06-08-2022, 12:29 PM (This post was last modified: 06-08-2022, 12:35 PM by Mike Costigan.)
Frank, if you check out the illustrations of the larger Austins in BR 1030B you will see a similar cover with chrome ring shown; it certainly looks like the de luxe Seven came with a cover, but I've never seen one on a Seven, though I have seen them on the larger cars.
Hello Mike,
thank you very much for the photo. Obviously I was too much in a "Seven-Mood" and could hardly think about something posh (and rather useless) for such a small car (whether De Luxe or not). Nevertheless having one on my car... well... as a rivetcounter that can hardly stand the obligatory changes German MOT wanted me to have on my car...would be rather nice.
Regards
From Ken Kimber.... "Although not very clear the attached period photograph shows, what he told me was black fabric cover with white piping fitted from new to my fathers car which was less than two years old when he bought it. Not as rare or desirable as the metal ones featured but a lot easier to reproduce ! The car was AKT 48 but no longer appears to exist".
(05-08-2022, 09:18 PM)Mick Hobday Wrote: In the Austin Magazine for 1934 there's a fine looking one advertised by Wilmot Breedon as an after market accessory, obviously with the approval of Longbridge. Very few seem to have survived so I doubt that it was ever fitted as standard.
Possibly it was briefly planned for the Deluxe saloon so it had a mention in the sales spec above.
If a spare wheel cover was a standard fitting on the new car then I would have thought that a good few would have survived, whatever material was used.
I was lucky enough to find one many years ago and now have it fitted to my AH Tourer.
Wow! That's some item. The, correct pressed-steel, hyper-rare number plate (Sheffield registration) is also superb and I love the lighting arrangements as well.
Thanks Tony, but the WP registration is for Worcestershire. The first owner was Miss Boultbee, the middle aged daughter of the vicar of Castlemorton, a scattered rural parish on the meeting point of the Three Counties.
The link to the old forum is interesting. I suspect that the owner with the "WB" cover, finding that packing was needed for a good fit probably had an oversize cover meant for a different car. My cover was clearly stencil sprayed "3.50 - 19" on the inside and fits over my new Longstone Tyres perfectly.
The only snag in use is the extra care needed to avoid scratching the cover whilst mounting on the car and removing the wheel from the cover. A blanket and seat cushions need to be to hand.
I have also one of these aluminium spare wheel covers for the austin seven. The maker Wilmot Breeden, the band surround is nickel plated brass and there is a series of flat anti rattle springs around the inside. On the bottom is an overcenter catch to assist with fitting.
Hello,
thank you for the period photo and the additional information on both versions.
When I saw the high gloss metal version produced by WB, I automatically thought of my ordinary spare wheel being removed without damaging anything. Changing a spare wheel at night, a dark road, a little bit of rain... without damaging the cover... the first thing I would certainly leave in the garage when going on tour the next time would be the WB cover.
Could you - as soon as you take it of - take some detailed photos of the cover: the closing mechanism, the two halves, the outside, the inside... so that no information will be lost on rare original items like the WB cover?
Concerning the period photo of the fabric cover: Is there a better version of the photo available? It is difficult to tell how much of the wheel is covered and how the whole thing is attached to it.
Regards
Frank
Sorry Frank but the image posted is the only one I have showing the rear of my fathers car.
Since I intend to get a fabric cover made for the Fabric Saloon I am restoring I am also interested in finding out more details about the originals. It looks as if the piping is only fitted to the rear shoulder and the hole in the centre is just large enough to reveal the stainless steel wheel centre and that there is a small logo possibly reading Austin ! I suspect they are kept taught using a draw string, although it may also be possible to use a zip.
Quite a lot of current vehicles are fitted with fabric covers, perhaps there is an owner who uses this forum who may be able to provide photographs and fitting details ?
Modern SUV vehicles are often fitted with a fabric cover and it may be worth having a look at these.
No doubt there will now be several people on the lookout for a metal one, I have been looking for one for my Austin 10 Cabriolet for a long time !
Austin Twelve 1934 Harley rear.jpg (Size: 414.37 KB / Downloads: 323)
