What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[David Stepney]

Well done Andrew! It is probably 50 years since I drove an ARQ Ruby. The example I drove belonged to friend who had owned it from new. It had done about 60,000 miles  and was a very civilised little car indeed. 

If it won't run properly in top at less than 30mph, you may have to do some running adjustments. Mechanically, your car will be very similar to my RP saloon and should pull in top from about 20mph (the RP handbook urges one not to drive in top below 18mph!). Whilst I accept that, with the early crash box, my RP is lower geared in the indirects than your Ruby and the Ruby is also slightly heavier, you should be able to pull away in most situations in second without difficulty. AS Tony Griffiths has said, bottom is really an emergency low gear.

Good luck with your little car!