What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[JonE]

I wonder what the material is on that panel that holds the check strap. It doesnt have the same embossing as on the leathercloth to either side of it?

[Reckless Rat]

Glorious weather here today so took the opportunity for a run round in the RP, as rain is on the way for the weekend. I decided to have a run up to the little chapel at Courry, in the Ardèche.  The track is signed "not for motor vehicles" and really should only be tackled in a decent 4x4 or an Austin Seven... The chapel was built by the villagers in 1722 to thank St Sebastien and the Big Yin for saving them from the plague. The chapel, as seen from the road...





There was a somewhat surprised pic-nicker at the top when I rolled up in the Austin. He had parked his SUV at the bottom!

[dickie65]

I have Knocked all the brass tappet guides out of my welded up Nippy Block ready to go on the works surface grinder.
The block has been repaired by Laser welding.
All the valve seats have been rebuilt ready for re cutting and a hole into the valve chest from one cylinder has been welded up ready to be re bored.
I might see if the bores can be done on one of the big CNC mills with a flycutter.

This work would not be worthwhile on a normal block but genuine Austin Sports parts are worth repairing.

[David Stepney]

I don't kow if anyone else has had this problem, but, ever since I fitted Rubbolite indicators to my car now almost three years ago, I have been plagued by poor connections between the bulbs and the holders. It always seemed to me that the holders were just a bit too big for the bulbs and the cutouts for the pins didn't seem to be deep enough to stop the bulbs from 'falling over' on the connector pin at the bottom. I tried various ploys to try and get the holders to grip the bulbs better, but nothing worked. I did think of replacing the lamps with some reproduction Lucas L281 amber lamps from Paul Beck, but at £50.00 each, they are very expensive! Matter came to a head a couple of weeks ago, when I was nearly rear-ended  when turning right because the offside rear indicator had failed to function properly. So, something had to be done. Accordingly, I did an bit of a web search and found some suitable bulb holders from AES at 4 quid each. On the basis of nothing ventured, nothing gained, I ordered four and these arrived this week and I spent yesterday morning fitting them. They are deeper than the original Rubbolite brass holders and fit the rubber outer covers well. They also hold the bulbs tightly. I now have reliable flashing indicators!

The other problem that I have addressed is my rear brakes. After I relined my brakes about five thousand miles ago, I have had one or two of the linings crack and I have already had to replace the front linings because of this problem. When I examined the brakes at the recent 10K service, I found that one rear lining had cracked and so I have fitted new linings (from a different supplier) to the rear brakes, replacing the wheel bearing retaining nuts and tab washers at the same time, as both nuts looked as if the had been chewed off in the past.

I have also fitted two new rear tyres, which after some 7000 miles were well worn, whilst the fronts are still perfectly serviceable. I have noticed that the fronts have worn more on the outside edges that the inside, no doubt due to the front axle's negative camber, so i have also turned the tyres round on the rims to even things up a bit,

Having done all this work, and the car not having been out for a fortnight,  I took the little car out for road test despite the inclement weather (it has rained all day today). I had occasion to go to Bont Newydd near Dolgellau this morning and from there I retraced my steps and then went over the mountains to Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant  via the Llangynog to feed the horses. I covered a total of 75 miles and I am happy to report that all was well. The indicators work reliably, the brakes stop the car smartly and the car handled well given the wet weather and the cross winds which always unsettle it.

[Hedd_Jones]

I have found most repro electrical equipment is total shite David. 

I bought some repro rubber divers helmets for the chummy as the lenses had all fallen out of the originals which were rotten. Though I didnt actually bother trying, I do not believe that the bulbholders could have been made to work as supplied as it seemed impossible to get the cables in passed the gland etc. 

I cleaned the mud off the old bits and suitably checked just fitted them to the new rubber. 

I'm also in the process of replacing the guts of some repro pork pies. The bulbholders have been in the pain in the arse since they were bought new.

[David Stepney]

Hedd, I think that i would share your view if the lamps had been 'repro'. However, they are not. They are designed to be side marker lamps on commercial trailers. At work, we have used Rubbolite lamps before, most recently on a total rear end rewire of a big Mercedes horse box and these have proved very satisfactory. Rubbolite are UK made and clearly of good quality manufacture. Its the design that appears wrong and that is why I was so disappointed.

[AustinWood]

If the front tyres are wearing on the outside then the track is probably toe'd in too much.

[David Stepney]

If the front tyres are wearing on the outside then the track is probably toe'd in too much.

The tracking is correct. If the toe in was wrong, there would be feathering of the tread and there is none. I used to have exactly the same problem with my Metro Turbo, but on the inside of the tyre because of the negative camber on the front. I think that the problem so far as the Seven goes lies in the fact that modern roads are wider and less cambered than they were in the '30's.

[AustinWood]

I've never had that problem in many years/miles of Seven driving.

[David Stepney]

Jim, I'm sorry if my previous reply seemed a little on the terse side. I am the proud owner of a set of ancient Dunlop optical tracking gauges and checking the track from time to time is not a problem. The last time I checked it was 300 miles ago on service and it was just a shade less than 1/8" toe in (hence my diagnosis). As you will be aware, the track adjustment on a Seven is somewhat coarse which, coupled with the fact that there is inevitable 'runout' on the wheels makes getting it exactly right a bit of a work of art. I work on the basis that anywhere between parallel and 1/8 in will do. And, yes, I do check with wheels for runout. However, I shall check the toe-in again, quite possibly this weekend.