JULY 1979

DORSET AUSTIN SEVEN CLUB

 

THIS MONTHS MEETING  THURSDAY JULY 19th 8 p.m. Nags Head Ringwood.  Evening run to the Mariners Rest at West Moors.  Depart 8.30 pm

 

EDITORIAL

I thought disaster had struck this month when my file of news­letters and other info disappeared, but luckily I have just found it stuffed in the children's toy box (they must be frustrated at daddy not having an Austin on the road!)

At last we are seeing some weather for the sunshine roofs and the soft top brigade. Bernard had his Chummy hood christened by the Berkeley Castle rain. It seems that Beaulieu and Berkeley weather is predictable good and bad.

Did you see Richard Hamly hit the "Echo" front page with his petrol saving military tourer? Austin motoring will certainly come into its own now that petrol prices are so high. In fact, if you think about an Austin Seven it must be the cheapest thing to keep on the road, beating even a Morris Minor. We are very fortunate in having such a good supply of new spares available at a realistic price.

From time to time I hear members saying that if they do not have a car on the road they feel out of things, almost an outsider. I sympathize with their feelings (I have not got a car on the road myself) and I think that some of them need more encouragement at club meetings and a greater sense of belonging and it is essential that we do give a “them” and "us" atmosphere. It does work both ways and the club needs to know your feelings - what do you want, how can we help, and what are you looking for as a club member? Please tell us on the committee so that we can make the club better for all of us.

In April I produced a list of members and their cars. I want to take that one step further and publish an informal progress list of unfinished cars with details of outstanding work and requirements etc.

As a last thought from the soapbox I feel we need to encourage more new members. It has been said that we have covered our area fairly well but I am sure with discreet advertising at static rallies we could increase our membership to over sixty. To me, more people mean increased experience, technical knowledge, new committee members, and more social life.  What do you think?

My apologies for the delay in sweatshirts but they should be available soon.

Lastly a useful tip I discovered the other day if you have a Seven with a "droopy" number plate on the luggage rack (e.g. 33/34 Saloon) don't try and hammer the steel rivets, instead dot punch the perimeter of the spacing washer between the rack and number plate brackets. An "automatic" Eclipse punch does the job very well spreading the washer makes it grip and you have a rigid number plate again.

 


 

NEXT MONTH’S COMMITTEE MEETING

Thursday 2nd August, Tyrrell’s Ford.

BEAULIEU REPORT

With its predictable weather, July 1st saw National Rally at Beaulieu.  DA7C was well represented with most of our members’ cars in attendance and it was good to see Murray Pacey about again chatting to his friends in the arena.

Initially most people made a bee-line for the autojumble and spares to see what they could pick up .I was surprised to see the range of parts that Keith Roach & Co are producing at Wood Green near Fordingbridge – not far to go for your new body!  It seems that given a basic chassis you can end up with a complete replica.

I managed to boost my Austin library with a copy of “The Motor Sport Book of the Austin” which leaves “Whatever happened to the Baby Austin?” to complete my collection – anyone got a spare copy?

Did you see that beautiful two-berth folding caravan which Jack Ascot was towing with his ’28 van?  Surely the ultimate combination!

Beaulieu gives us all an opportunity to check on certain features of the more original cars and by chatting with their owners to locate sources of trimming material and craftsmen to assist in restoration work.

On the awards side, Lawrence Rideal got a Highly Recommended for his ’31 Box and Nigel Ricardo a 1st Class for his Nippy.  Well done!

PHIL

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LIST OF EVENTS

14th/15th July                 Lytchett Matravers Rally

21st July                         Netley Marsh Rally

25th July                        HCVC Treasure Hunt

29th July                        Dodington House, near Bristol

4th/5th August                Alderholt (DA7C camping)

11th/12th August            Yeovil Festival of Transport

18th/19th August            Camping weekend Longbridge Rally.  Leave Ringwood 9 am Saturday, return Sunday evening.  Details from Glyn

8th/9th September           Beaulieu Autojumble

21st-23rd September     Stourpaine Bushes

BERKLEY CASTLE

5 o'clock Friday evening, the Ruby fully loaded with the four of us and the dog plus a.fully loaded trailer. We set off for a rendezvous with Gary Munn on the Salisbury road just past Ringwood. Gary falls in behind and we make our way via Devizes, Chippenham and Malmesbury to the rally site at Berkeley Castle. Gary travelled the 90 miles on only three cylinders as number two plug kept oiling up. We arrived however without mishap and pitched our tent in a beautiful setting overlooking the castle, which, incidentally is the oldest inhabited castle in England. Just as we were preparing our evening meal, John and Cynthia Page arrived in their Mulliner Box Saloon and they soon had their tent pitched alongside ours and Gary's.

The following morning, Saturday, Gary and I decided we ought to get some petrol for the run home, as many garages seem to close on Sundays these days. So after a breakfast of bacon & eggs for me, I think Gary had Royal Scott biscuits with fish paste! we set off in search of petrol. We eventually found a garage that was open after a round trip of 25 miles. We also purchased a gallon of scrumpy cider. After lunch, and a couple of pants of cider Pat and I decided to go round the castle, which was very interesting and worth the visit. When we got back to the tents (we woke up Gary!) we had a cup of tea and then it started to rain. Roger Ballard arrived in his Box with Hugh Evens and friends in their Rubys and they got a bit damp whilst pitching their tents. Shortly after Bernard, Jackie and entourage arrived, Bernard driving his Chummy, and Jackie driving some foreign rubbish, sorry, I mean their modern car.  I was amazed at how quickly Bernard pitched their camvas palace. It is really enormous; I think he also bought his three piece suite.!

We all got together at the dance a little later, and enjoyed dancing to the jazz and square dance bands. The evening was only slightly marred by one of the younger members (not Gary), who shall be nameless, getting very drunk on scrumpy cider.

The following morning, Sunday, we awoke to the noise of rain beating on the roof of the tent, typical Berkeley weather.   It cleared up a bit after breakfast, and we took the cars over to the rally field, and received our instructions and judging paper, as we all had to judge our own class. I thought the standards were very high, there were some really lovely cars in my class and the others told me theirs were equally good. The Dorset A7 club did very well, Bernard taking 2nd in his Chummy and Gary also took 2nd with his 1930 Box, Rigel Ricardo 2nd with his Nippy and John Page 2nd with his Mulliner. All in all, a very pleasant weekend, though the weather could have been better.  At about 10 o’clock we took down the tents, and got everything packed away in the trailer, finally leaving the rally at about 5 o’clock. We. had decided to come back via Bath and had a very good ran all the way, arriving home at just after 8 o'clock,

GLYN