RN Saloon info (if any)

[Ashleyvincent]

My car is very similar to this and has chassis number 160995 and is car number B6 4399. The transmission tunnel is stamped RN. It has hidden rear body seams and the RN scuttle body mouldings and all the RP features for the 1933 model. It was first registered in London on October 6 1932 and is thus a very late 4 speed crash box RN as your car appears to be. The de luxe saloons had the flush fitting sunshine roof which drained through the front bulk head emerging above the windscreen on each side. Theses drains were prone to blocking and corrosion.
Regards
Ashley Vincent

[Reckless Rat]

It appears that some time in late 1932 when Austin was updating the saloon model from RN to RP a number of  cars were made using up some of the earlier model parts with some of the newer features, no rear seams, new dash, rear tank, 4 speed box. However the RN body shell is slightly wider at the back than the RP. The front bulkhead mouldings are different, as are the doors. The window moulding on the RN is parallel to the window sill, whilst on the RP it is slightly dished.



Either way, what you have is a late 1932 saloon. I think if you do manage to find the body number on the transmission tunnel, it will say RN. (It's not on the removeable cover, but on the horizontal surface of the tunnel near to where the cover fixes.



Happy hunting!

[Robert Leigh]

The body no on the late RN I had was covered by the detachable piece on the tunnel, and situated between the fixing screws.

[Reckless Rat]

This is the scuttle moulding on the RP:



and this is where to find the Body number (you might need to zoom in):

[circeonya@hotmail.com]

Thanks folks for all the info, Car seems to be a mix of RN and RP, The numbers on the tranny tunnell are under glued down carpet and I won't disturb that. I could not find the Chassis Number. The pre restration photo taken in the Nineties makes me wonder why anyone would bother importing a vehicle in that condition when it was not hard to find Austin Sevens for very little money.over here at that time. as for this being a mix on RN and RP It was not all that unusual when a facelift was about to be produced and the pre facelift parts had run out, they bunged the new model parts in.

[Tony Press]

Possibly the car came out with a UK family in the 50's .

The reproduction ID plates may have been purchased from Club Spares.

Be good to know where the chassis number came from if you can't find it stamped on the chassis.

Did you put the Club badge on the dash? If not it has been in the Melbourne Club.

I would think somenoe in the Club would know more about this car.

[circeonya@hotmail.com]

I rejoined the A7 Club in Melbourne after 55 years in 2008, this car was here and I even drove it a short distance. The then owner who has since passed away was a very competent mechanic and carried out some work on it but those details are lost. Shortly after the car was sold to a QLD club member.

[Reckless Rat]

For the chassis number, look on the nearside rail upper surface, roughly 12cm rearwards of the rear engine mount. The number is usually stamped towards the left of the centre line, legible from the left hand side of the car.

See: http://a7ca.org/downloads/QuoteThisNumber.pdf

[Martin Prior]

I agree with Reckless Rat - it's a very late RN. The scuttle moulding was the last RN feature to survive the transition into the RP. The doors are also RN, having a straight moulding below the window, where the RP's is slightly curved.

[circeonya@hotmail.com]

Well part of the mystery is solved, I found the Body Number and it left the factory as an RN.  the scuttle moulding is RN, but just about everthing is RP - dash, petrol tank, seamless rear and the doors have a slight curve to them.  Looked at all the places nominated for a chassis number and no luck. So thanks folks,  I think my identifying quest is over.