Hello everyone,
I’m new to the Austin 7 , just purchased a special with an interesting story, far as I can tell ,it’s 1938 chassis with a modified 1934 engine and 4 speed gearbox.
The car has been on a serious set of adventures including route 66 in the US .
Anyway, I’m guessing the chap that drove all those miles had small feet!
I’m struggling to fit my size 10’s in the space available, it’s hard not to press the brake when pressing the
throttle .
My question is: has anyone had experience of cutting and re welding the clutch and brake pedal on a 7 ?
the pedals look to be steel or wrought iron. I’m hoping to move the two pedals over towards the centre of the vehicle by a couple of inches each . Any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks.
It looks as though your accelerator pedal might be too high compared to the brake pedal, it should be to the right of the brake when the brake is pressed, so you can rock your foot between the two to "heal and toe" successfully. The brake pedal is normally fully round (not cut off) and should just clear the column as it passes it. Presumably it has been chopped and moved to give more room to reach the accelerator. I would want pedal rubbers on (particularly the brake) to avoid slips.
A photo of the standard set up would help you but my car isn't here at present.
Your car must be well sorted to have completed route 66. You'll have a lot of fun I'm sure.
On my Ulsteroid I arranged the pedals to be placed very similarly to the standard arrangement, quite like the layout in Dave's picture. My brake and clutch pedals are standard, but the layout in your car looks different and less satisfactory, as you have found. I suggest that if your pedals are modified you should change back to standard type (I may be able to provide, but would need to check stock).
An under bonnet photo of throttle operation might be interesting, it currently looks not only wholly unoriginal, but not easy to imagine how the carb is operated. Is it an original Zenith? The brake has already had the slice taken off it, currently 180 degree out. My feet being size 11, I can’t drive a Seven wearing ordinary shoes. I have driving shoes with a much slimmer sole and thus ample clearance between pedals. Mine started their career as competition cycling shoes, slim enough to slip into rat trap pedals.
15-10-2023, 08:52 AM (This post was last modified: 15-10-2023, 08:58 AM by Reckless Rat.)
Many specials sport a convex bulge to the bodywork in the offside footwell area, in order to create enough room for the right foot and the throttle pedal. Even a factory built A7 saloon has a mod to this effect, so it's nothing new. Perhaps whoever built your special didn't realise the problem until later -
Welcome to the sometimes weird and wonderful world of Austin Seven Specials.
As others have said your lower cockpit area looks typically ‘special’. I’m guessing the steering box sits on a wedge lifting it so that it is almost at the same height as the pedal. Without seeing the whole area without carpets and possibly floors it is difficult to advise.
However as Reckless has suggested a scuttle bulge might help. And as Steve has mentioned very slim drivers slip ons are a necessity even with some standard cars!
I have bent the brake pedal on my special slightly by heating to cherry red bending slowly and cooling gradually. However your pedal looks rather well bent already! I have also relocated the pedal pad on the stalk so that it sits slightly behind the column (but my pedal is much higher than yours)
I think it is important you get this sorted. You never know when you might need an emergency stop.
15-10-2023, 11:57 AM (This post was last modified: 15-10-2023, 12:02 PM by Duncan Grimmond.)
I'd avoid cut-and-shut welding to forged pedals if at all possible. Heating and bending is preferable IMHO but tricky and it can be time-consuming as you may be amazed at how much difference a small tweak near the fulcrum can make to the position of the pedal face! I'd suggest your brake pedal is too near the floor and the gas pedal is miles out of place but each to his own....
I am often asked to make blisters for chaps with larger feet/shoes and if your pedal set up is as you want it to be, fit a blister.
Here's a photo of the standard linkage, I haven't got an engine out to show the linkage in situ. I note that your brake pedal has been extended but is not at a good angle. How did the constructor drive it?
