Lot 305: 1928 AUSTIN SEVEN

For restoration

Engine: four cylinder, side valve, 747cc, 11 bhp; Gearbox: three-speed sliding mesh; Suspension: transverse semi-elliptic front, quarter elliptic, live axle rear; Brakes: four-wheel non-interlinked mechanical. Right hand drive

From its introduction in 1922 the Austin Seven carried lightweight open tourer bodywork which earned the name Chummy owing to its small proportions which meant its passengers had to be fairly friendly to travel anywhere! As production developed many different forms of bodywork were offered, but the Chummy remained popular, albeit that the confines of this model expanded, as a result of which later Chummies are distinguishable by their upright windscreens, flat sided scuttle, and deeper hood arrangement. By the year of production of this example the Seven was in its heyday, but continued to sell extremely well, into the mid-1930s.

This Austin Seven has been farm barn stored for decades until discovered earlier this year by Christie's. It does however fortunately retain a V5 registration document from which we have been able to confirm that the car was originally registered on 24th September 1928, and would have been in London when new as designated by the 'YX' prefix, though beyond this no other history is known.

Today the car is in need of complete restoration, although clearly at some stage perhaps at the outset of Sharpe Family ownership an attempt was made to start this work and the body was either replaced with the current Chummy body it wears, or repanelled to this form.