Welcome to the Dorset Austin Seven Club

Welcome to

DA7C NEWS PAGE

last update: 16/01/12

EVENTS:

CHRISTMAS CHARITY: DA7C members raised £606 for McMillan Cancer Relief.
mot consultation: Consultation finishes on 26th January for changes to MOTs for older/classic cars. Go to http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2011-27
NEW DA7C ANNUAL PROGRAMME for 2012. Click here
REGALIA NOW ON LINE: Gary Munn has managed to find a company that will provide us with an on-line and mail-order service for our sweatshirts, polo shirts, fleeces etc. Regalia can only be ordered directly via www.axentembroidery.co.uk then click on “Shop” and then on “DA7C”. For instructions, click here. For those not on line, you can phone 01202-697770 for standard mail order. When you order on line, the cost of delivery (usually about £3) will be shown but, if you’re in the area, you can pick up your order from their retail shop at 19 High Street, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1AB.The catalogue will be available at club nights but Gary will not be carrying any stock. All items must be ordered directly with Axent Embroidery either on-line or by phone.
FELLOW JOGLERS WANTED. Rob Rhodes is interested in taking part in next year’s JOGLE as part of the A7 90th birthday celebrations. It is being organised by the 750 Motor Club over the Easter holiday. If anyone else from the Dorset Club is mad enough to travel to the top of the country and back again, please contact him on robbrid@hotmail.co.uk
A7 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS. Click here for the A7CA's summary of national events in 2012.
DA7C IOW HOLIDAY 2012: DA7C 90th Birthday Holiday at The Orchards Holiday Caravan & Camping Park Newbridge, Yarmouth Isle of Wight; Sat 29th Sept to Sat 6th Oct 2012. Bookings needed by 03/10/11. Form with September's newsletter but click here if you've lost yours.
PHOENIX CRANKS: Vince is in the process of ordering some new Phoenix crankshafts. If you are thinking of replacing your old, unreliable, Austin crank then give Vince a ring ASAP on 01985 216632. His next order will not be until later in the year as he only keeps a limited supply on the shelf.
RUNS We would like many more members to organise our monthly Runs. If you have organised a run in the past or have an idea for somewhere interesting then please contact Phil or Pat Simmons. There are two levels—’full organisation’ and ‘good idea’. In either case, you would get full support from Phil & Pat and your contribution to making us one of the best clubs in the country will be greatly appreciated by the whole membership.

ADMINISTRATION:

Technical Torque Articles - download a PDF copy of the INDEX of technical articles that have appeared in the DA7C Newsletter Click here. Members can request copies of any article for £1 each - contact the editor.
Newsletter by e-mail: You can receive the club's monthly newsletter in glorious Technicolor by e-mail. Just e-mail the editor and you'll be added to the circulation list. You will still get the hard copy by post, of course, and the electronic version doesn't arrive until after the normal posting so you won't get at the adverts any quicker. But it's all in colour!
PHOTOCARD DRIVING LICENCES EXPIRE: It would appear that some motorists face £1,000 fines as thousands of PHOTOCARD DRIVING LICENCES expire because they are unwittingly driving without a valid licence. They have failed to spot that their photocard licence automatically expires after ten years and has to be renewed. Motoring organisations said most drivers believed, wrongly, that their new-style licence was for life and blamed the Government for the fiasco. A mock-up driving licence from 1998 when the photocards were launched shows the imminent expiry date as item '4b' They said officials had failed to publicise the fact that photocard licences - unlike the old paper ones - expire after a set period and must be renewed. Drivers have to pay £17.50 to renew their card, which will earn the Treasury an estimated £437 million over 25 years. The first batch of ten-year photo licences was issued in July 1998, and the confusion has come to light as they start to expire. DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired this summer, so far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding. With another 300,000 photocard licences due to expire over the coming year, the number of invalid licences could soar. A total of 25 million have been issued. At the heart of the confusion is the small print on the credit card size photo licence. Just below the driver's name is a numbered series of dates and details. 4b: The small print on the back of the driving licence is easy to miss. Number '4b' features a date in tiny writing but the significance is explained only if the driver turns over the card and reads the key on the back which states that '4b' means 'licence valid to'. Even more confusingly, a table on the rear of the card sets out how long the driver is registered to hold a licence - that is until their 70th birthday. Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue driving but the DVLA says they could be charged with 'failing to surrender their licence', an offence carrying a £1,000 fine. Thanks to Ron Kentish of the A7OC for this timely warning
Breakdown Register: The A7CA Breakdown Register is being reissued and if you would like to offer help to someone who is in your area please let Phil Whitter know at clubnight or give him a ring on 01425 475558
Failure to be a member of a recognised Austin 7 Club may invalidate your insurance with Footman James or Richard Hoskins.
Richard Hoskins emergency breakdown numbers . They are: for the UK: 01277-720763 or 0800-783-3280. If you break down in Europe the number has been changed recently to 00-44-1277-235999. They have also added: Accident, Fire, Vandalism Damage: 0844-8797429; and Windscreen Damage: 0844-5611934.