Hi Nick,

Actually, by law, you do still need to tax the car. It's zero rated for our old Austins of course, but you'll still need to do it. You should be able to do this online via the DVLA website, but you'll need to get your insurance policy in place first. Insurance status is checked as part of the taxation process, if I remember correctly.

Hope this helps!

Hello Nick, you don't have to PAY for the road tax but it still needs to be taxed, even though it's free, otherwise you could be liable to be caught be the police though the automatic number plate equipment that seems to be in general use.
The V5 should be in your name and insurance is easy to arrange through RH or Footman James or others.
Although it doesn't need an MoT it still neds to be roadworthy.

Have fun with you Seven and let us know how you get on with it.
Brian

And I though that I would be the first to answer. Fast people are Austin Seveners, even if most of the cars aren't.

Location: Near M1 Motorway Jtn 28

Although there is no requirement for our A7s to be MOTd it is nevertheless essential to ensure that your car is in a roadworthy condition. This may entail either having it MOTd or obtaining a certificate of roadworthiness from a well qualified garage etc.

Location: Colchester

Oh yes... and don't forget that it needs to be roadworthy! Just because it doesn't need an MOT doesn't mean you won't get a tug if it doesn't look safe!

That said my ORT never looked safe, but always passed the MOT. One tester commented that it looked much better from the underside!

Welcome. I trust you will find the Suffolk chapter of the Essex Austin 7 club?

Regards
Nick

Location: not in the garage :(

Hey Bart. Are you still reading my mind? Hope you are feeling a little better now?

Location: looking for tinfoil

Being exempt for MOT does not mean that your A7 can't have one. If you need help in this respect I am in Waldringfield not to far from Ipswich .Would be most pleased to help out should the need arise.

Location: Waldringfeld

Hi Nick,
Still reading your mind but would ask you to think just a little slower as I can't read very fast. How's the yellow peril coming along?
Bart

Location: Colchester

It still looks better from the underside!

Location: looking for tinfoil

I collected my car on a trailer from the seller a hundred miles away, stopped at a motorway services, insured it by phone with one of our well known insurers, got home, downloaded (I think, or maybe got from the local Post Office) a form that you have to sign to declare it doesn't need an MOT, took that and the buyer's slip from the logbook to a Post Office that does tax -

went back home and legally drove the car up and down our road.

Four months later, having made the steering work and got some brakes, I will be improving the lights today.

So, although it was easy to make it legal, please check that it is SAFE before driving.

Have fun.

Simon

Location: On a hill in Wiltshire

Thanks to you all - even being an engineer by trade I will be seeking an independent view on its safety, Though I in Suffolk I have appeared to have joined the Essex chapter of the A7 owners club, but can I assume that does not 'black ball' me from Suffolk events.

Talk to many of you over the next few months/years?

But just a teaser - the chassis number is 268*** which appears right for a 1937 Ruby but the engine number is M199461 which appears to be an earlier 2 bearing one though it does have a late ruby cylinder head - any thoughts

Nick

Location: Ipswich UK

It's rare to find A7s these days with matching or very close engine/chassis numbers. The 3brg engines seem to have suffered even more failures than the 2brg ones and it wasn't difficult to cannibalise parts from scrapped cars when they were still plentiful in the breakers. My RP is 1933 but the crankcase is a 1935 2brg and the block is 1930. Good that you've got the late head - it does make a difference.

If you're not familiar with the dynamics of the Austin Seven please be aware of its shortcomings regarding its ability to defy momentum and overcome (or not) Newton's laws of motion. The braking system can be anywhere between adequate and appalling so make sure you know what it's going to do when you stamp on the pedal and don't expect it to stop like a modern!

Familiarise yourself with its foibles before you venture out into the wide wide world, and beware of people that cut in front of you and expect you to be able to stop as quickly as they can.

Good luck!

Location: Gard, France 30960. Used to be Languedoc-Roussillon but now it's Occitanie

Location: Farnham and Suffolk