He goes ahead and does the project in secret, away from their critical eyes. Herbert Austin set up a drawing office in the billiard room of his home and he quietly recruited a young seventeen year old draftsman named Stanley Edge to work there. He also obtained the services of a number of people with expertise in car design to assist.
Austin had all sorts of ideas as to what this new small car should be like. He thought of using a rear mounted radial engine, he thought of setting the four wheels in a diamond configuration instead of the conventional wheel at each corner concept. Stanley Edge set to work in consultation with Austin and his advisors on the new design.
The engine was based on the existing Austin 20hp side-valve but scaled down to cc capacity providing an RAC rating of 7. The engine block was of cast iron as was the detachable cylinder head, while the crankcase was made of aluminum. Stanley Edge had initially favored using a three main bearing crankshaft with a roller bearing at the rear and ball bearings at the front and center. It was decided to keep the engine as simple as possible however and so the early version was made with two main bearings, roller at the rear and ball bearing at the front, with splash lubrication.
Edge also designed the three speed gearbox and clutch, while Herbert Austin busied himself with the design of the chassis and body. A torque tube delivered engine power from the gearbox to the rear axle which was suspended by leaf springs. Steering was by worm and wheel, and the car featured brakes on all four wheels but with a unique catch — the foot-brake operated the rear brakes and a handbrake operated the front, in the motorcycle-style.
This may seem like odd thinking but it needs to be seen in the light of preferred British driving practice of the era. A good driver was expected not to need to use the brakes much at all but instead was to use the gearbox to slow the car.
If the brakes of a vehicle are not up to the task of stopping it repeatedly this makes sense, and it was thought that this practice would save brake linings and therefore money. Unlike the Ford Model T, the controls layout of the Austin 7 was in the style we have come to be familiar with. It was the first mass produced car to use this layout. Herbert Austin had financed the creation of the new car himself and so had sensibly patented his innovations in his own name.
This meant that he was able to charge Austin Motor Company royalties on the use of those patents of two guineas per car. Note: a guinea was one pound and one shilling. Production of the new Austin 7 began in with 2, being sold in the first year. Herbert Austin had hoped to sell double that number and perhaps was a little disappointed, but sales would grow over the succeeding years in a most satisfying way.
It would remain in production until the beginning of the Second World War in , by which time , had been made. Engine: cc side valve in-line four cylinder engine with cast iron cylinder block and removable cast iron cylinder head and two main bearings, roller at the rear and ball bearing at the front. Main bearings lubricated by jets from an oil gallery in the crankcase. Splash lubrication elsewhere. Aluminum crankcase.
RAC rating 7. This engine was increased in capacity to cc in March , RAC rating Later in the engine was given three main bearings; roller bearing at the rear, white metal in the center, and ball bearing at the front. RAC rating Carburetor was a single downdraft type. The engine was started by crank-handle. Electric starter from Gearbox: Three forward speed and one reverse non-synchromesh gearbox. Four speed gearbox introduced in Synchromesh introduced onto third and fourth gears in , and to second gear in Member's Cars a selection of our active "Sevens".
Joys of being a 7'er and a few stories. Do you fancy an Austin Seven? Road Tests for the most popular "Sevens". Photo Gallery of our past activities and "Sevens" in close up. Registration Marks in the UK from Help at the roadside fuel and electrical problems. Austin Seven Handbooks information for the new owner.
Technical Articles our members help you with various tasks. Welkom bij The Seven Workshop. Voor uw gemak, onze Austin Seven onderdelen catalogus is beschikbaar in het Nederlands. Maak gebruik van de taal balk in de banner aan de bovenkant van de pagina. Benvenuti a "The Seven Workshop". Se volete vedere il nostro catalogo di pezzi di ricambio per la Austin Seven in italiano, si prega di utilizzare lo strumento di selezione nella parte superiore della pagina.
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