What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Hedd_Jones]

This evening, as well as messing with the handbrake again, I have been playing musical carburetors.

Somehow I must have bent the needle valve on the Chummy carb so we either conked out, or flooded the petrol station (which didn't go down that well). So its been running on the carb robbed of my RL.

Last week I finally sent the dicky carb to Steve Hodgson (who rebuilt both of these 10 years or so apart), it was back within a week with a bill less than I am about to spend on the wife for Valentines day tomorrow. Top job.



10 minuite job, car started and idled literally on the first pull. So once i've sorted the handbrake on the chummy I can get the RL back on the road.

[andrew34ruby]

   

Not so cold out today so managed to do a few hours cleaning various bits for a batch of painting.

Wondering what to do with this battery-box lid. Could straighten it and paint, but leave the plywood. Or a new piece of plywood. Or on the other hand it's not essential so could get the car on the road and worry about bits like this later.

[Nigel Ricardo]

Had the hood done on my Pearl by Cut n Cover at Milborne St Andrew, excellent job and £450 fully fitted, I was quoted £1500 by a trimmer in Poole.

[Stephen Barker]

Finally had a run in the Pearl with a refurbished engine.Been off the road for over a year after the original engine decided to snap a little end bolt with disastrous results to piston,block and crankcase.Joy to be back on the road.

Stephen

[squeak]

After sorting through engine blocks in my collection and others, I have come up with 3 examples that are unsleeved and close to standard bore. I have stripped them of all valve gear, welsh plugs and studs, sadly many studs have sheared. I have given up on picking the old threads out  and made up a couple of drilling jigs to facilitate helicoil insertion.  My aim is to have 1 block that will cleanup to plus 20 thou for the new pistons I have. I was taken by surprise today to find one of the 3 blocks has CHROMIDIUM cast onto it with a 9E stamping so lets hope that one passes muster.

[John Mason]

If you have the Woodrow red book it shows how to make a couple of drill guides that uses the head  on the remaing  studs to drill out broken studs. I have done a couple of studs using this method successfully  a few years ago..

John Mason

[Derek Simmons]

"Ruby Austin" is now home following major 'heart' surgery! Today I took her out for a 20 mile run over the sunny Sussex roads to build up the running-in mileage and it's good to see she's no longer 'smoking'!   Now going to re-connect the tachometer then go for a night run to test the LED lights!

[Dave Mann]

I was given a complete 3 speed ball change gearbox yesterday and put it on my lathe for a spin test, it's a good job my lathe has a flat belt drive, it slipped because the box was in first and second. Stripped the box to find the 22 tooth lay shaft gear was back to front so second couldn't be disengaged. All back together now.

[agmatthews]

Today I confirmed that I need a new steering arm.
Some paint stripping, cleaning, then dye penetration testing on the old arm confirms a wee crack.
Grrrr....
   
   

[andrew34ruby]

Today, cleaned up even more bits and pieces, dipped in phosphoric acid for a couple of hours and rinsed before her indoors dried them all for me with tea towels. Ready to paint when fully dry. Also stripped paint off the 1934 front number plate. A pressed plate, cleaned up nicely, but the faces of the digits are heavily pitted. Wondered about painting the letters a very pale grey.