What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Ivor Hawkins]

I was out today in the box (with the window wound down a tad so the Hobson Perfect doesn’t dig in to my knee Rekkers!) and using the car all year round I can’t say I’ve seen evidence of the salt causing any issues, maybe it’s because I tend to stick to the lanes...or I need new specs!

[Tony Griffiths]

Not so crazy as some who jump in the car fire it up and are off peering through a hand-sized hole in the frost on the windscreen. I used to enjoy driving the Seven in snow but not now with all the salt about. What do they do in Switzerland Tony your link doesn't work? It did prompt me to see what effect the salt has on the environment, it's death to amphibians, releases heavy metals from the roadsides, affects the vegetation and the groundwater so much for HMG diversity.

Apologies. This link should work: https://bioapplied.com/where-has-all-the-road-salt-gone/#:~:text=In%20Switzerland%2C%20a%20road%20salt,chloride%20is%20the%20active%20ingredient.

[Dave Mann]

Very interesting Tony the effects of salt on the environment are worse than I expected. Reckless and Ivor why don't you take the winder handle off and refit 180 degrees round?

[Reckless Rat]

Tried that Dave, but then it sticks in my knee when the window is fully down. The window up option is the lesser of two evils.

[Hurvinek]

Dave, I live in Switzerland and I can tell you that a lot of salt is thrown here. Salting is often done before temperatures drop below 0°C or before snow begins to fall. My business car is covered in salt marks from top to bottom...

[David Stepney]

Took the Seven to my pal's garage in Wrexham yesterday as he wanted me to sort out the insurance claim on his courtesy car, after the local postman ran into it. The car hadn't been out for three weeks, so was overdue a run out (See Ruiaridh and my conversation in the Felt Washers thread)

As usual, the little car ran perfectly, although I notice that the petrol gauge has stopped working properly again. It has a wine cork for a float and I suspect that it has become 'petrol-logged', so a job for this weekend, I suspect.

Came back in the dark, so I could see whether changing the headlamp bulbs form 24 watt to 36 watt has made any difference to the lighting. It has, at least marginally, but I still have trouble when other motorists insist on coming right up close to the back of the car with their modern headlamps due mostly to the reflection in the windscreen. Why do people drive so close, I wonder? The only downside is that the dynamo now no longer balances the total current used when all the lights are on. There is a deficit of about 4 amps.

Anyway, photos:

   

   

Car in my pal's yard.

   

Car outside the Co-op in Rhosllanerchrugog  whilst we got the makings of lunch. (Which I cooked!)

[Nick Lettington]

 I still have trouble when other motorists insist on coming right up close to the back of the car with their modern headlamps due mostly to the reflection in the windscreen. Why do people drive so close, I wonder? 

You need to make more smoke. No-one tailgates me in my ORT.

[Reckless Rat]

One of the advantages of having a roller blind on the rear window.

[Dave Mann]

I suffered from the windscreen turning into a mirror when I had a modern car behind me until I fitted a rear window blind made from quite a light material so I could still see if anything was behind including bicycles in pre LED days which solved the problem.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

My sister and I always had to hold our coats up to cover the rear window in the Chummy at night...