What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Steve Jones]

Well yesterday, actually. Starting to prepare an excellent sand cast vintage coil crankcase for an engine build. The crankcase is one of the best I've seen in a long time with every thread in perfect condition, an undamaged bearing lip and only a small, insignificant, repair evident to one rear corner. It was, however, very dirty so it's been to the vapour blasting man and I collected it back on Tuesday evening. He's done a tremendous job and the thing is now immaculate.

Trouble is it's that clean it looks like it was cast yesterday to the point that it looks to have been freshly painted with aluminium paint  In addition, given that it's sand cast, every lump and bump is very obvious. Whilst I like my cars to be tidy, those that know me will confirm I don't do super shiny and as things are, this engine's going to be super shiny to the point I'll find it embarrassing. The crankcase is simply too good not to use. Perhaps only show it to people wearing sun glasses?

Steve

[Charles P]

 an undamaged bearing lip .......

That's just a bearing lip that hasn't cracked yet Steve......

c

[Chris KC]

I know what you mean Steve, just 'cos super clean is available (and tempting) doesn't mean it's appropriate.
Later cases I'm told were silver painted from the works, though why I can only guess.
I shouldn't worry, they don't take long to get filthy again.

[Steve Jones]

Thanks. I won't worry too much but I still think this is too shiny for me!

   
Steve

---

This weekend it should be the VSCC Welsh Trial. For many of us it's one of the highlights of the year and after 20+ years, like a lot of others, I'm missing being in Prestigne. As Malcolm will confirm it's been something of a tradition that on the Friday afternoon we test the Trials Car up Stapleton Hill just outside Prestigne to see how it's going. Can't do that this year. 

However, a few miles away from home we have a small hamlet also called Stapleton. It also has a hill so, needing to give my Ulster a run out to test a minor tweak, I decided that if I can't go up one Stapleton Hill, I'd go up another. 

Wrong Stapleton, wrong hill, wrong Seven but I've still maintained my record of driving a Seven up Stapleton Hill on the Friday before it should be the Welsh Trial. No chance of a pint afterwards in the Radnorshire or Royal Oak though.

[Howard Wright]

I’m missing the Welsh too.

It would have been the Brookfields first event had lockdown not interfered.

Hopefully a more gentle Llandrindod LCES event will take place next year for the Brookfields inauguration?

(I live in Llandod so both events are very much on my home patch .

As it is today I swapped a very leaky petrol tank for one that seems less incontinent!

Cheers

Howard

[Steve kay]

Sorry, no Welsh Rally either. I diverted slightly through Presteigne yesterday, an eerie very quiet town, with a queue outside the pharmacy but not much else. No welcome banner up, and no trials or scatter officials busily doing last minute checking and sorting. Let's very much hope that we are back competing next year. If by any chance I am asked if I might put together a Scatter, I can reach over to a study shelf and say, here's one I prepared earlier.

[David Cochrane]

This time last year... Sigh

[Steve Jones]

And USJ 648 is my Trials Chummy that's locked up in its garage also missing Prestigne.

Steve

[Tony Griffiths]

Off to Donnington Park at 6 am for my grandson's 12th birthday present, a driving course.
One of the school's cars suffered puncture and, guess what? No spare. They tried for 45 minutes to get the goo in and pump it up, but to no effect. And they didn't have a spare wheel, anywhere to be found...

[Pjkpjk]

Lovely day today, first time for ages, no jobs to do, no COVID lockdown (as yet) so off up the back road to Moffat. Steady run as running in, but very happy with car.Cheered up everyone en route. Was given space by all other road users,average 30 mph,went out this afternoon, same trip on my motorbike, had to wash the accumulated dead insects afterwards, no such problem with the 7, obviously the midges could see me coming and take avoiding action!