Vehicle Description
It can be said that the Austin 7 was Britain's equivalent of the
Ford Model T. Of course, the little 7 came along a bit later than
the Ford, in 1922 to be exact, but nonetheless it put Britain on
wheels like no other motorcar before it. In essence, the 7 replaced
virtually all other competitors offering compacts and cyclecars.
The 7 was tiny at just 6 foot, 3 inch in wheelbase, 40 inches wide
and weighing in at a paltry 794 pounds. Comparatively, it was about
half the size of a model T but it was perfectly suited for
navigating the city streets and narrow country lanes of the British
Isles. Sir Herbert Austin performed much of the design work
himself, and patented many of the designs he used in the car. The
engine was a 696 cc side-valve unit with detachable head, cast
cylinder block and alloy crankcase. The plucky little unit was
rated at 7.2 horsepower, giving the Austin plenty of power
considering the light weight. Much like the Model T in America, the
Austin 7 inspired a great number of aftermarket parts suppliers -
from tuning parts to coachbuilders and racers. The 7 can even be
credited with seeding other manufacturers. Bruce McLaren of McLaren
Cars and Colin Chapman of Lotus both got their starts tinkering
with the Austin 7. Our subject car is one of those special Austin
7s that formed the foundation of a great future marque. The Swallow
Sidecar Company was founded in the early 1920s by William Walmsley.
As the name suggests, the firm built side cars for motorbikes.
Swallow side cars were always very pretty and very well built.
Walmsley took partnership with a young William Lyons who suggested
they offer coachbuilt car bodies alongside their sidecars. Their
first car body was built on a Talbot chassis and was quite well
received. They went on to build bodies on other cars however it was
their work with the cheeky Austin 7 that really put the company on
the map. Their first body on the 7 was a "saloon coupe" that was
quite attractive and gave the 7 a more grown-up and sophisticated
appearance. One marvel of Walmsley and Lyon's designs was their
ability to make such a tiny car appear so elegant and upmarket. On
the success of their coupe, they soon added a beautiful little
roadster to the mix. Not only were Swallow bodies attractive and
well built, but they were remarkably affordable. With Swallow
selling well, they began to build their own cars based on Standard
chassis. The company morphed into S.S. Cars, and with their
sensational SS1 debuting in 1931. As hostilities in Europe ramped
up later in the decade, it was wisely decided that S.S. was no
longer a viable brand, and the company was renamed "Jaguar". This
delightful 1930 Austin 7 wears a handsome Swallow saloon body and
is presented in remarkably original condition. The two tone
paintwork is a signature of Swallow bodies, and the black and Old
English White scheme on this example certainly looks sharp. The
paint quality is fair, showing quite a bit of age since receiving
an average quality respray, but the elegant design shines through
and it remains a handsome little motorcar regardless. The car is
very complete, down to the proper Swallow radiator ornament atop
the signature Austin radiator shell. The rear mounted spare wheel
and bumperless body make for a slightly sporty appearance, hiding
the humble roots very well. Black upholstery is in fair condition,
again appearing to be original but complete and intact. Likewise,
the engine and chassis appear in good original order, but needing
some attention to bring up to a more usable state. While this
cheeky and cheerful little Austin 7 does show a bit rough around
the edges, it is no less an important car and one that could be
enjoyed as-is or restored to best show off its original style. The
joy of the Austin 7 is that it delivers outsized fun in a tiny
package. The Swallow 2 door saloon body adds not only style, but
tremendous value from this fascinating, history rich marque.