What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Howard Wright]

Hi All

Thanks for the messages of sympathy regarding my aborted End to End attempt.  Much appreciated.


So too was the excellent service from RH Insurance in the recovery operation.  The only hiccup was the fact that the recovery company (Western Recovery Services) couldn’t get us back all the way to Llandod on Friday afternoon..  So they provided a courtesy car and put the Austin in a secure compound. They will deliver the car on Monday and pick up the courtesy car.  Excellent service I think.

Cheers

Howard

PS busy turning a new gear-lever this morning.

[Nick Lettington]

What have I done with my austin 7 today? Nothing yet, it's our wedding anniversary...



But I may spend a few hours in the garage later..!


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[Hugh Barnes]

Ooops....

["Slack Alice" Simon]

A day of unintended consequences.

I offered to let someone tinker with Austin 7 stuff, to see if they would enjoy doing so.

Which meant I had to get "Slack Alice" out from long term storage, to put alongside the Tourer.

Which I was reluctant to do, because driving Alice has been a truly miserable experience, the couple of times I've done it over the last year or two.

Will start on ancient fuel, idle ok, but won't rev and when you insist that it does rev, runs erratically on three.

So, amongst other things, the lad changed the plugs, distibutor cap, leads - still the same.

"I really hate doing it, because it's a real fiddle, but, since you're here - you can watch me change the distributor " say I.

And - YIPPEE! - I have got my car back.

   

The distributor drive gear is about a third chewed away.   Which must be what the problem was?

This was a new, brass, gear bought some time ago.   Done no more than five hundred miles, I guess.

Are new ones now any better?

[Reckless Rat]

Been out for a thrash round in the RP this afternoon. Weather a bit overcast and cool (15°C). Did about 35 miles in total around the north of the Gard and into and back out of the Ardèche.
Car ran well. Filled up at the Supermarket in St Ambroix on the way back for a tankful of E1095 at 1,71€ per litre - approx £1.45.

The traffic was terrible.



The D904 between St Ambroix and St Paul le Jeune,  travelling north.

[Ian Dunford]

I avoid that D904 like the Plague.
Every time I travel on it, it looks just like your photo.
It's just too risky.

[Duncan Grimmond]

I have to agree. These damned French D roads, you can drive without meeting traffic for days and if you break down, heaven help you as there are no passing motorists and you have make your own dinner!

[Hedd_Jones]

Been out for a thrash round in the RP this afternoon. Weather a bit overcast and cool (15°C). Did about 35 miles in total around the north of the Gard and into and back out of the Ardèche.
Car ran well. Filled up at the Supermarket in St Ambroix on the way back for a tankful of E1095 at 1,71€ per litre - approx £1.45.

The traffic was terrible.



The D904 between St Ambroix and St Paul le Jeune,  travelling north.

The Petrol is coming down towards that price here now thankfully. 

For my other hobby fuel is now in excess of £500/ton, and coal is becoming very difficult to get hold of as the UK source (Wales) has a broken washplant and the Ruskies are sanctioned. Alternatives from Scotland, Poland, Columbia and Kazakstan come witu a smokescreen

We had a run out trialing some manufactured solid fuel yesterday. Seemed to be perfectly acceptable to me. £11.20/ 20kg bag = 4 miles. Was  £6-7 6 months ago. No complaints though, excellent fun. Subway in the sun for lunch and almost no smoke. The canopy was a bit low on the building to go via the drive through at Mcdonalds

I thought I'd mention that as I saw an Ulster/Special on a trailer. A41 near Newport, Salop. Anyone here? No photos sorry.

[Ian Dunford]

I bought 2 tonnes of coal last summer Hedd,at a cost of £800.00.
It burns very well,but produces a phenomenal amout of ash compared to what I have been used to since 1968.
I'm also told it's smokeless ,and I only use one scuttle a day instead of the usual one and a half.
So apart from the price fairly good news
I saw an RK today,but not really surprising, cos its mine..

[Hedd_Jones]

This stuff isnt as economical as the normal coal. I get perhaps another mile per 20kg out of that, not that I can buy any mind.

Most manufactured smokeless is totally unsuitable for our use unfortunatley. The ash fushion temperature is too low.

I'm not so sure about ash, certainly in the ashpan, but it looks like I found a source of shot blasting grit. Pity I havnt got a shot blaster 

   

I have to be carefull where I park the engine in the shed, if i park it under the Cup im worried ill set fire to it.