Cornwall Austin Seven Club 

Event Reports
Short reports of events, holidays and shows enjoyed
by our members in the past four months.

Our members are always out and about with their 'Sevens'

The main aim of CA7C is to encourage members to drive their 'Sevens' whenever possible, even throughout the winter months when, surprisingly, quite a few members do enjoy being out and about on the colder winter-time runs.  However, we do draw the line on the very wettest of days as there is no point driving in bad weather with the non-optional water entry around the ill-fitting windows and doors!   Mostly we are able to enjoy warm, sunny days with Cornwall's splendid inland and coastal scenery at its best whatever the season of the year.

These edited reports were written by members and are taken from our monthly magazine, Seven Focus.

The suggested routes for some of our past runs are available on our Run Archive at www.dropbox.com  
When asked for sign in information use the following details: Username : ca7c.archive@gmail.com  and Password : runarchive.  Then click on the introduction or a route of your choice, and it will download and open automatically.

NB: You do NOT need to sign up; you do NOT need to download anything, just click 'Sign In' using these details.

 

A Trip Down the Lanes - 17 March

One small group met at Blackwater to drive together to the start at Ladock.  On the way through Truro on a busy Saturday morning everything seemed well until just off Trafalgar Roundabout when wisps of white appeared from the floor in the passenger foot well of a 1931 RM Box Saloon driven by one of our lady drivers.  Was it fire as they to pulled into a side road?  Fortunately it wasn’t fire but steam from a displaced core plug, well, steam and smoke probably do look the same rising from the floor of the cab.  A moment or two later, one of the staff from the nearby tyre centre arrived and helped push the car off the road and up into their yard,  The core plug was replaced and then we were brought a large container of water and offered anti-freeze as well.  Eventually at the start . . .

Despite the threat of snow later in the day, a good number of members assembled at Ladock. Some sixteen Sevens were in attendance. The organisers handed out route sheets before we set off in small groups to venture into the lanes of the Roseland peninsular.  As the title of the run suggests, we travelled along many picturesque small roads with primroses in abundance and fields of daffodils ready to be picked.  Muddy roads with much debris made it hard to distinguish between roads and farm tracks and negotiating multiple pot-holes.  Inevitably turnings were missed

We wended our way to Tregony, through Portholland, Caerhays, and on to Gorran, where all but two of the Sevens tackled the challenging hills at Hemmick.  The run culminated at the Polgooth Inn where a warm dining room, heated by a wood burning stove, welcomed us and enabled us to quickly thaw out!   After a hearty meal, it was time to say our goodbyes and set off for home.  By this time, the forecasted snow had arrived!  

 

Clutch Teach-in - 8 March

To begin with a complete engine, clutch and gearbox was taken apart and the clutch removed. The complete clutch was taken apart after it was compressed, using two G-clamps.   The variations of Austin clutches (or other requested parts) were demonstrated by way of hands on inspections and dismantling of his sample clutches or those that members had brought in with them where there were problem clutches.  We were shown examples of worn parts and the new replacement parts by way of comparison, this was very helpful in understanding the cause and effect of clutch wear.

A common cause of clutch slip was stated as being oil on the linings which most likely comes from the gearbox due to overfilling.

We were now shown how to assemble the various levers and springs on to the flywheel in preparation for the gearbox to be fitted.  Perhaps it should be mentioned that it is best to remove the engine and gearbox from the car together.  It just so happened that I was standing next to the gearbox, so it fell to me to put the gearbox on to the engine. The shaft on the clutch has to enter the gearbox via a series of splines, however there is one blind spline on each part and one has to line them up and wriggle the gearbox on to the back of the engine.  It helps to rotate the other end of the gearbox to enable the blind splines to engage.  An unanswered question is what was the purpose of the missing spline?  

 

Mid Cornwall Run Revisited -  24th February

It was a clear, sunny day with a very strong cold wind buffeting our little Austin as we made our way to the Blackwater layby to meet up with two other Sevens and then head towards the Victoria Inn at Roche for the start of the Mid Cornwall run.  We left Blackwater in the direction of Newquay to meet other members joining us at Goonhavern, then headed in the Bodmin direction but instead of joining the A30 we drove across country to eventually pass through St Newlyn East then away in the direction of Fraddon.  Taking the back road we passed the Screech Owl Sanctuary then joined the road that led us over the A30 and up the straight to pass under the notorious iron railway bridge at Goss Moor and in a very short time the Victoria Inn came into view where over a dozen various Austin 7's were parked up.

After greetings had been exchanged and coffee taken it was time to go so groups of four headed off at intervals, back down the road and under the railway bridge.  Eventually arriving at the round about at the start of the St Columb bypass. The route led through the town of St Columb Major.  On leaving the town, the route turned left opposite the Ring of Bells pub and shortly afterwards a right turn and away towards St Wenn.  Shortly the route continued along a narrow, single track road and on into the hamlet of Rosenannon.  Here we crossed a road and another narrow road led to a T junction where the route turned to the left and on in the direction of Ruthern, Withiel and Bodmin.  A further three miles of lanes led the convoy through Ruthernbridge to an eventual T junction and on to what was once the A30 into Bodmin.  Here we turned right then after a further couple of miles drove down a hill into Lanivet, across the main road and into the car park of the Welcome Stranger Restaurant. The majority of club members went in for a very fine meal and a few others retired to the public house across the road for a drop of liquid refreshment.

With a route sheet for the return journey westward, a small convoy of Sevens set off following that well known, red, Austin 7 van.  On the way out of Lanivet the route turned up under the A30 and headed off in the direction of Bokiddick, then Luxulyan and at a cross roads turning towards St Austell.  Passing through Lavrean and over the railway we headed through Bowling Green and Rescorla to eventually turn again in the direction of St Austell.  Names on the sign posts read Nanpean, Whitemoor and Greensplat then the route led towards High Street then St Dennis and onward towards Goonabarn.  All this eventually led into St Stephen where the Rectory Road passed Brannel School and away towards Grampound Road where we took a right turn on to what was also once the A30 through Ladock.  At the bottom of the hill below Probus we joined the road which led to Tresillian and Truro.  We stopped briefly in the large layby on the left to make various plans for the rest of the trip homewards and to say our goodbyes to the folk in our little group. It was a good run.  

 

 

Helston Inner Wheel Annual Breakfast - 18 February

Four Sevens made a late arrangement to support this event held in the village hall at Breage 3 miles west of Helston.  An excellent breakfast was a good way to spend the morning followed by an impromptu run.

 

 

 

 

 

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