1933 | Austin 7 Saloon

After building sheep-shearing machines and bicycles, Herbert Austin established the Austin Motor Company in 1905. Prior to World War I Austin had 17 models of cars for sale. The factory was turned over to munitions production during that conflict and afterward the company struggled to re-establish car production. By 1921 the company was in trouble and the Austin Motor Company went into receivership. Herbert Austin had seen the success Henry Ford had with the Model T and he believed there was a great future in car manufacturing in England. He determined to build a “real car” that was small enough and inexpensive enough for people in the middle and professional classes to be able to afford. The idea for the Austin 7 was born. He couldn’t convince the receiver to support his idea, so he secretly began designing the car in a drawing office set up in his home billiard room! He quietly recruited a seventeen-year-old draftsman named Stanley Edge to work there. He also obtained the services of a number of people with expertise in car design to assist. Stanley Edge set to work in consultation with Austin and his advisors on the new design. The engine was based on the existing Austin 20hp side-valve but scaled down to 696cc capacity providing an RAC rating of 7.2hp. The new car’s design was simple and inspired. Austin financed the project privately and sensibly filed many new patents which meant that when the car went into production the Austin Motor Company had to pay him 2 guineas ( £1 and 1 shilling) royalty on every car! Unveiled to the public in 1922, the car had phenomenal success and more than 290,000 had been built by the outbreak of World War II.

This delightful Austin 7 RP, previously sold by us has just come back in part exchange against another vehicle. Originally, it came come to us from a long term customer of ours in Louth, Lincolnshire. The RP series was the last and most refined of the much-loved box saloons and was fitted with a four speed gearbox with synchros on third and top gear, a 5 gallon rear mounted fuel tank and a petrol pump (all earlier models were gravity fed from a petrol tank on the bulkhead) and they have proven to be a very desirable model of the much loved Austin 7. The subject of an older restoration it ia atill in really lovely condition and still retains its original registration mark VG 5288 and comes with a history file containing invoices over a number of years. The most significant expenditure on record is for an engine rebuild in 2017 that included re-grinding the crankshaft, re-metalling con rods, new main bearings and carrying out a rear oil seal conversion. The Austin has covered very low mileage since the engine rebuild and has arrived with us in strong mechanical condition, and from the history file we can see maintenance has been regular.

On the road our little Austin is excellent with lively, strong engine, excellent four speed gearbox and it handles and brakes very well. It has both its 1930s type semaphore indicators as well as a modern flashing indicator system. It starts well and on our 12 mile road test it cruised very well at 40-45mph. It turned a lot of heads in our local market town and its charming looks, evocative of a bygone era in Ebgland made people smile. The little Austin has a nicely aged paint finish, straight panels and lovely brightwork. The interior is excellent with re-trimmed seats, and door cards. It represents a high quality, honest, older restoration that is ready for the show scene and weekend fun.