Classic Car Catalogue

Austin 1931

Seven  
Twelve  
Sixteen  
Twenty  
Light Twelve-Six - new model in January

Great Britain

For 1931 four Austin chassis the 7hp, 12hp, 16hp and 20hp are being continued with improvements, but no very radical alterations. The coachwork is more up to date and in many cases prices, are lowered.
September '30'
 

Seven

wb: 75 in.
(1905 mm)		   4 cyl. sv
747.5 cc
10.5 bhp
7.8 HP		  
       
wb: 81 in.
(2057 mm)		          
Saloon de Luxe         - new model

 

Austin Seven 'Chummy' Tourer of 1930/31 have a shorter scuttle than before and a revised bonnet with two sets of louvres. In August 1931 the wheelbase was extended from 6 ft 3 in to 6 ft 9 in.

Sport 750

Seven by A.P. Compton

Seven Saloon de Luxe (long wheel base).

Austin Seven Swallow Saloon
Motor SportJuly 1931
 

Twelve-Six

  wb: 106 in.
(2692 mm)		 6 cyl.
1496 cc		 - new model in January
Harley De Luxe Saloon    
Harley Saloon    
Open Road Tourer    
Eton Two-Seater    

 

 

Sixteen

  wb: 112 in.
(2845 mm)		 6 cyl.
2249 cc		  
Westminster Saloon £350    
Burnham De Luxe Saloon (six light) £325    
Burnham Drop-head Saloon £325    
New Windsor Saloon £298    
Open Road Tourer £290    
Harrow Two-Seater £290    

 

Austin Sixteen chassis have a 2249-cc (65.6 x 111 mm) six-cylinder engine and 9 ft 4 in wheelbase. It cost £235. Complete cars, with factory-built bodywork, are in the £310 to £345 price range.

Sixteen Burnham De Luxe Saloon

Sixteen Burnham four-door Saloon
 

Twenty

  wb: 6 cyl. SV
3397 cc
57 bhp
23.5 HP		  
Whitehall 120 in.    
Maifair 130 in.    
Ranelagh 136 in.    

 

 

           
           

 

Races:
  Event: Entered: Raced: Finished: Best results:
12.04.1931 Mille Miglia       50 Seven Trevisan / Goodacre 34th S1.1 2nd
8-9.05.1931 Double Twelve 9 9 8 54 Seven Worsley / Latham Boote 7th H 750 6th
            Seven Randall / Harker 8th H 750 7th
            Seven Poppe / Barnes 10th H 750 8th
            Seven Green / Barnes 12th H 750 9th
            Seven Balls / Gilbert 15th H 750 11th
            Seven Frazer Nash / Driscoll 21st H 750 13th
          56 Seven Reeves / Beacon 22nd H 750 14th
            Seven Marriage / Searle 24th H 750 15th
24.05.1931 Brooklands Mountain Speed Handicap         749 cc E.C.H. Randall 1st  
            749 cc Vernon S. Balls 3rd  
24.05.1931 Brooklands Junior Short Handicap         B.C. Special G. L. Willis 2nd  
24.05.1931 Brooklands One-lap Sprint Handicap         749 cc Vernon S. Balls 3rd  
19.07.1931 German GP       60 0.75 S-4 Boris Ivanowski dna  
          80 0.75 S-4 E. Markiewicz dna  
18.07.1931 Irish GP Saorstat Cup 7 6 2   Seven (s) Archie Frazer Nash 8th  
            Seven (s) Leon Cushman 14th  
03.08.1931 Brooklands Second One-Lap Sprint         749 c.c. L. Cushman 2nd  
03.08.1931 Brooklands Junior Long Handicap         749 c.c. L. Cushman 2nd  
22.08.1931 Tourist Trophy   5 3   748 c.c. Cushman 9th  
            748 c.c. Barnes 12th  
            748 c.c. Goodacre 17th  
03.10.1931 Brooklands 500 Miles   5 0       fail.  
17.10.1931 Brooklands Mountain Handicap         749 c.c. de Belleroche 2nd  
            749 c.c. Maclachlan 3rd  
Motor SportMarch 1931
Motor SportMay 1931

Mille Miglia
Motor SportMay 1931

Land's End trial.
Motor Sport September 1931
THE 100 M.P.H AUSTIN
AND WHAT CAPTAIN WAITE HAD TO SAY ABOUT IT

THE rapid development of the " 750 " racer has been one of the most noticeable features of motor racing in the last few years, and this has certainly been stimulated by the friendly competition between the M.G. and Austin in setting up new figures. George Eyston put up some fine performances at Monthlery on the M.G., and it was then up to Austins, who may almost be said to have created the 750 class in racing, to go one better.
An Austin had been in process of being prepared for records for some time past, and the details have been well known for months. The chief points of interest lie rather in the chassis than in the engine, which is entirely on the lines of previous Austins, and it says a great deal for the design of this famous engine that such power can be got out of it without any drastic alterations.
The chassis alterations are made simply to provide a low seating position and the minimum frontal area. This has meant off-setting the propeller shaft so that the driver can sit beside it, and the body work has been built up from this to suit the driver.
Originally it was intended to be driven by Sammy Davis, but when he was unfortunately placed hors de combat for this season, Sir Malcolm Campbell undertook to drive the car. However, when the time came for the record attempts Campbell was unable to be present for the job so Leon Cushman took over, with what success we already well know.
Body "made to measure."
The body was practically "made to measure" for S. C. H. Davis, and Cushman is fortunately very similar in size and build, and was able to fill his place, literally, without difficulty.
A very gallant little motor. A three-quarter rear view of the 100 m.p.h 750 c.c. Austin, with Leon Cushman gracing the cockpit.
The remarkably fine lines make it easily the snappiest looking miniature racer ever produced. The streamlining was
scientifically checked in a wind-tunnel in order to obtain the best possible results.
So much for the drivers for the moment, while we consider the mechanical side of the question. When talking over the speeds obtained with Capt. A. R. C. Waite shortly after the event, we were very impressed with the quiet accuracy which characterised all the arrangements.
The object was to be the first " 750 " to do 100 m.p.h. for the mile and kilometre, which meant doing the records at Brooklands, as Monthlery is not eligible owing to gradient etc., for these two-way records. Bound up with this object was the desire to be the first side valve engined car in the " 750 " category to beat 3 figures.
A nearly standard engine.
Capt. Waite was keen to emphasise the fact that the engine was a standard production in nearly all respects, always admitting that the record breaking unit had received that extra care in building and tuning which makes that little bit of difference which is so important.
As for the ability of the car to get the record, this was never in doubt, as the car itself had been subjected to wind-tunnel tests at Vickers, and it was now within a horse-power or so of what was required of the engine to do the necessary speed.
A blower pressure of 15 lbs. to the square inch was used, and the blower itself was of the Roots type, and actually made by Austins themselves for the job. The engine gave 56 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m., and was run at this speed for the records. When everything was complete and the car had been lapping at 99 m.p.h. they stripped down the engine for examination and found a slight crack in a valve seating. Accordingly another cylinder block was fitted and the records duly obtained, a good example of the value of standard parts for racing. The radiator is separately mounted in a similar manner to that on " Bluebird " but was actually designed as such, prior to the making of Campbell's record-breaker.
The first record attempts were made with discs on all wheels, and the record was raised to 99.64 for the kilometre. The wind was a bit tricky that day, however, and Cushman reported that the car was not too easy to hold when going into the straight, so the front discs were removed with great improvement in the controllability, and also in the speed, which went up to 100.67 for mile and 102.28 for the kilometre.
Congratulations to all concerned on a very fine performance.
Rallies:
  Race: Entered: Raced: Finished: Best results:
16-21.01.1931 Rallye Monte Carlo 1 136 J.A. Grove   41st