Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:47 pm Post subject: 1932 Austin Seven RN "Jo" |
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This is the first of a few small instalments about the other old crocks in residence at Hughes_Towers.
Having sold his Ruby, my dad fancied an earlier A7. We found this one on Ebay, and ended up going to Colchester to collect in, about 50 miles away and driving it back. The car was running quite badly so most of the way back there were massive queues of traffic behind "Jo", with the speed dropping to 20mph on every incline.
However it's very sound, it was restored in 1998 and has been little used since. It is a very late RN saloon, registered one month before production changed to the RP saloon.
We adjusted the carb to get better running, although there is a problem with dirt in the (scuttle-mounted) tank, so an inline filter is called for.
Plans for it are: Respray the bonnet as it has started to polish through to the undercoat, and recolour the front seat bases to match the original blue upolstery. Oh, and if anyone has a calormeter for sale that would fit the radiator, we would be interested
Back home
_________________ Richard Hughes
Last edited by Richard H on Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:08 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Roger-hatchy
Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Should have called in for a cup of tea Richard
I live on route.
Unless you used the A12.
There is a 7 just down the road from me, sometimes a couple out side his house. |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Roger, the previous owner lived in Braiswick so it made sense to take the A12. It was very slow going! _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22470 Location: UK
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, the JO reg is very distinctive, thankfully it is non-transferable, so if we ever sell it in the future we won't have to worry about number-plate stealers _________________ Richard Hughes |
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47p2
Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:31 am Post subject: |
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Great looking car _________________ ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars |
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Bayliss Thomas
Joined: 25 Sep 2009 Posts: 557 Location: SUFFOLK
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:11 am Post subject: |
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You did'nt fancy tackling 'Bread & Cheese Hill on A13 to get home then
Great looking little 7. |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7124 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Richard,
Well! How does the Pugwash compare with JO? Performance? Brakes? Ride?
Noise Level?
Peter. _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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peter scott wrote: | Hi Richard,
Well! How does the Pugwash compare with JO? Performance? Brakes? Ride?
Noise Level?
Peter. |
Hi Peter,
Well the people who bought A35's when they were new would have been brought up on Austin Sevens, so I can appreciate what they would have felt! The performance is pretty much non-existant, the ride like concrete, the three speed crash box interesting and the brakes, well.....
Pugwash feels like a modern car in comparison! But that's not what we drive old cars for is it? _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1132 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice Richard!
JO is obviously very closely related to my AMY!
What's been done to the front brakes? Those cables connecting from the top look very unusual.
It was built in August 1932 or earlier. The last month of the RN was September 1932 and that final RN had a 4 speed gearbox, a different dashboard and steering wheel centre, petrol pump on the side of the engine and the petrol tank at the back under the spare wheel. The swages along the rear of the roof were also absent. (Austin installed some presses that were big enough to press the roof out in one piece instead of three.) Not that I would touch it if the chrome is good, but the windscreen surround should be painted black on the RN, matching the headlamp rims.
The Calormeter that you require is a small square one. Unfortunately I do not have a spare, but I obtained mine at a British old car swap meet a few years ago fairly easily. It fits through a hole you will need to drill in the brass chromed radiator cap.
Everything you will ever want to know about Austin Sevens is in "The Austin Seven Source Book".
Keith |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Keith,
Thanks, I didn't realise there was anything wrong with the front brake cables. How should they be attached? The brakes work OK, just not quite as efficient as the Ruby was.
"Jo" was registered in August 1932. I have the buff and green log books showing the engine number which corrosponds with the engine fitted. However the bearings are getting a bit rumbly, so will need attention soon.
I didn't know about the windscreen surround, but the chrome is very good on it so I think we'll leave well alone!
Thanks for the info
Richard _________________ Richard Hughes |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7124 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Keith D wrote: |
What's been done to the front brakes?
Keith |
I seem to recall hearing that A7 brake adjustment is something of a challenge. Something about the cross shaft twisting under load so you need to have tighter adjustment on one side than the other in an attempt to compensate.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1132 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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Richard and Peter
The cross-shaft most certainly does twist under heavy braking, but this only affects the rear brakes.
The front brakes have a cable that forms a "vee", the ends of which are on the backing plates and the centre of the vee is mounted to a pulley arm on an equaliser that twists to automatically operate the front brakes with equal tension. (I hope this makes sense!) This vee cable runs under the axle and parallel to the ground. In theory this equaliser equalises the cable tension to both front brakes when the steering is turned.
The front brakes consisted of two leading and two trailing shoes in their original form, but I believe there is a modification that can be done to modify this to four leading shoes, which of course, will improve the braking considerably. This may have been done to your car.
The Ruby had the later Girling brakes with cast iron drums which were a lot better than the pressed steel drums on the RN. I know it is possible to fit the later brakes to the earlier cars, but I have never done this so I cannot advise.
Out of interest what is your chassis number? Mine is 146138. The car was built in either the last week of January or the first week of February 1932.
I would advise contacting Dave Mann who is the registrar of the RN Register. He has giving me a vast amount of advice, help and encouragement during my restoration. He keeps an up-to-date record of all known RN's. and I know he would like to hear from you or your Dad.
I will PM his email address to you.
Keith |
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Keith, thanks for the info. It seems quite likely the brakes have been modified at some point. The chassis number is 157423, the car was first registered on 19th August 1932 in Oxfordshire. The engine number is 158656, we think it is the original engine, unless anyone knows any different?
I will contact Dave Mann with details of this car, thanks for letting me know Keith. The previous owner said the it was on the Austin Seven Clubs Association register.
Richard. _________________ Richard Hughes |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1132 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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Richard,
Your engine number is very likely the original engine in your car. Because the Seven engines were sold to be used for other purposes than powering the cars, the engine numbers are always higher than the chassis number.
Keith |
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