Austin - Austin 7
The original Baby Austin, or Austin 7, introduced in 1922, was a 4 cylinder (initially 696cc) 747cc wonder. Unlike other small chain and belt driven type cycle cars, the Austin 7 was a conventional car that had been "shrunk" and miniaturised, with a wheelbase barely over 6 feet, and this for a car that could carry 4 people! So not only was it a far more practical car than the cyclecars available, but it also cost less, so the Austin 7 was responsible for putting an end to the cyclecar craze. BMW took a licence to build these cars which they marketed as Dixi and when BMW later built their own 6 cylinder cars you can see the direct lineage to the Austin 7 engine pattern and stretched proportions! The Austin 7 licenced in France were called Rosengart. The Chummy was the open topped car and later a saloon was made. The Austin 7 was continually altered and and changed until production ceased in 1939.
Tyre sizes for the Austin 7 ; The earliest cars with beaded edge wheels were fitted with tyre size 26x3 , usually quoted in period as 700x80, which Blockley produces the best example of. After this the the Austin 7 went onto the wired on 350x19 tyre size which Blockley also produces a perfect example of. Please note that the Blockley 350x19 is the only correctly researched 3.50x19 vehicle tyre, having the smaller treads to it's 3 block or triple stud pattern as in period, unlike the chunky tractor like treads others have made trying to copy what we are doing - by in effect making a shrunk down 400x19 Blockley tyre! Blockley have also supplied 400x19 tyres to Austin7 owners, so we show this tyre size also below.
