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New member hello & APD rebuild - Goldnrust - 28-11-2024
Hello everyone. I'm Steve and I've just purchased a 1935 APD project to fix up over the winter and hopefully enjoy driving next summer!
I've had a string of 60s and 70s classics over the past decade, most of which were bought as wrecks and I spent many cold winter evenings welding them back together but, at more than twice as old as me, this Austin 7 is my first pre-war car!
That said, I'm not completely new to the realities of owning and using pre-war vehicles as I also own a 1934 BSA B2 motorcycle. Seeing how much support there is for the Austin 7, this should actually be easier to live with, as supply of parts and knowledge for pre-war BSA's is very limited!
Enough about me, what about the car!
It's an early 1935 APD in red, which was part restored several years ago and then the restoration halted sadly by the passing of the owner. I have purchased the car from a gentlemen who claimed to have bought it with the intention of finishing it off himself and then changed his mind. He was a bit vague about some of the details, and therefore so am I!
What drew me to it, aside from the fact that it was an affordable way to acquire a tourer (for me nothing beats driving with the roof down on a nice day), was the condition of the body. With young kids my hobby time is more limited now, and I didn't want to commit myself to another vehicle requiring endless welding and bodywork. I'm much happier working on mechanicals which can be done comparatively quietly and cleanly in the evenings when the kids are asleep!
I can find no rust in the body at all. It was claimed that the wood work was all replaced, some of it certainly looks new and everything else feels solid enough. And the paint is great, it's claimed it was resprayed as part of the restoration work. The bonnet and wings are not so shiny, with chipped old paint, but they are all solid enough and should I wish to make them as shiny as the main body it will not be a big task. I'm more a fan of the oily rag look if I'm honest so I wont be in a rush to paint them, I'd like to drive first!
Mechanically, it looks as if the chassis and running gear has all been cleaned and painted. I'm told it was all refurbished but having sat for several years, and I've no idea if thats 5 years or 20 years, then I will be sure to go through it all properly before hitting the road.
The engine claims to have been rebuilt, and looking down the plug holes I can see shiny pistons tops as if it's never run, but it's currently got no compression, I mean not even a whisper of air when I put my finger over the plug hole and turn the handle... I'm presuming valves are hung open, or even that there are internal bits missing!
The brakes appear to work (at least on some level!) but I'm sure would benefit from some careful set-up. It's got a bowdenex conversion up front, which I read on here have mixed reviews.
So there's lots for me to be getting on with, and I'll have lots of questions for you all I'm sure! I've got a copy of RJ Wyatts' and Bill William's books, and have been reading on the forum familiarising myself with the car prior to purchase, but there's no substitute for being able to ask someone about specific details!
Picking up someone else's project without knowing exactly where they left off is always a bit tricky to start with, but I'll start with a couple of (hopefully) easy questions!
1. Am I correct in assuming that the hardware would have been BSW or BSF threads originally? I am missing all of the mounting hardware for the wings, grill and various other components and, whilst I can of course start measuring up, having a starting point helps!
2. The car is currently painted red, but I noticed that a paint chip on the floor pan revealed some dark green, is there an easy way to know the original colour? Not a high priority, but just interesting to know.
3. Can anyone confirm the sill structure for a high frame Opal like mine? I can see a single skin steel sill, with two strips of ash on the inside running from the A pillar back to the seat boxes, but then just the single skin of metal from there back to the B pillar, is that correct, or am I missing some more ash here? Excuse the dirt and damp, I need to get it full tired out as the car got wet during delivery to me.
On the same topic, my running boards appear either home made (or reproductions?) that are a bit flimsy feeling, should there be some re-enforcement under for forward edge of them? They are pop riveted to the sill currently which I'm fairly sure isn't right! haha
Looking forward to finding out more about 'Little Red' as my girls have named it, and to being a part of the forum.
Thanks.
RE: New member hello & APD rebuild - Tony Griffiths - 29-11-2024
That looks to be an excellent basis for what should be a relatively straightforward rebuild. I'm sure that other owners of this model will be pleased to help.
In case you need it, here is a list that might prove useful:
CLUBS:
There are so many Austin 7 clubs that, in 1969, an association of them was formed - and this is now the go-to place that hosts a mass of important data: https://a7ca.org/ It's a large site with lists of clubs, a superb archive of historical data, reproduction handbooks, chassis and car registers, A7 history, A7 model identification, events, etc, - explore the A7CA website: https://a7ca.org
The page that links to the most important sections is: https://archive.a7ca.org/
DIRECT LINKS to HANDBOOKS, PARTS MANUALS, and SALES CATALOGUES
A comprehensive collection can be downloaded as PDFs: https://archive.a7ca.org/collections/han...rts-lists/
Sales brochures can be found here: https://archive.a7ca.org/collections/show-brochures/
The Pre-War A7 club has a useful Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pwa7c .... with other enthusiasts forming groups for specific models or regional interests.
As a club member, you will receive not only the club's magazine but also the Association Magazine, published quarterly since 1970 https://a7ca.org/about-us/magazine/
BACKGROUND and BOOKS:
To read the fascinating background to the car - with reproductions of the notebook by Stanley Edge, the design draftsman see: https://a7ca.org/austin-seven/the-people/
Austin 7 books can be bought from: http://www.pwa7c.co.uk/bookshop.php. This is a good collection of material, including historical and technical literature with data on specific models such as the Type 65 and Nippy, Grasshopper and Ulster, etc.
For engine, other mechanical work and restorations one highly recommended business with personal attention, vast experience of the Seven and much helpful advice is: http://www.albaaustins.co.uk
IS YOUR CAR ALREADY LISTED?
The A7CA provides a list of known vehicles at https://a7ca.org/chassis-register/ check to see if your car is listed (or to add it—that would be very useful). It includes versions by English Austin, American Austin and Bantam, German Dixi and BMW, and French Rosengart. You can search by Model Type and chassis, car, and registration numbers.
For new Austin 7 parts try these links - in no particular order of recommendation:
David Cochraine at: https://www.a7c.co.uk/aboutus.php
Jamie Rogerson at: https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/
http://austinrepro.com/ This company offers standard and also beautifully made, difficult-to-find reproductions of headlamps, speedometers, rev counters and various items for standard cars and also the Swallow, Nippy, Ulster, etc:
For both new, used and some refurbished parts try: Tony Betts at http://www.7ca.co.uk/ and http://www.southernsevens.co.uk
Another link that has details of other repairers, restorers, gearbox, suspension and bodywork experts, etc: https://oldcarservices.co.uk/austin-seven-specialists/ (some of these will be out of data)
The Cornwall Austin 7 Club's website is especially useful with lists of suppliers and much technical advice, etc. https://www.austin7.org/
If you want to know about 'Technical Data & Specifications', thread sizes, etc, this page will help: https://www.austin7.org/Data%20Pages/Tech%20Data/
INTERESTING ODDS and ENDS
For 25+ pages of digitally restored, attractive and high-resolution Austin illustrations (that you can download and print out) see http://www.lathes.co.uk/austin7
Fitting indicators, a guide is available here: http://www.lathes.co.uk/austin-7-indicators
Improving the lights: http://www.lathes.co.uk/austin7-2/page18.html
For the 100th anniversary of the Seven's introduction in 2022, a thousand cars attended a special event: watch the film here: https://a7centenary.com/
RE: New member hello & APD rebuild - Peter Naulls - 29-11-2024
Welcome to the forum Steve. Lovely project you have there and a nice little Fiat too. You'll find plenty of knowledge and enthusiasm on here. You would also be well advised to join one of the owners clubs (if you haven't already) for local help and events. You'll get different recommendations depending where you live.
1. Yes generally BSF & BSW. The exceptions tend to be non-Austin parts like the carb, sender unit, distributor, instruments etc.
2. There's nothing on the chassis number or car number that can help you if that's what you're thinking. Assuming you don't have an original log book then its unlikely you can find out. There is a surviving production ledger for a small number of cars (someone on here will know which) and The Kithead Trust hold registration details for some but I think it's unlikely either can help.
3. I'll leave this for others!
RE: New member hello & APD rebuild - charlie carpenter - 29-11-2024
Hi Welcome to the forum, looking at the picture of the nearside of the engine I can see the 2 plates on the side plate that will give you the chassis and car body number if you carefully remove the paint. this may help identify the car.
Hope this helps.
RE: New member hello & APD rebuild - Goldnrust - 29-11-2024
Thanks for the warm welcome chaps.
That's quite a list of information Tony! Thank you.
Thank you Peter, thats all very helpful. If there's no easy way to cross reference a chassis number or something, then I'm not worried enough to chase down the original colour. My daughters would be disappointed if I changed it anyway now!
Charlie, the chassis and engine numbers come back as early 1935, which matches my February 1935 registration document. The engine number is just a bit higher than the chassis number which from what I've read is about right for it to be the original engine? Not that originality is super important to me, it just helps to know which parts I'm working with!
RE: New member hello & APD rebuild - Reckless Rat - 30-11-2024
If the engine and chassis numbers are reasonably close then it's a fair bet you've got what is called a "matching numbers car" They are never exact matches on late model A7s