What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Hugh Barnes]

Originally, a Ruby had a single 'pork pie' lamp at the top centre of the spare wheel cover only... Anything else will be a later addition. A single rear lamp is illegal, of course...

[Denis Sweeney]

Attached is a pic of my early Ruby with lights attached and restoration was nearing completion.
An interesting issue I found when restoring the rear wings, there were four holes located in the rear of each wing, three matched the rear wing lights, 2 for fixing and 1 for the wiring and a 4th hole directly below the holes for the lights which I "assumed" were for reflectors, and that's how they were installed.
However once the rear bumper was finally installed, it completely blocked out the reflectors from view and were totally useless, I have no idea what if anything any previous owner had done to get round this but as the wings were fully restored and installed, I really could not go back and redo them again and so now I have a second set of reflectors hanging off the rear bumpers......... So as they say check everything!!
  
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[Dave Mann]

Is the rear number plate pressed into the spare wheel cover or a separate plate Denis?

[Denis Sweeney]

Dave that is another interesting point, the registration number is painted directly onto the pressed area on the spare wheel cover.
The spare wheel cover in the pic is not the original.
Two covers came with the car when purchased, the original, which I still have but is in very poor condition, had the number painted directly onto the cover pressing and that is why I followed suit.
However the spare wheel cover, now fitted onto the car, had two drilled holes in the number plate area, which would indicate that it had been used with a number plate screwed on. These holes were welded up and fettled smooth.

[Dave Mann]

Thanks Denis, a club member asked about this and I wasn't sure.

[Mike Costigan]

If the plates were sign-written, then it would be usual to paint the spare wheel cover; if proprietary plates were fitted, then they would usually have been purchased in pairs, and the rear plate would be attached to the cover.

   

[Mike Costigan]

This one is interesting; it looks like the individual letters are rivetted through the cover, rather than assembled on a separate plate which is what I would have expected.

[Gordon Puzey]

My Pearl has the original boot lid with cast numbers fixed directly to the lid. 
Gordon


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[JonE]

The fact that the pressing exists suggests Austin thought nothing else was necessary; paint and/or pressed letters would be added. Adding the extra plate was probably down to whatever garages found easiest to get the car out to the owner quickly.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Those fancy check trews and the Pringle jumper tell a story of their own!