﹒Fully restored and ready to go
﹒In current ownership for 38 years
﹒Very affordable entry point to vintage motoring
﹒4088 miles indicated

The Austin 7 or ‘Baby Austin’ as it was known, was produced from 1923 to 1939 and was one of the most popular cars of its era in the UK. In many respects it is the domestic equivalent of the Ford Model T, being almost ubiquitous and available in a wide range of body styles.

Before the first World War Austin mostly produced larger cars and, during the war, the factory at Longbridge was turned over to munitions production. Back in peacetime, Austin struggled to regain their momentum and the company went into receivership in 1921. Herbert Austin’s big idea to revive the company was to build a small, affordable car to appeal to the middle and professional classes. Unable to convince the receivers of the potential of his plan, he set up office in the billiards room in his house and using his own funds recruited a young draftsman by the name of Stanley Edge and a team of other specialist advisors to help him realise his ambition.

Broadly speaking, Edge looked after the oily bits and Austin the body and chassis design. Together they built a number of prototypes based around a scaled-down Austin Motor Company side-draft 4 cylinder engine which, with a displacement of 696cc, was good for 7.2 hp. The design was well received by the management of the company and was put into production in 1923, with Austin taking a commission on each sale towards his investment in the design. Much like Alec Guiness requesting a percentage on Star Wars, this turned out to be a wise move. Although he was disappointed to sell only 2,500 in its first year, the 7 went on to sell over 290,000 units over its full run of production.

The original design included the same pedal layout that we are familiar with today, and by the 1930’s had shed some of its earlier quirks to be a familiar driving experience for those of us raised on modern cars. Significant developments included a larger 747cc engine producing 10.5hp, electric starter motor and an extra six inches in the chassis.

The current owner’s parents are surely the coolest ever as they bought the car for his 18th birthday. Granted, it was not entirely assembled at that point but that’s the kind of present that we can all aspire to. Details are scarce on the car’s journey to this point but it had at some point been converted to a ‘special’ with an aluminium body shell, wider wheels at the rear and matching fibreglass wings and a fuel tank and spare wheel carrier on the back. This was perhaps with the intention of taking it trialling but it’s not done so in the current owner’s tenure.

Its first major appointment following the birthday party was at the Austin Seven diamond jubilee event at Longbridge in 1982 and, having assembled it to a sufficient degree to make the journey, the car received a commemorative plaque which it still proudly wears on the dashboard today. Since then, a picnic basket ‘boot’ has been added in the rear and otherwise there has been no major work, just routine maintenance, and the car has been used for high days and holidays only in the lanes of Worcestershire. In recent years usage has been very light.

After 38 years of ownership, the seller has decided that he would like to spend some time on a project car and now wants to graduate to a different classic. After such an extended period of ownership, there will surely be a tinge of regret when it drives off with its new owner but having pondered the decision for some time, his mind is made up.

Accompanying the car is a folder containing invoices for the small amount of recent work to attain the MOT, some historical documents and a selection of relevant technical articles to assist with ongoing maintenance. It’s by no means comprehensive but then it’s mechanically very straightforward and will largely have been tended to by its owners.

Like much of this car, the interior is simple and honest. Access is very easy via the rear-hinged doors and the vinyl trimming to the dash and seats is characteristically unpretentious and equally practical for top down motoring. The speedo design is presumably sourced from a larger Austin, optimistically reading up to 90 mph but with a marking at 30 mph that gives a better clue to the car’s true performance potential.

Given the dimensions of the car, it’s no surprise to find that it’s quite snug and the seats hold you in firmly. Behind the seats there is a ‘boot’ of sorts, comprising a picnic basket which can be removed. Helpfully, the boot floor is also removable as it provides direct access to the differential, rear suspension, and battery.

A boon for fans of John Finnemore’s ‘yellow car’ game (Google it if you’re unfamiliar), the appearance of this cheeky little car readily brings to mind a certain children’s character and is a joy to behold. 

The paintwork is generally smart, showing a little patina on the bonnet but otherwise in good condition all round. As it has been used as a fair weather car, the hood and side screens have been rarely used and consequently are very tidy. The windscreen is removable and aero screens, which are also included, can be attached in its place.

The wire wheels are all unmarked and are fitted with tyres with very little wear. The brightwork is all in good condition while the headlights are finished in smart black.

One of the great assets of this car is its mechanical simplicity. Home maintenance is aided by the very easy access to all of the major components and the engine bay provides plenty of elbow room. Although the body has been altered it is believed that everything else is completely standard for a 1935 Austin 7 which is to say a 747cc side-draft engine with 4 speed gearbox, with all four brakes operated via the brake pedal and a separate handbrake.

The engine starts very easily and it pulls away smoothly. The gearbox is thought to have synchromesh on 3rd and 4th gears but double declutching is the order of the day, fast gear changes not really being in keeping with the general pace of progress. The brakes work as they should, which is to say in a vintage fashion but with some forward planning and good observations it isn’t an issue on the road. The ride soaks up minor imperfections and while major potholes are best avoided, visibility with the hood off is great and the steering direct and darty.

Given its limited performance, the Seven is emphatically not a motorway car but on a sunny day in the lanes, there are few more entertaining ways to travel and to soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the  countryside.

If a mark of a great vehicle is its capacity to bring smiles to the faces of small children, then this is surely amongst the greatest. The number of people, young and old, that greet the car as it passes by has to be seen to be believed. It is true that they have plenty of time to react; this is not a fast car. But it’s a throwback to a bygone era and the experience of travelling in it should be savoured.

With a charm and simplicity that is mostly absent from modern motoring, the Austin Seven represents a very accessible entry point into the world of vintage motoring. As such there are any number of ways that this could be enjoyed by its next owner, from continuing its easy life on the local byways to the white heat of competition on the hills of classic trials. Well, pleasantly convivial warmth, anyway. Either way there’s great potential for many more years of enjoyment for a relatively modest outlay and minimal investment in garage space.