1929 Austin Seven Van "Bella"

[Ally Monce]

Are the two photos that Martin posted supposed to be of the same vehicle? There seem to be quite a few differences: the wheels, obviously, but they have different front bumper blades, the doors seem to be different, and even the slope of the windscreen appears to be different. Maybe someone in Spain produced a number of them?

Hi guys
to my understanding by the previous vendor, Bella was produced as a running, rolling chassis and exported to Rosengart  in France then turns up at "Talleres Dalber" Lugo Lorenzana Northern Spain.Talleres Dalber was a Vespa and Piaggio workshop who put the van body on her.I appears to be a one off.Talleres Dalber closed sometime in the Sixties .Bella came with a plaque affixed to the dash in memory of "David Alvares Del Busto".My research shows him to have come from the "Passageway in Santo Domingo" in the Asturias region. Del Busto was born into a wealthy family and it appears he was connected to the Cruz Rioja.I have found that he died in 1936 at the age of 50 Rightly or wrongly I like to think that he and Bella supplied aid to the prisoners of Franco during the Spanish civil war and was shot by Franco,ists for doing so .If and when more comes to light I will update .As to Bella and the wayward cooling fan mounted on a "tower", would anyone know what is involved in resecuring the fan spindle back in place thanks cheers Ally

[Reckless Rat]

If it's an Austin Seven fan spindle it is located by a cotter pin.

[Mick Hanna]

Are the two photos that Martin posted supposed to be of the same vehicle? There seem to be quite a few differences: the wheels, obviously, but they have different front bumper blades, the doors seem to be different, and even the slope of the windscreen appears to be different. Maybe someone in Spain produced a number of them?

Hi guys
to my understanding by the previous vendor, Bella was produced as a running, rolling chassis and exported to Rosengart  in France then turns up at "Talleres Dalber" Lugo Lorenzana Northern Spain.Talleres Dalber was a Vespa and Piaggio workshop who put the van body on her.I appears to be a one off.Talleres Dalber closed sometime in the Sixties .Bella came with a plaque affixed to the dash in memory of "David Alvares Del Busto".My research shows him to have come from the "Passageway in Santo Domingo" in the Asturias region. Del Busto was born into a wealthy family and it appears he was connected to the Cruz Rioja.I have found that he died in 1936 at the age of 50 Rightly or wrongly I like to think that he and Bella supplied aid to the prisoners of Franco during the Spanish civil war and was shot by Franco,ists for doing so .If and when more comes to light I will update .As to Bella and the wayward cooling fan mounted on a "tower", would anyone know what is involved in resecuring the fan spindle back in place thanks cheers Ally

It seems Bella's services might well be called upon again in Catalonia the way events are developing in Spain at the moment.

[Martin Prior]

Are the two photos that Martin posted supposed to be of the same vehicle? There seem to be quite a few differences: the wheels, obviously, but they have different front bumper blades, the doors seem to be different, and even the slope of the windscreen appears to be different. Maybe someone in Spain produced a number of them?

Hi guys
to my understanding by the previous vendor, Bella was produced as a running, rolling chassis and exported to Rosengart  in France then turns up at "Talleres Dalber" Lugo Lorenzana Northern Spain.Talleres Dalber was a Vespa and Piaggio workshop who put the van body on her.I appears to be a one off.Talleres Dalber closed sometime in the Sixties .Bella came with a plaque affixed to the dash in memory of "David Alvares Del Busto".My research shows him to have come from the "Passageway in Santo Domingo" in the Asturias region. Del Busto was born into a wealthy family and it appears he was connected to the Cruz Rioja.I have found that he died in 1936 at the age of 50 Rightly or wrongly I like to think that he and Bella supplied aid to the prisoners of Franco during the Spanish civil war and was shot by Franco,ists for doing so .If and when more comes to light I will update .As to Bella and the wayward cooling fan mounted on a "tower", would anyone know what is involved in resecuring the fan spindle back in place thanks cheers Ally


Hi Ally. 

That sounds very similar to the story that I'd heard a couple of years ago.  At the time I wondered why Rosengart, as a manufacturer of complete A7-derived cars, would have wanted a running chassis from Austin. There may have been a perfectly good reason.

My personal opinion, based only on photos, is that you have a Morris chassis fitted with a '29 A7 engine and a professionally-built, post WW2 Spanish body.

It's a very interesting and attractive car, but as I mentioned before, photos showing the chassis would be very helpful in identifying exactly what Bella actually is.  

Securing the fan spindle should be very straightforward - push it back in and tighten the cotter.  There should be a split pin at the back end of the spindle assembly to prevent it from moving forwards even if the cotter is loose.  The nut on the cotter and the split pin are visible in the attached photo (of a '34 engine).

[Jeff Taylor]

As I also own a 1936 Morris 8 Series I Tourer, I can confirm that the chrome radiator cowl with dummy honeycomb on your van is definitely from a Series I Morris 8 late 1934 to late 1937. It has however been altered, having had an aperture inserted in the centre chrome bar and honeycomb to take the starting handle - on a Series I Morris 8 the starting handle entry point is below the chrome cowl entering through the steel valance between the front wings and supported by a riveted plate below the bumper bar. 

Although not particularly clear in your photo of the van fitted with wire rather than disc wheels, the brake drums look decidedly early 1930's Morris Minor - hydraulic brakes having been fitted to the Morris Minor for the 1934 season starting in late 1933.

[Ally Monce]

As I also own a 1936 Morris 8 Series I Tourer, I can confirm that the chrome radiator cowl with dummy honeycomb on your van is definitely from a Series I Morris 8 late 1934 to late 1937. It has however been altered, having had an aperture inserted in the centre chrome bar and honeycomb to take the starting handle - on a Series I Morris 8 the starting handle entry point is below the chrome cowl entering through the steel valance between the front wings and supported by a riveted plate below the bumper bar. 

Although not particularly clear in your photo of the van fitted with wire rather than disc wheels, the brake drums look decidedly early 1930's Morris Minor - hydraulic brakes having been fitted to the Morris Minor for the 1934 season starting in late 1933.

Hi Jeff ,yes Bella is on wire wheels when the weather up in Scotland improves (to cold for a 74 yearOAP at present) I shall take some photo,s of her then find out how to post them on the forum for all to see  thanks for information on the fan spindle cheers Ally

[Derek Sheldon]

Rosengart was provided with 100 rolling chassis in 1928 to start his business. These of course would be identical to the Austin of the period. These chassis could be recorded in the Austin archives. 
You may have a Rosengart  cooling fan which is mounted on a “tower”, on a slot arrangement.

[Ally Monce]

Rosengart was provided with 100 rolling chassis in 1928 to start his business. These of course would be identical to the Austin of the period. These chassis could be recorded in the Austin archives. 
You may have a Rosengart  cooling fan which is mounted on a “tower”, on a slot arrangement.

Hello Derek,your description is spot on ,looks like an aluminuim cast tower with a slot in it ,as soon as I can I will take a picture for you to decide as it does not look like the previous photo posted on this threadI have the heritage certificat that states the following  1 make/model Austin seven saloon 2 Chassis No79383 3 engine No,79116 4 body No  not recorded 5 Specification  RHD,Export 6, colour Brown 7 date of build 26 Feb 1929 89 date of dispatch 4 March 1929  9 Dealer Destination not recorded 10,Car Number A8-1949, British Motor Industry Heritage Trust,Certified Copy of a Factory Record .Cheers Ally

[Derek Sheldon]

Hope that this shows what you mean

[Ally Monce]

Hope that this shows what you mean

Yes that is what is on my engine  but tomorrow will take photo for you to decide cheers Ally