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 motor car that had been "shrunk" and miniaturised, with a wheelbase barely over 6 feet, yet this for a car that could carry 4 people! So not only was it a far more practical machine than its contemporary cyclecars, but it even cost less, so it is the Austin 7 that was responsible for putting an end to the cyclecar era. BMW took a licence to build the Austin 7 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 Austin 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 Sevens with beaded edge wheels were fitted with tyre size 26x3, quoted in period also as 700x80 that is the same tyre size, which Blockley produces by far the best built example of. Afterwards the the Austin 7 went onto the "wired on" wheel rims and a 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 authentic smaller treads to it's 3 block or triple stud pattern as in period, making these Austins look perfect, unlike the chunky tractor like treads others have made trying to copy what Blockley is doing - making a shrunk down version of a 400x19 Blockley tyre! Blockley have also supplied the larger 400x19 tyres to Austin7 owners, so we show this tyre size also below, although these were not a period fitment size as far as we can see.
