Colonial B type tourer

[Ian Williams]

I was recently shown this picture by Neil Beken, it was taken in early 1924 in Christchurch NZ and depicts Neils Great Grandfather in an A7 Chummy shorty after it was purchased. To my mind is a fascinating study of what appears to be an early colonial scooped scuttle Austin B type tourer, lots of nice features on what is basically a new car. Judging by the type F.W.P CAV headlights I would suggest probably a late 1923 manufacture date, have you noticed the rear view mirror, rather novel! 
Anyway I felt it deserved a wider audience and Neil has kindly agreed I could share the pictures.  They are in PDF so I hope you can open them. 


  Neil's great grandfather.pdf (Size: 988.46 KB / Downloads: 95)

There is a second picture of the same car with Neils Great Grandmother, we don't know the date but the car has been through at least one set of tyres. 


  Neil's great grandmother.pdf (Size: 491.78 KB / Downloads: 69)

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Very interesting photos.

   

   

[Chris KC]

Super pictures Ian! 

I'm guessing the mirror had to be up there to see past those hats!

[AllAlloyCup]

I like the second photo where the proud owner has added
a more powerful horn, an RACNZ badge? Plus looks to have added
wing stabilising struts to stop his front wings shaking?

And another set of tyres?

Great photo I very much like the upright stance
which my Cup special is adopting.

Regards

Bill G

[Ian Williams]

I think the struts are likely to be damper mounts, remember early chassis have no provision for mounting such a device so in this case it appears to be bolted to the axle and then up to the cow horns

[Mike Costigan]

The Austin script is an Austin Twenty item, and appears to have been standard fitting to most 1923 cars (but not 1924 cars)

[Tony Griffiths]

Odd how a confirmatory picture turns up just a few hours after discussing this exact point!

---

One wonders if the horn had this effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLfD1AFsb1I

[AllAlloyCup]

My Triumph TR3A rally car has standard twin Lucas horns,
But also Marchal spot lights , inc a roof lamp , plus Marchal
(police grade)alternating air horns, which is handy if you want someone to pull over!
Or are in a rush to get to A&E...

Only used on Continental rallies of course. :-)

Regards

Bill G

Ps presumably a train horn needs a big big battery?

[Tony Griffiths]

Ps presumably a train horn needs a big big battery?
They run a compressor feeding an air storage tank, this being of a considerable size and often awkward to mount on anything other than a larger car.

[Bill Sheehan]

What great shots Ian - Thank you.  Would suggest it's an early 1924 rather than 1923, as the front axle seems (to my eyesight) to have the bossed provision for shockers, but none there.  These axles were available in early '24 and whether you had to pay extra for shockers at the time I don't know.  Maybe they were undecided if really necessary, as I have photos of several cars (including  one of Waite competing in a trial with a Factory chummy) with these axles, but no dampers fitted.  Re the Script badge, I thought that only the factory-owned cars had these fitted, not every car, so pleased to find I was wrong.  The car in your photos has the second type of crankhandle, which also would make it not 1923.   Hope this helps.   Cheers,  Bill in Oz