Ulster details/Photographs

[Mike Costigan]

Chris, where do you get the figure of 48 Ulsters built in 1930? The car I owned was registered in August 1930, and that carried body number 42. It would not surprise me if a further 20 or 30 cars were produced in the latter part of 1930, with possibly a small stock-pile of bodies carried over into 1931.

[Austin in the Shed]

Body number 87 was registered late December 1930

[JonE]

I'm not convinced many registrations are terrible helpful for projections, as some cars were running 3 years before they gained such. Although where the dates are the earliest in those around them and thus have little lag, that is really helpful for likely build dates in B2 and B4/5?

But 87 is another one which sits well in B2, obviously part of a batch before that of 81, just from desk survey. 81 probably had a body from the bottom of pile whereas 87 was more likely picked from the top, assuming their histories support that they are likely original to their build and that physical evidence supports it all. We'll perhaps never know if 81 was planned as export... but presumably it was?

[austin]

I've found during my research on ulsters, (and going through the photos from LAT) that some registrations were moved from car to car as the owners desired so not all is quite as it seems!

At some point I will get round to collating all the info I have collected into one place but as of yet haven't had the time.

There is a lot confused identities out there though so it's very difficult to be certain with what is what. Still not as confusing as the Bugatti world though!

[Dave Wortley]

   
Poor quality photos of Mike Costigan's Ulster body from DM **** which I borrowed in 1970 to copy. I made many paper and card templates from it but nothing of any use remains. I made the copy in aluminium except for the rear tail supports but it took me 21 years on and off.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Erich]

Regarding what Charles indicated, that there were likely more gearboxes produced than complete cars, can anyone speculate on total numbers? I have read 167 or 168, but recall that someone on the Forum has a car numbered in the 170s. And while there might not be car number 214 as indicated by my gearbox, would the works have produced forty odd gearboxes and not put them into a car?

Erich in Mukilteo

[JonE]

Gearboxes and bodies are both going to be replaced through breakage, aren't they? It seems entirely reasonable a number - but there must be others out there to see if there are higher ones, surely.

I saw a car recently with a gearbox number only several digits away from its body number... could others assess theirs if they have some remains of body number (and some hope that it could conceivably be an original box)?

[Bill Sheehan]

The subject of EAs etc reminds me that I've lost Ian Moore's phone number as we haven't conversed for a while.  Could someone please email me with it if Ian doesn't see this?  My email  is ausevenoz@g.mail.com or if you're in Oz & you know it, my mobile phone number is 0435 582 294.  Appreciate any help.   Cheers,  Bill in Oz

[Bill Sheehan]

Thanks to Chris Garner I now have Ian's number.  Cheers,  Bill in Oz

[Neil_in_Brussels]

An interesting discussion and some helpful photos for me and my good friend Mark who are now working to restore the "Bowerbank car" as it is noted previously. The Bowerbank car – Austin 7 Seven Sports 1927-1932 archive (wordpress.com)
We are keen to find out the previous history as prior to Mark's uncle purchasing it in the early 60's we have no information. As the car was chopped around to add doors and a boot, probably in a poorly thought out attempt to make it more practical at some point, and was painted green over its original primrose colour, it has had an interesting life that we do not know anything about. 

In terms of original parts we think that we have a large number of them but the car was stripped by a friend of Mark's uncle in the 80's but then said friend died and the project stalled till we hauled it out of the barn a few years ago. At that time we did not know if the car was an Ulster or not. For us we just wanted to restore it as an interesting project (having previously restored a few 60's classics). Now we have shown pictures around of what we have, it seems we have an original chassis, body, rear axle, steering box and instruments (at least some). Latterly we had the good fortune to be put in touch with someone having the original engine and now also have that! We have already had the body remade by Roach and he managed to save quite a lot of the original tail and bulkhead while adding in new side panels. The shell and original bonnet look really nice together. Work on the running gear is started but slow!
What is now difficult is working out what the correct nuts and bolts are to fit the parts together! These came in a number of pots which seem to have been added to over the years! If anyone has photos of axle and suspension parts bolted to the chassis we would appreciate to see them. More than anything though, we would love to find out more of the history. I have looked through the period photos available online and find one of GH4698 which is seen at Brooklands in 1931 1931 Easter Weekend Meeting | Austin Harris . No other photo has a car that matches the colour and is not accounted for. Still a long shot as there are likely some unphotographed cars out there but does anyone know this car or its history? I don't yet have a driver name so am hoping to find some records at Brooklands.

Any assistance from this knowledgeable group on history, or on the correct nuts and bolts to put together our large jigsaw, would be appreciated (some of you already have helped and thanks for that)