Joined: Jul 2018 Posts: 102 Threads: 33
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I'm in the process of getting my big seven back on the road but can quite get the sunroof to slide correctly on the rails, is the roof supposed to have a slight curve to it?
If so how can I achieve this, as when I slide the roof back at the moment it just rubs against the metal roof of the car even though it's sitting to high anyway.
Thank you
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 858 Threads: 47
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Location: North Wiltshire
Car type: 1927 Chummy, 1926 Top Hat 1938 Big Seven 1/2 a Trials Chummy
The Big Seven sunroof (same applies to the last of the Ruby saloons, 1938-39) is a pressed steel panel and it carries quite a serious compound curvature. The roof should have Mazak rails on both sides and two securing hand screws on a wooden rail at the front. It uses the Mazak rails as a guide; I assume that the inside of the panel had rubber pads to allow it to slide over the back panel and not scratch the paint as there are no external rails as with the earlier sunroof. I always found, both with my late (1939) Ruby and the Big Seven that I had later, that the roof could end up "Skewed" and would be hard to close. I think it needed to be opened and then clamped open with both screws.
The Mazak rails should have holes in them at the rear where a rubber bung was inserted to stop the roof being pushed to the very back.
The roof panel should be painted body colour but I am unsure how the headlining was fixed; it might have been just glued in over a padded layer I suppose.
Joined: Jul 2018 Posts: 102 Threads: 33
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Those photos are absolutely fantastic, a great help!
I'm 18 so I haven't had much experience with the certain aspects of a car like sunroofs, interior panels etc.
Although mechanical knowledge from a rotten Austin A30 and a ford 103e that for the first two months gave nothing but trouble ?
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Location: Herefordshire
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That frame looks good will you be making the corner piece for the locking screw? You would need that before the lining can be fitted over it. Pete
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 723 Threads: 38
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Location: Herefordshire
Hi Pete. Yes, we can supply the mounting plate for the locking screw. We don't include it as part of the basic roof panel unless specified as the originals (if present) can usually be re-cycled.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 858 Threads: 47
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Location: North Wiltshire
Car type: 1927 Chummy, 1926 Top Hat 1938 Big Seven 1/2 a Trials Chummy
Hmm, interesting. All the Big Sevens I'm familiar with have the all-steel sunshine roof, my own car was a February 1938 model and was so equipped. I wasn't aware that the fabricated, wood framed roof had ever been used on Big Sevens. Another Austin "Mystery"!
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 723 Threads: 38
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Location: Herefordshire
Hi Parazine.
That's exactly what I thought. We had a Big Seven from early '38 fitted with an all-steel panel and I'd been under the impression that that was universal (with very late Rubies adopting the same panel towards the end of production). This thread appears to contradict that.
To confuse matters further, I was contacted last week by someone who has an all-steel panel on a Mark 1 Ruby.
Oh, the joys of trying to make sense of Austin Seven authenticity!
