Vehicle Description
1937 Austin Seven Roadster
Few cars have proved as influential as the Austin Seven. Although
many cars have been produced in far greater numbers, the humble and
small Seven made motoring accessible and it set the ground rules
for the modern control layout. The 1934 on Ruby presents the
easiest way into Seven ownership It's cheaper to buy than its bluff
fronted predecessor, and it's simpler to get to grips with driving
it as the gearbox's shift is laid out in a more familiar manner.
Thx Hagerty UK
For consignment, a 1937 Austin Seven Roadster with the true mileage
unknown. What is known is that this baby is packing a Mazda RX-7
rotary engine and enjoys four wheel disc brakes. Odd powerplant,
you say? Well, it turns out Felix Wankel was granted his first
rotary engine patent in 1929, so this hybrid could have been
possible in 1937!
Exterior
This stout little car is hard to miss in two stage coverage of
Brilliant Red paint covering everything from the body and fenders
to the headlight buckets and wheels. Those wheels may be backed in
red, but they are wire wheels and staggered with 14-inch in front
and 15-inch in back with widely staggered tires that give the car a
raked, street rod stance they could not have imagined in 1937!
Shaved doors and sculpted engine cover vents add to the modern
interpretation, while a bumperless rear wears protruding round tail
lights that also vary from the original configuration. An upright
grille and a vertical windshield helps the Seven retain its classic
motif and exterior imperfections were absent.
Interior
Smartly dressed tan vinyl door panels open suicide style and
include a pleated map pocket and modern door opener. Patterns are
transferred onto the two person bench seat with a contiguous vinyl
header that wraps around to meet the doors. Red and tan are used to
decorate the steering wheel and red spills seamlessly onto the
dashboard which houses three ivory Dolphin gauges with brushed
nickel frames. The shifter resides close to the seat in the center
over very nice tan carpet protected by matching rubber mats.
Drivetrain
Open the right hinged hood to find a spotless 13B rotary 1.3 liter
powerplant, fuel injected and mated to a Mazda 5-speed manual
transmission sending power a short distance to the rear axle and
4.10 gears. Behind each wire wheel, you'll find disc brakes
employed to slow the flow of this red runner.
Undercarriage
Clean and modern underneath, coil over suspension is found in the
front and back while a single exhaust flows through a stainless
muffler before terminating discreetly before the roll pan in back.
There's no surface rust nor errant fluids to speak of, it's pretty
clean on this side of things!
Drive-Ability
The car is both narrow and short and feels not unlike an amusement
park ride, but this is the real deal! The rotary comes to life and
idles healthily as we reach to our right thigh, throw the short
shifter into gear, moving the Seven onto the test loop where the
fun generated is reminiscent of those days on the ocean pier as a
kid. She tracks straight and handles well and the minimalistic
presentation means all functions, with the exception of the
speedometer and odometer, work as they should. While Classic Auto
Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of
our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working
at the time of your purchase.
Old English cars, seemingly sized for the narrow roads of Europe in
the early 1900's, make great platforms for resto mods, street rods,
and even little drag racers. We've had our share at Classic Auto
Mall. This Seven is just another fine example that's going to be
nothing but fun for the next owner to possess. The Austin Motor
Company has a fascinating history and as curator of a modified
Seven, you'll be introducing the brand to many who may only know it
through the Mini that Austin produced.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
