What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Steve Jones]

40 odd each way run to Curborough to watch the VSCC playing.  Lots of Austin Sevens. 2 miles from home the Chummy started to lose power.  Cup of tea later I went to investigate. Nothing wrong.  I think it was overcome by the heat. I suppose at 92 years old you can forgive it.

Didn't see you there, Alan. Hope you didn't witness my 'Two Wheel Trevor' moment on T1  Thought I might have got away with Mrs. J finding out (she doesn't like me doing things like that) but elder Daughter got the photos!

Never felt quite 'on it' all day. The new gearing makes it a very different car but I still did a PB (just). I think the IoM next week and the need not to break the car was always in the back of my mind. Dan beat me by 0.16 seconds but his wasn't a PB. He admitted to short-shifting on his last run - the IoM factor again. We're double entered on all three hillclimbs there as well so we're looking at the equivalent of 8 events in 8 days.

Steve

[Alan]

Steve, what you need to do is let her drive it, too. When Judy started driving, we went from “be careful won’t you?” To “why won’t it go any faster?” In about three meetings.

[David Stepney]

Went up to my friend Jim's garage at Penybryn near Wrexham this morning to beg his assistance in fitting my new windscreen seals. Had huge fun as we discovered that the windscreen was about 1/16th inch short all the way round and had been fitted to the frame with small wooden packing pieces.

On the way there, called in at a garage on the A5 at Glyndyfrdwy to fill up. Got 500 yards up the road and the car petered out. Turned out to be a vapour lock in the carb feed pipe.

Noticed that someone has written  "Cofiwch Dryweryn" on a wall in the last few days. For those that don't know,  in 1957 a deeply controversial private act was passed to allow Liverpool City Council to build a dam in the Tryweryn valley, between Bala and Trawsfynydd, flooding the historic village of Capel Celyn The dam was finally finished in 1965. It appears that old wounds run deep even after 60 years!. Had to take a photo of it on the way back. FG can be seen lurking just to the right of the writing, but the contrast was a bit much for the camera.

Came back through Corwen, so I had to couple the writing on the wall with the statue of Owain Glyndwr in the town.

I was hoping to get FG next to the statue, but there was a bl**dy Renault in the way!!!

[Davemayle]

I took my daughter for a run out in the special this afternoon and she loved it! She found it amazing at all the thumbs up and waves you get. 
https://youtu.be/b4kUkLn9C3Y

Dave

[Hedd_Jones]

David, 

Its very nice to see a blue box saloon back travelling the roads I grew up travelling in my mothers blue box saloon. I courted a girl in Corwen briefly. 

In Market Drayton, I've had grey box out on friday, mainly to make sure it the oil levels are fine as it is to be my conveyance to work on Tuesday while my Mondeo is in dock for a pre MOT inspection, which may well be its death sentence. But we will see.  But we did venture to Hinstock for lunch on the playing field while daughter got rid of some energy on the playground. So hot that we had to run with the screen open. When we got back I got the Chummy out and did the same oil level check etc. Also the obligatory lap round town with the daughter as passenger.



Yesterday we ventured out in the Chummy, this time to Attingham Park for a jolly and a picnic. A direct if rather rural route was taken via my shed at Bolas Heath, Waters Upton, Roden and Upton Magna. We got stopped by a man in a van to tell me I had a wobbly wheel, but I could feel no play at the time, It also conked out twice with what I think was a vapour lock as when I took the top off the carb petrol flowed freely again. Despite the weather it was a bit fresh on the journey there.

On stopping at Attingham, a further investigation of the wheel showed there was play, probably in the wheel bearing. Hey ho. Also some but less in the other rear wheel bearing



Despite the concern about the 'wobbly wheel' we had a super run back home via the A53 with no further fuel issues. Other than when I stalled it in town, and had to get out to crank the handle (car not wired - no starter). Oddly I could again find no play in the rear wheel bearings when I got home. Very odd. Ill take the hub off to investigate soon. I think I shall also wrap the exhaust to see if it improves the fuel issue. Timing is right, and its deffinatley not running lean as its a bit greedy on the fuel front. Also leaks oil out of the jet cleaning out hole bungs in the crankcase.  Warmer journey home in shirt sleeves.



Today we had a day of washing clothes. But I got the RP out, which hasnt really done many miles since I changed the head. Checked the fluids etc. The daughter (whos car this is) rang me up while I was filling up with petrol to instruct me to return back to get her a she wanted a ride. So we went on an unsuccessfull run to Betron to see my mate Neil (who has a traction engine) but wasnt there. Also gave it a wash as the wife was cleaning her car (a 2003 Beetle). Standing about a month it hasnt lost a drop of antifreeze, nor is there any oil in the coolant despite a few short journeys (the issue with the previous head). So tomorrow we are off to Kinver for a look round the houses built into the caves. Should be a nice 100mile round trip. The sunshine roof will come into its own I think. The 4 bladed fan I hope will keep temperatures down. 

[David Stepney]

Hedd,

It's nice to see TH4219 looking so well and (it appears) going well too.

David.

[Steve kay]

Our concept of a temperate climate is somewhat challenged by 4 degrees at Silverstone, and then 23 degrees at Curborough six days later. Apologies to Sevens for being far too busy talking to snap any moments of excitement, and yes, some three wheel Sevens certainly were observed! What was interesting was watching at the recently resurfaced section towards the end of the Shenstone Straight, just as the track turns towards the end. Short wheelbase cars seemed to have no problems, Seven drivers might comment, but long wheel base machines could become subject to some serious harmonics, leading to bounce and sometimes wheels nearly leaving the surface.

[Roland Alcock]

Took the mag engined Chummy to the pub. Nothing unusual.
Came out, eventually, went to start it on the handle after tickling the carb. 
Throttle set to marginally open. 

A half hearted cough from the engine telling me that no matter what, it’s not going to start on the handle.

 Hey ho, went to use the self starter - zilch. Uh? I only charged the battery a couple of days ago. Battery almost flat.  The cackling locals gathered to give a push start. 

I thought, maybe the engine is flooded. Set hand throttle to full, swung the handle angrily and blow me it fired straight up. Quick rush round to bring the hand throttle down. 

I am astonished it started by hand on full throttle. 

New battery ordered from Tanya now. 

Roly

[Hedd_Jones]

My chummy (coil) isnt wired. So despite having a starter I cant use it. Once warm it wouldn't start without Mrs Jones holding the throttle fairly open (no spring thingy on the column levers). Usually it starts fine as adjusted. The plus side is as soon as i worked this out, it started first swing every time. I put it down to the weather. 

The RP got its run out today. Didnt miss a beat with a good bit of 50mph running, particularly on the way home on the A41. Im guessing it liked the humid air despite the moderate temperature. 

I also found the side exit exhaust useful today. Parked up in the field at Dudmaston hall. The old dear who followed us in parked un neccasarily close. So close she couldnt open her door fully. But then left it open while she fetched her shoes from the boot, and had a chat with her mate. All while my wife is waiting patiently to get out (she couldnt open the door). I waited until the old dear sat back in her drivers seat and leaned over to undo her laces before I fired the box up with a bit of choke and blew some nice petrol rich smoke straight at her. I then moved the car over a couple of foot so the wife could get out.

[David Stepney]

Had a bit of a lazy day today. Took FG over to feed the horses and my pal's sheep and then stopped at some forestry on the way back to give Llew the dog a run and a sniff. Changed the fuel filter which seems to have cures the tendency to vapour lock

Discovered that the cutout was doing silly things on 'Summer Charge' setting so spent an hour or so this afternoon cleaning the points and resetting it.