Kerb weight of 1934 RP saloon. Help please...

[Graham O]

I am one step away from having my RP officially on the road since 1977.  In New Zealand we have a safety compliance process that is quite involved.  So far so good after the car was inspected but I understand that the final step is for me to provide official documentation on the kerb weight.  (They also want the Combined Vehicle Mass as well, but I can make that up by adding the weight of a 1934 British Standard Couple and two kids).

Nothing off the internet is directly acceptable by the inspector, but our Vintage Car Club of NZ is accepted as the authority on vintage car matters and a statement from them would be accepted. Unfortunately the handbook is silent on the weight. Anything from the internet that is a copy of an original Austin document would give the VCC evidence they can use to make an authoritative statement on the weight. I see plenty of information on the internet suggesting that 10 cwt is the weight, but it is not an official document.

Can anyone please point me to an Austin statement that I can pass on to the VCC.

Thanks
Graham Ockleston

[Andy Bennett]

I have a feeling I have read it in Pitmans. Appreciate not an official Austin publication but would that help?
Alternatively could you take it to a weigh bridge and get a real weight?

[Mike Costigan]

I don't believe the Austin Motor Company ever published weights for their cars; the sales catalogues provide a comprehensive specification, but weight is never included:

http://www.archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/u..._1030B.pdf

It's possible that an Autocar or Motor road-test includes a kerb weight, but I suspect not, and that may not be sufficiently 'official' for your needs anyway.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Is it possible to take it to a weighbridge and weigh it? I have had to supply weights for re-registered cars and for
new-built kit cars and DVLA have always accepted the certificates issued. (I'm not sure how accurate a weigh bridge designed for HGVs may be though)
New Zealand regs may of course differ but it might be worth a try...

[John Cornforth]

Hi Graham

The "Austin Seven Companion" (Green Book) pages 270 and 271 has some figures compiled "From Austin Motor Co Sources" by one G Harris. The weight of a 1933 Saloon is given as 10 cwt 2 qtr which I make 534 kg

It's possible that this originally came from the Austin Service Journal, but I haven't had time to search through yet.

[Archivist]

I can't bring to mind any specific 'Austin' publication that shows the weight as has been suggested - though John Cornforth's suggestion may prove fruitful. Unfortunately, I am unable to visit the Archive now until early December. However, I do have here at home a 'Nicholson's' (I think 4th edition?) although undated, shows an illustration of a long wheel base saloon taken from the Austin brochure. On page 8, it states the weight of a saloon to be 10 3/4 cwt. That may or may not be helpful!

Hugh

Oh, and I perhaps should add, the illustration in the Nicholson's is the RP image taken from the brochure Mike referred to in his earlier post....

[Reckless Rat]

I had to have the RP weighed here in France during the re-registration process, but unfortunately I can't locate any of the documentation relative to the period. The current registration document does have a box for unladen and gross weights but they are both blank. For some reason I have the figure of 482kg in the back of my head. That equates to 9 1/2 cwt, which is slightly shy of the weights quoted in this table:

http://www.da7c.co.uk/technical_torque_a...ghts_2.htm

I guess the best method is to take it to a public weighbridge and ask for a certificate. Your problem will be trying to explain to the Jobsworth that the car is 90 years old and any factory data is long gone.

[austin]

The "Austin Seven Companion" (Green Book) pages 270 and 271 has some figures compiled "From Austin Motor Co Sources" by one G Harris. The weight of a 1933 Saloon is given as 10 cwt 2 qtr which I make 534 kg

Mr G Harris is on the forum regularly, though to be confusing is known as Henry Harris.

[Colin Morgan]

What have others in your position done about this? 

I don't suppose this is official enough, though it ha the Austin badge and quotes the kerb weight... (the copyright shows where it is from if you want one.)


   

[GCD]

The Driver's handbook for my '28 RK (Publication 619c, Page 6) gives the weight as 8.5 CWT (425kg). and the book is on the Archive website to download. Does this help?