Joined: Sep 2019 Posts: 17 Threads: 6
Reputation:
0
Location: Devon
Hi my names Aaron and I’ve recently acquired an Austin 7 special. It’s an unfinished project that has been untouched for a few years! It has a Roach rtc body and I believe is based on a 1934 ruby.
My first (of I’m sure many) questions relates to the body. How difficult is it to polish the aluminium body? Or am I better off painting it? I have no intentions of doing trials just local shows and driving around the moor on sunny days!
Many thanks
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 725 Threads: 38
Reputation:
12
Location: Herefordshire
Hi Aaron and welcome to the world of Austin Sevens! It sounds as though you must be fond of hard work. My '33 RP saloon is still a working car and is lucky if it gets a cursory wash every two years, so my knowledge of polishing anything is minimal. Have fun with the special and don't worry about how it looks!
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,748 Threads: 31
Reputation:
95
Location: Auckland, NZ
10-02-2020, 11:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-02-2020, 12:29 AM by Bob Culver.)
The Williams specials book is a book of its time and best regarded simply as inspiration. In its day Sevens were worth little, parts were abundant and cheap, and keeping up with other traffic was the overriding objective. At the time little other technical advice was available, esp outside of Club circles. Much of the advice is dubious and there are many errors. Club sites, advertisers sites, Woodrow and here now more appropriate.
OOps! Wrong post. Intended for the chamfer enquiry but possibly appropriate here anyway.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 418 Threads: 19
Reputation:
2
My first car was a Cambridge special in polished Aluminium — I remember using tubes of stuff called solvol autosol. It produced a lovely shine which lasted about three days. In the end I settled for a more relaxed solution — not bothering to polish it.
If you are happy with that I would suggest leaving it unpainted. This might suit the RTC body as it does the Cambridge.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,394 Threads: 106
Reputation:
28
Location: Darkest Bedfordshire
I'm definitely in the 'can't be bothered' camp when it comes to polishing!! I like the well-used look.
Joined: Sep 2019 Posts: 17 Threads: 6
Reputation:
0
Location: Devon
Hi thanks for the responses i think I may need to revisit the idea of painting it! That polished bonnet does look really good but if it is going to need constant polishing maybe it will need a little to much time!
Thanks again
Aaron
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 882 Threads: 48
Reputation:
4
Location: North Wiltshire
Car type: 1927 Chummy, 1938 Big Seven 1/2 a Trials Chummy
11-02-2020, 06:18 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-02-2020, 06:19 PM by Parazine.)
If you're in Devon, the Bristol and Cornwall clubs will be at the Beggars Roost campsite near Lynton as usual over the second bank holiday weekend in May and for the week after. Usually an eclectic mix of cars and some steep hills to keep us on our toes!
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 5,443 Threads: 231
Reputation:
67
Location: Scotchland
Welcome to the Forum Aaron.
Have you considered a brushed finish on the bare aluminium using Scotch Brite? Arguably harder to do than polishing the surface but, if done well, looks the biz!
