Hydraulics on a Seven - other than Morris Minor...

[Stuart Giles]

My AG tourer was converted in the 60's to early (50's) Morris Minor hydraulics with a VERY substantial bracket holding the M/cyl to the chassis!
When it came out of it's Ohio barn it was found that the whole system apart from the backplates & drums was unusable. however a kit of parts & new pipes (cheap & easily available) was fitted and the brakes are terrific! even the handbrake used MM cables (& a bit of ingenuity!)

Your highly effective brakes are not a surprise to me at least. The issue of hydraulic Vs. cable brakes on A7s seems to turn in to a religious debate every time it comes up on here. In my view there's something wrong with a hydraulic brake installation if it doesn't substantially outperform an equivalent cable braked system simply because hydraulic losses (skin friction) should always be lower than than the various friction losses in shafts, pivots etc. on an equivalent mechanically operated system.

During a paddock chat at a hillclimb meeting some years ago, another A7 mounted competitor told me that I was at a disadvantage as he had weighed the components of both braking systems and my special was carrying an 8 lb weight penalty due to it's hydraulic brakes. During free practice I had the opportunity to watch said competitor's approach to the final hairpin; he was braking a full 20 yards before I stood on my brake pedal; a good part of the reason that he was consistently about a second slower than my time.