Thanks all for the further suggestions.

The design of the car makes 19" wheels likely to be a no-no for now. Vintage Tyres have suggested Dunlop k70 400 x 18 which seem to have a suitable tread pattern and sensibly priced.

So now I just need to find an 18" wheel to trial fit and then I'll make a decision.

Location: North Herts

Hi Nick

Of course it depends on which trials you wish to do, but if they are run by a club involved with classic trials the ACTC tyre list tends to be the requirement. I think the VSCC have a slight variation upon this. I would hate you to part with your hard earned and then find your tyres were not eligible for an event you wished to do!

Below is a link to the ACTC tyre list.

http://www.actc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-03_approved_tyre_list_cars.pdf

Location: Teignmouth

Thanks for the heads up Stuart. We can't do anything with VSCC as the Special is on a late chassis and in their infinite wisdom they deem it unacceptable. (Don't get me started on what I think of that...)

All we want to do in the foreseeable is 750MC trials.

Location: North Herts

Location: Teignmouth

Location: North Yorkshire

Now that IS interesting Steve. I am not doubting what you are saying but please could you point me/us to the VSCC Regs where that is confirmed?

Location: North Herts

Location: Teignmouth

To be fair it is the Vintage Sports Car Club. Not the Modified Post Vintage Saloon Car Club!

Specials on Ruby chassis are certainly VSCC eligible if the car complies with the Eligibility Rules and they always have been. A fibreglass Gould bodied car fails that second test however.

Steve

Location: North Yorkshire

I have used my 37 LWB Super Accessories bodied seven in VSCC trials for over 20 years,so they are acceptable subject to the specific reg's for seven's.
I have found the K70's to be softer than the Cheng Shin at very low pressures.Current VSCC minimum is 7 PSI so not a lot of difference.
I have recently purchased some 19 inch Cheng Shin's for £44.50 each compared to £106 for K70.
If you intend to do the occasional PCT 17 inch will probably be ok,but you will get the bug and want to do more.
Andy
[celebrating 45 years of trialing this year]

Surprising how many VSCC trialers have just bought a pair of 3.50 x 19 Cheng Shins Andy! It's almost everyone you talk to. Also, how many are holding them back until the first trials of 2017!! Mine are under the garage bench waiting

See you Friday night.

Steve (who's only been trialling for 41 years)

Location: North Yorkshire

I had misread the regulation in notes.

"4. Long (6’-9”) ‘Low Frame’ Ruby type chassis are eligible as PVT but are not to be counted as
one of the five major components under the ‘3 out of 5’ system except where they are used
to construct an accurate Grasshopper or late Nippy replica."

Our car isn't saved due to the GRP body, but yours might be Nick.

Location: Teignmouth

Location: Teignmouth

I'm very grateful Stuart.Thank you.

I am probably guilty in the past of not having read quite far enough through the Regs to realise that the Special actually might qualify for VSCC inclusion.

With eyes now rather wider open I shall explore a bit further...

Location: North Herts

Nick, I have a full set of 18" wheels with 4" tyres for the Tourer - currently not on the car as she is on 19s. Not for sale but available to try.

Location: East Sussex

I've tried some 19" wheels on the car and with a bit of bodywork fettling (because the offset of the 19" wheels is far less than the current 16")they will not only fit but they will actually make the whole car look better.

Does anyone have four reasonably decent 19" wheels to part with? I don't need tyres on them as I shall go the 350 Cheng Shin route.

Location: North Herts

In my experience most Austin 7 specials look better on 19 rather than 17 inch wheels.
It might be possible to fit spacers on the rear wheels to give more clearance. Steve will explain how!

Thanks Malcolm. I was going to investigate spacers before attacking the existing bodywork so if Steve or anyone else can give guidance I would be grateful.

Location: North Herts

And that is, essentially, how I did it. My spacers are 1/2" thick and turned out of pieces of 6" x 6" aluminium plate. The dowels/registers are turned out of steel bar. The longer studs are made from 3/8" BSF bolts with the heads ground down and then welded to the bearing carrier. Once you've removed the existing dowels/registers from your brake drum, you can use it as a drilling jig for the dowel/register holes in the spacers, similarly, you can use a hub outer as a drilling jig for the wheel stud holes. I made the spacers in the photo about 20 years ago, the dowels/registers being part a spare set I made at the same time but never used.



Steve

Location: North Yorkshire