Austin A30 Seven

[arceye]

Cheers John

And chaps, I don't really see a need to upgrade the current signalling system, I do understand that many people do not understand trafficators or at least don't look for them and there is a potential problem in this.

However, having spent many years on motorcycles I came to the conclusion that I am pretty much invisible on the road to at least some drivers and as such it doesn't matter what my indicators etc are telling them you have to learn to ride accordingly. I then adapted the same principle to driving four wheels especially older motors without seatbelts etc.

So, if you take every other person on the road to be either

a) an idiot

b) blind (or at least looking at everything else but where they should be)

c) half cut

and drive according to those principles then hopefully you stand a chance of staying alive.

I will admit an element of pure awkwardness in this also which crept in years ago after a bobby pulled me over on an old BSA and tried to inform me I needed to retro fit indicators and exhaust baffles despite admitting I hadn't missed a hand signal whilst he was following and me pointing out the exhaust was the original one fitted at the factory.

Anyway, whats life without a little exitement from time to time

Watch me bloody prang it now ..........................

[junkyarddog]

That is a cracking looking wee car.

Developing a severe fondness for them.

Well done on a excellent resto

[arceye]

Cheers

[arceye]

Well, little things keep happening occasionally, the little Austin has been on the road with me for almost a year now and that I still have it is hopefully a good sign given the way I've got through cars in the past.

I've just fitted a fresh engine, no pictures of that I'm afraid, all rather basic stuff but the one in her was getting tired and though she didn't use oil or smoke breathed quite heavily and never seemed to run just right. I decided to do the head gasket and have a look at things but inspection showed the bores to be quite worn. Good news is I had been offered an A series goldseal engine FOC a while back, condition unknown, so after checking it was still available I figured it was worth a look. A partial strip down showed very little signs of wear and other than a decoke and valve lapping was pretty much good to go. So that's in and along with a conversion to an SU carb all seems well.

Anyway, despite slacking with the camera during the engine change I do have one piccy to update the thread with, she now has a rear bumper, not quite original but I like it well enough as it is another of those things that has cost nothing but a couple of hours of time.



Its actually a front bumper blade from a Minor, but shortened by 14 inches with the joints welds hidden behind a pair of A30 / 35 overriders I had in a box. Plan is to get a couple of bumper bolts for the spare holes, and maybe an old AA badge or similar to hide the starting handle hole where I just have a rubber bung hiding things for now.

Anyway, I'm quite chuffed with it and as always I get the feel good factor from improving things on the cheap which is admittedly the only way I can get these things done nowadays. Oh, and I was given a new felt type soundproofing kit for a Land Rover, so that has found its way into various places and on top of the stuff I'd already put in.

[JPB]

Now that's what I call proactive recycling! Well done. A year you say? Damn! Where did 2016 vanish to?

[arceye]

Time flies doesn't it John...

Anyway........... my lad took a little video of her running when I was setting things up. It may / should show up below..

http://vid560.photobucket.com/albums/ss ... 1orfpi.mp4

That SU carb is made out of three incomplete ones, the float bowl is off a later mini carb, the body and basic gubbins from a Minor, and the choke tube from a Reliant 3 wheeler, it seems to work ok and works fine with the A30's accelerator linkages as opposed to a cable set up, I don't like the current air filter but that can wait.

So, a 50% power gain should be about right with the fresh 1098 engine and the SU, sounds a lot but still only about 45 hp, useful upgrade though and one that the insurance are happy with without feeling a need to increase the premium

Next job is to get a new top hose because I don't like the current concertina type one, I'll see how the brakes go and as to if I feel a need to improve them, Later A35 vans ran the 1098 with the same brakes so in theory all is well, in reality if I can find a taller diff, say 4.2, to improve cruising speed further I may feel the need.

[JPB]

That's a very sweet A series by the sounds of it! It can only be sweeter still with an airbox from a late van, a MK2 A40 or a Minor attached and although the numbers aren't massive, yes, the percentage upgrade is substantial so the wee car should be pretty lively and would definitely pull a taller diff ratio without breaking a sweat.

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana..

He wasn't wrong. If only the second half of life would pass at the same rate as the first!

[gazza82]

The 4.2 diff was fitted to the A40 MkII as well so that might help the search although prices are creeping up .. but not as fast as 3.9s ... or the rarer 3.7s which are getting very expensive! 3.5s are around from the Riley 1.5 but are rocking horse p**! Worth fitting the EN17 half shafts from the Spridget .. harder steel.

The A40 Mk II also had 8" drums on the front and these are a straight swap. MMinors are also 8" but need a spacer and some work to fit, but it has been done.

Make sure the rear brakes are properly adjusted as these can actually prevent the fronts working correctly .. .. yes hard to believe but the odd frame cylinder to rod mechanism at the rear has plenty of places to wear/stick and can cause all sorts of odd braking effects!!

[arceye]

Cheers Gazza