My grandfather's first car was an Austin 7 (He had owned motorcycles before that, one of which was an Indian). I don't know whether it was a Chummy style or a Ruby. The very first cars were about 700cc I think but then they went up to 747. I believe they gave around 15bhp. My grandfather used to shake in the seat to try and help it along (No doubt an element of frustration, especially after an Indian motorcycle; he was a fitter and not given to flights of fancy). During the 1930s he owned Morris 8s and he also owned a Wolseley Hornet, whilst after WW2 he owned an Austin A40 Devon, Sunbeam Talbot 90, Riley RME and then a Jaguar XK140. Apparently, even when driving the Jaguar, he never lost his attempt to help it along!! I can't remember him doing it in my time but by then he had gone through a Ford Zodiac, Austin A90, MG ZB, Wolseley 6/99 and Jaguar Mk 2.4 (The first car of his that I remember; the XK140 was still shown on DVLA site).
A national service pal of my father's owned around 100 cars during his life, few of them for very long. They ranged from Austin 7 (Sports models; not sure exactly which ones), through Triumph TR3s, to Aston Martin DB 2/4s and DB5s and a Jaguar E Type V12. When he died, he owned a V8 powered MGB (Not a factory BGT V8), an MG TD (Which was a last fling; he only drove it once) and a Nissan Micra!! He had owned at least one Morris Minor Traveller and on the day I took my father to see him, for the last time, he even asked me if I'd like to sell my Traveller, which he thought would be a good car for his daughter. I would have liked to oblige but I rather like the car and in any case, I am almost sure I was then aware that Charles Wares had botched the 5 speed conversion, so I couldn't have sold it like that!!
He used to say, of his Austin 7s, that they were as much fun at the Aston Martins or V12 Jaguars, just at a lower speed. On that last visit, he said of all the cars he ever rode in, my father's Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica was the most exiting, so that must say something for it!!
If I had more room in the garage, I'd like a pre war small sports car, such as an MG M , J, P or TA/B Type, HRG, Morgan 4/4 or one of the Austin 7 Ulster or Nippy models. I think the unblown Ulster has 23bhp and the Nippy perhaps a tad less. If you go to one of the VSCC hillclimbs, you will always see lots of 7s, either in the car park or competing. I have a book on 7s, like this one -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235422153877 ... 624_134927 .
Besides being the first really successful small British car (Rather than a cyclecar), the Austin 7 engine was the basis of the 750 MC Formula. When Austin dropped the 7, Reliant bought the rights and plant to make the engine and it was used in their three wheelers. Eventually they changed to aluminium castings, as the three wheelers had to be under a certain weight to be taxed as motorcycle and side car and they also went over to OHV. The Reliant engine went up to 850 and the 750 MC allowed for this within their formula. People may laugh at the Robin but it had a damned good and tuneable engine. At one time, I wouldn't have minded a Kitten estate (Four wheeled version of the Robin) but they are like hens teeth.
The photos were all taken at VSCC Prescott. The on track car is an Ulster. The engine shot is the engine of a competing Ulster. The grey/blue car is a Gordon England Cup model, which I think is rather nice (Like Gordon England, Swallow side cars started to make bodies for Austin 7s and they ended up becoming Jaguar cars) and of course there is the inevitable Chummy in the members car park.
