Austin 7 Two-Seat Tourer

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In 1929 Austin added open two-seaters to their range, the P Series, which had a distinctive ‘boat tail’ rear end until 1932 when the PD came out with a more squared-off rear end and a slightly longer wheelbase.

This usefully increased the luggage carrying capacity of the tail which was accessed by the simple expedient of folding the front seats forward, the spare wheel being externally mounted at the rear.

In fact there was room to squeeze in a third passenger but, as Autocar noted, “in a car of this size overloading is not recommended”. They also noted that: “Folk are inclined to be misled by the compact proportions of the vehicle, but two minutes in either the driver’s or the passenger’s seat will serve to convince them that the legroom and elbow room is as generous as that found in many another car in a larger class”, the article concluding that: “at the price of £105 it is quite one of the most delightful open cars at present available to those who have learned to appreciate motoring in its simplest and cheapest form”.

First registered in Merionethshire in July 1934, this PD was treated to a body-off restoration some years ago as shown in photos on file. Our vendor acquired the car in 2012 and used it regularly on Austin 7 Club runs until the engine blew while climbing Clee Hill three or four years ago. Once removed from the car, the engine was despatched to Ruairidh ‘Rory’ Dunford of Dundee for a full rebuild which cost over £3,000 and included the fitment of a Phoenix crank. The ancillaries were all reconditioned at the same time, including the dynamo, starter motor and carburettor.

Since the rebuild was completed, the car has only covered 50 miles and has just had an oil change, the vendor advising that it will require a further 500 miles of gentle running in before the oil is changed once more. In nicely mellowed condition throughout, it comes with a hood, hood cover and sidescreens, all in good condition.