1. Austin 7 car parked in a street.
Plenty of old Austins feature on this site, partly because I like them, and partly because they were very popular in their day, and as such a fair bit old material still survives. The first of these two particular photographs shows an Austin 7 'box' saloon parked on a road, probably during the 1930s. It looks to be mostly standard, bar one interesting addition. To avoid buffeting with the side window opened, an ingenious owner has fitted a Brooklands' aeroscreen to the driver's side screen pillar, in such a way that annoying draughts could be deflected away from the Austin's driver. The paintwork has also received some personalisation, with highlighted areas painted around the windows, and also a stripe down the side.
The Austin 7 first pottered onto Britain's uncrowded roads in 1922,
designed to offer a 'proper' affordable car, to buyers who hitherto had
put up with motorcycles, or a variety of cycle-car, a vehicle that was
popular in the post-Great War era.
It is fair to say that the Austin 7 was a huge success, with 290,000 cars
having been built by the time WW2 came along, in various guises -
saloon, van, and tourer included. Austin 7s also appeared in overseas
markets, produced by local manufacturers. Perhaps best known version was
Germany's Dixi, as produced by BMW no less. Ironically BMW went on to
own the rights to one of Austin/BMCs most famous designs, the Mini.
The diminutive four cylinder sidevalve engine also lent itself to
competition use, with many Austin 7-based specials built to pound the
banked turns at Brooklands and other, smaller, venues, and continue
to be used in historic events today. Many rusted-out baby Austins have
been pillaged for their chassis and running gear, to emerge as pint-sized racers. An
entire industry was formed to serve the leagues of Austin 7 racers that have
taken to the tracks since the 1920s and 1930s, some of which are covered on
the period tuning pages.
2. Austin 7 on a camping trip
The second of the photos featured here shows a typical camping holiday, of the type that many people would have undertaken in this country, before the advent of cheap overseas travel. The vehicle chosen was of course an Austin 7 box saloon, identical to the example shown above. Judging by the Austin's open windscreen, it was a hot summer's day. The car looks to be very well cared for, finished in its two tone paintjob. The main subject of the picture must be the chap in his outdoor gear, ready for a hearty meal by the looks of things, stood outside his capacious ridge tent. The table is laid, with smart cutlery and crockery easily to hand, and a small kettle sat on the paraffin stove just behind him (I hope he moves it before lighting it otherwise some of his tent's guide ropes will suffer!). The single wooden chair suggests that he dined alone that day, so I wonder who it was that took the photo?
Return to the Vintage transport photos - Page 5.
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