On the other side of the mountains, in Peru, the Seven developed a starting problem: the distributor’s cam had significant play and the points were burnt-out.
The latter were replaced but, because the Austin was otherwise still running okay, Guy didn’t risk replacing the distributor, despite having a spare.
The increasingly desert-like surroundings were hard on the car: wheel spokes continued to break, and Guy noted that the Seven was feeling ever more worn.
Diagnosing an engine rattle in Los Vilos, Chile
Nearly 14,000 miles in, crossing the Rio Grande in Peru, there was a loud ‘ping’ from the engine.
The distributor had bitten the dust and was replaced at the side of the road.
Once it restarted, there was another, new noise: the alternator idler pulley had shattered, requiring more roadside work before the Austin could tackle the Nazca plain.
Once again, the supply of spare wheel spokes was exhausted and the next batch, due in Arequipa, hadn’t yet arrived.
A group of travelling Austin Sevens convenes in Copiapó, Chile
In the end, it took more than two weeks for a new set to materialise before they could set off for Chile – where the Seven had yet another breakdown.
Guy suspected big-end failure, but friendly local mechanic Mauricio came by, promising a tow truck and a lift to Los Andes, 120 miles away.
That proved to be a slight mistranslation, however, because Mauricio soon returned with a pick-up.
But beggars can’t be choosers, so the Austin was strapped to the back and driven to Los Andes, where Guy had a friend waiting.
Visiting Fort Bulnes, overlooking the Strait of Magellan, close to journey’s end in southern Patagonia
Assuming that a full engine rebuild was on the cards, the duo was close to giving up.
But orthodontist Guy discovered, rather ironically, that the problem was missing teeth on the timing gears.
Seven timing gears are hardly lying around in Chile, but an Austin enthusiast in Valparaíso had a set in a spare engine.
From Chile, the adventurers crossed into Argentina and headed south along its central valley, with the landscape turning less like the deserts of Peru and Chile and more similar to that seen in Alaska.
Almost 25,000 miles later, the Austin Seven is nearly ready to head home to the UK
Large lumber trucks shook the Austin to its core, reinforcing the sensation of having come full circle.
The Argentinian towns had a Wild West feel, which proved a bit too accurate in Sarmiento, where the car’s radiator cap was stolen overnight. Fortunately Guy had a replacement on board.
One last breakdown – a failed condenser in the distributor – struck just before reaching Argentina’s Atlantic coast, but it was simple enough to repair once diagnosed, and the Seven finally made it to Punta Arenas, one of the southernmost cities in South America.
The intrepid triumvirate of Guy, Eunice and the Seven at the finish point in Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city
A detour to the island of Tierra del Fuego was cancelled due to Eunice picking up a cold, but Punta Arenas was always the intended finish point: 25,000 miles done. In an Austin Seven.
Throughout the trip Eunice and Guy gathered donations, finding remarkable generosity even in areas where people had little to spare.
The total of £15,000 was split between Save the Children and the Dame Hannah Rogers Trust, and a further £25,000 was raised in December 2022 with the raffle of the intrepid Austin, Eunice and Guy having decided their journey with the car was finally over.
Images: Guy Butcher and Eunice Kratky
Thanks to: Guy Butcher and Eunice Kratky. This story was adapted from their book, Austin 7 Around the Americas; find it here
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Charlie Calderwood
Charlie Calderwood is Classic & Sports Car’s Features Editor