Duh! 1928 Chummy .

Cheers, Tony.

Location: Melbourne. Victoria, Australia.

The lever in my 27 chummy is a butchered ball change round shaft grafted onto the original gate bottom section, hence why I was trying to find out what is correct.
The lever on our 28 Mulliner is the 12 1/4" type but there seems to be more room below the tank than there is on the chummy. If fitted to the chummy changing gear would be very difficult. One with more angle would be best.
Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

It's almost as though you have known me my entire life Ian.... ;)

Here are the relevant index cards for you to trawl: http://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/IC_A7_BH.pdf

Ian, it's a long time ago now, but my memory says the tool boxes were much shallower than on the standard car, maybe only an inch or so, just enough to mount the seat hinges onto the front face. I am also pretty sure that the coupe lever, whilst being the length of that on your car, was angled back more, which would bring the ball to a lower level.
I agree that the longer lever makes for a much nicer change, and if I was to ever have another gate-change car, I would be looking for one of those longer levers!

This is the remains of the B Coupe I had many years ago, it is now fully restored and looks fabulous.

The gearstick looks to the ball type rather than the gate unfortunately...

I was very sorry to hear that two or three people took exception to my comment above and misconstrued my attempt at light-hearted banter.

I had hoped that anyone who had looked at the photographs of Ian’s exceptional restorations would have understood the intended irony in my comment.

Given the amount of banter between you over the years (and the amazing similarity in surnames) I am surprised that anyone could not take it in the right way...

Please don't let it put you off though!

Here's the first, 10" lever, on the right. It gives so little leverage/control that unless you ease it carefully out of the gear it will shoot straight across and crunch against the gear opposite. The answer, keeping the original lever, is an extention. That shown appears to have been made from a 12" A7 lever and certainly works. But its weight drops the lever out of gear, which I hope the rebuilt 'box ready to be fitted will cure. The gate casting is also rather worn where the locating pin of the lever ball rests. Any ideas about that?

Location: Looking across to Longbridge

That is very similar to the 'Stadium' lever extension Robin.

Hi Robin I had the same problem on my Chummy making the lever float all over the place.
My fix was a bit fiddly but the improvement was worth the effort.
I made up two 3/8" hemispheres from aluminium each with a hole in the centre to fit on the pin each side of the lever ball, then ground hemispherical shapes into the gate casting and the gearbox top using a dentists 5/32" ball grinder.The shape needs to be somewhat eliptical to get the full range of movements,a lot of trial and error.
The one thing I must remember not to do is to remove the gate casting and let the hemispheres drop into the gearbox! Rainy day job I think.
Looking back on it welding up and grooving it out to fit a new pin would have been easier, and that is what I suggest you do.Ian M

Location: Bristol

Thanks Ian. To weld up and regrind the casting would be easier with the lever removed, do you think, but how do you remove the aluminium ball at the driver's end? And then I might be able to replace the casting with a less worn one instead.

Location: Looking across to Longbridge

Hi Robin, I have never removed the ball as I fear the end of the lever is peened over after it was fitted, the handbrake appears to have the same method for attaching the handle.
Finding a better gate casting will be difficult as most seem to suffer the same issues.
I think hand finishing the weld will be the only way to do it, unless you want to do yours the same as mine. Cheers Ian M

Location: Bristol

Robin's picture has confirmed another difference I had noticed on the levers I have here.
The angle at which the lever comes out of the gate is different on the early lever than it was on the later levers.
My old butchered lever comes out straight as the early one and is then cranked after the spring loaded plunger to get the hand ball away from the bottom of the tank.
Next job is to try and make one of the triggers!
Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

It might be worth noting that the original "trigger" is made from german silver and is not plated.

Location: Stretham, just south of Ely.

Hello Lance
What exactly is German silver, I assume not actually silver?
Adrian.

Location: The New Forest

Also known as nickel silver: a copper, nickel, zinc alloy. Look at most Vintage cars (not Austins!) with integral radiator shell - that's nickel or german silver.

Thank you Mike, beat me to it.

Location: Stretham, just south of Ely.