What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[andrew34ruby]

Hi Andrew. I'm no expert on the subject,  and I understand that there is a very useful guide on the many models produced but there were a few cowled radiator tourers. Happy for corrections to be added...

Your 34 Ruby is presumably an ARQ? The three letter body codes started with the cowled radiator cars... the last factory chrome radiator saloon was the RP 

The first UK factory tourer with the Ruby style cowl was designated AAK. A four seat tourer with an exposed rear wheel on a high frame chassis... at a glance a bit like the tourer you took a photo of. Then with the mark 1 Ruby there was the AAL which I have and you took a picture of. Sometimes people call them a Ruby Tourer because its easier to do so, but Austin designated it as the four seat open road tourer and didn't give it a jewel name. At the same time the Pearl was released with what is effectively a full length sunroof but full doors and rear side windows. At that time they also still produced a chrome radiator two seat tourer called the Opal. (I guess it would be a PD)

When the mark 2 Ruby appeared,  the four seat ORT (AAL) remained, the Pearl continued (though someone else will tell be able to tell you if there was a mk1 and a mk2) and the two seat tourer (designated APE) gained the cowl, but was described in sales literature as the two seat open road tourer, no reference to the Opal...

Now I make reference to the UK factory tourers,  because the Australian equivalents had local bodies and are different again.

I hope that is clear?

Thanks to all for this info, I will try to remember it all! It was calling the open road tourer a 'Ruby' that confused me. But if Austin didn't give it a name, then I can see why people called it a Ruby tourer.