What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Greig Smith]

I tested our supercharged single seater this weekend, had a faulty plug giving a misfire, had to richen the mixture a couple of times, I hope the pistons and plugs are happier with this mixture, I half expected the nut to fall off the bottom of the SU carb feeding the blower.

As the road outside my house has tree roots growing under the tarmac which make fast runs impossible despite the urging of the neighbours, we took it out to a quiet country road with a wide shoulder. A few more plug changes and another 3 flats down on the SU mixture and she was pulling just under 80mph. Happy with that, now to try and get the front wheels balanced... Gets a bit 'choppy' over 70mph.

I gave it a little welly in the gears and also when doing U turns for return runs. The good news is that the welded sideshafts on the offset diff were up to the task, the better news is that the blower feeds the power in low down and the rear tyres will slide a bit in the U turns. No untoward vibrations or 'orrible noises, all the oily bits stayed on the inside and apart from jumping out of 1st and 4th.... Urg that's a box out job, she runs very well. The straight cut gears on the blower put up a good whine... It's intoxicating !!!

Back in the garage now, we depart on Friday with both A7 race cars for the Historic Grand Prix in East London, South Africa, the re-inactment of the 1934 Grand Prix. I'll take lots of pictures

It's a tough life out here in the Colonies

Aye
Greig