New owner..

[Colin D Smith]

Hi fokes
Just thought that I would say hello, and warn you of the impending barrage of questions regarding my new purchase of a 1936 Austin seven Ruby.
After getting it back home, I took it out for a drive, [yes I know that was something that I should have done before I bought it.]  It was the first Austin I looked at . I guess let by my heart rather than my head. So at home, my 1st drive in the Austin could only be described as rather scary and she is now tucked down the drive. Over the last few days I have taken a good look around her.        [ something that I really should have done before!]     Anyway I'm happy with my purchase, but she need some love and some new kingpins for starters.
Well thats me.. Just saying hello. Hope your all well.
Take it easy
Colin D

[John Cornforth]

Hello Colin and Welcome !

Driving a Austin Ruby will always be "interesting" but shouldn't really verge on "scary", at least below 40 mph and in daylight.

Your best bet is to find a local club where there will be folks who can help you determine what might need sorting straight away and what can be left till later after you have been using your car for a bit and have got to know her.

[Colin D Smith]

Hi John
I have joined local club it was one for the 1st things I did
I had the front wheels off today, cleaned off the old muck and grease, the kingpins are shot. Your quite right with regards to what may need sorting straight away. I had a 1942 WM20 BSA for years. Just need to get to know the eccentricities of the Austin 7. The carburetor needs some attention , I believe the worn butterfly linkage is letting unmetered air in so I have no slow idle control. Also I feel that the brakes are full of grease. Hub puller ordered.. Not going to mention to slop in the steering linkage.

[Ian Williams]

They are all relatively straight forward fixable issues which will greatly improve your driving pleasure. You shouldn't need a hub puller to have a look at the brakes, but will need one to rebuild the hubs if that the source of oil/grease. I would suggest a copy of the Woodrow workshop manual is essential for a new owner, provided you have some mechanical knowledge it covers most repair rebuild jobs you will encounter, including a few trick's that often trip up the unwary.

[Colin D Smith]

Thank Ian
I will look for that workshop manual. I bought the Austin as a work in progress, so quite keen to get her on the road.

[Martin Prior]

Hi Colin. Driving an Austin Seven is very different to driving a modern, but shouldn't be "scary". There are people that will undoubtedly tell you that all Austin Sevens wander - they don't - and that they won't stop - also untrue. It's all down to good maintenance and reasonably regular checking and adjustment. Once the worn parts have been replaced or repaired, I promise you that the car will be transformed.

[Howard Wright]

Thank Ian
I will look for that workshop manual. I bought the Austin as a work in progress, so quite keen to get her on the road.

Hi Colin

Welcome to the forum.

The Austin Seven Manual by Doug Woodrow is essential and can be obtained from

Mercury Vintage Services, Rosedale, Station Road, Emneth, Norfolk PE14 8DL.  Tel: 01945 430058  e-mail: susan.woodrow@gmail.com.

Cheers

Howard

[David Stepney]

Welcome Colin. One thing to check also are the front spring shackles as wear in these will cause the car to wander.  So too will slackness in the radius arm attachment to the chassis. Austin 7s tend to be camber sensitive and bump steer,  a characteristic of beam front axles.However the cars remain perfectly well behaved provided everything on the suspension and steering is in reasonable order.

With the brakes, again everything should be in good order with no wear in the cam bushes. The brakes should be set up so that the front brakes come on ahead of the rear brakes. I assume that your car has the semi-girling brakes with square brake adjusters of which I have little experience, but on my own car, with the earlier Austin brakes, I ensure that, with the handbrake off, all the wheels rotate freely and then adjust the brakes so that, at two notches of the handbrake, the front wheels are coming on, whilst the back brakes are still free, not beginning to bind until the third notch. At the fourth notch everything should be solid.

Hope this helps.

[Ian Williams]

Whilst we are at it another reason A7's wander, (I agree with Martin in good shape they shouldn't wander excessively) apart from inherent suspension geometry is if the rear spring pins and bushes are worn allowing the rear axle to move. I find A7's drive best when you relax and guide them lightly down the road rather than trying wrestle them with a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel. This is true even on rougher surfaces such as the metal roads which still proliferate NZ's back country byways and highways.

---

PS another reasonably good source of information and technical advice are several of the A7 club websites such as the Cornish and the Bristol A7 club's amongst others.

[Colin D Smith]

Thanks for the replies and the welcome.
David, I taken a big screwdriver and levered the shackles and could detect no movement. So with any luck are okay. You mention the radius arm attachment to the chassis.. Honestly I've no idea what they are what they look like, sounds important!! However no point in going off half cocked ... Doug Woodrow's manual is now 1st on my list..Thanks Howard for pointing me in the right direction.
After work tomorrow I will see if I can look at the brake shoes..
Thanks chaps