I am working on the car, again.

The rumbling noise I thought was a loose flywheel, wasn't.

The symptoms were a bit of a knock/rumble and a vibration that came and went when no-load revving at the traffic lights.

I wondered why it hadn't got a lot worse in the 50 odd miles bewteen "diagnosis" and home.

All eight nuts holding the block on were loose. You could see it jiggling slightly as the engine was running.

That would account for the oil leak as well!

Simon

Updated my Ruby 'Rejuvination' thread, having finished the modifications to the Singer 660 A1 industrial sewing machine, and am now able to get it to start at a crawl, a 'Good thing' for sewing leather.
Links in the thread.

Received more leather samples from Leather UK, and one of the Connolly Vaumol being the best match so far, albeit matt as against the shiny leather of the rear seat leather, but can live with that.

Geoff - Work on other halves Ka tomorrow now that the Singer is done for now.

Location: South Norfolk - Next to Suffolk

After 6 Years under a tarpaulin on the drive my 36 Ruby rolling chassis finally made it into the newly decorated and tidied garage last month. After dropping in the engine, gearbox and prop-shaft, freeing up the brakes and steering a steering wedge and box were temporarily fitted and started mocking up the body shape with bits of wood and metal. The rear chassis extensions needed to be removed to achieve the shape required so out came the angle grinder and off they came, I cannot tell you how wrong it felt cutting them off!
Today's job is to take some accurate measurements and order the steel, and also find out how much my local supplier charges for bending the tube for the bulkheads as this will save me a lot of time and effort,if cheep enough I will order a couple of sets.

Location: Pembrokeshire.

Congratulations Phil, it must feel good to get started. You can successfully bend small diameter tubes in the home workshop with little more than a block of wood that has a hole drilled into it. If you have not already done so take a look a Simon Jansens posts and web site, he has made a nice job of constructing his special over a steel tube frame.

Location: NZ

Hi All

We tried to get to the Three Cocks Vintage Rally held near Hay on Wye. Unfortunately the special misbehaved, either due to dirty fuel or a sticking float valve. After taking off the float lid and cleaning everything at least 8 times we had made 4 miles and I decided to call it a day. **** car flew back home. Clearly not wanting a repeat of the soaking we got last year at the same show.

We went to the show in the modern and were pleased to see a good turn out from Hereford and South Wales A7 clubs.

Howard

Location: Mid Wales

All my life I have wanted to drive on Route 66 from one end to the other. Well today I managed it. Not the US one, but route departmentale soixante six in the Lozère; between Villefort and the Mas de la Barque (1400m). Here's a shot of the the car and the "borne kilomètrique" showing the height on the way back down (I turned the car round so you could see the view). Not too hot today, high 20's. Hammered it down this evening for about 10 minutes.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/bjl2634/WP_20150809_15_24_44_Pro_zpsitvmwtzv.jpg

I tried to post the pic direct but it kept cropping the image

Location: Le Gard where it's bloody hot.

Ha ha! Excellent RR!

Location: Brittany

I've been gardening. I don't recommend it!

Back to fettling tomorrow.

Location: South-East Surrey

Baulked going up a 1in 5, three up. now have a very smelly clutch.

Also been looking at an upside down chummy, a box saloon with no front axle and a cup

Hi RR

Intrigued by the photos.

Are you running a low chassis crankcase in the RP? I unwittingly did so for years.

If only Austin had used an obvious wire resistor across the dynamo terminals, hours of puzzlement and confusion by a myriad owners and mechanics would have been avoided over the decades as most diagrams do not show concealed components.

For the impression of speed, it is hard to beat driving with the screen open.

Austin certainly had faith in their gear cutting with the box exposed in the cab. Were the RP boxes covered originally? On my car it has been exposed as long as I can remember...about 65 years! Cars of the 50s and 60s are impressively noisy with the floor panels open.

Sadly when in everyday use my Seven was not sufficiently novel to attract such Xmas supporters. Perhaps it was just as well. The car took up all my energy and spare time.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

Hi Bob,
Yes the crankcase is a later 2brg from 1935 but the block is earlier, from 1930, and is +030. Gearbox is original 4sp crash but I have fitted a hardy spicer propshaft. Front axle is semi-girling so the car it somewhat of a bitsa, but very reliable nonetheless, particularly after I fitted a four blade fan. A previous owner has done some surgery on the bulkhead to alleviate the problem with the slightly higher flywheel position, which also enables the unit to be removed without taking off the clutch pedal (apart from unscrewing the end off the lever) although the cover plate needs to be taken off in order to waggle the ring gear from under the throttle shaft. The car now has the proper 35A dynamo with resistor box after the C35M died.

Location: Le Gard where it's bloody hot.

today I have been buying oil for the steamer.



what has this to do with Austin 7's I here you ask?.

The '460' is perfect for rear axles. Viscosity equivalent of '140' but with added tallow and rape oil compounding. So better than straight oil. This is bearing oil on the steamer, total loss about 150 miles supply.

and the '1000' is a lifetime supply of the lubricant I use on the clutch release bearing in the box!. But on the steamer, same again about 150 miles, total loss, this time cylinder lubricant.

Whilst digging out some 1" tube for the special from our storage garage, I came a across an old 6" Swindens swivel vice that I had forgotten about, it was looking very sorry for itself after 20 odd years in storage. As an extra vice is always useful during a build an overhaul for the vice was in order, so stripped it down ,degreased and removed all the old rust and paint, cleaned up and fitted a new bolt to the jaws then gave it a coat of Oxford blue paint. Then next job will be reassemble and fit it to my almost indestructible workmate, then I will be able to weld and grind at all sorts of funny angles out in the sunshine.

Location: Pembrokeshire.

Hi Hedd

Having seen what happens to old Cu-Ni spoons left in cooking fat, for avoiding corrosion of any bronze parts, I would have more faith in EP GL5!

That seems a huge quantity for "the steamer", although perhaps not on a per hour basis. Which bearings? The requirement for slow speed bearings is often very modest.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

What do you think the bearings are made out of on the traction engine Bob?

Hi Hedd

Bronze or brass, possibly some cast iron. But even the con rods on old locos used to survive with oil can top up. Getting a bit off Sevens, but is it drip feed lubricators, wells with wicks etc?

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

The 460 is used on everything that moves except the cylinders. All via wick fed oilers, save the gears which are in a very leaky oilbath (it gets a 1/2 pint top up every time out). All bearings are plain. Usually SAE660 bronze but there is some of unknown material. One thing is for certain, it is not brass. There is even steel on steel in places, both case hardened.

The cylinders are fed via a 'mechanical lubricator'. One drip every 3 revs into the steam.

I work on the basis oil is che@p, bearings are expensive. I only oil when I intend to use it. 150mile is about 20 service hours

Not quite today but Tuesday of this week I was lucky enough to drive 3 laps around Donington Park in a Mercedes Benz W125 Replica that we produced the bodywork for. A truly awesome experience that I am very very thankful for.

Location: New Forest

Today I have been converting a pair of dynamo conversion LED's to fit my Rosengart headlamps which have a Bosch type bulb holder which Dynamo Conversions do not do. After considerable head scratching I took the guts out of two normal bulb holders, soldered on a couple of wires and araldited the new bulb in. Workse perfectly but has lost that yellow light French look, but haven driven the car home the other night with original lighting it is well wprth it. If you can imagine it was far worse than a knackered old Austin 7.There would be no problem to switch back if required.

Location: Oakley, Hants

"a knackered old Austin 7" ?

Location: The New Forest

It's Ok, I have one or two of them as well, what I really meant was headlights with no silver,and two candle power bulbs. I really did not mean to dis the Austin Seven whom my wife is convinced that when on my hands and knees in the garage that I am praying to them not trying to fix them. There has been comments over the years that she wishes that she got as much attention. ??

Location: Oakley, Hants

I have been banned from doing any more hammering for the next couple of days so the Special bodywork has to take a back seat. Instead I decided to get on with a job I have been putting off for ages, my Nippy currently has the wrong door catches fitted, being somewhat anal I wanted to get this detail right. I have managed to borrow a pair of genuine latches to copy, under the proviso that I also made a set for the owner. So today I made up a drill jig for setting out the holes, and made up most of the first lock, I now know why there are none available commercially, there is a lot of work in each one! I will make a couple more jigs to simplify the process a little, but even so they would be an expensive item to manufacture.

Location: NZ

You can buy new Nippy door locks from one of the suppliers in UK.

Location: South West France

hi nick,

i think the`re still on my list.

but i no longer have them in stock.

as ian suggests there is a huge amount of time to manufacture these. they are not financially worth producing.

and i very much doubt i`ll make anymore.

i was offered new covers last year for £70 pair, then i would have to chrome them. and hope to get a profit on top. needless to say i didn`t take them on.

well done ian for making a spare pair for borrowing the originals.

tony.

Location: huncote on the pig

Banned from hammering? What sort of talk is that? I think I'd have to have words with the management...

Location: Ripon

I dont care what you say Duncan, my balls are staying exactly where they are!

Location: NZ

Ian, does Diana read these posts?

Actually I'm refreshing my Avatar after a 'delete browsing history' glitch

Location: oz

Today we done a London to Bighton run , yes I did say that, its a play on words Little london to Bighton in Hampshire a run of 20 odd miles that Gordon was good enough to arrange with a picnic at the end of it ( taken in Bighton village hall due to the inclement weather.) a nice run in the hampshire country side, especially on the home ward journey as the sun came out and the roof went down. And another 45 miles towards running in the new engine.

Location: Oakley ,Hants

Drove the A7 to the local scrap merchants to see how heavy the car is for towing and also out of interest, did not hang around there very long the car seamed to get dwarfed by the scrap ;-(

She weighs 440kg with a full tank of fuel.

Location: Dorset

Since I rebuilt my RP in the 1980s I've always been nagged by the window winder which was always in the way of my right knee. I was bored today and was pottering about in the garage when I thought I'd see if I could reset it so it wasn't in the way. The car has Hobson Perfect winders, which took a little persuasion to release their hold on the shafts, but after a little silicone spray the spring clips released their hold. However I did make a startling discovery in that the ball ends are supposed to rotate too! (they've been seized since time mint imperial) and after a bit of wiggling I managed to free them off. I've now got both winders correctly fitted so that they're out of the way of appendages whether the windows are up or down, and my ball-ends are much looser..... (Oooh, Matron!)


Result!

Hi reckless,

Your ball ends are like your rise horn nuts.

And should be kept covered at all time.

Tony

Location: Leics

Been out in the Box today,Coming back from taking the dog for a walk and loading him back in the car I was stopped by a chap with his wife saying he had one just like it when he was 17 back in 1959.
Apparently the car was eventually buried in a local tip he told me.
Its a long time since I've had anyone reminiscing about their first 7.

Got friends here this weekend so I got the RP out and took my mate for a spin. We're going to the top of that hill up there, says I. What? says he, you're mad.
No just a bit eccentric, says I - remember Lt Col John Blashford Snell and the Darien Gap expedition? Well it'll be a bit like that, but don't worry, I've done it before....:



You can see Mont Ventoux just to the right of the car in the far distance.

We met some "chasseurs" on the way back down who couldn't believe we'd been to the top in the A7. Made their day.

Fresh from her first solo drive of the tupperware Austin at Shrewsbury Steam rally last weekend, today my wife drove it to Norton in Hales very competently other than she needs to rev it harder.

We then went to Bridgmere for a cup of tea. Fit the windscreen next.

started experimenting with SU needles today, but somewhat distracted by rear wheel falling off - fortunately just when pulling away outside my mother's drive where the car is presently stored. Wasn't easy to jack up to get the wheel on either.

I note that front hubs have bits in to prevent that happening... am I meant to do something with the rear hubs, which don't have the fillers for the holes which allow you to change with the nuts still on??

I think we need a 'not a good day' thread...

The rear brake drums should have these as well Jon.

They have either been removed to fit later wheels or are drums from very late cars. The correct drums are plentiful and easily obtained, later wheels no so much so.

ah ha. Thankyou Ruairidh.
(Well, perhaps it's the best thing that could have happened then - a v.gentle, if embarrassing, warning) I'll stick something on the 'wants' site...

Took the A7 to Goodwood Revival, trailer to Fishbourne then in the A7 the rest of the way, great day out.

Location: Dorset

Finally completed the "Car Pavilion". Now to decide how to kit it out,and to get the cars in.

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

I thoroughly enjoyed a belated birthday present yesterday driving and firing an LMS crab on the East Lancashire Railway. With only four coaches on it had better acceleration than a Seven and even better brakes, but not as smooth a ride.

Respoking 19" solid centre wheels, center is painted, spokes new and rim in primer. Just needs tightening and checking not to difficult to work out where spokes go once you get started and have one to follow.



This one needs a new rim

Looks good,where did you buy your spokes?

Location: Dorset

Not today but over the weekend went for an early drive through the New Forest then to the beach and parked next to what was a Ford Sierra, well it provided some shade.

Location: Dorset

Fourteen months after beginning, today we put the final lick of paint on the new workshop. Not continuous work and the interior is still to be organised, benches built, shelves, racks and places found for all the tat one collects because it is either too good to throw away or might just come in handy.

Until 2014 this was the National Trust visitor centre at Stowe Landscape Gardens. They built a new one and this was dismantled by a reclamation firm and stored in their yard near Towcester. Offered on eBay I bought it at considerably lower than the material price. The kit included peg roof tiles, plinth bricks, lead soakers, wall panels, insulation, cladding, doors, windows, battens, everything except the floor.

It came without a plan or measurements, nothing had been marked or labelled, I had a photo of the original. After head scratching for a day or two I decided on a new layout, built a cardboard model and then plunged in. The new layout has a 5 x 4m garage and a 13.5 x 5m workshop. The stone has all come out of the dig out and the spoil I managed to loose on site, filling hollows.

There are several more photos on Photobucket and a few here to illustrate. This is the garden side of the workshop, the glass in doors and windows all survived transporting, keys were in the locks



Down the slope to the garage


"Bertie" in winter quarters


Interior during construction




This was a part of the three artic truck loads I had bought


Stone dug from the excavation and used for retaining walls


I am very fortunate to have the space for a building like this and an undemanding partner who has put up with months of inattention. Years of shed-envy are now behind me, I had better get on and do something productive in it!

Location: 12 degC in the Cotswolds

Which corner does your bed go in?

Location: South Shropshire

Any one I choose!

Mind you, your son and my daughter with new grandchild may want to snaffle it at some point!

Location: 12 degC in the Cotswolds

Changed all the oils in my RK for the first time.

Location: Okura, Auckland

Welcome to the forum Tony, good to hear that it all went well, hope see you for the run on Sunday. Might be nice if you post a photo of your car on here, I believe it once belonged to Mac Bonar who was one of the founders of this forum.

Location: New Zealand