new Nippy owner

[Jason Franzone]

It may be a bitzer, but I’d happily own it! Lovely car. Looks to be mostly triumph.

More importantly, I noticed you have a Kingswood Ute! What made you buy a good old Aussie classic?

[circeonya@hotmail.com]

I can't see anything relating to a pre war Austin Seven except the Scuttle perhaps?. Looks like part of an Austin Seven pay have been popped onto a donor custom made chassis, the Sprite was a monoque and this rear end is half eliptic springs, were'nt the Sprites quarter eliptic ? Anyway Ralph have fun with it, the engineering is much more modern than our Austin Sevens, and there is some relationship with the engine to the post war Austin Seven.

[Stuart Giles]

The front suspension looks to be Sprite/Midget. Back axle could be too.

Certainly looks like Sprite front suspension and rack. The 10CC prefix engine number indicates that it the 2" main bearing motor unique to the Mk 3 sprite/Mk 2 Midget. These motors are robust, not easy to get hold of the main bearing shells (inserts) these days; big ends are the same as other 'small bore' A series motors. There are plenty of alternative final drive ratios for the A series rear axle ( rear end) from 5.25: to 3.7 as factory options and an aftermarket 3.5:1 also if your current gearing seems off.

If your correct dipstick 'depth to full' is still a mystery, let me know and I'll measure one that I have here.

[Tony Press]

No more an Austin Seven than an A 30 or Morris Minor. 

Interesting but a modern special.

[dickie65]

The rear wings ( Fenders ) are the correct shape for a Nippy as is the Scuttle section. The front wings ( Fenders ) look to be from an Austin Bantam.
You can see the original outline of the under bonnet scuttle side which has been extented forwards.
It would have started life as either a Nippy or US built version. There is enough of the original bodywork left to be recognisable.
The cockpit has been cut back, the spare wheel compartment made larger, the door openings have been opened out at the front. ( anyone that owns a Nippy will know why ) the scuttle forwards has been lengthened as well.
Its a great Hybrid Bitsa which has been well thought out but not so well finished off.

What else do you do with a knackered old sportscar that has broken its back with a broken engine. and probably a crashed Healey Sprite.
You have a great basis for finishing as you wish and making an Austin Special. A lot worse has been done to these little cars in the past.

It might be the chassis and engine went into a 750 motor club special and you have got the bodywork which was saved from the scrap man.
Can you post a photo or two of the underneathe of the car to see if any original chassis remains.

[Ralph Miller]

It may be a bitzer, but I’d happily own it! Lovely car. Looks to be mostly triumph.

More importantly, I noticed you have a Kingswood Ute! What made you buy a good old Aussie classic?

The rear wings ( Fenders ) are the correct shape for a Nippy as is the Scuttle section. The front wings ( Fenders ) look to be from an Austin Bantam.
You can see the original outline of the under bonnet scuttle side which has been extented forwards.
It would have started life as either a Nippy or US built version. There is enough of the original bodywork left to be recognisable.
The cockpit has been cut back, the spare wheel compartment made larger, the door openings have been opened out at the front. ( anyone that owns a Nippy will know why ) the scuttle forwards has been lengthened as well.
Its a great Hybrid Bitsa which has been well thought out but not so well finished off.

What else do you do with a knackered old sportscar that has broken its back with a broken engine. and probably a crashed Healey Sprite.
You have a great basis for finishing as you wish and making an Austin Special. A lot worse has been done to these little cars in the past.

It might be the chassis and engine went into a 750 motor club special and you have got the bodywork  which was saved from the scrap man.
Can you post a photo or two of the underneathe of the car to see if any original chassis remains.

I am hoping to get some time on the brakes, as thats pretty much next, so will get some pics when she's on the stands.

A fellow asked about the ute, that was my first car some 37 years ago and I do not tend to part with things I like. When my parents moved from aus to the US 6 years back we packed it in the container.

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So it seems like my Nippy bitzer is very little Nippy. I actually feel somewhat like an interloper on this site. 

I am going to need a couple of era parts though. The most obvious to me at this point is the clips that hold the "bonnet sides" in place. That likely is not what they are called

I am wondering if there is a source for these. Thoughts?

[Stuart Giles]

Austin Sevens (certainly the touring models) used this type of bonnet catch:

https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/p...ng-fitting

There are a few variations in mounting type, essentially they look like the one in the link.

[Ralph Miller]

       

I was looking at these fellows. Let me guess .....off a Sprite?

[Jeff Taylor]

A wide variety of non Austin 7 bonnet catches and of course many other parts are available from Vintage Supplies Ltd here in the UK - link below.

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/catego...nnet-catch

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/categories

[Stuart Giles]

I was looking at these fellows. Let me guess .....off a Sprite?

Difficult to be sure from the photos, but they look like a quarter turn fastener of some kind -Google "Dzus fasteners" for some other examples if you're not familiar with this type of catch.