Over the years on the old thread I often asked questions about Grasshoppers, even when they became politically incorrect! The driving force behind this was to build a replica.

Well, I can now share a couple of pictures of the car, which will hopefully be sufficiently finished to do the PWA7C winter trial in December. My Father has built the body, with my assistance when I have been able, many hundreds of hours have gone into it so far. Dimensionally it is quite an accurate copy of BOA 59. The rad cowl is a temporary GRP one, to be replaced with one made in brass and plated, in due course.

Mechanically it is fairly standard Austin Seven, with a mildly breathed upon engine, for the time being. The intention is to build a blown engine in time (anyone know the whereabouts of a Centric 125?) The colour is an attempt to match the paint found on an original component in an undisturbed state, its not quite right, but not that far off.

Thanks for all the help received so far from forum members and the wider A7 community.

Stuart Palmer

Just put the new linings on my 1930 motor and assembled the clutch today.
Found my lever tips were only about 1" off the clutch plate (explains why there wasn't much clutch movement when I got the car). 
I've added the 5mm rollers and now am a bit confused on setting the levers height.
My question is how far off the plate they should be set too?
Woodrow gives a measurement of 1"1/4
The companion gives 5/16" from a straight edge across the flywheel housing  - this Gives a distance of just under 1-3/4" from the plate.


Ps found a good use for the induction tool- heating the levers to adjust them

Thanks 

Bryan

Date: 24-09-2017

Classic Car Show, East Preston, Sussex

Hello All,
After all of Timothy's efforts to orientate photos the right way up,  I thought I would have another go at posting some pictures of progress with Slippery Anne

When building something, I like to make up a kit of parts, so that I can fine tune things as I go, it avoids problems breaking down assemblies when you find the inevitable fit issue. My current task is to skin the cars wood frame with ply and aluminium, which is what you see in the following picture. The ply skins are shaped and ready to glue to the frame. to get to this point, I made paper patterns, then cut the ply to those patterns allowing a small margin of error around the edge, they are then soaked in very hot water before being 'formed' around the frame. once they have dried out they become stable ply wood shells. With care, shallow compound curves are possible. Similarly, with the metal panels I am making up all the components before fitting it al together.


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I once again resorted to MDF formers and G Clamps to help me form the curved section of an internal frame for the nose cone out of aluminium. Clamping the annealed metal between the MDF, the edge was shrunk around the former, I then welded the legs onto it, returned it to the MDF to true up and the offered it up to the car:



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In offering up the undressed frame to the car, I discovered that the Ash part of the frame had 'moved' since I made it up a couple of years ago. It is seasoned English Ash with a lovely straight grain, so should be reasonably stable, but it had moved a good 10mm out of true at the top, so adjustment was necessary, to which end I used some localised steaming. I use a standard domestic wall paper stripers steam chamber and a small tin to localise the steam, then wrap the area in old cloths and towels to keep it nice and hot during the steaming. allowing 15 minutes for every half inch of the woods section before applying load in the desired direction.
One of the frustrations of working in wood is that it is that it can move like this component has, I usually make up laminated assemblies to avoid this sort of problem. The other frustration is the time you must allow for the various processes to work it; after steaming and forcing into position, it is important to leave it with the load applied for 90+ hours, that is 4 whole days while it dries out and the set becomes fixed, now what shall I do?


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So, having visited a friends Chummy (thank you Michael) and armed with the knowledge Ian and Ruairidh gave me about early hinges. Whist I wait for the ash to dry out, attention has moved to making the bonnet. 


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It has to be said that given my penchant for making paper and cardboard patterns allied to a recent interest in Irish Linen for covering the wooden body parts, has lead to certain members of my household suggesting that I may like to try dress making!

All the best, Mark.

In the early 50's a local garage - "Wood's Garage" - on the Stratford Road in Shirley, just outside Birmingham, had a fine collection of ancient bicycles hanging from the rafters. More to the point Joe Wood had a very early Austin Seven in fine condition that I (aged abut 14/15) really lusted after! Unfortunately it was not for sale and I was too young to drive, but Joe told me that the car had been restored by the Austin Apprentices at Longbridge and put on display alongside the newly announced A30 Seven.
I have never seen any publicity photos, but would be interested to know if the story were true (I have no reason to think it not so) and whether that car still exists. It was painted green with black wings & hood. Are there any ex- apprentices out there who remember it? They had done a fine job.

When were 17" spoked wheels introduced? Or were they a go-faster goodie?

Starts: 23-09-2017
Ends: 24-09-2017

Crofton Beam Engines Steam Gala, Wiltshire

- Beam Engines in Steam
- Traction Engines
- Classic Cars
- Boat trips on the Canal
- Craft Stalls
- Barbecue, Cafe and licensed Bar with Real Ales
- Live Music

The oldest working steam engines in the world still performing the job they were built to do! There are two beam engines, one of which is an original 200-year-old Boulton & Watt. Both are fed by a hand-stoked, coal-fired Lancashire boiler.

For more details see their website HERE

The spark plugs I changed today were NGK6. I was about to replace with some labelled NGK7 but wasn't sure if they were ok as the number was different. I played safe and replaced with a new set of NGK6 but just wondered if I can use the NGK7 in a 1934 box saloon or would they be wrong. I'm not sure where they came from but I've been carrying them around under the back seat for years! Thanks Richard

I have three brake drums the same on my car and one different one ( no holes for the three countersunk screws to hold it to the hub). Any idea what the odd one out was for?

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Aq83ymqaX_yCkGPC-3eN9p5wWaKy

I've started to gather together all the little parts
That I Had to get ready for nickel
Plating.

Feeling brave I ordered a cheap nickel stripping kit (£16)and a cheaper 
polishing kit £5.

Spent an hour! Setting up and stripping all the parts in the photo using the
Chemicals provided, plus using my battery charger.

Two hours later they are now all polished and ready for plating.

So also Ordered the plating kit today ! 

Once I get that set up and working will post the results.

This system from Classic Plating Ltd could do
At least 5 batches this size.



Now to strip the chrome bits with the chrome stripping kit before 
I nickel plate those.

Plan to do door handles, wiper motor, bonnet catches too. Just a pity the rad shell is too big
But you never know! 

No waiting for weeks to get your plating back and worrying if they'll lose your best bitregards
Bill G

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