Blowing off the flat cap stereotype...& Again pg2

[surprisingskoda]

*Page 2 to see more!*


Y'all probably didn't know, but I got my Austin 7 rebuilt in time for the first vintage club championship autotest event this year, that was last saturday. I got the crankcase cover bolted back together, dynamo positioned right (fiddly as dizzy drive is direct off it), solved a no-spark issue, solved a weak spark issue, solved a fuel issue, solved a cooling issue, and finally got it on the trailer at 6pm on friday night.
I couldn't sleep much so I set out to my dads house at 3.30am, arrived at 5.10am and crashed out on his sofa.
Up at 9am and onwards another 15miles on a surprisingly bright and dry day after the area had been subjected to torrential rain and gales the day before.

Got the 7 unloaded, and seriously, I drove it off, back, forward, stopped it, moved the modern&trailer, came back, drove it up to scrutineering, and then, crunch... the clutch jammed on. Tried everything - it will actually start and drive in gear but then you cant change gear.

So, I got a DNS before I'd even signed on

So I spent the rest of the day marshalling and taking some snaps, which benefits you lot much more, but isn't good for my championship hopes lol. Three years of unsustained challenges rules me out of the novice trophy as well lol.

Anyway:



(A7s feature heavily - 8 or 9 out of 35-40 entries!)


Proof that I'm not the only non-pensioner Shocking how much Chris looks like me tbh.










More sevens - proof that it isn't just old men, either


That said, old men can be frighteningly quick! Not sure why Michael and his son were sharing their brown chummy when they have about 5million quids worth of Alfas in their garages


Is that tyre smoke?


Simon is always lairy...






And my personal favourite picture from the day:

[dw1603]

I have a sneaking fancy for an Austin 7 and those Rileys are a bit special too, but the one that really does it for me is the Model A (pic 7) Do you know what it has in it? Sorry to hear about your mechanical woes, have you sorted it out yet?. Before you ask, I do have a flat cap hidden at the back of the wardrobe.

[Seth]

Excellent ;D

[will]

Bad luck with your clutch mate, cheers for the pics though ;D ;D

Looks lot of fun does this, nice to see old machines given a dam good thrashing.

[stealthstylz]

I love stuff like this. Much better to watch fairly expensive vintage cars been thrashed on muddy tracks than shining on a showfield.

Matt

[Robinxr4i]

Awesome stuff ;D

[Lawsy]

Flat caps are becomming cool again arent they - quite often see peeps wearing them, even thinking of one for myself too when out in the cav.. lol

Gutted to hear you had a DNS, but thanks for sharing the pics

[Graham]

Awesome

[dbizzle]

Jun 24, 2011 1:28:56 GMT stealthstylz said:

I love stuff like this. Much better to watch fairly expensive vintage cars been thrashed on muddy tracks than shining on a showfield.

Just what I was thinking.

[akku]

One of my neighbours does A7 trials. Looks awesome fun.

[Paul H]

Great pics!

Btw, the green Riley looks like it's a shortened '33-'35 9, but any idea as to the basis of the 2nd blue one (looks like it could be a 12/4)? There's a '33 ex-Monaco in my father's barn that wants to look like either of those two once it's restored ;D

[Deleted]

Loads of fun ;D

[surprisingskoda]

Jun 24, 2011 10:20:31 GMT Paul H said:

Great pics!

Btw, the green Riley looks like it's a shortened '33-'35 9, but any idea as to the basis of the 2nd blue one (looks like it could be a 12/4)? There's a '33 ex-Monaco in my father's barn that wants to look like either of those two once it's restored ;D

Peters:

(1st overall BTW)
and Simons:

(2nd overall!)
are both Riley 12s.

Alans Riley, the blue one with the bare ally hood, is a 9.

[Paul H]

Only the one with the ally hood might possibly be pre 1930 (or possibly pre '32), but the other two are certainly well after 1930, both chassis and engine, as the 12hp (whether 12/4 or 12/6) engines date from around '32 / '33 in 6 cyl and '35 in 4 cyl guise.

[surprisingskoda]

My bad, the Rileys are all Class C (after '30)! edited. Not 100% on the engines but they certainly don't sound like 4 pots. never really asked them tbh as I'm usually trying to beat them. Perhaps it was better I was a DNS though as most of the tests at this event were long ones, with large turning areas and fast straights. The tighter ones are coming up in about a month, so I'll have a chance again!

[pedalcarjoe]

S.S. I agree with your choice of favourite pic

[Paul H]

What type of A7 is yours btw? I drove an early Chummy about six years ago, and it was great fun!

[smellyferret]

Love seeing these old things being used!

[captainmatt]

Flat caps ftw! I have one, but then I'm legally required to own one, being from Yorkshire and all.

Not sure what you're competing in here, but I'm enjoying the action pics

[surprisingskoda]

Jun 24, 2011 15:58:44 GMT Paul H said:

What type of A7 is yours btw? I drove an early Chummy about six years ago, and it was great fun!

1930/31 Ulster. One of the original 600-odd made for the road, not one of the 6000-odd replicas lol

Jun 24, 2011 20:00:19 GMT captainmatt said:

Flat caps ftw! I have one, but then I'm legally required to own one, being from Yorkshire and all.

Not sure what you're competing in here, but I'm enjoying the action pics

Competing in the Ulster (northern province of Ireland) Vintage Car Club Championship Trophy.
2 "Driving tests" (autotests, both held on mixed surface in private estates, both Lords are honourary members)
2 "Trials" (going up a steep mucky hill between cones, see how far up you get)
2 Rallys (around 60-100 miles, with trace, regulated and timed sections, no trip clocks allowed, 2-6 autotests thrown in for the craic)
+
2 voluntary speed events, which don't count towards the champ. but have individual speed trophies.

I've never managed to win anything, but my dad has a couple of class trophies. He's not fit to compete anymore anyway, except on the rallies where he drives, because I'm a better navigator than I am driver, but I have to do the autotests during the rally to make sure that it's me that is competing and me that gets the points.