Austin Seven Ulster ?

[J4CKO]

Anyone know anything about these cars ?

My father in law has one, used to have a few classics and this is all that's left, its a race car of some description and though its been kept warm and dry it has not been run in a long time, I have been with my wife for twenty years and I haven't seen it run !

Never been all that interested but am kind of losing interest in modern cars a bit, to have any fun you tend to end up going very fast, I would imagine that one of these takes some driving and I am keen to have a go, he has suggested it in the past but I have never been all that interested as I said but as I get older it seems more appealing, none of my three brother in laws are interested in it.

So, any suggestions on recommissioning it and what does a car need for the MOT at that age ?

What are they like to drive, are all the pedals in the same place ?

[austin]

I've got a replica* one, (which I guess the one your talking about is). If it's an original I would love to know more!

The pedals are in the right place and they are easy to drive although the brakes can be tad "interesting"...

Top speed on mine is about 65, which is plenty for a car that small and light, especially when it's stiffly sprung and the roads are as bad as they are around here, you can hit a bump and pitched across the road. They can be made to handle really well, if the one you are talking about was raced it should be well set up, in fact it might have raced against mine or one of my dad's other Austins.

MOT wise it's the same as any other car minus the seat belts, indicators etc etc. There can be some problem finding ramps narrow enough for them to go on.

Getting it going again shouldn't be to tricky, as long as nothing is ceased or corroded away you should be alright. New oil and petrol and see what happens.

They are really popular "classics" and lots of clubs are around, a few forums as well, I use this one.

• Austin Ulster replicas are different to Bugatti replicas, all the bits on mine are original Austin bits, only the body is new(ish).

[Dogwatch]

If it's got the standard Seven clutch the pedal travel is about half an inch between free and fully engaged!

I assume that as a sports car the brakes are going to be an improvement on what bog standard models had (or rather, hadn't)

[J4CKO]

austin said:

I've got a replica* one, (which I guess the one your talking about is). If it's an original I would love to know more!

The pedals are in the right place and they are easy to drive although the brakes can be tad "interesting"...

Top speed on mine is about 65, which is plenty for a car that small and light, especially when it's stiffly sprung and the roads are as bad as they are around here, you can hit a bump and pitched across the road. They can be made to handle really well, if the one you are talking about was raced it should be well set up, in fact it might have raced against mine or one of my dad's other Austins.

MOT wise it's the same as any other car minus the seat belts, indicators etc etc. There can be some problem finding ramps narrow enough for them to go on.

Getting it going again shouldn't be to tricky, as long as nothing is ceased or corroded away you should be alright. New oil and petrol and see what happens.

They are really popular "classics" and lots of clubs are around, a few forums as well, I use this one.

• Austin Ulster replicas are different to Bugatti replicas, all the bits on mine are original Austin bits, only the body is new(ish).

Thanks for your input !

I know he raced it at Oulton park, not sure how competitively, I can see what you mean about the brake, they seem to look more like something off my bike dont know much about it, its just referred to as the "Ulster" and from what I remember doesn't have lights, would love to see it going, I think he would but isn't that interested being seventy odd and more into modern stuff now, been there, done that, it seems a shame for it to sit there unused. I read that the Ulsters were Supercharged, is that the case ?

Will try to get more info an possibly a photo or two.

[austin]

Some of them were supercharged but not all of them.

If you go to any VSCC event you will see loads of them, they are popular because they are relatively cheap and easy to build.

If you want a go in one I'm in East Sussex if it's near you.

Look forwards to more info / photos.

[J4CKO]

austin said:

Some of them were supercharged but not all of them.

If you go to any VSCC event you will see loads of them, they are popular because they are relatively cheap and easy to build.

If you want a go in one I'm in East Sussex if it's near you.

Look forwards to more info / photos.

Cheers for the offer but I am up near Manchester, will nip round one night after work on my cycle home and see if he is happy for me to have a look, my dad is a engineer of about 40 odd years and still works in a machine shop, his first car was a thirties Austin, so I am sure he will assist, I am not totally backward when it comes to cars, we have a 67 Fiat 500 and I have done a fair bit of work on that.

We went to the Gawsworth car show yesterday and it got me quite interested in older stuff, had always thought my interest in cars was from 1960 onwards but I think with getting older I am getting more interested in older stuff.

At the show was one of his old cars, this Rothwell, the only one left, he sold it a couple of years back, was nice to see it back in use,

[davepoth]

It'll be awesome, you'll be able to scare yourself stless at walking pace.

[Slade Alive]

davepoth said:

It'll be awesome, you'll be able to scare yourself stless at walking pace.

Oh come on. At least running pace!










Actually it'll go like fk to be fair!!

[Fane]

Do it!! You will not regret it. You're not that far from Harewood Hillclimb. There's a BARC Classic and Vintage meeting there on 4th June, where there are 7 sevens entered out of a total of 91 entries to date.

eta - much more fun than a static car show

[davepoth]

Slade Alive said:

Actually it'll go like fk to be fair!!

They aren't slow, that's true - and they're built tough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgyeL8VhV9A&fea...

[davepen]

davepoth said:

and they're built tough.

Although an Austin Seven Ulster (-iod) would look like more this
http://www.petermcfadyen.co.uk/#/gallery/vscc-here...

[Ru78]

Hi,
I'm nearing the end of an Austin Seven restoration on a special, similar in looks to your "ulster". Having started 18 months ago with no mechanical knowledge and a complete wreck! Along the way I've found:

The forum "Austin Seven Friends" is really helpful, full of advice, and very welcoming, (as mentioned in the previous post). Get on there with a similar post to this and you'll be made welcome and lots of advice offered!
There is a workshop manual referred to as the Big Red Book, written by Doug Woodrow, and still available New from his widow for ~£40, really worth the money...
Spare parts are readily available, and largely inexpensive, from a number of suppliers, all who can supply advice and will post the parts to you!
The car is very basic... and therefore easy to understand... even for a novice...
Lastly there is plenty of information and opinions out there... have a good read before going down any one route... all are valid.. some more so!!

Good luck...
and lets see a picture!
Ru

[Brabus Jord]

hey good luck with the Seven.

I was very happy to 'find' this beaut on Saturday.

My father has had a lock up for 40 years that I have never seen. I went there with him to see what was in there as he remembers he put a car into to storage.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see the seven parked at the back.

I plan to restore her for my dad. Its a 1936 Austin Seven Ruby. It's in good condition considering the age.

I have already stripped the interia. the float on air cushions still work but the nozzles are damaged. do you know if you can by rubber patches which valves in?

cheers in advance



ETA spelling etc

[austin]

Brabus Jord said:

hey good luck with the Seven.

I have already stripped the interia. the float on air cushions still work but the nozzles are damaged. do you know if you can by rubber patches which valves in?

Speak to Bryan Purves, he's the main man making the float on air cushions.

I would recommend joining one of the A7 clubs, they all do loads of stuff including very cheap insurance and are a wealth of information.

All of the spares suppliers are really helpful and will offer advice openly.

[Brabus Jord]

austin said:

Speak to Bryan Purves, he's the main man making the float on air cushions.

I would recommend joining one of the A7 clubs, they all do loads of stuff including very cheap insurance and are a wealth of information.

All of the spares suppliers are really helpful and will offer advice openly.

thanks, yeah i saw he is the man who does them.

really looking forward to taking on the challenge of it

[davepoth]

davepen said:

Although an Austin Seven Ulster (-iod) would look like more this
http://www.petermcfadyen.co.uk/#/gallery/vscc-here...

I can't think of many other cars I would drive up a heavily rutted cart track while bouncing on it like a trampoline with the engine doing billions of revs.

[Hooli]

davepoth said:

They aren't slow, that's true - and they're built tough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgyeL8VhV9A&fea...

I must remember to go watch a few hill climbs, they look great.

[Roy C]

Hooli said:

I must remember to go watch a few hill climbs, they look great.

These are off road Trials.
Hill climbs are on surfaced tracks against the clock.

[davepen]

davepoth said:

davepen said:

an Austin Seven Ulster would look like more this..

I can't think of many other cars ....

Perhaps I was being a little bit too subtle, ... the one in your link isn't an Ulster, (IMO one should at least attempt to replicate the tail) and as the carb is on the wrong side, possibly not even an A7 special

I think what you wanted was
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4eB1hySwQ

[pishadeperro]

Still trying to find what type mine is? I havn't run it for several years and to be honest I don't know weather to restore it, leave it or ahng it on the wall