Reconditioned Swallow Advertisement

[Martin Prior]

"Weighed in the balance"?  Did they not realise how stupendously heavy these things are?

We have a couple of Swallow two-seater bodies under construction and lovely as they are, I reckon that weight-wise they'd give a Ruby a run for its money!

[Tony Griffiths]

... Was this the present-day equivalent of a "winter hardtop" - and might Swallow have been the first with this idea?

There's a Swallow brochure in the Archive which illustrates the 'Saloon Head' version:

http://www.archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/u...P_0016.pdf

The description includes: ... supplied with Saloon Head rigidly fixed, but quickly detachable, so that it may be readily interchangeable with the Cape Hood... and an artistically-designed electric light with tumbler switch.

I wonder what sort of electrical connection was provided to enable the roof to be removed?

Good to know there's at least one survivor out there, I've never seen one.

Interesting to see that if one added all six optional extras to the price of a saloon, it lifted the price from £187 : 10s : 0d to £199 : 6s : 6d. Try that with a modern car and the price would double.

[Erich]

Beautiful work of panel beating on that tail, Martin.

Erich in Mukilteo

[Martin Prior]

Thanks, Erich.  I can't claim credit for that - we digitally scanned an original to produce a buck and then used the services of a very, very skilled metalworker to do the hard bit.

[Ray White]

'The windscreen is odd in that the opening section is on the passenger side and the fixed pane is in the driver's side.'

Well spotted. I didn't think the first version had the scuttle vents ?

The later version had bumpers front and back as well

For those who have the time to study these things the development of the Austin Swallow saloon and two seaters is a fascinating subject.  I suppose one might describe the development of these little cars as evolutionary. For example There were in fact three distinct shapes of radiator; some of the early ones were made from aluminium. 

Unfortunately none of the very early cars survive but it is known that the first saloons had simple horizontally sliding door windows (a bit like the early mini).  These were changed to a most ingenious design of vertically sliding windows as are featured in my 1930 car.  The glass is pulled down against spring tension and can be automatically held, if released,  in any position. It is returned to the closed position (or any point) automatically by releasing or engaging a simple chrome lever in the door capping. It is all quite delightful to use.

The final design had bucket seats, and foot wells for the rear seat passengers.  On earlier models like mine a bench seat sufficed with the seat back hinged in the middle - allowing access to the rear seat via the the passenger side. 

Yes, the later cars had stylish bumpers front and rear and scuttle ventilators were we believe optional - as was any combination of two tone paint or single colour that the customer required at extra cost.  

The fit and finish of these cars was quite exceptional with leather and wood used to good effect. There was a LOT of braiding (pasting lace) ; 25 yards in a saloon ... but none in a two seater.

These were coach built bodies and as Martin points out were pretty heavy which is, apart from their diminutive size,  the main disadvantage today.

[Tony Griffiths]

Now, if development had continued into the long-wheelbase era, this is what might have been:

[Dave Mann]

Oh I might be able to get in that.

[Dennis Nicholas]

Would that have been with the strait six A7 engine?

[Tony Griffiths]

Would that have been with the strait six A7 engine?

Correct - and with the "egg" tail holding a 45-gallon tank to assist with trans-European touring.