Building my first Austin Seven car

[Nick Turley]

This is really cosmic Daisy.

[Tony Griffiths]

Daisy, very well done, I'm really impessed. To reinforce the "do not leave a chuck key in a chuck" rule, take a look at my lathe safety advice and other tips: http://www.lathes.co.uk/hints-and-tips/
There's some other simple but helpful advice as well.

[Andy Bennett]

Daisy: have you any thoughts yet as to what you might like your car to look like, even if just a rough idea or inspiration, just to tantalise us all with what is coming?
I think that most of the cars I drew at 11 were impossible to actually make, but I have a feeling that with your bloodline yours will be a little more realistic.

[JoeRowing]

Pleased to see rule 1 of lathe work repeated in your tips there!

I've seen one punch its way through a brick wall before...

[Hugh Barnes]

I'm sure Daisy has taken the chuck key advice to heart and hopefully there will be no need to repeat it.. I know Daisy to be a thoughtful and resourceful young lady who, under her father's excellent tutelage, will be hugely succesful in her endeavours. I am thrilled that she has started on this project and am already looking forward to the next postings - hopefully there will be more to report after this weekend - please!

[Austin in the Shed]

I too was hit by the health and safety brigade for leaving the chuck key in the lathe on a photo of how to screwcut a thread by hand,using a handle attached to the rear end of the spindle .
I was so mad about it I kept off the forum for a couple of months before I calmed down,and yes I have 50 years experience of using a lathe.
Daisy,and dads posting for the boring out the connecting rods I thought was excellent and a great way to encourage a younger generation into Austins and the basics of engineering,I wish I could do the same.
Look forward to another article on your restoration.

[Alan]

I agree. I’ve been using lathes for longer than your dad has been alive, Daisy. I still leave the chuck key in sometimes. More important is to develop the habit of a quick look around for anything wrong before you switch it on. Most important is not to listen to grumbly old blokes who like to tell you what you should be doing. You are going to be ace. Don’t let them scare you off!

[Daisy Dunford]

Thanks cosmic nick

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Thanks for the booklets tony and Anne looking forward to reading them

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Hi andy I’ve made a meccano model of the car with my friend Fraser (who also has an Austin seven)but might change the design i will let you know what my new design will be. My dad says that you are a black smith and keep bees which sounds like a really cool. Thanks for your message 
From Daisy

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Thanks for the message, Hugh I really appreciate it

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Thanks you for your comment Austin in the shed, it’s good to know that I’m not the only one that made that mistake

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Thanks for the comment Alan, my dad says you worked for bentley, my great, great, grandfather drove Bentleys for a living

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Colin, my dad says you live in New Zealand, I’ve never been there but my mum has and she says it’s amazing. Thanks for the comment

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Thank you to everyone who is being positive about what I’ve done so far. I really appreciate it

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If I’ve missed anybody out, sorry, I still appreciate your comments

[Ruairidh Dunford]

We have decided to work on the block and the pistons today so after I came back from selling Poppies with the guides I used a special tool to push a tube into the block for the valve.

   

because I had bashed the tube I needed to make it round again with a reamer.

   

We used blue to check the valve was touching all around.

   

It wasn't so we had to cut around it.

   

and then put paste on it and used a dril to turn the tool to help it grind

   

then we used the blue again and it was good all the way around. We had to do it to all the others and some took ages.

Then we turned it round and put the brass guides in we had to make sure they were really straight into each other.

   

Then we fitted the followers and some of them were tight so we tapped them to settle them and eventually they all moved smoothly. I then had to tuen them round unscrew and screw them all up again.

   

Then put the springs in

   

[Daisy Dunford]

Whoops I was not logged in as me.  That's sorted now.

We used a tool to push the springs up and special pliers that I put grease on to hold the collets.  It was hard to get them in at first but got easier as I did the rest.

   

   

Some of them did not go in right so we tapped them into place.

   

Then I fixed the water jacket by putting a coil into the hole that was too big.  I screwed it in and then put the studs in.

   

   

   

   

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The last thing today was the pistons.

We clamped the rod in the vice and then pushed the tube through and line dup the notch.  Then I put the screw in and dad tightened it.

   

   

I put the ring in the bore and measured the gap with a thing that was the thickness on my hair.

   

We put the rings on the piston using out thumb nails and had to be really delicate in case it broke.  The big one went at the bottom, the black one next and the silver on on the top.  Two of them had top written on them so we knew they had a certain way to go.