What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Tony Griffiths]

Checked over the Cummy and set off in torrential Peak District rain for the Sheffield Group's final run of the season. Halfway through the event, the rain eased and then cleared completely to leave a beautiful Autumn day - and the chance to better enjoy the delightful route planned by John and Cathy Hall. With two grandchildren in the car, an ominous transmission knocking noise started to come and go - traced, once back home, to an adjustment needed on the torque tube spherical joint.

[Mike Costigan]

Sheffield Group's End of Season Run, started with heavy rain:

   

which eased off during the run:

   

I missed the sun at the end of the run:

   

but at least Dave brought his garden with him, as promised:

   

[John H]

I think we had nine Sevens of varying 'flavours', plus a couple of Twelves. Just caught the sun on this one.......
   

[Steve Jones]

Pleased you had a good day and pleased that John and Cathy are still keeping John's Father, Graham's, End of Season Run tradition going in 'Corky', UR 4572. Graham was one of my very best friends and I still miss him greatly - I have his mobile number on my phone and can't bear to delete it. Graham, Pauline, Ang and myself drove many, many miles together in Sevens, Graham and Pauline in 'Corky', Ang and I in a variety of the things. John came over a few months ago to borrow my thin spanner used to tighten the lock nut on screw in torque tubes. The last time it was used was when his Dad borrowed it to do the same job on the same car maybe 15 or more years ago. 

On one occasion, when I had VR 807 (now owned by Ian McGowan), we drove over to Easingwold one Sunday for Sunday lunch. Rather than going round the boring York Ring Road, we drove through the mddle of York. To the untrained eye, both cars were identical and, stopping at some traffic lights, Graham was set upon by two young American girls who told him they thought our cars were 'brilliant' and asked him were we'd hired them from!!

The two cars in Easingwold Market Place that day.

[John H]

Many thanks Steve. I'm sure my dad would have loved the run today, despite the horrible weather early on. The torque tube adjustment seems to be holding, with no return of the mystery end-float and no suspicious noises, so I must return your special thin spanners at some point!

Here was Corky's view at the start.......
   

[Reckless Rat]

Many years ago I called in to see Graham at home in Rotherham. It was a routine police safety visit to inspect the fuse on his kettle. (wink) - He showed me his nose cone mod on the chummy which he had machined to take a lip seal, and very kindly gave me a refurbished fan spindle and pulley which is still giving sterling service in my RP.

Graham is sadly missed, as are my trips with the rest of the Sheffield Group. You all are of course more than welcome to come and have a run round the hills near here...you might have to set off a bit earlier than normal.

[joe]

Taken just before the rough weather arrived, we’re at Aldeburgh Suffolk.
   

[Reckless Rat]

Today, I have been mainly drying out the garage after a recent "Episode Cevenole" which brought down about 200mm of rain on our village over the past 48 hours. As a result there is a lot of run-off, some of which has manifested itself in producing a freshwater spring in the passageway between the garage and the higher levels of the garden. It has been running constantly for the past two days and shows no sign of letting up. The garage floor was covered by a huge puddle, mainly due to rainwater being blown under the doors during the storm (I have a cunning plan for that, but it's All Saint's Day here so everywhere is shut) and part due to filtration of the spring water passing through the garage blockwork. I seem to have stemmed that by digging a gulley for the water to escape onto the drive. No real harm done, and I've drilled a couple of 1" holes in the garage floor to allow the water to drain off into the sub-base. You can see the resulting stream in the passageway to the right of the garage:

[Roger]

  792F692D-FB02-4E10-80D1-E15174AAEE63.jpeg (Size: 17.61 KB / Downloads: 319)
This actually took more than today to be perfected, but today was my successful attempt.
I needed to improve my petrol tank filler as it had lost it’s chrome and was corroded.
Having read a post about nickel plating it was time to try for myself, it was much easier than I expected although my first attempt failed because I was impatient and used too high a voltage and current.
I cleaned and polished the cap and used a very low voltage the second time but left it in the chemical for about an hour. This was very successful and soon polished to a good finish.
I am now looking for other things to plate on the car, the windscreen frame being one example which I will consider when I replace the windscreen glass this winter.

Roger

[Ivor Hawkins]

That looks excellent Roger, you’ve inspired me to have a go at my filler cap as well.