"The Austin Seven was produced from 1922 through to 1939 and nicknamed the 'Baby Austin' it was one of the most popular cars ever produced and sold equally well abroad. It wiped out most other British small cars and cycle cars of the early 1920's and its effect on the British market was similar to that of the Model T Ford in the US. Prior to the Austin Seven though, larger cars were the order of the day but the forward thinking of Sir Herbert Austin felt a smaller car would be more popular. Austin put a large amount of his own money into the design and patented many of its innovations. In return for the investment, he was paid a royalty of two guineas on every car sold. Nearly 2,500 cars were made in the first year of production (1923), not as many as hoped, but within a few years the 'big car in miniature' had transformed the fortunes of the Austin Motor Co. and by 1939, when production finally ended, over 290,000 cars and vans had been manufactured.
This Austin Seven Special is based on a 1937 Ruby. The body is predominantly 4mm laminated plywood, clad in aluminium. A chrome grille is fitted along with cycle type wings. Weather proofing is courtesy of a hood and side-screens, a tonneau cover also comes with the car. The engine is a two bearing, splash-fed unit with a standard camshaft and reprofiled cam followers. A machined A7 cylinder head with flowed ports is fitted along with a straight through exhaust system. For reliability electronic ignition has been fitted. Transmission is via a four-speed Ruby gearbox with an uprated second gear. The rear axle is a Big 7 with Big 7 springs and telescopic shock absorbers. This Austin Seven offers loads of fun for a relatively modest outlay.
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