The Brake Pedal Depressor tool

(See below for Roger's simple solution)

Needing to do some brake balancing a few weeks ago, my usual helper was involved in cake baking and didn't intend to spend a half hour holding down the brake pedal until she was finished!

A quick rummage through my odds and ends box (every serious Austin 7 meddler should have one), produced a couple of adjustable feet and a centre bracket from an old bathtub frame, also a piece of light gauge tube from my Grand daughters old highchair.
Two of the nuts were hammered into the ends of the tube and peened over so they couldn't fall out, the thread being drilled out of one of them.
The bracket was modified to fit the edge of the seat frame, this end has the nut with the thread drilled out so the threaded rod can slide in and out when the adjusting nut is turned along the thread.

I had it ready to use before the baking was done, only problem was the nylon foot kept slipping off the brake pedal. A rummage through the recycle bin produced a chutney jar lid just the right diameter. With this riveted onto the nylon foot the problem was overcome.
It’s well worth the effort making up something similar, I was quite surprised how precise the balancing could be achieved with the pedal being held in an exact position and infinitely better than someone trying to hold the position without moving even slightly.

By the way, the cakes were great!
Ian Moorcraft BA7C with many thanks.

THE SIMPLE APPROACH TO BRAKE ADJUSTMENT

The Brake Pedal Depressor tool recently featured in the Bristol A7 Club Newsletter and covered above, where Ian Moorcraft came up with a modern remake on the tool made from adjustable feet from a bathtub, some tubing from a highchair, some threaded bar and nuts and the top from a chutney jar lid, generated some other DIY solutions for occasions when the 'other half's' right foor isn't available.
Others have used bits of wood (although not adjustable) but Roger Ballard (DA7C) utilises a piece of wood with a jack to be able to adjust the pedal. - "Simple!".