06-08-2018, 08:27 AM
Having built a number of A7 specials, my advice would be to study the Austin 7 Source Book and base your special on one of the 300 plus body types that were produced over the period of production. Most A7 enthusiasts agree that the SWB cars look nicer, a Ruby chassis is quite simple to shorten and you can still use the Ruby mechanicals.
Most of the Austin production models used a very similar floorpan, whether they were saloons, tourers or sports bodies. My latest special, based on the coachbuilt Pytchley saloon, has a plywood floorpan based on that in my 1931 saloon, and weighs in at around the same as an Ulster. It is more spacious than the SWB box saloon and has the advantage of a better power to weight ratio, close ratio 4 speed box and a 5.25 axle, yet looks very vintage.
I made a 1" to the foot cardboard model of the Pytchley body based on the only photo I have ever seen, that in the Source Book.
The whole floorpan was made out of an 8 x 4 sheet of 1/2" plywood. The scuttle, body sides and rear panel were made separately and fitted to the floorpan, The frames are clad with 4mm birch plywood. Then a roof assembly was added like a lid which trued everything up and the rear corners added from aluminium sheet. The whole thing was primed, covered in yacht varnish and the cheap curtain lining fabric was applied, followed by more varnish, primer and oil based eggshell (Farrow and Ball Hague Blue!). The whole job was a bit like making a designer garden shed. I am very pleased with the result. If I was doing another special, I would consider something along the lines of the Mulliner Sports, with a similar fabric covering to that described above.
Most of the Austin production models used a very similar floorpan, whether they were saloons, tourers or sports bodies. My latest special, based on the coachbuilt Pytchley saloon, has a plywood floorpan based on that in my 1931 saloon, and weighs in at around the same as an Ulster. It is more spacious than the SWB box saloon and has the advantage of a better power to weight ratio, close ratio 4 speed box and a 5.25 axle, yet looks very vintage.
I made a 1" to the foot cardboard model of the Pytchley body based on the only photo I have ever seen, that in the Source Book.
The whole floorpan was made out of an 8 x 4 sheet of 1/2" plywood. The scuttle, body sides and rear panel were made separately and fitted to the floorpan, The frames are clad with 4mm birch plywood. Then a roof assembly was added like a lid which trued everything up and the rear corners added from aluminium sheet. The whole thing was primed, covered in yacht varnish and the cheap curtain lining fabric was applied, followed by more varnish, primer and oil based eggshell (Farrow and Ball Hague Blue!). The whole job was a bit like making a designer garden shed. I am very pleased with the result. If I was doing another special, I would consider something along the lines of the Mulliner Sports, with a similar fabric covering to that described above.