What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Steve kay]

Slightly contrived but none-the-less true, when I was twelve I operated a horse-drawn mower-binder under-age in a Thornton-le-Dale wheat-field.
Septuple hyphen?
I'll get me coat...

Horse dawn mower? When I were a lad, the landowner would turn up at the workhouse and get a dozen ten year olds to pull the mower. Out of the kindness of his heart, he'd often give them a double ration of gruel at the end of the day. As for coats, the orphanage had three coats to be shared by twelve kids. Mind you, that's all changed. The landowner's grandson is in the current cabinet, and all the work on his estates is done by agency workers for £1.80 per hour.

[sparkeysprite]

I took my little tourer out for the first time this year in the first of a planned build up of "confidence mileage" in preparation for the drive to the centenary..  Unfortunately it also did a lot of spluttering and conking out, but between breakdowns it climbed a few decent hills.  I think the poor running was a little dirt in the carb which is now clean..[attachment=17359]

[Duncan Grimmond]

The horse-drawn binder was actually converted to fit to a tractor draw-bar but I was sitting in the saddle-seat with three grut-big operating levers and I'd been shown how to tie the knot one the next ball when it came to running out of binder-twine. It was a morning I'll never forget with a harvest picnic lunch brought by the redoubtable Maude Avison.
In the afternoon I helped to make stooks with the shaffs. The following year (1964) they had a combine harvester, IIRC the first one in the village.

[Tony Griffiths]

The horse-drawn binder was actually converted to fit to a tractor draw-bar but I was sitting in the saddle-seat with three grut-big operating levers and I'd been shown how to tie the knot one the next ball when it came to running out of binder-twine. It was a morning I'll never forget with a harvest picnic lunch brought by the redoubtable Maude Avison.
In the afternoon I helped to make stooks with the shaffs. The following year (1964)  they had a combine harvester, IIRC the first one in the village.

[Alan]

Just had a drive of a 32 Tourer. It’s the first time I’ve driven one since Stuart’s, and that was in the 70s. I’d forgotten how nice they are.

[Malcolm Parker]

I needed some shopping from Thirsk so I took the RL saloon.   It went much better than when I had it out two weeks ago, probably because it was a much warmer day. I couldn't resist using a lovely white road just outside the village where I live.        

[Hedd_Jones]

Malcolm, very nice. When I restored by RL I wanted to paint it black. I had red wheels in stock. I wanted black over black, red wheels and trim. I was persuaded out of it, and went for a dove grey body. No regrets. But your car looks stunning. 

Noting the blue coachline, father used to have the 1931 poverty model (and thus side valve) Singer 10 saloon. Original finish for the rolling chassis was a very deep blue. almost a royal blue. I have always thought a royal blue chassis, with black coachwork would be very smart, with option of blue or black wheels. 

Anyway. For no other reason than because, I thought I'd take the water manifold off the block of the engine I've just taken out of the blue saloon.

When this car came here it was on straight dihydrogen monoxide coolant. With oil leaking into it. A change of heads cured that, but it never did start well - hence why its come out.

When I changed the head, the top manifold was FUBAR (rotten), but I did put ethylene glycol in it after. It always ran a bit warm, to the point I put a 4 blade fan on it. Not hot, but warm.

The side manifold was getting a bit moist also, in 2 spots. at the back and around the hose.

Well, I managed to snap the front off gently attaching it with a lever, mainly because the casting was rotted almost through all over. The rear half was very reluctant to come off the stud. some rotation was attempted, and the stud pulled out (deep joy). All fixable.

What interested me was that the rear end was totally blocked with gelled antifreeze. Yuk. There was a hole there too. Thank god for the gloop or it would have been leaking sooner!!

I've never knowingly mixed antifreeze types. But from working it out this block probably went on the engine in 1992 when it was sleeved.

As I said, it ran warm, but not hot. It did have the benefit of a modern (er 1980's!) core.

The replacement engine, runs a lot cooler on a 2 blade fan.


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[Ivor Hawkins]

Lovely photographs of the little boat tail (what’s going on with those seats?) and the box saloon, great to see them both out and about...I was thinking of taking the box across country to Heathrow, but all the road closures for HS2 and the East West railway are a complete nightmare, so took tg3 modern do2n the M40!

I forget how many motors I’ve pulled apart that look like yours Hedd, nothing a good blasting and some creative metalwork can’t fix...

[Hedd_Jones]

Theres a block ready for it on the bench - bored, sleeved, honed, sudded, valve guides done and valves and tappets fitted. Just need to allocate the funds for a set of standard size pistons for it. Then its just a couple of evenings work, some joints, 8 nylocks and 4 tab washers from being fixed. but current priorities are 1. roof for steam roller (50% paid for) - 2. Repairs to teeth - 3. New glasses. Then Austin 7's. Particularly as all 3 are currently on the road.

[Ivor Hawkins]

Repairs to teeth...I have a Dremel....specs, I can’t help with I’m afraid!