What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[David Cochrane]

It's great to see the reults of all your hard work, and that you are enjoying driving the car again!

[Ivor Hawkins]

Eight Bob! That’s daylight robbery Andrew!

Great to see the Ruby back on the road @nd looking absolutely great, we’ll done old chap, that’s an epic achievement.

[andrew34ruby]

Eight Bob! That’s daylight robbery Andrew!

Great to see the Ruby back on the road @nd looking absolutely great, we’ll done old chap, that’s an epic achievement.

I can't remember how much the toll bridge cost when I first went over in 1961, but it was 3/- for a long time, then nearly twenty years ago it went from 3/- to 8/-. A couple of years ago the new owners wanted to put it up to 16/- but the government did not approve the application.

[Duncan Grimmond]

We lived for a while Tholthorpe and regularly had to use the Aldwark Bridge at 20pee a trip which went up a few years later. I also had a Norton 16H (ex. WD rigid frame with Roadholder forks!) at the time and IIRC there was no charge. Are motorcycles are still free?

[andrew34ruby]

We lived for a while Tholthorpe and regularly had to use the Aldwark Bridge at 20pee a trip which went up a few years later. I also had a Norton 16H (ex. WD rigid frame with Roadholder forks!) at the time and IIRC there was no charge. Are motorcycles are still free?

No, motorbikes over Aldwark toll bridge are 40 pence, same as a car.

[andrew34ruby]

Today we drove the Ruby to the car show at Ripon racecourse. A bit of a dissapointment. An awful lot of cars, but mainly from later years. A handful of pre-war cars, then a few from every decade. There were just two of us with sevens, an A35 saloon, A35 van, an A40 mk 2 Farina, and nearly a dozen Maestros and Montegos.   I think there were three Morris Minors. No 1100s.
   

[Andy Bennett]

Today we had a lovely drive out to the coast to support Druridge Bay Country Park as they revive a local show last seen pre Covid.
Trip home not so great. a few splutters up a slow hill. Then missing a cylinder and very low on power, then no power. Quick diagnosis was most likely head gasket. Ground to a hault on gentle incline on a road with no name in the middle of nowhere next to a farm sign.
   
RH to the rescue. Call made, they confirmed a few details, worked out which bit of Northuimberland we were stuck in, called back 10 minutes later to confirm who would be coming to the rescue. 10 minutes after that the garage calls to confirm eta of 40 minutes. Text arrives where I can watch recovery truck progesss. 40 minutes later they arrive and take great care loading. RH calls again to make sure they have arrived. 25 miles later and we are home. Quick compression test confirms 80 on 1 and 4 and nothing on 2 and 3. Head gasket, no water in cylinders so shouild be simple. RH calls again to make sure we are safe.
Bravo RH and Lionheart Garage.

[andrew34ruby]

Today we drove the Ruby to the car show at Ripon racecourse. A bit of a dissapointment. An awful lot of cars, but mainly from later years. A handful of pre-war cars, then a few from every decade. There were just two of us with sevens, an A35 saloon, A35 van, an A40 mk 2 Farina, and nearly a dozen Maestros and Montegos.   I think there were three Morris Minors. No 1100s.

Just to make it clear, driving my Ruby was not a disappointment, it was the car show that was a bit disappointing.

The Ruby was a delight to drive. After 5 months off the road for crash repairs I'm just getting back into the way of it. Fifty miles yesterday and thirty today.

Also, it definitely seemed to have a little bit more power on the way home today. Does a gentle sprinkle of rain make the difference? I think it does.

[David Stepney]

Andrew wrote: " Also, it definitely seemed to have a little bit more power on the way home today. Does a gentle sprinkle of rain make the difference? I think it does. "

Many years ago, a friend of mine with a Morris Eight reckoned his car went better in the rain and  the suggestion (very tongue in cheek, I might add) was that the rain being drawn into the carburettor turned into high pressure steam on combustion!

To return to the purpose of this thread, I took the Seven out to Llanuwchllyn at the other end of the lake to attend  the light railway's steam gala. It rained most of the time and, as it happened, I was the only classic car there. I did take photos of the proceedings, but seem to have mislaid the download lead for the Leica. so photos will be posted later.

To cap things off, the starter motor on the modern ceased to function this evening, so it looks as if the Seven will be my daily driver until I can procure and fit a new one.

The Landrover is currently off the road with gearbox problems, so, once again the Seven is last man standing.

Heigh ho.......

[JohnD]

The Scottish Austin Seven CLub had their "Eastern Expedition" - Based in Tayport Fife, the organsier had a few road runs over the weekend taking in many of Fifes great little single track roads. Sadly i couldnt make the whole weekend, but did manage to drop in on the stop at the Hill of Tarvit Mansion House for a catch up and photograph by the front door.