Meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7pm at The Ferguson Fawsitt, E End, Walkington, Beverley HU17 8RX
Steve & Lynne Webb
Tel: 01482 797810
Email: lynne94@lynne94.karoo.co.uk
Since our set up of the PWA7C group in May 2024 here is a small collection of Members cars from our monthly meetings at the Ferguson Fawsitt in Walkington, Beverley.
An article by Pete Sweeney:
I bought my Big 7 in 1971 but also wanted an ordinary 7 special so when the chance to buy a 1938 Ruby chassis kit complete with a 1932 2-bearing engine came in 1980, I leapt at it. I had in mind the sort of car I wanted without knowing anything about what had been built by others before. My chassis came with a ruby cowl so that was the start point for the build. A Morgan style barrel back with the spare wheel at the other end.
I made the under frame from wood (1), whatever I had, and gave it a good soaking with preservative then under and topcoats of paint. (2) The panels were mainly ex-bus aluminium pinned to the wood with ½” brass pins and joints covered with hollow backed aluminium section countersink brass screwed down. The seats and interior I upholstered with red and black leather cloth remainders. (3) At the front axle I split the shock absorber using the original to weld the cross piece to.
(4) The original engine was the best parts of 3 dead ones with a Reliant manifold and carb. The front downpipe was cut off and moved to the centre, a plate made for the hole and a new hole for the downpipe. These were brazed in place. (5) A banana exhaust and 1” S.U. came next as it looks sexier. Followed by a refit with a 1½” S.U. The centre 2 exhaust ports were siamesed by splitting the pipe and welding a gusset in both sides. (6) The latest has a large tube at the bottom with 3 downpipes and the inlets on a separate log.
(7,8,9) I always wanted a 12-volt system after driving all over the country in the Big 7(Jane) who’s 6 volt system left a lot to be desired. Blinded from the front and seeing my shadow from the rear. This before Halogen let alone LEDs, also a night trip from Beaulieu to Colchester where the battery was running out of charge by halfway. With the engine came a fan bracket with the top broken as well as a front cone with a mangled front end. I cut this off and blanked the end to allow a lower radiator. I realised I could turn the fan bracket 180 degrees. This allowed me to think of mounting a normal dynamo and drive it from the cam. The flat belt pully was of no use so I sketched a V belt pully in its place which a friend turned into a proper drawing and turned the pully from a bar of aluminium a short shaft was made to drive the distributor and the two end plates bolted together with a paper gasket between. The dynamo worked but was soon replaced by an alternator which works much better with the cam at half engine speed.
(10) I sold the car in 1991 and moved on to other vehicles (2CVs) I got a call in 2000 asking if I had built this special which I went to see. It was my car but had suffered in its travels. The folding roof cut off with a knife. Two over-sprayed coats of red and green paint. The registration number had been sold (now on a grey VW) and it had done a whole 800 miles in that time. The engine block was changed and a number of odd changes made.
A year later I got another call from the owner asking if I wanted to buy it back. I did so and have been fiddling and experimenting with all sorts. I put extensions on the now stationary front wings to keep salt etc off the now bare aluminium body. Originally the battery was on the bulkhead, but I moved it under the seat to put a second fuel tank on the bulkhead. Then I took it back off and put the battery back onto the bulkhead. I removed the heater and installed an electric fan. I made a plate and tube to take water up from the core plug between the 3rd and 4th cylinders after reading something like this in a 750 club bulletin to help cool number 4 cylinder. A lot of other try outs and fancies as they take me.
I have enjoyed playing about generally and a 7 special is the perfect toy to do so.
An article by Phil Parkinson:
Keen Austin man Phil Parkinson shared a recent adventure, Phil trials an AE Tourer and races a stripped out AD Tourer with the VSCC, on this occasion he was taking his wife Christine’s AE Tourer to the Highlands for the wedding of their son George and general buzzing around the area. In the Scottish Borders a Range Rover took a bend too quickly on their side of the road hitting the trailer destroying both axles and 2 wheels before buggering off without stopping. The Chummy was unharmed and it being a nice day Christine elected to drive it to their destination leaving Phil to take care of the trailer. Driving through Glasgow and the Clyde tunnel Christine arrived before Phil in the modern. They used the car all week in surprisingly kind weather before their sons used it to convey to the church ceremony on the big day, the verger insisted they drove up the footpath and park at the entrance.
Service done George and Daisy drove to the wedding breakfast. The following day a drive to the seaside for a large BBQ and that was wedding done.
Meanwhile Phil had consulted Austin sage Ruairidh Dunford on a route South to drive the Chummy home, a splendid route with A and B roads was recommended (one memorable one not much wider than the Chummy) and directly through the centre of Edinburgh. Phil’s original thought was to stop at a pub for the night to break the journey but once rolling he pressed on. Stopping every 2 hours to stretch out, fuel and snack he found that the Chummy was burning around a gallon of fuel per hour using E10. 11 hours later he was home in East Yorkshire having covered approx. 309 miles. The toolbox never saw the light of day and the car was a joy to drive.
The car was previously driven from Bath to East Yorkshire by Christine in a one day 2 up with luggage, if any owner of our delightful little cars doubt they are capable of practical use think again, plan a trip and enjoy them.
The next adventure for this little car will be the JOGLE with Ireland thrown in for good measure.
