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1932 Austin Seven RN "Jo"
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rvdmikej



Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Delivery due on 10 December, weather permitting. The plan is she'll be bought to Portsmouth by trailer and then I will drive her for the first time in 48 years, on and hopefully off the ferry to the Island. Whoopee!

Pic is of her now!

Mike

Mike


Last edited by rvdmikej on Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
Posts: 2148
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hasn't changed at all! My dad fitted the 'Calormeter' (which doesn't work) and replaced the two rear tyres as they were both extremely old and perished. If I remember rightly one was dated 1957. He sold it to someone in the Peterborough area if I remember rightly.
Somewhere at home we still have a load of photos of its restoration in the 1990's. Unfortunately they are copies of the originals and are pretty blurred. The guy my dad bought it from, in Colchester, was a bit strange and insisted on keeping the nice, clear originals for himself! If I come across them I will post them on to you.

I wish my Austin A55 still looked the same in the photos on the previous page. Sadly it's in many pieces now, as it had succumbed to the tinworm Sad
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Richard Hughes
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petermeachem



Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Posts: 358
Location: Chichester Sussex

PostPosted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Someone was asking about the front brakes. They are Bowdenex I think

http://pub25.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2099944454&frmid=5&msgid=946780&cmd=show
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rvdmikej



Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jo arrived home today - here are some pics:

Waiting for the ferry



With Rick



Home at last




Wink

Mike


Last edited by rvdmikej on Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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D4B



Joined: 28 Dec 2010
Posts: 2083
Location: Hampshire UK

PostPosted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome Home, I was in Portsmouth yesterday but didn't see you Crying or Very sad
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rvdmikej



Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sat Feb 15, 2014 2:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some news: Jo is now running really well after a fuel system clean out and a carb overhaul. Went for our first trip last Sunday with IOW Austins and she performed perfectly, being clocked at 40 miles/hour on the flat at one time. I have been researching her past in more and more detail and realise she has only been driven about 800 miles since her rebuild in 1997. That fact pleases me a lot, but I think I may put on more miles quite quickly. I just love driving her. Laughing
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rvdmikej



Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some recent pics of Jo show quite a few detail changes. The radiator cowl has been replaced by one with a bezel round the filler - sometime since I first owned Jo that had disappeared. Other details are a nearside mirror, deletion of the temperature gauge - sorry Richard's dad, but it looked very wrong to me. Wink Other changes not to be seen are new rear springs and a replacement nosecone for the engine - the existing one was all wrong for the RN. I've included the mileage for comparison with the earlier pic. She's done a lot of miles since back in my hands, including the London to Brighton run.

Mike








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Richard H



Joined: 03 Apr 2009
Posts: 2148
Location: Lincolnshire, UK

PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks great Mike! Good to know it's now being used regularly. Probably the longest journey my dad did in it was from Colchester to Southend after buying it from the man who restored it in 1997. Strange chap, he insisted on keeping the folder full of photos he had from its restoration for some reason?
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Richard Hughes
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DanH



Joined: 31 Mar 2015
Posts: 61
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jo's long lost American cousin, resident in New Zealand Laughing

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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Mike.
I have just read through this entire thread as I am addicted to Austin Sevens. I have had my Swallow Saloon, "Trundles" for many years and noticed you still have the Bowden front brake cable conversion the same as on my car. Many 'experts' say it's better to ditch it and go back to the original set up but I have to say I have had no issues with mine. As long as the cables are kept well lubricated with a thick oil - grease is too heavy - you should be O.K.

If you are interested, there is a little mod you can do to improve the handling at no cost and is easily reversible. The Austin Seven suspension system has a design flaw which allows the car to wander. The front axle "floats" from side to side under the spring because it is not anchored to the chassis.

Unbolt one of the shock absorber arms vertical links from the axle ( it can be turned round out of sigt). Then remove the bolt that goes through the bottom half of the link. Push the bottom half of the link onto the axle stud complete with shock absorber arm and tighten nut. You will now have located the front axle to the chassis via the shock absorber arm.

No more "wander".

In theory, you will probably have less damping but I have found that with 19" wheels and skinny tyres together with the lightness of the car, there is not a problem. It works for me and I understand quite a few other A7 owners.
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IANH



Joined: 24 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
Location: DEVON

PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Richard, looking at the various photos, your 7 has been fitted with a bowdenex front brake conversion. This removes the straight cables, and uses rerouted flexible outer cables. This improves the front brakes. On the original, the axle twists on braking' releasing some of the effort. The front brakes also had a habit of applying themselves on full lock. The bowdenex is definately an improvement on the original, although still not impressive. Ianh
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Ray White



Joined: 02 Dec 2014
Posts: 6282
Location: Derby

PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike. If you feel like splashing out on your Seven, the best way to improve the brakes - assuming everything else is in good order - is to replace the pressed steel brake drums with new cast iron ones. If you haven't already done this I think it is a worthwhile improvement. They don't come cheap though.

I treated "Trundles" to a full set and they are a big improvement. The cast iron drums are sold by Tony Betts of Seven County Austins. You might need to speak to him personally as the drums listed in his catalogue are for later cars than yours.

http://www.7ca.co.uk
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rvdmikej



Joined: 03 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, it's a long time since I posted on this thread - or for that matter read it. I hadn't seen some of the most recent posts, including the pic of that lovely Model A. It may not be an Austin, but at least it has an 'A' in the name. Wink

Jo has now completed about 4,000 miles in my ownership - almost without fault. Brakes are still Bowdenex and excellent for a Seven, so no problems there. I love driving the old girl and feel like Toad of Toad Hall when at the wheel. My modern is so boring!

A couple of images of Jo and her new sister Talullah from Montana:





Mike J
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