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In the early 50's a local garage - "Wood's Garage" - on the Stratford Road in Shirley, just outside Birmingham, had a fine collection of ancient bicycles hanging from the rafters. More to the point Joe Wood had a very early Austin Seven in fine condition that I (aged abut 14/15) really lusted after! Unfortunately it was not for sale and I was too young to drive, but Joe told me that the car had been restored by the Austin Apprentices at Longbridge and put on display alongside the newly announced A30 Seven.
I have never seen any publicity photos, but would be interested to know if the story were true (I have no reason to think it not so) and whether that car still exists. It was painted green with black wings & hood. Are there any ex- apprentices out there who remember it? They had done a fine job.
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Location: Sherwood Forest
Car type: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
It was probably OK 3537, which certainly moved around the dealer network in the 1950s before ending up in the Science Museum.
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Location: N W Kent
As Mike says, it could well have been the Science Museum car. There was an article in the A7CA mag some years ago where the author had recently done some work on the Science Museum Chummy and mentioned that it had previously had a lot of work done by Austin apprentices.
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I have seen a photo of a Chummy and an A30 with Herbert Austin's brother standing between them. Try to remember in which book or magazine it was.
Bill Sheehan
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(10-09-2017, 08:52 PM)D.J. van Arum Wrote: I have seen a photo of a Chummy and an A30 with Herbert Austin's brother standing between them. Try to remember in which book or magazine it was.
By co-incidence The Motor mag of 6/7/55 featured a comparison of an early Seven and an improved A30. The purpose was really to commemorate Austin Co's 50th Anniversary but gave very helpful measurements of both cars. The Seven had also been updated (I believe by apprentices) some years before, but was painted Maroon. It was XO 6852, built Feby. 1923, chassis 1035. Today's perhaps-useless trivia. Cheers, Bill
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Found it. It's on page 39 in the book "Post war Babay Austins"" by Barney Sharratt. The registration of the Chummy OX 6852.
Bill Sheehan
Unregistered
(12-09-2017, 01:39 PM)David.H Wrote: (12-09-2017, 06:52 AM)D.J. van Arum Wrote: Found it. It's on page 39 in the book "Post war Babay Austins"" by Barney Sharratt. The registration of the Chummy OX 6852.
Ask and you will receive! That fits, because I think Joe Wood still had the car in 1955/6 when I could have bought it, but had no money! So not the one that trolled round the dealers & into the Science Museum.
Where is it now....?
Well well! Using the DVLA search highlighted today the car is not taxed for the road, but listed.
The A7CA records it as being at Gaydon since 2014....So now I know.
DJvA - Just so others aren't confused in future - the correct regn. No. was XO 6852 (not OX) as in the Motor article. I also have a coloured postcard and a coloured Calendar page of the car. Cheers, Bill in Oz
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So ....is it the car at Gaydon...........? !!
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Location: Sherwood Forest
Car type: 1938 Talbot Ten Airline
David, If the car you recall was green, then I believe it was the prototype which is now in the Science Museum; XO 6852 was, and I believe still is, maroon - that is the car at Gaydon.
