Three weeks ago I managed to buy through a local ad here in Southampton an Austin 7 special.I dont know much about 7's so would welcome some help.It has a body similar to a MG with a rear tank but I think it is a short chassis,the engine I was told has been tuned and it runs quite well although I havn't driven it yet.The car doesnt have any documents so how do I go about taxing it and getting it on the road,there is a pair of number plates in the car.Luckily it came with a spare engine that I have been told was a Army type,it had a magneto ,water pump and spare drive on the valve side.To offset the cost of the car I have sold the spare engine to the guy who came with me to see the special together with a spare 3 speed gearbox,as the car has a 4 speed box.
The car has no windscreen where can I have one made?
Thank you for your help.Peter

Hi Peter,

The DVLA's 'Vehicle Online Enquiry Site' is unfortunately closed at the moment for 'essential maintenance', when it's up and running again - hopefully soon, it would be worth keying in the registration number shown on the plates you have together with the make of car Austin to see what information if any, they have on file. As many of us have discovered however, don't necessarily take what you see here as gospel truth, the information available on this government run site is not as complete or as up to date as you might expect!

Visit the 'Austin Seven Clubs Association' site online 'Chassis Register' to see if the chassis number / engine number of your car and / or the registration number you have are listed there - see:
www.a7ca.org/register_of_cars.htm

If you're not sure where to find the chassis number, click on "Quote This Number" - the blue hyperlink, mid way down the above a7ca page. The engine number's stamped on the crankcase beginning with an 'M' . If you find that your car isn't listed on the Chassis Register, you can register it by using the 'Notification Page'

If it has lost it's original registration number altogether - i.e. it's been sold or is untraceable with no documents to prove association with the chassis, then the DVLA will have to issue you with an age related plate. As I understand it, the vehicle will have to have to be trailered to an MOT station for a pass certificate to be issued before the DVLA will progress an application for a non - transferable age related plate. Other forum members who have done this themselves will be better able to advise you on the full procedure.

Jeff

Jeff,
Thank you for your advice ,I've checked and the chassis number is not on the A7CA list neither is the reg number.So I think I will take it for an MOT as an initial check on its condition Peter

You've got two choices:

Either try an ascertain that the number on the car has some validity and get it reallocated. Tricky without any previous ownership information.

The other method is to get a dating certificate (usually via an Austin 7 Club). Insure the car using the chassis number. Then you book an MOT and drive to the station with neither tax nor registration plate - yes, it's legal to do that and you don't have to trailer it.
Then drive home, send off the paperwork (with a fee) and wait for an age related number plate to arrive.

So the first step is to join a local club.

Charles

I forgot - I'd love to see a picture of the engine - I've read about them but never seen a picture.

Charles

Charles,
Sorry I never took a picture of the engine ,the guy who bought the engine said it was ex Army and a generator was fixed to the 4 bolt holes on the side of the crankcase.Peter

Peter, are you sure that it was a generator and not a supercharger?

Austin,
No he said it was for an electical generator for auxillary power,surely an Army car would not be supercharged? Peter

Your right about the army car bit, I was more going by the holes in the crankcase and the fact that it had a waterpump.

Do you have any photos of the car that we could see?

I have just spoken to the guy with the spare engine and he's sold it Peter

Peter,

Sounds to me like the engine was a ulster engine, the i have seen army engines without the drive on the left and what you described sounds a lot like a super charger drive.

Regards the car can you post up or email pictures?? If it was an ulster engine it is not impossible you have an ulster chassis and modified body. I know of a couple of ulsters that have had the pointed tail cut off and a slab tank fitted for the purpose of trials.

Regards

Rob

My suspicions are the same as Rob's but I may well be wrong - frequently am. I'm not sure if the military engines were based on magneto crankcases. They had water pumps on coil engines if I remember correctly.

The forum expert on genuine factory Ulsters is probably David Howe. Some photos of the car and the chassis number would help. The back axle is distinctive on an Ulster (assuming that it's original.
If you have an Ulster chassis, well done.

Regards

Charles

Looks like I maybe made a mistake

Hi Peter,

These things happen! If you do have some photos do put them up here, (or email them to David, myself or anyone really), and we will be able to help you work out what you have.

Sounds like you have an interesting car and you have us intrigued to say the least...

Don't worry.
Just get the photos and details posted here and you'll soon be sorted.
If it was a genuine blown engine it would cost a few grand to get it running anyway!

Regards

Charles

I have sold the car and spares to the guy that eventualy got the engine.Keeping it together was maybe the best thing.

Peter,

Very noble of you. I hope you have not been put off austin sevens. If you need any information or advice about any other sevens that come your way please do not hesitate to ask on the forum.

Regards

Rob

Hi Peter,

We are all still intrigued as to what the car is...

I hope you got back what you put in as it were. Sounds like you may have done the "right" thing by keeping the car all together.

I think I will be speaking for everyone here and I know it has been asked..

Can the car be identified? The guy that now has the car and engine - can he be coaxed to let us know what he has? He may not be sure himself and as you can see from the postings on this site there are no better set of experts to assist.

It would be a shame if he too split the bits up, if its something special.

There must be a way of getting us some pictures??

Thank you for your comments,I did make a profit on the deals overall so am not downhearted ,the guy who bought the car was sure it was an Ulster chassis but that nothing remainded of the body.The instruments were partly Ulster.He also thought that the registration no was not the original as it had three letters and three numbers.Am now on the lookout for another Austin.

Peter,
Did you make a record of the engine no and chassis no before you sold the car? If so could you let us know what they were ?David

I'm sorry did not make a note of the engine or chassis no but will try to get from the new owner.

Peter Allen,
Would it be possible to put us in touch with the new owner of your old car.Email address only if thats what he wants.David Howe