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Austin Seven Ruby ARQ rejuvenation
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SpiggyTopes



Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 43
Location: Portugal

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love this thread and look for developments every day!
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Colwyn500,
A pointer to a supplier for the lookalike 'Rexine' would be appreciated please.
One thing I don't understand is why a previous owner had a professional do the vinyl in that colour.
I say professional, as the front seats and pockets in the door cards give that impression, unless the owner was a very talented amateur.

The 'Original Austin Seven' and 'Source Book' books have a lot of useful detail, but leave a lot out for the likes of us who need more.
Part of the fun is also digging out detail not in print, and this is where Forums like this and the 'Friends' are a gold mine.
Thank you Sir Tim!

Thanks for the kind comments, the genes from both my dear Mom and Dad, who where both perfectionists, means I have no choice Smile
Love it though, even when things go awry on occasion.

SpiggyTopes,
Glad you enjoy my posts, which give me the incentive I need. Thanks.
Things should move on a pace from now on, notwithstanding my ongoing treatment.

Need to do some woodwork for family later.

Geoff - I don't want to be part of another house move again Mad
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Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There must be an Austin 7 expert around here. I am talking with the experience of the much more sophisticated and luxurious (Laughing Laughing ) Austin 10.
Looking at this site it does look like there might have been options for Rexine upholstery.
http://www.bryanpurves.co.uk/austin/4578679273
Where applicable I used vinyl from a place called "Woolies" but that was over 20 years ago and pre-internet.....maybe: http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/c-112-non-stretch.aspx
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norustplease



Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 779
Location: Lancashire

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a Morris 10 with Rexine upholstery that was intact but decomposing very quickly. I was advised at the time (three or four years ago) that vinyl or leather was the way forwards and that Rexine was not available any more.
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1953 Citroen Traction
1964 Volvo PV544
1957 Austin A55 Mk 1
Boring Tucson SUV
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Colwyn500 and norustplease.

Reply to a post on the Feiends Forum.
Quote/
Andrew,
Thanks for posting the photo.
That's exactly what I have been thinking of doing, so good to see it works.
For mine, however, I will be using my existing wheeled CarTrolleys and just using extensions to get the height and fitting crossbars.
Edit:
Just looked at your Photobucket and see your stands are wheeled as well.
The photo of the underside is just what I've been looking for, and wonder what nasties have been done to mine.
Thanks.
I see you also have a small dent/hole in the metal of the spare wheel recess inside the car, caused by said wheel's securing brace's bolt.
/Quote

Update:
The remaining body to chassis bolts where easy to remove, so didn't have to resort to the L-grinder and suitable disk, as the four inside still had captive nuts in the chassis, but the rear two where not used as that part of the 'floor', under the rear seat cushion, had been replaced with a piece of galvanised steel, lap welded in place as per the horrid wheel arch 'repairs', so who knows what horrors lay in wait, and just confirms once and for all my decision to remove the body.
The four nuts and bolts on the body 'stand-off brackets' (correct name?) to chassis under the car where also easy to remove.

I attempted to lift the body to see if it moves, but no luck and don't want to use the block & tackle or trolley Jack until I find out just how easy it is to do, so advise please.

King of filler:
5Lbs from the rear wheel arches inside the car.

Photo 26:


What was the car's original colour?
Quite a number of coats during her 80 years, the last being the worst I've ever seen.

OS rear quarter.
Photo 27:


Driver's door.
Photo 28:


The rear seat leather is starting to soften up and no longer feeling and sounding like cardboard now that I've been applying of Gliptone Conditioner twice a day since I posted the photos.
Nothing I can do about the cracks, but I am going to keep them, hoping they are original.

Geoff - Still waiting to do woodwork in family's new abode.
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2015 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yesterday I did what I should have done ages ago.
Read through the Rinsey Mills book again and found this passage on page 55 and can do no better than quote it:
"Rubys and Pearls normally had leather trim to match the bodywork . . ."

Does that means dark Royal Blue body for me?
I'm sure the rear seat is original given the state of the leather when I got the car, but those layers of alternate undercoat then light and dark blue paint puzzle me.
With Mills saying 'normally', I'm back guessing again.

Studying those layers again, one thing that strikes me is that each of the undercoats, if they are, are followed by light then dark blue, and appears to be quite intentional.
Expert advise/thoughts please.

Geoff - Would appear the factory couldn't make its mind up, like me on occasion.
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yesterday I did what I should have done ages ago.
Read through the Rinsey Mills book again and found this passage on page 55 and can do no better than quote it:
"Rubys and Pearls normally had leather trim to match the bodywork . . ."

Does that means dark Royal Blue body for me?
I'm sure the rear seat is original given the state of the leather when I got the car, but those layers of alternate undercoat then light and dark blue paint puzzle me.
With Mills saying 'normally', I'm back guessing again.

Studying those layers again, one thing that strikes me is that each of the undercoats, if they are, are followed by light then dark blue, and appears to be quite intentional.
Expert advise/thoughts please.

Geoff - Would appear the factory couldn't make its mind up, like me on occasion.
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yesterday I tamed the start-up speed of my Singer 660 A1 industrial sewing machine by simply extending the clutch operating lever.
This modification, together with the change from original 4" motor pulley to one of 2", means the machine now behaves as if it is powered by a servo motor.
I am now able to get the beast to start at a crawl and keep it at that speed, akin to pulling the machine pulley round by hand, thus making it easy to start stitching leather.
Beforehand, it was nigh on impossible no matter how delicate I was operating the foot pedal.



Geoff - Just need to find suitable dark blue leather now and I'm away
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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Keith D



Joined: 16 Oct 2008
Posts: 1127
Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia

PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Geoff,

My Austin Seven is just a bit older than yours. It is a 1932 de-luxe long wheelbase saloon. Being the de-luxe, the seats and side panels were in leather.

Keith
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Video of the Singer 660 A1 sewing machine after my first modification to get it to start slowly.

I now need to drill more holes in that extension bar so that I can fine tune where to put that bolt, and then play around with the position of a tension spring, between bar and frame, to see if that will give me more fine control of the start up speed.

Geoff - Winter not far
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Update at last on slowing the start-up speed of the Singer.
I am now able to get the beast to start at a crawl, but only time will tell if I've been successful with regards working with leather.
If not then a servo motor it will be from College Sewing.

Photo 30: (Forgot to label the last)


Photo 31


Video/s

Waiting for more colour samples from Leather UK, to see if I can match the rear seat's dark blue leather, but trouble is, that leather is shiny whereas the samples I have are all dull/matt.
No the shine is not from contact with bums, but ex-factory.
Question is, is all Seven leather suchlike?

Geoff - Just need to get top thread tension back to what it was before I fiddled

Geoff - Mad at myself for not leaving well alone
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh dear!
Brain f@rt at its best Very Happy
Leather supplier is UK Hide
Received the other promised samples yesterday and found their VM3282 is as close a match as I can expect, except for the shine.

Geoff - There are days and there are days Sad
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Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7112
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This matt leather finish is a problem. A friend found it was possible to find (proper) shiny leather but in rather restricted colours here's his choice, a rather pale blue. It could be darkened (to good effect in my view) with the products from furniture clinic http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Leather_Dyes_Restoration.php?gclid=CMHsvO_jlscCFQb4wgodPa4FvA

Peter


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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2015 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perfect Peter, thanks.
Oh I do so like that blue, but sunglasses needed an you intimated at.
Do you perchance have an address for the shiny leather please?

My A35 front seats look as if they are untouched leather, being identical in look and feel to the samples I've received.

Best I think will be to wait till the leatherwork for the Seven is done, then decide.

Geoff - Internet to the rescue once again with info!
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Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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OuBallie



Joined: 02 Mar 2013
Posts: 225
Location: South Norfolk next to Suffolk

PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bolted the sheet metal bender to the Mobile Tool Trolley (MTT), and rotary sheet metal cutter to the Vice Stand (VS)
I can now make a start on repairing the bottom section of the NS B-post that was bodged.







Geoff - Those two items held in the vice jaws should be familiar - quesses anyone?
_________________
Too many hobbies, not enough time!
1935 Austin Seven Ruby ARQ
1957 Austin A35 2-door
1967 Morris Minor 2-door
2007 Fiat Doblò MultiJet (It carries the spares etc)
Model Engineering
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