Wolverhampton Steam & Vintage Rally 2013

[MARK RIGG]

The photo and the posts about the Austin `7 ` Ulster brought back a few memories .

A 1930 `Ulster was my first proper car, bought for £ 25 - back in the late 1950`s - I had just passed my test and doing my engineering apprenticeship. Austin `7`s were the regular mode of transport for budding engineers then , but this Ulster was a real one and very different to the standard box saloons that were fairly plentiful then.

The engine had a pressure fed crank ( the standard cranks were splash lubricated ) and 2`` diameter big ends. The crankcase and cylinder block were special in that there were two extra studs holding the block. Also a deep cast aluminium sump in place of the ordinary pressed tin sump .

An aircraft quality Scintilla magneto provided the ignition and on the crankcase nearside was a small Cozette supercharger driven from an extra pair of gears on the front of the engine. There was a big Solex carb feeding the blower.and a gravity fuel tank on the scuttle. The dash was fitted up with a Smiths rev counter to match the speedo and supercharger and oil pressure gauges .

The engine drove a special close ratio gearbox with a nice remote gear change through the standard Austin clutch to the regular rear axle . Apart from the flattened springs and lowered front axle, the chassis and cable brakes were as standard Austin `7` . Although the blower was pretty worn, this little car had very real performance for its time and would easily see off any of the post - war cars that were around except for the occasional Jaguar . The cable brakes were a problem and very difficult - actually impossible - to to balance without one wheel locking up and the others not braking at all - very hairy on a wet road if you had to stop in a hurry !.

My Ulster was probably a `catalogued` version of the works blown cars raced so successfully in long distance ( 500 mile ) races at Brooklands by the present Lord March`s grandfather in the early 1930`s - image two guys crammed into that tiny cockpit for 500 miles at racing speeds round the Brooklands circuit and its notorious bumps !. Lord Austin was very keen on the publicity gained by the company`s racing activities, culminating in the fabulous twin cam 750 racers he commissioned in 1936 / 37 .

I often wonder if my Ulster - reg. number YD 506 has survived or whether it got broken up for a donor 750 special . Ulsters are deservidly sought after today - even made up cars . Happy days !

MARK