Identifying A7 competiton successes

[Tony Griffiths]

The following two pages are from a 1930 American Austin Catalogue. Can anyone add more details about the six listed Austin 7 competition successes?

[stuartu]

I can do three of them anyway, Tony. I think the 24 hour "race" at Montlhery probably refers to Chase, Parker and friends pursuing records in 1928. I believe it was the twelve hour record that they took at nearly 65 mph but they took the 24 hours as well, a bit faster if I recall correctly.

I suspect that the Swiss Automobile Club "touring race" could be the 1929 Alpine Cup which was a great success for the Dixi team. The Archive holds a publicity leaflet from Nicholls Bros. in Milan which refers to this.

The Urquiola Hillclimb would be when Arturo Palmero had a big day out in October 1927 with what was said to be a "special" Austin (as opposed to an Austin Special). There are photos of Arturo in the Archive's Gladys de Havilland album. I must admit I tend to think of this as the Spanish Album, but what's in a name? Arturo is shown in charge of his Chummy on the way to and competing in (from memory) the Madrid 12 Hours. You might guess that Arturo was not of Spanish origin - in fact he had been Pietro Bordino's mechanic but had ended up in Bilbao as a garagiste. I have come across mentions of his involvement with another rapid Austin circa 1931 but have yet to find a photo of that particular car.

I'm sure someone can tell you about the 200 mile race and the Australian reference. The Fahrt Durch Schlesien is a new one on me, must investigate.

All the best,

Stuart

[Chris Garner]

I can't comment on them all:

Montlhery. 13 June 1928. Class H . Capt. Chase driving Mr Jo-Jo  24 hours at 68 mph, 12 hours at 64.7 mph

Swiss. Little known. Car was probably a Super Sports model.

Melbourne. Automobile Car Club. 12 hours observed test. August 1929.  First, Challenge Cup.

Spain - no information.

Farht Durch... - no information.

Brooklands. BRDC 500 mile race. International records. 500 miles at 80.24 mph, 200 miles at 83.53 mph etc.

Hopefully other will add to the above.
...............

I believe the VAR has re-published a copy of " A Record of Universal Achievement - on the Wings of Victory " This booklet, of which I have an original copy, appears to list all the Austin Seven achievements from 1923  through to mid 1930. The number of Seven and its derivaties successes across the World is amazing.. For instance A Dixi / BMW was first in The Hamburg Police Run - " Find your own Bearings " in September 1929!!

[Tony Griffiths]

So far, wonderfully informed responses; thank you so much - do keep them coming.

[stuartu]

I revisited some of my sources for the Urquiola results and can report that the special Austin with which Arturo did, indeed, win three cups was a "tipo Brooklands" with a Roots supercharger. Still no photo, though.

I have found some mention of the Fahrt Durch Schlesien which, in its later editions, ran up a mountan near Breslau in Silesia during the mid to late 1920s. All such speed events in that area were banned after mid 1929 because of a number of fatal accidents. While I have found records of the outright winners of these and earlier editions back to 1921 there are no Austins mentioned so the successes are doubtless class wins.

Regards,

Stuart

[Erich]

I can't comment on the race results but find the advertising comment about small fleets of Sevens being used on estate to transport family members and guests. Since larger, more luxurious cars were available, one might presume the cars might have been used on hunting trips, or on jaunts to the local bierhalle
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