New Scottish Austin Seven Club member Rupert bought a complete but "barn-find" Ruby from Fergus recently, we mustered a team of 9 volunteers to try and get this car up running and running today. Although tatty the car is in remarkably good condition.

Rupert got the wheels re-coated and bought some (fabulous!) new tyres, tubes and tapes from Longstone which I had fitted earlier this week, the car was trailed to "McDunford Towers" last night. Everyone arrived early to start work...

Brakes were stripped, inspected, cables renewed, levers and cross-shaft were reset. Linings were found to be in good condition, as were cams and bushes etc..

Steering was greased, adjusted and found to be in good order.

The engine ran quietly after little persuasion but some considerable smoke emitted from nosecone, valve chest and exhaust! Inspection after removing the head seemed well but over an inch of sludge had taken up residence in the sump, and then scores were noted in the bore...

Removing the rods revealed three loose little end bolts, gudgeon pins and all but one of the pistons missing an oil control ring. New little end bolts were fitted, bores roughed up and and a new set of +60 rings installed, we refitted the sump with the 8 bolts we were were able to put in, all others snapped off by previous owners. New head gasket and the car purred once more, with rather nice compression.





Meanwhile others fitted windows and winders and new wiring so that all lights shone! Dynamo works...

Greasing and brake adjustments were made, after insurance was dealt with Rupert was able to take his first (bewildered) run. The car is quiet, and pulls well, Rupert is a Cheshire Cat!







Very proud new owner...



Charlie, Fergus, Mitch and yours truly...




At the end of the day...



The car stops incredibly well.





Light still to fit...

Super! High praise from a German driver. Well done-

Location: Duesseldorf

I almost forgot to mention that Ronnie and Gavin also stripped the Back axle down on the Opal, replaced the rear springs with new and fitted new diff. seals.

Tomorrow Charlie's Pearl is having a back axle and engine transplant, on Sunday I hope to replace the hardy spicer joints and clutch toggles on my Pearl ready for Mr Palmer's visit later this year. Never underestimate how important, helpful and productive friends are!

What a inspiring post!!. A real treat to see Austin enthusiasts working together

Location: Not Lanzarote

Inspirational, or guilt invoking? lol

What a nice Ruby for a running restoration, I hope the new owner enjoys driving it without feeling the need to make it too shiny.

All I have done today is fix a previously unfixable (by a plumber)leak on a loo and 1/2 make a new hatch for a boat. All whilst looking at the Alhambra sitting there with a partially dismantled engine, I will get the head off next week, honest! At this rate I will be fitting a tow bar to the Octavia for our trip to Scotland in July.

Location: Torbaydos

Good morning all. Is the dashboard 'scumballed' (not sure of the spelling) or rusty?
Regards from the creative county.
Stuart

Location: Staffordshire

It is painted Stuart, with a bit of rust!

I guess that he is perfectly OK to drive in the dark in the car too following the old Chinese adage "Many hands make light work"!!!! Groan.

Thanks for all the great comments. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into the car. As Ruairidh says I'd like to keep it as original as possible using second hand parts to keep the patina but ensure that everything works properly.

Location: Bathgate

very nice car rupert,

and well done to R and the boys.

another one for guildtown maybe

tony

ps, my weekend was productive in other ways. standing the stall at an unusually hot spring beaulieu.

Location: back in the warm

I am always uneasy when persons rush to get some long standing engine running more or less as is. At least for a Seven where it is so simple, a prior removal of the head and sump and a clean up can avoid a lot of sludge and rust detritus being circulated through the oilways and big ends. And locked up rings can be identified.
Until the 60s sludge in engines was common and nor necessarily the product of long standing. It compacts and becomes more damaging over time.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland

So what exactly are you uneasy about in this case

Location: Bristol

There was plenty of sludge! We had the engine to pieces, in fact Ruairidh met me with a con rod when I arrived! All the pistons came out and had the rings replaced and gudgeon pins fitted properly.
I went over the oil pump and obviously refitted the sump and head. It really needed doing and I'm so much more confident about it now. Still have an issue with with the sump fasteners and a weird over long head stud.

There are still a few things to do on the car before I can take it on the road properly, like sorting the brake lights and exhaust.

Unfortunately family commitments mean I won't be able to get to many of the Scottish club meets this year which is a real shame as the social side was a big factor in getting the ruby. Still I should have her up and runing properly soon. Hopefully !

Rupert

Location: Bathgate

A good way to maintain the bodywork and keep the patina, is to apply black boot polish using a brush. Works a treat over the rust and gives the remaining paint a pleasant sheen.

Alternatively, use Gibbs Protectant, that's what all the hot rodders use on bodies where all the paint has been worn off down to the steel, it maintains the patina and protects against further rust.

Personally, I think that Ruby looks great just as it is.

Once I've completed Rosie's Alpine resto I think I'll be in a position to do a frantic rebuild and have the RP on the road in short order, but not as quick as Ruairidh and the boys!

Location: Near Bicester.

Ruairidh,
Are the cylinder walls radiused opposite the valves or just an optical illusion?

Geoff - Is just me or do cars perform better after a good clean?

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

Some gas flow work has been done similar to that described in Williams, well spotted!

Larger inlet valves as well.

Ah, grey cells still working as designed.
Does anyone have any experience of before and after such a modification, and/or with port smoothing/polishing?

Geoff - Tool drawer organising finished yesterday! Now for the coffee bean roaster.

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

I've not got any "before" experience but certainly the quick drive I had the engine was lively and quite torquey. Saying that all the other faults on the engine might be holding it back! On my other (non 7) car I fitted a better flowing head with larger valves and it gave me lots more torque and generally gave a mor enjoyable experience.

Rupert

Location: Bathgate

Boy, what I wouldn't give to have that group stop by and go over my Nippy!






......................................I'll buy the beer...

Location: Orlando (35c today)

Geoff,

For what it's worth, in my opinion your Ruby engine, if built well, will pull the car 'sufficiently' well without undertaking the work mentioned above.

Williams' book describes the modification clearly if you want to try it out for yourself, I have.

Gordy, they all send their kind regards to you with fond memories of great holiday!

Thanks guys

Geoff - Need to roast more coffee beans

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk