Body number stampings

[Peter Naulls]

Whilst doing some tidying up jobs inside our Ruby I noticed the body number stamping on the transmission tunnel. Strangely it doesn't match the Car Number rivetted to the bulkhead, not only that but "10877" is miles out for a '37 mk2 Ruby

We know its history back to 1952 (when it was shockingly rusty) so if any changes were made they must have been very early on in its life. All other numbers are logical for its age - block, crankcase, chassis, Car Number, log book etc. 

Anyone any thoughts on what this number relates to if not the car number and whether it should be prefixed with ARR? I'm not concerned, just curious!

[Mike Costigan]

By 1937 the Car Number was the same as chassis number but with a three letter prefix denoting the body style; 10877 will be the 10,877th Mk2 Ruby body. The chassis preceding yours could have been another Ruby, in which case the body number would probably have been 10,876, but equally it could have been a Pearl, Opal or ORT in which case the Car Number would be the preceding chassis number but with a different set of prefix letters, and the body number would be in a completely different sequence.

[David Stepney]

It is my understanding that the bodies were separately numbered, depending on specification. RP deluxe bodies appear to have been separately numbered from standard bodies. I have had the opportunity of comparing chassis, engine, car and body numbers with another standard saloon and my own. Both are 1933 cars, with 188 chassis numbers between them (which at about 350 Sevens per week means that they were built within a week of each other), whilst the car numbers (both B8 series cars) being 178 apart. The body numbers, however are only 92 apart. The most likely explanation for this is that the bodies were built separately to the chassis, and, when a particular body was needed to a particular car, a body to that specification was simply brought out of the stores and fitted to the next available chassis.

Incidentally, my body number is prefixed 'RP', so logic would dictate that your body should have the body type code somewhere nearby. However, when has logic had anything to do with Austin Seven production?

Whilst doing some tidying up jobs inside our Ruby I noticed the body number stamping on the transmission tunnel. Strangely it doesn't match the Car Number rivetted to the bulkhead, not only that but "10877" is miles out for a '37 mk2 Ruby

We know its history back to 1952 (when it was shockingly rusty) so if any changes were made they must have been very early on in its life. All other numbers are logical for its age - block, crankcase, chassis, Car Number, log book etc. 

Anyone any thoughts on what this number relates to if not the car number and whether it should be prefixed with ARR? I'm not concerned, just curious!

[Peter Naulls]

Thank you David and Mike, that's very interesting. I hadn't appreciated that the bodies were numbered according to their type but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. 

I find the timescales and processes of production very interesting, it must have been huge organisational task to get all the component supply chains to marry up.

[David Stepney]

Thank you David and Mike, that's very interesting. I hadn't appreciated that the bodies were numbered according to their type but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. 

I find the timescales and processes of production very interesting, it must have been huge organisational task to get all the component supply chains to marry up.

Indeed, Peter, it was! Although I have no direct experience, I have friends who worked at 'The Austin' in its later years and it was the responsibility of the production managers to ensure that all the cars were built to the correct specification. A works order would be generated, detailing the car's specification, such as colour and trim, including any options and this would accompany the car down the production line so that the correct parts were fitted. In theory, you could built any model to any spec.

I presume that a similar arrangement existed in the thirties.

[Peter Naulls]

So was every car built to order or did some dealers buy them speculatively I wonder? I had always imagined that the larger dealers with showroom space would have been assigned one or two cars in the most popular colours to tempt passing customers.

[JonE]

so its definitely just the number - no preceding letters above, Peter?

[Peter Naulls]

Yes, definitely just the number.