Hi I have just acquired a 1933 saloon (RP?)which hasn't run for 12 years. The Chassis no is 181262 with engine number M183180. I am stripping mechanicals etc to fire her up and on removing the radiator have discovered the front cover (part BA 161 in parts list)(nose cone) is broken around the crank handle.Question 1 - is this fatal to getting her going? Questions 2 - I believe there are different length nose cones for different models - what do I request when trying to source a replacement? Any ideas for soucing one - I am in New Zealand?
Don

Hello Don,

Peter Woodend of Classic Tyres NZ is a purveyor of Austin Seven Spares to the Nobility, Gentry and Yeomanry.

According to my records he is contactable at:

classic_tyres@wave.co.nz

I am sorry that I don't know how to insert that as a hyperlink.

He may well be a good local starting point.

Best of luck,

Barry R.

Hi Don, An article in The Grey Magazine 2004D page 9 describes the nose cones fitted to RP and RN saloons. The RP uses the shorter six & a half inch one but the longer one (BA154)can (and often is) fitted instead, so you have some choice if you don't mind straying from original. Both are getting scarce. You may well be able to get someone to weld on a pice of "tube" machined to match but seek out a knowlegeable welder!!
Ron

Don - I will email you a copy of the article this evening..... (as I wrote it originally for the Cornwall Club Mag.)!

Sandy

Hello Don, In answer to your question number 1, no it will not be a problem with the running of your car unless of course the whole thing is smashed off letting the oil out. I expect yours will have the usual one-inch chunk missing where a previous owner has been lifting the engine by the starting handle, or as I did many years ago leaving the handle in the down position and ramming a immovable object!!

Just to say, I think Dave Mann would prefer you do NOT alter the RN nose cones as there seems to be fewer of these surviving than RP's.

Incidentaly your parts number appears to be different to those I have:-

RP = 1A 559
RN = 1A 459

However looking in my Parts List Book No. 1029B (7-34), that also gives BA 161.

All my RP nose cones (5 of them) are 1A 559.

Note - acutal castings has 1A xxx whilst the parts book has BA xxx.

Sandy

Thanks to you all for all the helpful suggestions and tips. I wasn't expecting such a rapid and helpful response, what with it being Christmas. Ian it does seem as if some incident between an object and the starting handle has occurred as I recovered several fragments of the end inch or so from the radiator shell.
Sandy, I have received your e-mail - thanks. I will try Peter for a replacement. On a different note - a week or so ago I did enter the details of my car on the RP register page but I am not sure whether you received it as the acknowledgment returned a blank page.
Don

AQ 2348, received,

uhm, there appears to be a slight problem with that page, the web master has had a look, but I'm still getting two or three copies of each submission, if there's a query I normally contact the sender, otherwise just enter the data into the Register and then every so often send the updated listing to the Webmaster.

I admit the RP section is slow (very slow) but the main A7CA register is up to date - if the web master has had a few spare minutes recently, I know he's been very busy with another sphere of his life, non-hobby.

Sandy