What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Roland Alcock]

Preparing for week away next week with Hereford Austin Seven Club annual trip. Not going too far, Mold in North Wales. A reasonable base for striking out in different directions each day. The pile is slightly smaller than last year, none of which was required at that time! Still one never knows....


Roly

[David Stepney]

The weather, having been somewhat inclement over the last several days my RP saloon has been hiding in the garage. Today was warm and dry, although it had rained overnight, and I decided to take this little car the 30 miles to work for a decent run. Left work at about 6.30pm and the heavens opened!

Just got in from the garage having had to leather the car down.

[Tony Griffiths]

Preparing for week away next week with Hereford Austin Seven Club annual trip. Not going too far, Mold in North Wales. A reasonable base for striking out in different directions each day. The pile is slightly smaller than last year, none of which was required at that time! Still one never knows....


Roly

It's perhaps worth remembering that an A7 in decent, standard, unmodified condition can be very reliable. Fifty years ago a group of us used to take our Austins on extended tours of France and carried just a simple tool kit. We took no spares whatsoever, not even a set of points, and the tool kits remained unopened. Were we lucky? Possibly, but it never entered our heads to do otherwise as the cars were generally in daily use and clocking up a considerable mileage. Of course, we maintained them well and that perhaps was the secret. The only relief at the end of a long journey was that the crankshaft had remained in one piece.... I recall a similar jaunt in Mike Costigan's 12/4; do you know, I'm convinced we had just an adjustable spanner and a screwdriver with us - if that.

[David.H]

Found the chassis number (52689) stamped on the transmission tunnel of the AD. And the awful state of the handbrake pivots etc!

[Parazine]

It's usually the serial number of the body stamped on the transmission tunnel. There are different series of numbers for toureres and saloons. The early cars didn't carry the prefix (e.g. RM, RL, RP) that is found on later cars.

[Chris KC]

Good point and well made Tony. The secret to reliable running is to de-tune and drive often. Once you have found and fixed the weaknesses the car will go on forever - or at least you'll know which bits to carry.
Some of my overseas trips have been 3000 miles plus but very few spares were taken - just basics like ignition parts and radiator hoses. And I'd love to have a fiver for every car that's driving around with a spare half-shaft, CWP or bearing set that doesn't actually fit their car!

[David.H]

The body number on the scuttle plate is A5 6098, Chassis no also on the Chassis!
My 1932 AG has "AG 1357" on the tunnel & not the chassis number - which is on the Chassis! The scuttle plates are pretty illegible!

[Mike Costigan]

It's usually the serial number of the body stamped on the transmission tunnel. There are different series of numbers for toureres and saloons. The early cars didn't carry the prefix (e.g. RM, RL, RP) that is found on later cars.

My early 1931 RM has the RM prefix and the body number, but from my experience earlier cars, certainly 1929 and earlier, usually have the car number or chassis number but not a body number.

[JonE]

The secret to reliable running is to de-tune and drive often. 

On my cheapchummy which is to be sold, I recently took off the (fabulous) Ricardo and replaced the stock LC head, and it was interesting that the exhaust immediately got drier and less oily - presumably with the reduction in (unrestored) engine pressure generally.

I have found a tunnel body number on a late 26 R Saloon.

I'm intrigued about chassis numbers on front axle beam tops. I've found them on early but haven't got one on my '29. Any thoughts?

[Howard Wright]

Hi All

I kept her indoors very amused this afternoon as I pondered the body lines for my new special.  I'm surprised that the picture is clear given the giggles and camera shake occurring as she took this pic!!!!

Cheers

Howard