VG 2007

[chris lambert]

Alister,
This illustrates perfectly the value of our forum. Brilliant.
Chris

[halbe]

Hello Allister,

Brilliant !!!
His name was William Emsley Carr and indeed of News of the world fame.
My father also has the name of the house they lived in at the time. It is quite close to the garage.
I never knew News of the world also have an archive and will definately try that to get some pictures.
Thanks very much,great stuff

Halbe

[halbe]

Hello Allister,

The aston owners name was William Emsley Carr , later Sir William Carr the son of Sir Emsley Carr.

They used to live in : Wonford House
Heath drive
Walton on the Hill
Tadworth Surrey

Now W.E Carr has died, but my father spoke to his widow Lady Jean Carr a long time ago.
She married him in 1937 and they have a son.
She new nothing about his racing history , but the son might still have some photographs in an album.
Do you know of a way to find him?

Thanks again.

Halbe

[Highlander]

Dear Halbe, A wonderful spring like day today (Sunday). I motored up to Walton on Hill early this morning and took a photograph of my minor alongside the wall in your picture. Normally this road is full of parked cars but I was lucky today as I was the only one. The garage owner saw me and wondered what I was doing and he was most interested. He has no early history of his Garage and would like any photos you have e.mailed to him _ His name is Joe McGeoghan - joe@chequerslanegarage.co.uk. The house ypou mention is the next road down from the garage. I will look in the week sometime, in thisw part of the world most large houses have been pulled down and 5 or 6 smaller houses put up. If she married in 1937 and had a son he would be in his late 60s and may still be in the area. I will check it out for you. Halbe - are you a Dutchman living in Holland liking English cars or an Englishman living in Holland??? I have check the membership of my golf club and we have 6 named Carr. I will check. My Morris Minor going like a dream. Alister.

[halbe]

Hello Allister,

Glad your Morris is running well, mine will take a little bit longer to get on the street.
I'm a dutchman living in Holland and enjoying/liking english cars.
Sir William Carr must have at least one son and one sister,that's all I know .
I wil sent the pictures to the garage owner tomorrow .
Thank you for trying to find Williams son!

Here are some pictures of VG2007.
What about the seam next to the rear window?
Also the beading below with the extra white cord?
Where can I find the engine number on the block?
All of this seems original,You're expert opinions please?










Regards Halbe

[chris lambert]

Halbe,
The engine number is on the same side of the crank case as the carb and manifold. It is stamped onto a slightly raised flat section (beneath the pressed steel water jacket cover) and may be un-readable because of paint and muck. Rub it over with some glass or emery paper and the number will become legible.
Chris
PS The Aston ownership research is fascinating
PPS Have just noticed that your car does not have the water jacket covers in place!

[halbe]

Goodmorning Chris,

The covers are in the back of the car but are rusted really badly, so will need some new ones.
I will take a look at my engine number but allready saw that i have the later engine, with the reces in the front.
Is this the bottom feeding carb we talked about ? My system should work just fine. But I'm open to any sugestions>
Also i discovered that on my rear brakedrums there are big jubelee clips to prevent sqealing like the ones your saloon!
I'll take a picture and post it later today.

The aston is now running ok after a complete cylinderhead rebuilt.
I had my first run of the season yesterday . Thats what we do this for !!
There are no great blue clouds anymore, and I recon driving a prewar car must be extremly friendly to the nature

Halbe

[chris lambert]

'Morning Halbe,
Yes, that is the bottom feed carb fitted to your car. The 'purists' will say stick with that, it's original. Those that have used the car with the engine modified for performance (skimmed head, 12/12 cam etc) will tell you that this carb cannot maintain the required flow of fuel from the float chamber. Most (not all) Minors are now fitted with the later and improved top feed model.
I have sent you a contemporary image from The Aotomobile showing a '29 Fabric saloon (not posted here for copyright reasons). The trim line seam has a lighter bar beneath it in this photo which would indicate it is original. As to the fabric seam down the back of the body - it appears on both sides of the rear window in this thirties image. (attached) I will see if I can find any others.
Chris

[halbe]

Hello Chris,

So I will stick with the seams , but will try to get a slightly newer floatchamber and keep this one with the car for sentimental reasons ( the lid has been damaged anyway) .
The good news is that Vg still has her original engine !!!!.
It's so nice to have matching numbers on the car.
Do you know what the A stands for ?




Look at the band around the brakedrum.




Halbe

[Ian Grace]

Monring Halbe,

The A relates to tiny oversizes in the new bores when original. Pistons were fitted according to this size, which meant that the bores were only a few thou oversize from standard (much less than 10 thou). Once an engine has run for a while or had its first rebore, these letters become irrelevant. Their exact meaning was detailed in a recent VMR Magazine - I'll look it out. Most engines are A, some are B and a very few are C. The band around the brake drum is an anti-squeak band - sometimes fitted by Morris - probably after the original factory road test. This wheel is a 6-stud one - probably from a later Post Office van which used Morrris 8 hubs. You will probably want to look for a 3-std late type wheel (the 1929 and 1930 cars had a different, slightly weaker wheel centre).
I run the original bottom feed carb. bowl on my Minors - with the head mods., and with no fuel flow problems. The problem with these bottom feeds is that the fuel delivery pipe passed close to the engine, and modern fuels tend to vapourize more easily than early fuels, so you can find yourself with air in the fuel after a long climb uphill.

The problem with fitting the later top feed bowl (SV - designed to work with a rear tank and SU pump) is that you have a couple of inches less fall of fuel from the scuttle tank and you can starve the carb. of fuel if the level in the tank is low and you are on a steep incline (not that Holland has any steep inclines!) New tops should be available from Burlen Fuel Systems in Salisbury, England, who would do a great job on rebuilding your carb. for you. On balance, I'd recommend sticking with the original, particularly for such an original car.

The owner told me that he had removed the water jacket sideplates because they had blown with frost. You can get new ones and the rubber gaskets for them from Mike Dowley at Sports and Vintage Motors. Like I suggested to Cammy, you should get their catalogue. Call them on (+01) 1939/210458

[chris lambert]

Hi Halbe,
The bands that you have fitted to two of your drums are identical to the two I have fitted to the rear drums of my Saloon, so almost certainly fitted at the factory or at a main dealer later, to solve a squeeling problem. I did say you would get conflicting advice about the carb.
Chris

[halbe]

Hello Ian.

If vapor lock is the only problem , some heat resistent tape might do the trick.
I know the six stud 18 inch wheel is not correct and have mailed Martin Redmond about this.
He was looking for some wheels.

Thanks

Halbe

[Highlander]

Halbe - An update. The original House in Walton on the Hill still stands. I played golf with the Chairman of the residence assocciation this morning and he confirmed this - also a Carr (or close relative) still lives in the house or close by!!! However there is a divorce going on and the man (William?) has moved out. It will take a week or two to chase all this up - watch this space. Alister.

[halbe]

Hello Allister,

Can't wait , but will have to.
I'm really interested whether there are still some photoalbum's with the family.
I have never even seen a picture of Sir W. Carr. Anyway I think it's great what you are doing for me!!
Let's have a drive together sometime in the Aston. The Summerrally maybe.

I'll be watching this space very carefully.

Regards Halbe

[chris lambert]

Halbe,
Here is a picture of him (Emsley Carr) I found on the internet. The picture was taken in 1927. He died in 1941.



Chris