Dating and Engine

[Jamie]

Good evening.

Is there any way to work out the age of an engine from its engine number? I am sure that I found something about this recently, but cannot recall where.

Thank you.

Jamie.

[Bill Sheehan]

Welcome to the Austin Seven World.  A book by RJ Wyatt has a history of Sevens and includes the changes to them over the different models by engine and chassis numbers.  Similarly, the Austin Seven Source book has the latter, but mainly with year-by year photos of most changes to models.  There's also a booklet comprising component changes all taken from the oriiginal Factory Cards.  You'll find on the Austin Seven Clubs Association website. Meantime, all you have to do is list your engine and/or your chassis number here and you'll get instant response on this Forum.  Good Luck.  Cheers,  Bill in Oz

[Jamie]

Bill,

Thank you. I suspect that I am thinking of the booklet on the Austin Seven Clubs Association website which you can download.

The engine number is M281553. It is a three bearing crank, which does narrow it down somewhat. I am only really interested out of curiosity, rather than need.

Regards,

Jamie.

[Bryan]

Hi Jamie,
Wyatt’s book puts that as late 1937.
Regards
Bryan

[Jamie]

Bryan,

Thank you. Quite new, then. Well, compared with the one which it is replacing, which was January 1930.

Regards,

Jamie.

[bob46320]

Three thoughts, use tab washers like these but check size etc
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOCK-TAB-WASH...1509440648

Instead of spring washers, use a couple of "Belville" washers like a couple of these ()
https://www.automotioncomponents.co.uk/e...gLgefD_BwE

Or you could drill a small hole in the head of the bolt and then wirelock the bolts (somehow ??)

I havn't had a problem by just using a new spring washer and not fully tightening the bolts up.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

That is replacing a high frame engine with a low frame one, unless, maybe, its a van engine.

What chassis is it? - assuming it is a car you are working on.

Simon

[Nick Salmon]

Worth noting that whilst engine and chassis numbers can give guidance on dates of manufacture, the two may well differ by a wide margin despite being put together by Austin at the same time. The reason is that if an engine failed on post production test it would be hauled out and a replacement 'off the shelf' put in. By the time a few years of production had gone by, for dating purposes, the number on the chassis would be out of kilter with the engine number.

[Jamie]

Thank you for the replies.

Simon: I have a 1935 Ruby chassis. The engine which I removed is destined for a Chummy, I believe.

Regards,

Jamie.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

That should be fine, the Ruby was made on the low frame, and your engine is almost certainly suitable for the low frame.

I don't know whether vans continued on high frame chassis, or if they did, whether 3 bearing engines were made for them.

Somebody much more learned in Austin convolutions than I will pop up and tell us, I expect.

Cheers

Simon