Austin Seven Racing in Australia from 1928

[Julian Hunt]

Friends may be interested in a thread on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum with this title. A number of well-known Ausi Austineers feature -, either writing themselves or being quoted. There are a number of historic photos and some lengthy quotes from Australian club magazines that are worth study.

Access to the Nostalgia Forum is free and straightforward.

[Spoonbill]

Would you be kind enough to post a link please I can't find it on a search. Thank you

[Ladybird]

Just google”autosport nostalgia forum” and the site comes up. Three bars on top RH corner gives search function. Cheers

[Mike Costigan]

Link:

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/21508...from-1928/

[Julian Hunt]

The thread on the Nostalgia Forum keeps growing. Today there is a lengthy piece on the restoration of Grant Cowie's Duck single-seater. The the photos are worth a look on their own.

[Ian Williams]

I had the absolute pleasure of racing against Grant in the Duck, racing against is probably a bit of a loose term, the car was so fast he lapped me! But to see, hear, smell (It ran on Methanol with castor oil, glorious) and follow it through a few corners in anger before waving goodbye as at disappeared ahead of me is a personal hi light for my time on track in an A7.

[Malcolm Parker]

What a fascinating thread!  Enough material for a book on the subject?

[Tony Press]

Such a small cockpit and pedal area- I dion/'t know how Grant (and the earlier intrepid drivers) fitted.

I still remember meeting Grant  and seeing the 'Duck' up close at a vintage 1/4 mile sprint meeting at Ballarat in country Victoria some years ago. A wonderful car and the only complete Duck left out of the original four cars.

I think it is more impressive than the Twin Cam, being still relatively close to the Austin Seven. 

I think it ran around 14 seconds for the 1!/4 - not bad for a car nearly 100 years old.

I have a good file on the Duck and will add a few more pictures !

I was told that the Duck could have come to Victoria but Austin Distributors wouldn't pay the duty ??

[Ian Williams]

Actually Tony, once installed in the cockpit it is not as tight as you might imagine, I am 5'10" with size 9 feet, I got in and although every snug I was comfortable enough. It should be said that Grant had made the steering wheel removable, I am not sure it could have got in and out without that!