From: Barry Lovelock ([email protected])
Date: 30 Nov 2000
Time: 03:20:49
Remote Name: 62.255.105.209
Unfortunately, there have been about 4 variants of the Austin Seven and your's is No 4! The first was in about 1907, "Ours" in 1922-1939, then again for the Austin A30/35 in the early Fifties and lastly in 1959 for the Mini. Having said all that, what do you need to know? I drove a Mini-Cooper for 11 years for instance and remember drooling over the Mini when it was first in the showrooms in 1959. I suspect that putting "Mini" into the search string of a good internet search tool such as www.dogpile.com will return hundreds of replies. Sir Alec made a very famous 1930's Austin Seven-engined racing car called "The Lightweight Special", which was of monocoque construction and arguably was still in his mind when he designed his other masterpiece, the Mini. Of course, one might also argue, that none of the Mini-type cars would have been produced had it not have been for "our" cars and the rescue of the Austin company from the mire by Herbert Austin and Stanley Edge in 1922. As I say in my webpage - no Austin Seven - no Rover Group - no BMW?! etc etc. Maybe Sir Alex would have used Ford-engined cars instead, the engine was certainly changed later?