RESTORATION OF MY ASHLEY 750
CPC 76
1987 to 20??
In 1986 my father decided he would like to restore an Austin 7, his first car having been a Ruby. He located a Ruby chassis for sale, suitable for a special, and then subsequently found a complete 1929 Chummy which he brought. I thought that an Austin 7 special sounded like fun and ended up buying the Ruby chassis intending to build an RTC type special.
I started work on the chassis and joined the Midlands Austin 7 Club when at one meeting in 1987 I overheard someone saying they had two Ashley 750's for sale, one fairly complete with several chassis modifications and the other a kit of parts. I arranged to look at the cars and ended up buying the complete car. I have no idea what became of the second bodyshell.
As Purchased
As brought (in 1987!) the car consisted of a rolling chassis with 15" wheels (front 15" x 3.5" with 15" x 4" tyres; rear 15" x 4" with 15" x 5" tyres), Bowdenex independent front suspension, flattened rear springs, hydraulic brakes, telescopic shock absorbers and a cross flow radiator. Attached to this was the Ashley body, this had been fitted with aluminium floor and bulkheads, and had had the door apertures enlarged, but not the doors!
It also had a hardtop, which incorporates the front screen but unfortunately this had been broken and I have not been unable to find out what screen it uses. A Reliant engine and gearbox came with the car, but were discarded as I wished to use A7 items.
According to the logbook, the car was first registered as an Austin Special in 1964, although the chassis number is late 1934, and three owners are recorded. I have tried to contact the names on the logbook, but received no replies, and the DVLA were unable to provide any information on the cars history before it became a special.
As brought (in 1987!) the car consisted of a rolling chassis with 15" wheels (front 15" x 3.5" with 15" x 4" tyres; rear 15" x 4" with 15" x 5" tyres), Bowdenex independent front suspension, flattened rear springs, hydraulic brakes, telescopic shock absorbers and a cross flow radiator. Attached to this was the Ashley body, this had been fitted with aluminium floor and bulkheads, and had had the door apertures enlarged, but not the doors!
It also had a hardtop, which incorporates the front screen but unfortunately this had been broken and I have not been unable to find out what screen it uses. A Reliant engine and gearbox came with the car, but were discarded as I wished to use A7 items.
According to the logbook, the car was first registered as an Austin Special in 1964, although the chassis number is late 1934, and three owners are recorded. I have tried to contact the names on the logbook, but received no replies, and the DVLA were unable to provide any information on the cars history before it became a special.
Chassis
The chassis and suspension parts were in good condition and only required cleaning and painting. The 1934 A7 Ruby chassis (No 260210) had been boxed in and had had cross braces fitted. A bolt on subframe had been fitted to the front to mount the radiator, header tank and the shock absorbers upper mounts. At the rear, the chassis had been extended to support the rear of the body, and to provide the top mounts for the shock absorbers. Brackets had also been added for the master cylinder, and to lift the steering column base to give a near vertical steering wheel position. The rear axle (1932/36 A7 D type rear axle with 5.25:1 ratio) felt smooth and sounded quiet when turned, so has been left alone and just painted and filled with new oil. The brakes have received new wheel cylinders and shoes, and I have used a repair kit for the master cylinder. The wheels are also good, with no loose spokes, and have been powder coated.
The chassis and suspension parts were in good condition and only required cleaning and painting. The 1934 A7 Ruby chassis (No 260210) had been boxed in and had had cross braces fitted. A bolt on subframe had been fitted to the front to mount the radiator, header tank and the shock absorbers upper mounts. At the rear, the chassis had been extended to support the rear of the body, and to provide the top mounts for the shock absorbers. Brackets had also been added for the master cylinder, and to lift the steering column base to give a near vertical steering wheel position. The rear axle (1932/36 A7 D type rear axle with 5.25:1 ratio) felt smooth and sounded quiet when turned, so has been left alone and just painted and filled with new oil. The brakes have received new wheel cylinders and shoes, and I have used a repair kit for the master cylinder. The wheels are also good, with no loose spokes, and have been powder coated.
Bodyshell
The bodyshell has required the most work to date. Having removed it from the chassis, the first job was to remove the remaining paint, which was done by hand, and find out the state of the fibreglass underneath. A lot of crazing was found, which had to be ground out and reglassed, and at the same time the bodyshell was strengthened where the fibreglass was thin. The main job on the body was restoring the door apertures to their original size as a previous owner had started to enlarge them. Luckily he had reused the flanges, so these were removed, and a sheet of hardboard was screwed onto the side of the car over the aperture. To this I fixed the door, and then the remains of the flanges in the correct position. The remaining gaps were glassed in, and with a bit of filler, the result is very good.
The bodyshell has required the most work to date. Having removed it from the chassis, the first job was to remove the remaining paint, which was done by hand, and find out the state of the fibreglass underneath. A lot of crazing was found, which had to be ground out and reglassed, and at the same time the bodyshell was strengthened where the fibreglass was thin. The main job on the body was restoring the door apertures to their original size as a previous owner had started to enlarge them. Luckily he had reused the flanges, so these were removed, and a sheet of hardboard was screwed onto the side of the car over the aperture. To this I fixed the door, and then the remains of the flanges in the correct position. The remaining gaps were glassed in, and with a bit of filler, the result is very good.
The Ashley bodyshells were fitted with internal hinges for the bonnet, boot and doors, but these intrude considerably and had also rusted solid and so were removed. The doors have been fitted with brass hinges similar to the standard Sevens, and the boot uses Herald external boot hinges. Wood has been glassed in to give support at the attachment points for the hinges and various other body fittings. The original bonnet aperture is rather small, so I took the decision to convert it to a flip front similar to many other 1950’s specials. Hinges were obtained and fitted to the chassis and the front of the bodyshell, I then took a brave pill, got out the jig saw and proceeded to cut through the bodyshell. The cut edges were then stiffened by glassing in return edges, the original bonnet was glassed in, and ¼ turn locks were fitted. As I had been unable to find suitable glass for the hardtop, I decided to build a flat screen using Frogeye Sprite side supports. These were cut and rewelded to the correct angle, and brackets fitted inside the shell to take the loads. I then had a flat screen made to fit. At some point the hardtop will then be altered to fit this screen.
The body is not far off being ready for painting, but having obtained and read Miles Wilkins book “How To Restore Fibreglass Bodywork” there are repairs that I want to improve first.
On Display
Austin 100th Anniversary Rally in Croften Park, Longbridge.
The body is not far off being ready for painting, but having obtained and read Miles Wilkins book “How To Restore Fibreglass Bodywork” there are repairs that I want to improve first.
On Display
Austin 100th Anniversary Rally in Croften Park, Longbridge.
Engine
The car did not have an Austin 7 engine when brought, so I collected all the parts required. These were modified then with the help of various 750 MC articles and books on A7 Specials, as I am aiming for a car that can keep up in today's traffic conditions. The block has been bored to accept +.060" pistons and the inlet ports enlarged to 1.080" and fitted with 1.156" valves. The exhaust valves are standard, but all valves will be fitted with double valve springs. Vince Leek provided a camshaft to Mini Cooper profile and flattened tappets. The ports have been matched to the manifold, which combines a four into one exhaust, with a twin inlet manifold. This carries twin 1 1/8" H1 SU carburettors, which I have reconditioned. The cylinder head is an aluminium Supaloy with a higher compression ratio. The crankcase is two bearing with a 1 5/16" splash lubricated crank. The case has been fitted with two extra oil jets and a double oil pump has been made to feed them. I have lightened the flywheel, and had the flywheel and crankshaft assembly balanced. I have two 4 speed syncro gearboxes, both with standard gear ratios, but might get one changed to a close ratio box. A remote gearchange has replaced the standard Austin 7 wand, and the cooling water will be circulated by a Hillman Imp water pump driven off the end of the camshaft.
CURRENT SPECIFICATION
Registration: CPC 76, registered 18/12/62.
Body: Ashley 750 in green with hardtop.
Chassis/Frame: Chassis number 260210. Late 1934 Ruby chassis, boxed and
crossbraced.
Rear extensions and cross members extended to suppor bodyshell.
Subframe nose piece to carry cross flow radiator and header
tank, and to provide top shock absorber mountings.
Front Suspension: Bowden parallel spring I.F.S. with telescopic shock absorbers.
Rear Suspension: 1932/36 D type rear axle 5.25:1 ratio. Flattened springs and
telescopic shock absorbers.
Steering: 1923/1936 steering box and column, raised to give near vertical
steering wheel.
Brakes: Modified Morris Minor hydraulics using 1936/38 cast drums.
Wheels/Tyres: Front 15" x 3.5" wheels and 15" x 4" Michelin tyres.
Rear 15" x 4" wheels and 15" x 5" Dunlop tyres.
Engine: Engine No M227380. 1932/36 2 bearing crankcase,
1 5/16" splash fed crankshaft.
Double oil pump and four oil jets. High capacity aluminium sump.
Block bored for +.060" pistons.
Inlet ports taper bored to 1.080" and fitted with 1.156"
inlet valves, exhaust ports and valves are standard.
All valves fitted with double valve springs. Vince Leek camshaft
( Mini Cooper profile ) and flattened tappets. Ports contoured
and matched to manifolding.
Four into one exhaust manifold.
Twin 1 1/8" H1 SU carburettors.
1937 cylinder head.
Cooling by crossflow radiator and Imp water pump.
Gearbox: 4 speed with syncromesh. Standard gear ratios:
i.e. 1:1, 1:1.66, 1:2.64, 1:4.37.
Electric's: 12V dynamo conversion using one of Nik Plevan's black boxes.
Many thanks to David for supplying all of the above information and photo's
for me to use with the webpage.
We look forward to seeing the completed
Ashley 750
in it's new body coating in the not too distant future.