04-01-2021, 08:32 PM
Hello
This is my first post here and as someone who is completely new to Austin Sevens please go easy on me!
I recently acquired what I assume is an Austin Seven based trials special when purchasing another car and some spares from the estate of Peter Binns, the famous VSCC man. I knew Peter before he died and on one occasion he mentioned that he had acquired this car 'a very long time ago' but unfortunately was no more specific than that and he had no log book or information of any previous owners. Peter died in 2015 aged 98 and I believe he had owned this car since at least the 1960s, if not before - but I could be wrong.
In spite of its rather dilapidated condition it does look quite nicely made and I have found the chassis number (C123220) and engine number (M123938). The differential casing has the numbers 8 11 30 stamped on it which I assume refers to a build date of 8th November 1930. Would this tie in with the chassis and engine numbers?
Parts of the suspension appear to be drilled and the engine has a Cambridge head fitted. The body is a tubular construction with aluminium floor pans. It doesn't look like the external skins were ever fitted - perhaps the conversion to a trials specials was never finished? The radiator is very wide and the dash (which is engine turned) has no speedo, presumably as it was only ever meant to be a trials special and not road going.
I know this is a real long shot but if anybody has any information on it - or any ideas on who might have built this car and when, I would love to hear of it. Also any other general advice would be much appreciated!
Many thanks indeed
James Fraser
This is my first post here and as someone who is completely new to Austin Sevens please go easy on me!
I recently acquired what I assume is an Austin Seven based trials special when purchasing another car and some spares from the estate of Peter Binns, the famous VSCC man. I knew Peter before he died and on one occasion he mentioned that he had acquired this car 'a very long time ago' but unfortunately was no more specific than that and he had no log book or information of any previous owners. Peter died in 2015 aged 98 and I believe he had owned this car since at least the 1960s, if not before - but I could be wrong.
In spite of its rather dilapidated condition it does look quite nicely made and I have found the chassis number (C123220) and engine number (M123938). The differential casing has the numbers 8 11 30 stamped on it which I assume refers to a build date of 8th November 1930. Would this tie in with the chassis and engine numbers?
Parts of the suspension appear to be drilled and the engine has a Cambridge head fitted. The body is a tubular construction with aluminium floor pans. It doesn't look like the external skins were ever fitted - perhaps the conversion to a trials specials was never finished? The radiator is very wide and the dash (which is engine turned) has no speedo, presumably as it was only ever meant to be a trials special and not road going.
I know this is a real long shot but if anybody has any information on it - or any ideas on who might have built this car and when, I would love to hear of it. Also any other general advice would be much appreciated!
Many thanks indeed
James Fraser