Austin Seven Swallow 2-Seater

The Austin Motor Company was heading for trouble, its range of high quality but staid and expensive cars were not what the market was wanting. In 1921 Herbert Austin saw what was needed and against the wishes of the Board of Directors set about designing a new small car. He famously took Stanley Edge from the drawing office at Longbridge in secret and placed him in the Billiard room at his home, Lickey Grange, to get on with the job in hand - designing the new generation of small cars. Much to the Board’s consternation, the design was pushed through into production, probably saving the company from bankruptcy and putting virtually the entire British cyclecar industry out of business at a stroke. Herbert Austin himself had a number of personal patents in the car and took a £2 royalty on each car sold.

Designed as a “big car in miniature” it offered excellent performance, reliability and big car comfort at a price that the working man could afford. It genuinely was  “motoring for the millions”. Drive an Austin 7 today, and you will receive more waves and smiles per mile than in any other car.

As was still common in those days, most manufacturers offered their chassis’ to outside coachbuilders. Austin were no exception and the 7 was very popular, with names such as Boyd Carpenter, Gordon England, Taylor, Duple and of course William Lyons at Swallow. He produced two gorgeous designs, a tiny saloon and an open two seater (in much smaller numbers), both models being highly desirable today amongst collectors thanks to their wonderful looks and Jaguar connection.

This Swallow-bodied example was purchased by the vendor’s father as a birthday surprise in 1953 and was used as everyday transport until being laid up in the garage of the family business in 1958. An Austin A30 followed when the family arrived! It has a continuation log book and is largely complete with front and rear bumpers, original scuttle tank and even the side screens. The fabulous windscreen is all present along with the scuttle vents and hood frame. At some point when young, the vendor replaced the full flowing front wings with cycle wings, put some more modern headlights on it and replaced the front axle with a full Bowden conversion including hydraulic brakes. He informs us that the original axle is to be sold with the car.

First registered on the 6th January 1931, the chassis number would indicate a build date of around November 1930, making this example just sneak into the “Vintage” period. It is believed that around 3,500 Austins were bodied at the Swallow works; however the vast majority were the pretty saloons, it being believed that fewer than 90 open cars survive to this day.

It is always surprising that cars are still emerging from nearly 60 years in hiding. It doesn’t happen often and especially so with rare examples such as this. Whist it is undeniably a major project, the fact that it is Austin 7 based makes it mechanically very straightforward and with so many of the unique Swallow body components present, it should prove a real pleasure to restore.