Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 856 Threads: 16
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Location: North Yorkshire
Congratulations on your recent acquisition, Trevor. Once you have done the necessary work you will have a very practical and attractive little car.
Regarding your round Britain Challenge, I admire your ambition but would suggest that you get a few miles under the cars belt before attempting it. A few years ago I looked into the possibility of doing the Scottish coastline (the best bit, even spoken as a Yorkshireman), and I reckoned it would take about ten days minimum.
Keep us up to date with your progress on the car, a few of us regulars on the forum took quite a fancy to it and it will be good to see the finished product.
When the time comes for you to start the Round Britain Challenge, the Forum members may be able to rally round and support you on each section of the run.
With the cancellation of last years events and the major Austin 7 Centenary Rally next July, 2022 looks like being a very busy year. I would suggest using next year as an opportunity to get the car properly sorted by putting a decent mileage on it, with a view to doing the Challenge the following year.
Joined: May 2018 Posts: 2,797 Threads: 533
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Location: Peak District, Derbyshire
Car type: 1929 Chummy, 1930 Chummy, 1930 Ulster Replica, 1934 Ruby
03-05-2021, 11:49 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-05-2021, 11:52 AM by Tony Griffiths.)
Congratulations. An excellent project involving lots and lots of interesting work. Malcolm is absolutely correct - before the run, get lots of miles under the wheels to sort out the absolutely inevitable gremlins that will crop up - but I'd aim to do it next year - and finish at the Centenary Rally the day it opens.....
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,246 Threads: 33
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Location: Deepest Frogland 30960
Car type: 1933 RP Standard Saloon
As a guide, my trip from here to Santiago de Compostella and back in September 2019 took me 8 days, covering just over 2000 miles. Apart from crossing the Pyrennées twice, most of the roads in Spain were flat, straight and virtually traffic free, so I was able to tootle along at a steady 45mph or so. You're not going to be able to do that round Scotland, so do your logistics carefully, in particular fuel stops and overnight accommodation as they are few and far between up there.
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 5,188 Threads: 223
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Location: Scotchland
I can put you in touch with Glynn and Pat Llewellyn who drove the entire coastline of Britain a number of years back in their 4-Seat Tourer.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 2,246 Threads: 33
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Location: Deepest Frogland 30960
Car type: 1933 RP Standard Saloon
Can you show us what's under the bonnet? That looks like a Big Seven front axle, and the rad on the car is further forward than normal. My curiosity is piqued...
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 856 Threads: 16
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Location: North Yorkshire
I seem to recall that Neil McLelland(?) from Norfolk drove around the coast of Britain around 20 years ago. Perhaps there will be a report on his exploits somewhere that could be very useful, especially as regards the distance and time taken for each leg of the journey.
I think Tony's suggestion that the Round Britain Challenge would finish on the opening day of the Centenary Rally would be quite remarkable if it came off. I have organised plenty of long distance trips but I wouldn't be confident predicting the exact number of days needed to circumnavigate the British coastline!
Accommodation around the Scottish coast is scarce, particularly since the advent of the North Coast 500. I would consider having a back-up motorhome or campervan.
I know a chap who has an MG TC which has a plaque on the dashboard proclaiming that it completed the Round Britain Challenge. It doesn't mention that it was done in about six sections and the distance travelled on the Recovery Service vehicle far exceeded the mileage it did under it's own steam!
Mind you, what do you expect with an MG?
Joined: Mar 2015 Posts: 5,188 Threads: 223
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Location: Scotchland
Also be aware that, depending on your choice of route, I think the mileage is considerably more than the 3K mark you mention.
I would like to do something similar with my family, so will follow this with interest.
Joined: Feb 2021 Posts: 8 Threads: 1
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Location: holcombe
Car type: tr3a 1960
Thank you all for you kind comments. I am at the 'it's going to look a lot worse before it starts looking better' stage. it will be a shed rebuild but i will be focusing on everything for reliability rather than finish. i am semi retired and so it doesnt matter ultimately if i only do 20 miles a day, pushing it! but having said that i wont be sleeping in a caravan... the car has a 'massive' boot so i will be packing everything i can fit in. it will have to be period clothing too.
Reckless, Spain is a lovely place to drive and a tad warmer than Scotland, but a challenge is a challenge. i will post some pics as i strip it down. I havent a clue what i have got yet. the bodywork is made of 1mm aluminium and so it is a bit 'flexible'. the engine number is M225969. i can turn the fan and it turns the camshaft sprocket but i cant feel any compression. so something odd must be going on. head will be coming off soon for a first look but not before lashings of plus gas have done their thing.
Ruairidh, any tips from the Llewellyns would be welcome. I found a blog online by a chap who did the trip in a Morgan (comparatively modern). it was about 5000 miles but he did the islands too. i read your comments on dynamators by the way. cant seem to get one now. seemed a great quick solution especially when starting with a blank canvas. i have one on another car and it was fit and forget. the only problem i had with it is that i had an LED ignition light and an alternator needs a proper bulb to get it started. took ages to work that out...
A very nice local chap got in touch and he has done Lands End to John o Groats 3 times in his 7... he has done 100000 miles in it over 45 years.
ps i have been an RAC member for 40 years and only been recovered once - in someone else's pre-war morris major, so they owe me. i wont be shy about calling them. if they have to take me home to replace an engine and i then need to get trailered back again to continue, so be it.
Cheers
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 856 Threads: 16
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Location: North Yorkshire
You must be a damned site fitter than me if you could push it 20 miles a day!
It sounds as if you are considering camping for some of the journey at least. That really is a challenge!
I would keep the car as standard as possible if I was you. It tends to be the modern replacements/improvements that let people down.
Are you keeping the two aero-screens? I think the car would look great with a proper 'v' windscreen (similar to an 'M'type MG) and it would make the run much more pleasant. It depends how much of a challenge you are wanting.
