Tried hard to search online without success, so took a picture of the picture instead.
There are many other pictures of Austin 7 made in different years and also one of a model, which I hope to be able to buy – if I cannot afford the real thing, a model will do.
Diecast model car
In the search for other Austin 7, hoping to find one exactly the same as the one that used to by my dad’s, I came across this story:
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My First Love THE AUSTIN SEVEN (By, Michael (PJ) Hughes)(10)
The Austin Seven was a lovely car that's what I thought, seeing it was the first car that I ever owned. It was just by chance that I picked it up - I went to the local scrap yard in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, a few miles from the Army Camp where I was stationed in Christchurch. One of my mates had an old Morris Ten and wanted some spare parts to keep it on the road. So I went with him to the scrap yard, then we parked his car on the car park out side the gates of the yard. I went with my mate looking around at the junk all piled up, I thought it was a pity - piling the lovely old cars on top of one an other. They must have been someone's pride and joy once, but now they were only junk, with parts missing or hanging off, such as doors and bonnets with some windows missing or broken.
I had to leave it, it was making me feel sad, seeing all the old timer's pride and joy, just there piled up, looking so forlorn.
Making my way to my mates car and giving him a hand to carry some pieces for his car, we secured them on the roof of the Morris Ten and then sat in the car ready to go back to our barracks. Just then, a chap in an battered old car, parked along side of us. It looked a bit shabby with one mud wing missing, as well as the headlight. I said to my mate, "If he leaves it there for long someone will think it's scrap and start taking parts off it!" The chap got out of the vehicle and started walking toward the office in the scrap yard - he was an old bloke around his sixties and was walking very slow and I think he was talking to himself. I was looking at the car with interest and said to my mate. "I wouldn't mind a little car like that for myself!" We got out of our vehicle and started walking around this interesting little motor.
I walked around the front of this box on wheels, that's what it reminded me of. I noticed, on the radiator a badge, that read, "Austin Seven." It looked so sad with the wing and headlight missing and leaning to one side. It looked as if it was in a battle and had got a black eye. Walking around I noticed it had spoke wheels and was better looking at this side. The running board was slightly damaged where it must have hit a gate post, and around the back of the car, was the spare wheel carrier minus the spare wheel, and some rust on the body work.
Just then the old man returned looking even sadder.
I said, "Nice car."
He looked at me with sad eyes and said, "She was always a good little lady, but her days are numbered! I'm moving up north with my son, so I've got to get rid of her. She would not be able for the trip."
"Are you going to put it in the yard?" I said pointing towards the scrap yard.
"Yes, Its a sad day seeing the old girl go like this," he said, with a tear in his eye.
"How much do you want for her?"
"They only offered me twenty pounds in there," he said, pointing to the office.
I shook my shoulders and pulled a face. (I thought to myself, if only I had twenty pounds. I would give it to him willingly for a beautiful car like that. But twenty pounds is a lot of money - over five weeks pay.)
I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out all the money I had in the world - three half crowns, and a two shilling piece and eight pence three farthing. I held it out in the palm of my hand and said, "This is all the money I own in the world. You don't get much being a National Service Man. I would love it! But, I won't get paid till Wednesday and that is only over three pounds.
He smiled at me and said, "I used to be in the Army once - it a good life. Where are you stationed?" I said, "Christchurch."
He said, "I did not know there were any Camps there!"
I said, "Its a Signal Research Establishment, next to the Air-field"
"Oh."
He started walking around his old car, touching it now and then. Then he placed his hand on the shining radiator top and started to rub it - as if it was a dog! He looked up at me and said. "I tell you what, if you give me ten shilling and promise to look after the old girl - she is yours. He handed over the keys and log book and then shook my hand saying. "Good luck and look after her."
I said, "I will" - rubbing my hand along the top of the car.
"By the way, how are you getting home?"
"I'm alright. There is a bus along in a few minutes, I'd rather do that!" he said, walking away - looking back once and waving to me. I waved back saying - "thank you!"
I now had my first car an 'Austin Seven', 1932 model. I drove it back to our Barracks following my mates car. It was different from what I was used to! as I had only driven land rovers. It was so light, like an dinkey toy. I got back in one piece - but then realised that I had no insurance. I had forgotten that in the excitement of getting the car. I spent a few days doing my car up, with a replaced mud wing and head light. She was looking like her old self, and with a bit of elbow grease she was soon shining again. I had it insured and got it some road tax with a disc on the windscreen. We were ready for the road. But I had to wait for my weekly wage before I could afford the money for some petrol. I drove to here and there trying out my new car, I was very proud of her.
When I had time off, I spent it cleaning my car and painting things on it - the wheels had spokes which were painted silver and the rims black. I touched up the body work with black paint, then the running boards and the spare wheel carrier, which had another spare wheel fitted - painted like the other. The engine compartment, I painted silver, with the engine been aluminium. It polished up shining - like new.
I was in the units running team at the time, so I had lots of spare time on my hands, and I spent a lot of it working on the lady! It was shining so bright I could not do much more in that line. So I started to find out why and how the engine worked! I took the engine out and stripped it down. It was very light. After I disconnected the mounting bolts and the prop shaft, I just lifted it out and placed it on a bench. I then started to take it apart bit by bit. It was off the road for a few weeks while I tried to put it back together. So that's the way I started working on engines!
Later on I got myself a motorbike, an A.J.S. 1,000. I had some close shaves on this! It had a side car and I would drive it along the roads with the side car off the ground. The Police did not like this, so I was pulled over many a time and told off. Then I wrapped it around a lamp post and that quietened me down for a while. I remember months later I had another motorbike and I had two crashes with this. First I broke my ankle and later fractured my shoulder and arm in a crash with two cars. One was turning right and the other turning left and I went in between them! There was not enough room so the bike was written off. ALL PART OF GROWING UP.
(By, Michael (PJ) Hughes)
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