581
and

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/biography...-designer/

and
http://www.britishmotorvehicles.com/blog...-issigonis

Anoy other photos or info people could add to this thread?

a real Bitsa 7 Special, but some evocative pics if you click on and see them large...
http://colnevalley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/0...lmost.html

I didn’t until I placed it onto the studs!!

   

The post on windshield washers got me thinking about accessories for our cars.

Has anyone documented all the various wonderful items one could buy in the thirties that were available ?  Perhaps we should start a thread on this?

Cheers,
Stephen

Here's a pretty scene showing a Cornish-registered RN or RP on holiday; anyone recognise the location? Presumably the car is being push-started because it has a flat battery - a Seven should cope with that snow with ease!


  14_05_11_17_4_06_28.jpeg (Size: 78.1 KB / Downloads: 237)

Photo supplied by Jeff Taylor

Stuart,

could you please post a link to the honing tool you recommended for tight gudgeon pins please? I cannot find the post and would like to order one up from a friend who is in USA just now.

Many thanks...

Here's an eBay seller who knows values ! Check this one out and have a look at what else he has on offer.

Also, scroll down the page to see some really odd explanations as to why he lists at such prices.  

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XMAS-DEAL-vtg...SwhrFZzBVD