1935 Austin Seven Racing Special

Lot details
Registration No: OW7938
Chassis No: 227472
Mot Expiry: July 2004

Starting life as a 1935 tourer, this Austin Seven was modified and rebodied as a racing special in the early 1980s. The David Gregson designed alloy body was built by Peter Chapman. OW 7938 won the 1988 British 750 Trophy Championship driven by Geoff Smith and, with road gear removed, featured on the 750 MC yearbook cover. The race-winning car was soon consigned to many years of storage until 1998 when acquired and very fully refurbished by today's entrant.
The rebuild included new Phoenix crankshaft and bearings, remetalled rods, racing pistons, skimmed alloy head, oversize valves with double valve springs, gas-flowed ports, high lift cam, new Bosch distributor, competition plug leads and spark booster, new core to the radiator and an electric water pump with 17 litres per minute delivery. Recently kingpins and bushes, wheel bearings and brake linings have been renewed, the hydraulic conversion proving very effective. New Dunlop racers have only done one Loton Park hillclimb and one Curborough sprint. Unfitted but included are electric Kenlowe fan for the road, second aero screen and easily refitted passenger seat.
Nicknamed 'The Wasp', the 2-seater sports was second in class at the 2003 Goodwood sprint (lapping the circuit in 138 seconds from a standing start) and taking third and fourth at other sprints and hillclimbs. Retaining other Sevens including his Nippy, the vendor tells us that he is only selling this car to make way for an ERA single-seater.