New Austin 7 owner - with much to learn!

[jpsmit]

Greetings, Just this week I brought home a 1930 Austin 7 tourer. It is a big big project. The previous owner drove it on his honeymoon (he turns 80 this summer) and brought it to Canada in a box after the fellow he left it with took it to pieces. It has been in pieces for many years. I have been interested in having a century old car for some time - 90 next year is pretty close. 

In addition to the 7 I have a 1976 MG Midget - my only runner. a 1970 Epic Envoy GT (Vauxhall Viva GT) that is really rare in Canada (I live in Toronto) It should be on the road this summer (please let it be so!) and a 1958 Fiat Multipla van in need of restoration. (It is also not lost on SWMBO that i only have a 2 car garage.)

So, it will probably be a while before I get to the car - which is a good thing as I have much to learn. The car is in rough shape and I think that many things will need to be remanufactured but, I am excited. Hoping to learn much on this site.

cheers and thanks for letting me register

John-Peter (JP)

[Mike Costigan]

Welcome to the Austin Seven world. That looks to be a rare and highly-desireable boat-tailed two seater - lucky you!

[Andy Bennett]

You're definitely going to need a new tyre or 3 to get it back on the road

Welcome and a lovely story
Andy

[JonE]

Oh, my, that's a pretty one! Have you still got the chassis and do you know about the boat-tail register?
There is an interesting thread elsewhere about some of the lost variants of your SWB 2 seater.

[Chris KC]

Welcome JP!

That will be a very nice little car if you are able to see it through to completion - do you have the chassis and engine?

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Nice to see you on here as well JP - here is the article I spoke to you about:

   

   

   

   

   

[Tony Betts]

Welcome,

We rescued and restored a boattail 3 to 4 years ago. It now lives in Wiltshire.

You have a lot of work to do there, but at least you some of the hard to find bits.

we had to search the world for the correct windscreen pillars.

And the windscreen is wider than normal, we had to reduce one from an austin 12 for the top rail.

There are around 45 cars on register, I'm sure thre will be others not on it.

Tony.

[Chris KC]

I remember being shown the remains of one of these on a farm in Wales some 40 years ago, it was buried in the ground so you could just see its outline from above. We left it there...

[jpsmit]

Thanks for the warm welcome! And thanks for the the article. (Especially the last picture - Bernard Griffiths car - I am encouraged .

Yes the car is complete. There is a chassis, two engines/transmissions/rearends/front axles. So, there is much sorting to do. The car was apparently found upside down in a field. The previous owner had to search for a windscreen & frame - and, found one, which I am told is lower than original - with the top adapted to match. Oh, and the mechanicals seem to be in much better nick than the body.

I am aware of the register but am not exactly sure where it is - there is a chance this is already in the register - it is registered somewhere.

Interestingly, MY Viva GT is one of 4606 - of which about 65 survive. They only came to Canada for a year - we don't know how many but maybe a couple hundred? I am aware of 5 in the country. (actually 4 as one went to New Zealand - so apparently I am drawn to orphans.

In 2016 we went to Iceland/Shetland/Britain for a celebration trip - and, went to Beaulieu for a day - the day of the Austin 7 show there. Didn't get to see much as we didn't realize it was happening until people were packing up but, what lovely cars! It was amazing.

[Mark-and-Kim]

WOW, thats a nice project. Hope you have a tone of fun putting it back were it belongs.

Regards
Mark