I have been away from carcrank, I thought Facebook would do the job and it does but it also wastes so much time and then there is the politics so I have come back home also I have moved carcrank.org from my old company to somewhere else, I think Canada but maybe the US.
So after selling the Lambda and the Bébé the garage now contains, by age 1927 Austin 7 Chummy, 1935 Austin 7 Special, 1950 Citroën 11BL, 195? Lancia Aurelia B10 and 1971 Lancia Fulvia Coupe. Here is a quick catch up with their goings on.
Bought the Chummy from Port Lincoln earlier this year it was a runner, just needed a tidy up and I’m still doing just that.
Big things to do: Clutch, Hood is baggy and the hood frame does not fold or lock in place, apart from that it’s fine.
Like most Austin 7 Specials she is a bit wanting in the looks department but as a Mother never thinks her baby is ugly, so too with the Special creator. This year I have fitted a new Phoenix crank, waiting for the Richardo head to arrive and currently building a windscreen which I’m sure will make her even more beautiful.
Still my favourite car, a bit of a hotrod with an ID19 engine and 4 speed gearbox (as the car God intended). Tough as old boots and an utter delight to drive. Apart from an oil change that’s all for this year.
This one is not even in the garage yet but once Victoria manages to get the Covid numbers down, I will be off to South Australia to pick her up. Body looks to be good, motor is dismantled but hopefully complete.
Last month I reached a dubious milestone of spending more money making the body rust and dent free than the purchase price of the car ….. and it’s still in primer. It will be beautiful, it will be beautiful. I probably need to say Om with that.
Yeah – Facebook. I gave up on it quite a while back – like talking into an anechoic chamber for the most part… nice to be in touch again Mark.
Hope to see you when you do finally get to collect the B10.
Stay well.
Hi Mark
Just come across this site.
Hope you are well and I see your car interests have evolved more. I had an A7 as first car !! broke a king pin going round a corner and wheel fell off !!
Very pleased to see the 11bl still a favorite hope that gear change still functions.
I still love driving my L15 with ID 4 speed great combo.
Regards
Robin
Hi Robin,
Yes the gear change is still going well, thanks for that. In fact the whole car is still running very well, I did blow a spark plug out of the head at one point but I managed to to get someone with the right gear (a Porsche guy) to put install an insert in situ so the head did not need removing. Are you still “A la plage”?
Regards
Mark
Yes. we still live at A la plage in Sorrento but stopped doing b&b about 5 years ago. Planned to travel more. We have been classified as metro Melbourne and hence limited to 5 km which is a pain. I bought back my original black traction about 6 years ago and did a back to metal paint job my self and general spruce up. It is a very original car. So have 2 TAs and 2cv. Have not branched out like you !!!
Keep well
Regards
Robin
Hi Mark
In the chummy picture, what is the copper mallet there for? To hitit if it doesn’t go?
My brother years ago bought an Austin seven in some beer crates ( remember them ) and when we checked, it had no diff pinion so he went back and the pinion was driven into the ground and a cow tethered to it so we bought a brand new set , can’t remember what he did with that car so he bought a later one from the 1930s but it had the usual Austin seven clutch in or out flex the ball of your foot job.
cheers
Denis
Hi Denis,
The copper mallet was used to bang in the cotter pin on the crankhandle although it may suggest the consequences of failing to start. I think many pre war cars were broken up just because some part could be used to fix an immediate problem with little regard for the rest of the car it is a wonder that any survived.
Cheers
Mark