15-11-2021, 09:22 AM
Hi again Colin
1936 was the changeover year between the ARQ Ruby and the ARR New Ruby. It would help to know which model you have, as various improvements and changes were made from one to the other. The car number (body number) should be on a plate on the passenger side of the battery box. Failing that, the ARR had more rounded window surrounds, deeper sides to the front wings and larger hubcaps (though the last two may have been swapped in its life !).
In case you haven't already seen it, there is an A7CA online resource where you can look at pdf copies of the owner's manual, chassis parts list and body parts list. These have illustrations which can help, as long as you allow for a bit of draughtsman's licence here and there. Here are some examples, you will have to find the exact version once you know your car model:
http://archive.a7ca.org/collections/hand...rts-lists/
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploa..._1400A.pdf
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1406.pdf
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1521.pdf
Regarding brakes, bear in mind that the Austin Seven grew in weight over the years, and although the brakes were progressively improved they sometimes didn't keep pace. The early ARQ Ruby is probably the least well braked of the models, the later ARR had a "Semi Girling" arrangement which fares a bit better. All the cars were designed and used when speeds were low, traffic was light and people expected to slow down with the gears and only really use the brakes for the last bit of stopping. You should be able to get something respectable like 0.5 to 0.6 G, but only with a mighty shove on the pedal.
1936 was the changeover year between the ARQ Ruby and the ARR New Ruby. It would help to know which model you have, as various improvements and changes were made from one to the other. The car number (body number) should be on a plate on the passenger side of the battery box. Failing that, the ARR had more rounded window surrounds, deeper sides to the front wings and larger hubcaps (though the last two may have been swapped in its life !).
In case you haven't already seen it, there is an A7CA online resource where you can look at pdf copies of the owner's manual, chassis parts list and body parts list. These have illustrations which can help, as long as you allow for a bit of draughtsman's licence here and there. Here are some examples, you will have to find the exact version once you know your car model:
http://archive.a7ca.org/collections/hand...rts-lists/
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploa..._1400A.pdf
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1406.pdf
http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_1521.pdf
Regarding brakes, bear in mind that the Austin Seven grew in weight over the years, and although the brakes were progressively improved they sometimes didn't keep pace. The early ARQ Ruby is probably the least well braked of the models, the later ARR had a "Semi Girling" arrangement which fares a bit better. All the cars were designed and used when speeds were low, traffic was light and people expected to slow down with the gears and only really use the brakes for the last bit of stopping. You should be able to get something respectable like 0.5 to 0.6 G, but only with a mighty shove on the pedal.