Seeking owner of Mk1 Ruby BKX 722

[Ian M]

I am seeking to contact the owner of a Mk1 Ruby with registration number BKX 722. Known to be owned by a past or present member of the A7OC London, of which I am also a member. In the likely event that the owner isn't on our forum, I would appreciate my enquiry being forwarded, if anyone does happen to know the owner. Many thanks.

[Ian M]

Update: The same enquiry posted on another A7 forum has turn up an interesting fact about the car, which is that it made an appearance in the 1992 film "Year of the Comet". Some screen shots below. Curious that it's apparently a Mk2, not a Mk1.

[Bill Dixon]

In the association register shown as ARQ , first reg date 2-4-1935. Some thing ?

[Ian M]

Thanks Bill. I've seen the entry in the association register and it is that which has triggered my preliminary enquiries. April 1935 is too early for a Mk2 Ruby, I believe.

[JonE]

Have you contacted the Membership officer at London? It should be relatively easy to get a message through if they are still current?

[Ian M]

Thanks Jon. I'll definitely give that a try if my online enquiries come to nothing.

[Ashleyvincent]

Hello,
A Mk 1 Ruby bearing the number BKX 722 was bought by a friend of mine around 1996/7 from someone selling it at the Carrington Rally Lincs. It was black with a sound body in good solid condition and tan coloured leather upholstery, also in good condition. The engine was not great and the crank case had been welded where a rod had come through the side at some point! My friend had the engine rebuilt with a new crank case and Phoenix crank and sorted out several problems with the car. He didn't get the A7 "bug" and sold it to Nigel Snow about 6 or 7 years ago. I believe it may then have gone down to the West Country. It was definitely NOT a Mk 2 Ruby whilst in his possession!
Regards,
Ashley Vincent

[Ian M]

Hi Ashley,

Very interesting information, thank you! What do you make of the stills I posted earlier from "Year of the Comet"? We can see the car clearly enough to determine it's a Mk2 and also the registration number.

[Ashleyvincent]

It looks like the Mk2 Ruby shared its plates with the Mk1........! Not many people would realise as it was the same colour and looks similar to the uninitiated! I don't think it is the first time such a thing has happened! I know someone who used to do this with a 1943 Fordson tractor! Regards, Ashley

[Zetomagneto]

Just goes to show, swopping registration numbers around willy nilly eventually catches up.It was done quite a lot years ago for various reasons.
It would appear this is not the car it once was!

Perhaps someone put the mark 2 body on the earlier car Chassis which would have been legal then, and now, as it is the Chassis which carries the registration number assuming the original registration was done correctly, there are quite a few registered on their body number.

There will be a glut of cars like this, bodies being displaced  to make specials, the old saloon body then finding a home on a different,possibly wrong Chassis.