What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Malcolm Parker]

Aligning the flitch panels is a tricky job, as the front end sits on the curved cow-horns. These vary in profile and may not be correctly mounted.   Until tightened down, the cow-horns can move fore and aft a bit which can cause problems.   Elongated holes in the flitch plates and radiator cowl help and everything should be assembled loose until the end. The radiator should be under no strain at all, it can be almost held in place by the hoses alone, and the radiator cowl should not be a force fit otherwise it will be subject to strain and will crack.
Even people who have built many Austin 7's over the years have fun and games fitting the radiator cowl, sometimes you have to resort to making new flitch plates.  It is a case of persevering until it  looks right and everything bolts together nicely without having to fight it.