Greetings! New owner from India

[Ivor Hawkins]

Prithvitagore, what you have is a real car…please don’t destroy it to build a fake.

[Bob Olive]

Many years ago, more then I care to remember I ‘saved’ a  ‘50s Austin Seven Special from ridicule, and made a reasonably passable Ulster Replica out of it. Though much enjoyed, and often admired, over its thirtyplus year life in my care, I always wanted ‘the real thing’ I.e. a genuine original tourer in some shape or other. I finally achieved this aim some ten years ago, and was finally content.
 
What you have found Prith, is, in the 2020s, a VERY rare opportunity to ‘save’ an original Seven from being destroyed by ‘Ulsterisation’.

Please don’t be tempted, there are plenty (too many?) Ulsteroids about if you want 
one. Of course it is your car, your choice, but please think carefully about it. 
I am sure you will have over-whelming support, and expert advice should you need it from the Seven community to stick to Plan A. Good luck whatever way you choose to go.

[falcott]

For the record (I can't add much else on this topic) but I am in complete agreement with restoring this Seven rather than creating a Special Ulster from it. I've owned two Austin specials in my life, never an original car, and I believe that this one is much too complete and original to rip up and turn it into another vehicle entirely. Do think carefully before proceeding.
Cheers, Geoffrey

[Tony Griffiths]

Hello Prithvitagore. I'll back up what everybody else is advising. The amount of work and expense in producing a proper replica Ulster with an aluminium body shell, the correct windscreen, a proper 1928/29 radiator, a tuned and reliable engine, a gearbox with the correct ratios, a back axle with the right crown wheel and pinion, the original style instruments and touring wings (the latter an essential part of the specification in my opinion) is beyond considerable. But, if you are a) reasonably wealthy and can pay for the job to be done or b) have a wide range of mechanical and sheet-metal skills it is possible - but, in addition, as so many Ulster parts are entirely different to what you have now, finding them will be time-consuming and expensive. The best advice is, as others have suggested, to rebuild your car to as high a standard as possible and then, if you still want an Ulster, sell it and buy one already finished. You might even be tempted by a "Special" that could offer 90% of the Ulster excitement but at less than half the cost.

[prithvitagore]

Wow! I am glad about all the strong responses from so many of you. You are all very clear about leaving my Austin as it is & I'm grateful that you've all been so candid.

After some preliminary research & deliberation, as some of you have said, making an Ulster replica, true to the spirit of an original, basically entails destroying the current, intact tourer. Engine, suspension, gearbox, body, rear axle, it's a bit too much to do in India. It's a complex task, and there's a good chance that it'll end up looking like an oddball.

And no, there is not a single genuine Ulster in India. There is a nice replica in Bombay, which looks the part. 

I'm not wealthy. The Ulster replica project in India, with parts from the UK, would set me back at least GBP 20,000. Restoring my tourer as it is, would probably come to around GBP 10,000 if I do it well. 

I'll restore the tourer. I believe there's a rolling chassis lying in another part of India. Later, I can afford it, I may contemplate making an Ulster replica on the rolling chassis. 

I don't sell my classics. I have a delightful 1963 Fiat 1100 & a solid 1958 Mercedes Ponton, both acquired/restored in the last 5 years. Besides, I love the Austin 7 as it is.

Alright gentlemen, I shall heed your advise and restore the AG to it's stock condition. But I will need a lot of help from all of you!

For a start, I've told my mechanic to strip the engine and rebuild it completely.

Please let me know where I should buy the following engine parts from (1931 AG Tourer):

Pistons (size please)
Cylinder sleeves
Con rods
Con rod bearings
Gudgeon pins
Crank bearings (sizes please) 
Oil seals
Gaskets/seals
I think I'll need a cylinder head too
Valves
Guides
Valve springs & other associated parts which will be needed in a complete engine rebuild.

Thank you everyone,

Regards,

Prithvi
Calcutta
India

[Hugh Barnes]

Prithvi - there a number of suppliers in the UK of all your needs. The two main suppliers are:

The Austin Seven Workshop - https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/

and

Austin 7 Components - https://www.a7c.co.uk/

Tony Betts at Seven County Austins also supplies some new parts but also has stocks of second hand parts that may be relevant when you work on the car

http://www.7ca.co.uk/

There are other suppliers as well, though I think it fair to say these are the main ones.

One thing I do suggest you purchase is the Doug Woodrow Austin 7 Workshop Manual. Dont be tempted by ones on Ebay, they are overpriced. They can be sourced directly from Mercury Vintage Services, Rosedale, Station Road, Emneth, Norfolk PE14 8DLm but I think it is also available from the suppliers I mentioned above.

I think I will be speaking for the vast majority of us when I say I am delighted that you have decided to restore the car as is. Frankly, it will be an easier task that trying to create an Ulster 'look alike' You will always get plenty of advice and encouragement here and I look forward to watching progress...

[Nick Salmon]

Prithvi, this is excellent news. Thank you so much for heeding the calls to restore the car. The decision will ensure that you'll receive as much help and advice as we can give you. I wish you every success with the project.

[prithvitagore]

Thank you Hugh,

I contacted Susan Woodrow on email and am purchasing the WM from her, directly.

Regards,

Prithvi

[falcott]

This really is good news, I have to say.
I recently bought a copy of the workshop manual from Susan -- it really is a telephone book sized volume! Everything seems to be in there. It must have been a right mission to put it together.
Cheers, Geoffrey

[prithvitagore]

Hello friends,

We've started by disassembling the engine, for a complete rebuild. Can some of you please advise from which source I should buy everything for the rebuild?

The crank, cam, con rods are fine, but apart from that, I need everything. I really don't know the Austin 7 so a source that can put together everything that I need for the rebuild with a detailed quote will be of great help. The pistons say '60'. 

Btw, I would likely require a correct, low compression cylinder head too. This one's pretty badly gone. 

Regards,

Prithvi