Hi,

Whilst I have my engine and gearbox out I'd like to see if I can increase the clutch disengagement to avoid the annoying crunch when engaging 1st gear.

It's a 3-speed gearbox and I think the problem is primarily wear in the operating mechanism and on the thrust race housing where the toggles rest.

I've previously fitted new toggles and repaired the slots in the clutch cover where the the fulcrum of the toggles rest so I don't think that's is the issue.

The thrust race housing has previously had three additional slots machined in it but even these are now quite worn and I've read that, at one time, you could get a thin, hardened steel, thrust washer which sat in the housing under the toggle ends to eliminate the wear and give more clutch disengagement.

Does anyone know if these were effective and if they're still available as I can't find ant recent reference to their use?

John.

In the project to get the sliding roof working correctly on my Box Saloon, I have a couple of different reproduction sliding panels. Sadly neither of them are perfect in differing ways. Does anyone have an original panel that they might be prepared to lend or sell so I know exactly what I need to make it all work effortlessly, perhaps?

Thanks for any offers..

Hugh

Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone knows were I might be able to purchase a gasket (sender to tank) for my fuel tank sender unit?

Thanks

Matthew

Can anyone help. A mate has given me a pair of 12v US sealed beam headlights from his E type project, one of which I propose to use to replace the burnt out sealed beam in my pool underwater light. Looking at the back of the unit the three blade terminals are arranged in a 'U' shape and I want to use the main beam. I am guessing that the centre terminal is common/earth and the other two are Main & Dip respectively, but which one is the main beam?

The underwater light is a sealed affair so there's no water interface, and it has a 12v DC supply.

Any ideas? I've tried doing it with crocodile cips but all I manage to do is dazzle myself!

It's like this: (library photo)

A friend came across this article in a publication called "The Dorset Yearbook". the article is 12 pages long and doubtless copyright would rear its ugly head! However if anyone comes across it, it is a fascinating read. I will try and make a short precis.

Background. Two 20 year olds in July and August 1966 were at a loose end and decided to go travelling. Gary had a car (1929 Chummy ,an original relatively unmolested car) and a licence, Mick had a tent! 
The car log book was lost - probably to a "bitza" so  it had a modern registration number (l) DPR53C. The Seven was loaded with "a comprehensive range of engine and transmission spares, extra spare wheel, camping gear for two months and had an ex Army 6V metal cased radio battery behind a front seat". No side screens, but the hood was made by a sailmaker in Weymouth. Gary was mechanically savvy and had reversed and lengthened  the rear brake levers, but the extra weight carried in the back made for "interesting" cornering and on bad roads the levers apparently  struck things and could lock either or both rear wheels! This mod was put back to "standard sometime on the journey) In France they did 600 miles in the first  three days (no Autoroutes then) down to Pouillon...beyond Pau. They spent time with friends there and made a trip into Spain over the Pyrenees. Spanish roads cause the petrol pipe to fracture at the carb union. They discovered that you need to keep more fuel in the tank on badly cambered roads when driving on the "wrong" side and that in very hot (98 F)weather SAE40 grade oil didn't get used as fast as SAE30 
They cut down to Lourdes on 2 August (over commercialised), Carcasonne (a bit of a dump!),through the Carmargue (very beautiful), on to Cannes (hellish drive). and 6 August to Nice (awful traffic). The next stage was to Postojna (by 11 August) in Yugoslavia via northern Italy (using Autostrada!) The fan belt disappeared, but this caused no overheating! They made a replacement from a leather strap! Then at Lake Bled, a month after leaving it started raining....and was snowing in Austria. On the 18th of August they left for Austria and had to detour into Italy. Roads were blocked by landslides, mud and floods, but they pressed on through it all (keeping up with with Austrian army Haflingers!) They made it to Bad Hofgaststein and got to the Tauern tunnel through more floods and first gear passes so steep the passenger had to walk. A high speed (relatively) rail trip through the tunnel was next - sitting in the car! On the 20th they made it to a flooded campsite at ChiemSee on 20 August having had overheated brakes when descending a temporary gravel road, ending up with a front wheel resting on the rear tyre of a truck. Then (still raining) on to the Autobahn at Munich (where the carburettor blocked itself) and on to Ulm, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe and Rastatt on 22 August.. Next was France (Verdun) where they got some copper split rivets and made another fan belt tha that tinked tunefully with the starting handle! Then to Paris (25 August) where they "did" the Champs Elysee and bought ferry tickets home (no turn up and go then!) from Le Havre. A brief stop in Rouen where the car misbehaved...not petrol, not jets...a miserable spark! No life in the battery! Gary thought the regulator was fed up with being covered in mud and regularly soaked in water they limped to a garage, and got the battery on charge (camping behind the garage. Next morning all was well so off to the ferry and home on 27 August. The distance he estimated was over 3,500 miles at around 45mpg. Plus one and a half gallons of oil - mostly SAE 30 when it was so hot. Apart from Fan Belt, no spares!
What became of the car? He hand brush painted it blue (instead of brown) and gave it a bit of a service and kept it as his only car for 18 months -including touring Cornwall and travelling regularly between Birmingham and Weymouth. Then he swapped it for an ohv Standard Canley tourer which never went further than Glastonbury to Weymouth and it used more oil than the Austin!
What a great trip. I wonder what happened to the car? (Dr) Gary Guiver emigrated to Australia in 1970 and spent 30 years working in education before retiring in 2001.

I have just acquired a Nippy, that will have to sit outside for a couple of months. Any suggestions for a suitable all weather cover, gratefully accepted.

The Austin Seven Source Book - Bryan Purves. As new.       £50.00

Men and Motors of the Austin - Barney Sharrett. As new    £18.00

Original Austin Seven - Rinsey Mills. As new £10.00

Austin Service Journal. Vol 1 - 13. 1927 - 1938. Austin 7 models. Bound copy. £25.00

The Austin Seven - Bob Wyatt £15.00

Around the World in a Baby Austin - Hector MacQuarrie £35.00 ( No dust wrapper )

Herbert Austin, The British Motor Car Industry to 1941 - Roy Church £15.00

Austin Seven - Brookland Books, soft cover, pictorial. £7.00

PWA7C Golden Jubilee. Members and their Cars 1962 - 2012 £7.00

I also have a complete set - all 3 volumes, and heavy! - of The Encyclopaedia of the Automobile by Nick Georgano. Brand new and unread. £230.00

All books either new or in very good condition. All prices include for p&p.

Chris Garner
ulster29@hotmail.co.uk

What is the procedure for importing and registering a special in France?

I'm putting the Ruby BXE 95 on display this weekend at Silverstone, but have 2 spare tickets for Sunday that are surplus

 On Sunday entry is £45 per ticket, but happy to pass both on for £40, (Covers my fuel costs)
But buyer needs to download the "Silverstone App" first before transfer can happen, and I prefer PayPal for payment,
See you there !!!!????
Email
alanhpierce@gmail.com

Will be leaving tonight at 7pm but have 'smart' ??? phone with me.

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Last year I had four steel brake shoes relined by Saftek in Cleckheaton.  (No connection, usual disclaimers.)  

Previously, they have used 1/8"thick (3mm) bonded linings, but this time the linings were 3/16" (4.5mm) thick, and also of the woven type.  

When I tried to fit these linings the other day, the extra thickness stopped the drum going back on - even at full adjustment.  As the previous 1/8" linings were a tight fit, it is perhaps not surprising that these were too thick? 

The question is - have others had this difficulty, or do 3/16" linings usually fit without a problem? 

(Saftek have offered to reline the shoes back to 1/8" (FOC) so I have posted them back to Yorkshire this week.)