'The Friendly 7'

[Henry Harris]

At the TWC Christmas lunch this week Mike Morley gave me a Daily Express that he had been saving since August 1964.

Page 10, a three page feature , "An Express appreciation and contest".

Who was the winner?

   

   

   

[Chris Garner]

1964 is a little before I became obsessed with Sevens! Lovely piece of memorabilia. Thanks Henry.

The Austin advert - The car has changed.... shows the rare late 1928, not 1929, Top Hat ,Type R, saloon -  but which is pointing the opposite way to the original photograph. ( i suppose to suit the orientation of the Mini. ) The photograph, incidentally, is the only known staged, period photograph of this model I've come across.

Chris Garner
Type R Registrar.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Does anyone know who won the 'Oldest Austin Seven still on the road" competition?

[David Cochrane]

The Pram Hood Chummy is PE 3825 and is still known to the DVLA (although it shows the date as Jan 1928 rather than 27.7.25), but it hasn't been heard of by the Pram Hood Register since the 1970s.

Chris - do you know when the scuttle ventilators were introduced? I hadn't realised that any Top Hat saloons were ever fitted with them.

[Tony Griffiths]

Thanks for posting that; in addition to the Austin Seven material, it's interesting to read predictions made at the time for what would happen in 10 and 40 years - and realise that most were wrong. Even so, Issgonis was right about well-equipped and expensive small cars being available and the idea expressed in the general article that seat belts, anti-lock brakes, and burst-proof door locks would be standard was spot on. Harriman was going in the right direction when he said that by the year 2000 cars would be safer and with greater reliability and reduced maintenance - and almost right about engines that would be, in effect, sealed and need minimal attention - but he was wrong about all cars being automatic. Unsurprisingly, not one prediction was made two of two modern horrors - keyless entry and the very expensive-when-it-goes-wrong automatic handbrake. "Yes, sir, the link cable is just £34.50 but the rest of the system is a bargain at just £988.88, plus VAT of course".

[Belinni]

David,

I know that ventilators were fitted to the RK saloon on the 1929 model.

Regards 
Paul

[Chris Garner]

David / Belinni,

Around August / September 1928 the Top Hat saloon, which was first introduced in 1926 underwent a radical revamp bringing it closer to the RK  / RF saloons which of course were the subsequent models 

Major changes were:
1. Flat steering wheel.
2. Pidgeon holes either side of the dash.
3. Ni plated, taller radiator cowl
4. Scuttle ventilator
5. fabric covering extended to the rear of the roof
6. Door surround moulding removed
7. Change to rear bottom door radius.
8. " Clasp style " join in the body to the rear of the door above the rear wheel arch.
9. Forward mounted headlights
10. Some evidence that very early cars retained the magneto engine but largely the engines were the first of the coil type.

Production of this model only continued for a few months before production ceased with the RK / RF models taking over. In fact they appeared to continue being produced alongside the new RK / RFs.
Why this model was ever introduced is a mystery. It was not a success as with the announcement of the RKs etc the public preferred the wider doors and other features. The Works were left with unsold stock. How to get rid?...ship them out to the Colonies, ie New Zealand, which is why there are more survivors out there than here in the UK !!

Photo of my oily rag      car to illustrate, with an earlier Top Hat to the rear.

[Howard Wright]

Hi David

According to ‘The Source Book’ scuttle ventilators were introduced around September 1928 although some cars had them before.  The RK was introduced in November and had ventilators. It was produced alongside the R type for a while. So R types produced in late 1928 and possibly early 1929 would have had ventilators. 

There is a photo of a 28 R type with ventilators and a line drawing showing them on page 188.

Cheers

Howard

[Greig Smith]

This is our late '28 R Type, has all of the attributes Chris listed in Post #7 except it has the dished steering wheel & ergo the shorter column.

Dad imported this one from Pevensey Bay circa 1975/76. Was advertised as a good running car with good paint. Well it was a barely runner, very tired mechanicals, Valspar brush paint & the running boards had separated themselves from the front fenders due to salty tin worm

Here are some pics from when it was in a museum display. I really want to get this one running now

Aye
Greig

   
  '28 R Type.jpg (Size: 80.83 KB / Downloads: 380)

[Dave Wortley]

I am sure the predictions from 40 years ago would not have conceived that the fairly normal family transport in our country would include so many overweight, oversized SUV’s. The latest from USA is the Tesla’s Cybertruck weighing in at 3080kg and capable of an acceleration from 0 to 60mph in 2.5 secs.
Why would you need such a vehicle?
Many of the young mums we see dropping kids off at school have large SUVs. I assume they feel safer in them but apparently they are less safe for pedestrians.