What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Chris KC]

Jays, are you using leather needles?

These too do break but less often than standard fabric needles.

[AustinWood]

I removed the trim over the rear wheel arches to prepare for renovation of the rear mudguards.
Also replaced the single fixing bolt directly over the rear wheel and replaced it with 2 spaced apart. The bolt was effectively the limit stop for the rear and caused a very loud screech if the tyre hit it. Only happened twice.

[andrew34ruby]

   

Another 20 miles in the seven today. Now done 137 miles since total re-build. Is it run in yet?

[Ivor Hawkins]

A fair few miles to go yet Andrew! Still a lovely looking car and excellent to see you are getting out and about in it, which will give everything the chance to settle in, like the brakes, the clutch, plus of course the motor.

I’ve only been driving Sevens for fifty years, so I have limited experience compared to some on this forum, but I find the more you drive them, the happier they are...

[Robin Oldfield]

Next job was to get all the wiring finished on the 1934 tourer.  Electrics have never been my strongest area but things were going well when this photo was taken and I soon had all lights working except for the flashers.  These worked erratically and after a lot of fiddling got to the stage where the flasher lights worked but the tell-tale buzzer was a continuous sound.  I think the problems are caused by having LEDs at the rear and conventional bulbs at the front, and I probably need a different kind of flasher unit.  Any ideas gratefully received.
   

[MartinH]

Not a good idea to mix led and conventional bulbs  on the indicators. The filament in an incandescent bulb provides a leakage to earth that will needs diodes to allow the leds on the same circuit. The leds also require a low current flasher unit so you really can't mix them. Get an led flaher unit and fit led bulbs all round.

[Reckless Rat]

I echo what Ivor has said about running in. I put 500 miles on the rebuilt engine on the RP before I tackled the Camino, which was a 2000 mile round trip. I had fresh oil in after 150 miles, then again at 300, and again before setting off. I changed it again in the hotel car park in Santiago and again when I got home. During the run I was cruising at 45-50mph, but just letting the car find its sweet spot without pushing it hard, particularly when climbing.The car is now running really well with virtually no oil consumption, so take your time, keep the oil clean and you'll reap the benefits later. A magnetised sump plug is a good idea.

[Bob Culver]

Pour the used oil through a filter.

[Robin Oldfield]

Not a good idea to mix led and conventional bulbs  on the indicators. The filament in an incandescent bulb provides a leakage to earth that will needs diodes to allow the leds on the same circuit. The leds also require a low current flasher unit so you really can't mix them. Get an led flaher unit and fit led bulbs all round.

That's the conclusion I had come to.  Thanks for confirmation.

[MartinH]

If you have an indicator warning bulb on the switch or dash that needs to be changed or protected too!  I took ages to realise this was causing my left indicators to echo the right and vice versa.