1931 Austin Seven Saloon

Lot details
Registration No: UR 9799
Chassis No: 1843477
Mot Expiry: T.B.A.

Austin 7 saloons just like this example were a familiar sight on the roads of Britain until the late 1950s, by which time their drivers tended to be either elderly matrons who had owned their cars from new, or students. The Austin 7 has charmed its way into the hearts of more than one generation of owners. The attraction of the 7 remains as strong as ever: they are widely popular with today's enthusiasts who appreciate the extensive availability of spares and advice, the ease with which they can be worked upon, and the practicability, cleverness and general appeal of the car's design captures their imagination. Within the VSCC, the Austin 7 has a strong following of enthusiasts of all ages, and importantly the younger age group. Within the last 12 months, standard Austin 7s made between 1930 and 1934, as this lot, have been admitted into the Club's 'Post Vintage Thoroughbred' category and now are eligible for all suitable VSCC events.

A runaway success from its introduction in 1923, the Seven was much the most effective of several attempts to market a large car in miniature, quickly saw off many other makes of light and economy cars, and alone was responsible for the genocide of the cyclecar breed. So familiar is the specification is that it barely needs further repetition: four cylinder 750cc side-valve engine in unit with a 3-speed centre change gearbox, and the 'A' frame chassis was suspended by a single transverse leaf spring at the front and two quarter elliptics at the rear. Braking initially was by hand on the front wheels and foot on the rear, linked from 1930.

The registration UR9799 was issued by Hertfordshire CC in January 1931, and this car visually matches the RL short wheelbase saloon then current: it is one of 16,934 7hp saloons made that year. This Austin 7 remains in largely unaltered condition and features upholstery in black leather. The vendor states that it was "thoroughly restored in 1998 by Paul Willams", and subsequently "stored in dry conditions, and has completed only 30-40 miles since restoration".