Brilliant cards Ruairidh, I have learnt something, the first approx 4000 cars had rear shackle pins( XL 621) with a grease nipple in the end not on the spring eye. Obviously quite possible with no SA and in line with the design of the front spring shackles, which stayed that way for the life of the Seven. I wonder if the change to putting the grease nipple on the spring eye was a practical one, because it took place before SA's were introduced, it is easier to apply the grease gun to a nipple in the spring eye.

I look forward to having access to all the cards

Henry

I have often wondered about the wording of the plate affixed to chassis supplied to coach builders, does the word 'property' refer to intellectual property, ie Austins designed and made it. Because obviously once the coach builder bought the chassis from Longbridge it belonged to them. And once sold to the first owner it was his or hers property.

I have read somewhere that the chassis was provided by Austin on credit and was only paid for by the coach builder when the finished car was sold.

R

Location: The 3D shed, Tewkesbury

As the plate also has provision for stamping with the horsepower, this must have applied to any chassis from the Austin range that was sent from the works to be bodied outside.
It would be interesting to know if anyone has one of the larger Austin models with such a plate, and what body is fitted. I always thought this applied to vehicles that were bodied outside the works and then returned to be sold by Austin as their own, e.g. vans/commercials.

Just looked at an Austin Catalogue for 1928 (600D) and prices given for the Gordon England Cup and Wembley Saloon are quoted 'at London' earlier catalogues refer to London Depot. The Mulliner Fabric Saloon is quoted 'at Works'

There is a note under the cars that Messrs Gordon England and Mulliner take all responsibility for coachwork.

Re David's "Property of" question, it's my guess that it must have been the accepted wording for patenting or design registration. I have a very old oil bottle where the "Shell" moulding in the glass is a design quite different to the motif we're all used to. It's also moulded "Property of Shell Co. Ltd". With the hundreds, probably thousands, of bottles produced & sold, I doubt the company would be demanding their property back? In the case of Austin 7 chassis, our Herbert must have been filled with trepidation putting his name to some of the chassis that came out of Gordon England - as evidenced in Ruairidh's Cup Folio, some weird & wonderful modifications were done to the original design. A reminder that my lengthy bit above only referred to original A7 chassis. Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia