I have recently (yesterday actually) bought the remains of an "export" Seven which was shipped from Africa to Glasgow in 1981. I am amazed that these, previously unknown, vehicles continue to turn up. No Chassis!

It has a three bearing unit, with the filtered carb., wide top and bottom fan pulley and four bladed fan.

It also has a deep sump (no numbers or letter cast in but does has small fins) and long dipstick, can anyone confirm if this was a feature of export motors or has this been fitted at a later date?

I can post pictures if people are interested.

Piccies please.

We wouldn't be here if we weren't interested

Rob

Location: In the Cheshire Front Seat

I am on the case!

Are you heading north this year? Would be nice to actually meet after a "near miss" on Ardnamurchan!

Ruairidh

Heading Norf for a "Grand Tour" at the end of June.

Panda spotting then Shiel Bridge (on the road to Skye) then New England Bay (somewhere in the bottom left hand corner.)

How is the Cup coming along or has it been pushed back down the queue?

Rob

Location: In the Cheshire Front Seat

R, the deep fined sump is not something I have encountered here (NZ), the other items appear common on the later models. I guess it is possible there may have been some variation in the specifications dependent on location?

Location: NZ

Mmmm, not sure our paths will cross, we shall be much further north with my mother and the Gnome.

Cup? I'd almost forgotten about that one, the back of the queue is quite a long way back and yes, that is where the Cup is, poor thing!

Thank you Ian, not heard of it as a feature either but am keen to learn if it "was" an option.

Ruairidh,

I don't think the deep sump was ever fitted as standard on Austraian Austin Sevens, but I will ask Bill.
The Latrobe has a finned alloy deep sump, I believe this was fitted about 30 years ago

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia.

A long time since I posted here.

I have two export Sevens from 1936, (LHD) a Ruby mk1, and a special I built myself.

The Ruby has the original engine and this is with the large air filter.

Everything else is like it would be on an original RHD British Seven, no deep sump etc. The brakes are different though, a special coupling between front brakes and handbrake - old handbrake style, but with fronts operating on pedal so two cables are needed. Car sold in Germany 1936.

Location: Sweden

Thank you.

R,

I asked Bill about this - he agreed that the only engines imported into Australia with large sumps could have been a very few of the less usual sports versions.
The standard import would have been the basic UK model Chummy until the introduction of air cleaners and four blade fans with cast iron pulleys.

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia

Oh, sorry. Four blade fan on mine aswell!

I have had a couple of requests for information on the export carb that came with these bits so here are some photos of it.

Malcolm Watts makes a very neat air filter adaptor based on this type of carb which he is selling to those wanting one. Perhaps he might share photos of his for comparison etc.?

The 3 bearing engine in my special has a deep sump and long dipstick. The sump also has a copper pipe running through it, possibly some sort of oil cooler. I suspect it was a marine engine.

That is the same air cleaner that sits in my WOC Ruby, but mine is in a lot better condition. I will take pictures when I get to that garage and post here. The small plate has text, "Dip in thin oil" or something like that IIRC.

Location: Sweden

Malcolm's photos of the adaptor he makes:

There is an export air filter for the updraft carb as well. It might take a little more ingenuity to make a replica for the home market cars as the export carb had an additional spigot for the filter mounting. I will take some photo's for those who might be interested.

Location: NZ

Exprot engine, this is the original engine (247371) for the 1936 WOC Ruby (246422) as it was when we started taking it apart.

Location: Sweden

Very interesting pictures, the engine of mine WOC (engine number destroyed by hammer and chisle) has a different filterelement but looks home made. To ad some more confusion on the sump question mine was fitted with a Nippy sump. But the camshaftpullly came of a BMW Dixi and the block is dated April 1936 so I pressume it's a Bitza anyway. The chassisnumber is 263053 from February 1937. Anyone interested in a pre 1936 LHD steeringbox? Regards Dirk

Location: Behind the dykes

My '37 Ruby has been in the US since the mid 60'S. I bought her a little more than a year ago. Got her up and running this spring 2017. She seemed a bit loud so thought I would do a valve adjustment. Long story short the engine is now torn apart on the work bench and will be going to the machinist (Brit specialist in Seattle)for valve grind, piston overbore and crank grind.
My car came with a few spare bits,one being a shallow tin oil pan. The pan installed on the car is much deeper than that but is not aluminum, it appears to be cast iron. It also has two plugged ports at the front. I first thought these had been added by a home mechanic but further inspection revealed cast in bosses. The mention of a copper pipe in the above quote caught my eye as I wondered if this might be the reason for the blanked off ports.

Any info concerning this pan is appreciated!

Regards,
Alan

Location: Port Hadlock, Wa USA

Interesting that the 4 blade fan is fixed with 4 bolts - is that a better design for this larger fan?

Location: Farnham

David, two bolts is adequate, have two fans fitted (yes two different cars before some smart Alec picks me up) . John Barlow supplied. They will need finishing if bought castings.

Location: Oakley , hants

My 4 blade fan also only has two bolts, but that's because it's mounted on a 2 blade spindle...

The colonial four blade fan has four mounting bolts mounted on a slightly different pulley with four threaded 'bosses'.

I have fitted a four bolt fan on a two bolt pulley by drilling and tapping two extra holes.

Cheers, Tony.

Location: Melbourne. Victoria, Australia.

I think the cast iron sump would be from a marine conversion engine. Ports for cooling water to be passed through a copper coil in the oil.

As another 12/4 owner Ruraidh you might like to know that the Ruby air filter has another use if you wish to prolong engine life. Remove the choke unit from your 12/4's carb and replace it with the two outer parts of the Ruby air filter with the paper element from a CF Bedford van sandwiched between them.Connect choke cable to Ruby choke. That was the first thing I did when I purchased my 12/4. In later years I fitted an SU carb with a similar set up using the same paper element. Your father has travelled in this car so the conversion has been blessed!!
Ross

Location: Christchurch, NZ

Apologies for mis-spelling your name Rurairidh. Anything more than 5 letters is a risk for me!
Ross Vesey

Location: Christchurch, NZ

Or even Ruairidh

Location: Melbourne. Victoria, Australia.

Hey Ross,

Great to hear from you again - thanks for that tip, much appreciated.

I had a cast aluminium sump once - went with my Nippy when I sold it. I believe it was a locally cast replica, but I have also seen an original Nippy sump which looked just the same.
You may (or may not) be interested to know that Bantam used a pressed steel sump which was the same depth front to rear, i.e. the bottom sloped to match the bottom of the crankcase. Thus the bottom presents itself more effectively to the air flow, and also, all the crud migrates to the rear where the drain plug is.

Location: Wellington, NZ

Thanks Ivan

Good evening all.
I recently acquired a four bladed fan attached by four bolts to a cast iron pulley similar to the mag type. I trialed fitted it to the Ruby but found that a standard fan belt is too short - so is the export fan belt longer?
Our Thetis marine engine is fitted with an export carb which is in poor condition. I recall someone advertising replacements but cannot find the thread. Are they still available?
Regards
Stuart

Location: Staffordshire, the creative county.

Hi Stuart, is it the side draft or updraft carb you need or just the air filter assy for one? The four blade fan pulleys use a sports width belt, they also appear to come in several diameters what size is the one you have?

Location: NZ