New Kid on the Block

[David Stepney]

   
   
   

After posting in Groaner's Corner, (which would probably be the appropriate place for me!) and following Timothy P's advice, I shall introduce myself.

I am David Stepney and live in Bala. After not owning a Seven for about 35 years, I have bought myself a 1933 RP saloon to replace my Porsche 944 which was (a) becoming eye-wateringly expensive to maintain and (b) I could no longer get into and out of it with any dignity.

The reason why I bought my Seven is rather an odd coincidence, so I shall start at the beginning.

When dinosaurs roamed Cardiganshire (in the 60's) and I was an apprentice motor mechanic, I bought a fairly disreputable RP saloon the registration number of which was TH4219 which conveyed me to and from college for about two years until I fell in love with an equally disreputable Daimler Conquest. I sold the Seven to a friend of mine who was a body repair lad who said he wanted to restore it and that was that.

I had kept a lot of spares including a 'high' chassis and in about 1979/80, built myself a special which I then sold in '83/84 to buy a Riley Adelphi.

About two years ago, I was doing a bit of shopping one summer evening in Bala when I saw an Austin 7 parked outside the Coop, so I went to have a look. Imagine my surprise to see that it was TH4219 looking very much better that the last time I had seen it. I didn't get to speak to the owner, but it set me thinking about another Austin Seven.And now I have got one.

It was first registered in Fife on 4th July 1933 and, by doing a bit of detective work with Wyatt, it appears that it was probably built during the first two weeks of June. It was then bought by someone in Altringham in 1968 and restored in the early seventies but had been in dry storage since 1994. It had been got running when I went to see it and after arranging insurance and tax, I got my grand-daughter to drive me up in my  'modern' to collect it. Bearing in mind that the car had not been run in anger for 25years, we stuffed my car with tools, petrol, oil and just about everything I could think of that i might need in coaxing an 85 year old car the 70 miles from Altringham to home. In fact, the only thing we used was the petrol, the little car behaving itself very well on the way back.

It's not without it's faults. It's definitely an 'older restoration' but is eminently presentable. The clutch had to be replaced as it tended to slip  on the hills around here, and I have had the fuel tank professionally cleaned and sealed. The rear axle is noisy, the gearbox rattles and the rear main grumbles  but nothing that can't be fixed and the car is still perfectly useable. In fact, I took it to Dollgellau today to collect my new glasses. a round trip of about 35 miles.

here are a couple of photos:

[Dave Wortley]

David,
It looks a good ‘un. Very useable.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Hedd_Jones]

David. You could have bought one in a different colour!.

Father bought it for my mum in 1980 or 81. Its now my daughters. We have a small collection here in Shropshire (plus another hung off the roof)



I suspect your encounter in Bala will have been a little longer ago than you think. It lived in Ruthin.

I like your RP.

[Timothy P]

Once again welcome along David.
Your new RP looks great, and it sounds like it's been a good return to sevening.
Great to hear about your car history too. Nice bit of coincidence there!

[David Stepney]

How lovely to see TH4219 again, Hedd! When I first bought it (in about 1967or8), it had been painted lilac in household paint, and the rear portion of the sunshine roof simply wasn't there. I repaired the roof with some plywood and black rexine, and painted it Oxford blue and black in Tekaloid. My then boss sorted the axle eyes out as the front wheels were virtually hanging off and we got the brakes to work. And I had driven it from Rubery, near Birmingham to Lampeter like that! It took about a week of evenings to get it presentable and through an MOT (we knew the tester). My boss even persuaded the indicators to work! I had it for about two years. The last time I saw it in Bala, it still had its luggage rack. It's good to know it has survived and is being cherished.

[Hedd_Jones]

Though it has been painted since. Its always been this colour as long as ive known it. Nearly 40 years.

It threw a rod when I was 3. Holed the crankcase. The resultant rebuild included a totally new floor. And a new sun roof. Its been on the road off an on since 1990.

[David Stepney]

I had three engines for the car, as, with all the enthusiasm of youth, I wrecked engines with depressing regularity. On one occasion, I came back from Aberystwyth with the towrope lashed round the engine as I had pulled all the block retaining studs out of the top of the crankcase.
On a trip round Devon, the luggage rack fell off and took the petrol tank with it. A local blacksmith welded it all back together again and charged me £2 10 shillings.
It also 'fell over' in the New Forest four up plus two large dogs. I was following a friend's Rover 12 at the time as he knew where the campsite was. It didn't do a lot of damage. Just the drivers window and door handle. There was only one casualty, me! One of the dogs bit me as the car went over.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Croeso David!

Loving the link with Hedd's car, great start!

[Tom the Blacksmith]

There was only one casualty, me! One of the dogs bit me as the car went over.

Love it David  , can't beat those kind of stories, and welcome aboard!

Tom

[Hedd_Jones]

Croeso David!

Loving the link with Hedd's car, great start!

Not mine, Nerys'

David, here it is as purchased, this is about 1982, but before dad put it on 19's. Is this your paint, or a subsequent owners?. I recall it was 'bought' off John Colley. I seem to remember £400 being mentioned.  But I know A Willys Jeep with a land rover engine, and a written off 1303S Beetle went the other way as part of the deal.

Last I heard from John Colley he was in Cardiff. He may well be known to some on here.