What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Great day to test the new speedometer face - it appears to read 3mph slow, good enough for me


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[Charles P]

97mph is ok

[Alan]

Go 3mph quicker then

[David Stepney]

For the first time in 5 years of Sevening, I had an involuntary stop on the road that did not involve a puncture.

At about 7 pm last evening, I was coming back from Llangollen on the A5, when, just as I had cleared Llidiart-y-Parc, the little car lost power and cut out. I coasted into a layby and discovered that the distributor gear had failed. I had no mobile phone with me, having (stupidly) left it on charge at home and forgotten to pick it up when I went out. So, I set off walking and trying to thumb a lift to anywhere that I could get to a phone. Nobody stopped and a few actually blew their horns at me to get out of their way! After about 2 miles or so, I stopped at some holiday cottages and the owner kindly let me ring Leon to come and collect me. I did think about asking him to bring the spare distributor, but (a) I don't think he knew what one was and (b) I couldn't remember where in the garage it was stashed.

To complicate matters further, Leon had arranged for a couple of friends of his to come and have supper with us.

He collected me about 8 pm and having gone back to the car to make sure it was OK, we went home We got back minutes before his friends turned up. having explained matters, Leon's friend Gwyddon kindly took me back to the Seven once I had found the spare distributor whilst Leon prepared food.

Once back at the car, I let Gwyddon go whilst I got on with getting the car going again. Moments afterwards, an BMW came into the layby belonging to another friend, Marie, who had seen the car in the layby as she was on her way to do some late evening shopping at Aldi's. By now it was gone 9pm and getting dark and drizzly, so Marie held the torch whilst I timed the engine and got the car going. She then very kindly followed me all the way back to Bala 'just in case.'

I have sorted to timing properly this morning and have pulled the seriously worn gear from the end of my now spare distributor. I shall have to get another gear organised  on Monday morning.

Hey Ho! The joys of motoring!

[Howard Wright]

Hi David

I can sympathise with your plight.  

I carry a spare distributor (and coil and leads) in the car at all times. In the special I made a special box under the seat for all spares ignition related.

This morning I fitted a DJ4 distributor with electronic ignition (modified by the Distributor Doctor) to the special.  So far it starts and runs well although I haven’t taken it on a long drive yet, nor completed timing it accurately.  I’ll still carry the spare conventional points distributor!

Cheers

Howard

[Ruairidh Dunford]

New gears here: https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/p...drive-gear


A bit late now, but I have always carried a spare distributor in every Seven I own.

[David Stepney]

Thanks Ruairidh. I know that many people do. I have notices that, not only do Seven Workshops do the gear, but David Cochrane and the Distributor Doctor do them too. Anyway, I shall order one up on Monday. I think also I shall add an operation to the major service schedule. "Remove distributor and check condition of drive gear".

And thanks, Howard. It wasn't so much that the distributor failed that caused all the hassle, it was the fact that I had left my mobile at home, like an idiot.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Lochindorb and Grantown on Spey today, lovely trip out!

           

[Malcolm Parker]

Super part of the world, Ruairidh.  Was the Wolf of Badenoch at home?

[andrew34ruby]

Yesterday there was a dearth of Austin sevens at Ripon, just my Ruby and this one of Mervyn's.