Overview
Produced: 1939-1947, 20000 produced. (pre-war production)
Types: Saloon,4 doors,4 seats
Tourer,2 doors, 2+2 seats
The Austin 8 was a small car made by the Austin Motor Company. Launched in 1939 and produced into the war (at least until 1942), about 9,000 of the wartime Austin 8 models were two-seater tourers produced for the military and government, and the rest were saloons. After World War II, the model was made from 1945 to 1947.

By the late 1930s, sales of Austin's big seller, the Austin 7, were declining and the 1938 addition to the range of the 900 cc "Big 7" did little to fill the demand for in spite of its larger engine its suspension and handling were still rooted in its early 1920s origins. A restyled and re-engineered range of cars had started to appear in 1937 with the Cambridge 10 with its much more streamlined look and with the shake up following the arrival of Leonard Lord development of a proper 8hp car was accelerated.

The new car, which was displayed to dealers in February 1939, kept the 900cc, four cylinder, side valve engine from the Big 7, now with a higher 6.5:1 compression ratio, but had a completely new chassis. This was halfway to full unitary construction in that the main member was a pressed steel floor pan with a box section welded down each side of the car with three others going across the floor. The body was then bolted to this structure. Suspension was by semi elliptic leaf springs with hydraulic dampers.

Two and four door saloon bodies were made as well as two and four seat tourers and about 20,000 were made before war closed production. In 1945, production restarted, but there were no more tourers or two door saloons.

Source: Wikipedia
Engines
CapacityConfigModelBore/StrokeCR
900ccS4 SV56.77mm x 89mm6.8
Drivetrain and Suspension
DrivetrainSteeringFront SuspensionRear Suspension
Auction Sales History
Lot
Num
Description Auctioneer Date Hammer Price Hammer Price
(inc premium)
058 Austin 8 Anglia Car Auctions 3 Jun 2012 - £5198.00
43 Austin 900cc East Anglian Motor Auctions (Norwich) Ltd 14 May 2011 Not sold
63 Austin Eight Tourer Brightwells Auctioneers and Valuers 18 Mar 2009 £5800.00 -
041 1943 AUSTIN 8 SALOON H&H Sales Limited 10 Oct 2007 £3135.00 -
536 Austin 8 Saloon (1946) Lambert & Foster 15 May 2003 Not sold
001 Austin 8 Saloon (1947) H&H Sales Limited 4 Dec 2002 - £1850.00
453 Austin 8 Saloon (1946) Bonhams 13 Jun 2002 - £1495.00
068 Austin 8 Saloon (1939) H&H Sales Limited 10 Apr 2002 - £2450.00
330 Austin Ten GSI (1947) Cheffins 23 Jun 2001 £4100.00 -
210 Austin Sixteen (1947) RTS Auctions Ltd 7 Jan 2001 £725.00 -
040 Austin 8 (1947) BCA 11 Oct 1999 £450.00 -
058 Austin 8 (1946) BCA 11 Oct 1999 Not sold
242 Austin 8 (1946) RTS Auctions Ltd 14 Feb 1999 £900.00 -
449 Austin 8 Saloon (1947) Cheffins 11 Oct 1997 Not sold
218A Austin Ten (1947) RTS Auctions Ltd 13 Apr 1997 £1200.00 -
869 Austin 8 Saloon (1947) Brooks 2 Dec 1996 - £2645.00
003 Austin 8 Saloon (1939) H&H Sales Limited 27 Nov 1996 Not sold
095 Austin 8 (1946) ADT 7 Oct 1996 £1800.00 -
260 Austin 8 2 Door (1939) RTS Auctions Ltd 21 Jul 1996 £2400.00 -
006 Austin 8 Saloon (1946) ADT 17 Jun 1996 - £1418.00
201 Austin 8 Saloon (1940) RTS Auctions Ltd 3 Mar 1996 £50.00 -
060 Austin 8 Tourer (1942) ADT 12 Feb 1996 £5050.00 -
064 Austin 8 (1946) ADT 27 Nov 1995 - £2625.00
055 Austin 8 (1947) Brooks 10 Nov 1994 £2200.00 -
551 Austin 8 (1939) Sothebys 18 Jul 1994 £1300.00 -
031 Austin 8 (1939) ADT 11 Apr 1994 £3600.00 -
Magazine Articles
Title Pages Options
Article Restoration Austin 8
88 View
Publication Classics Monthly March 2006
Austin Rock - Ivan Ostroff tells the charming story of an Austin Eight which was found complete with a stash of smuggled watches in its boot.  Owner Dennis Darham used unorthodox methods of restoration...
Article Austin Big Seven and Eight
26 View
Publication The Automobile September 2005
Austin Big Seven and Eight - The legendary Austin Seven was a tough act to follow.  Jonathan Wood looks at the Austin models that took up the challenge.
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