Brand new to this forum and I would appreciate a little help.

In 2012 I was posted to Australia for work. While there, I purchased a lovely little Austin Ute (utility). The seller told me it was an Austin "Big" Seven. When I returned to the U.S. in 2013 I brought the car back with me. I have enjoyed it on many outings since then and had it in a number of parades, etc. I have one small picture of the car at my website below but could post more if necessary

I know little about the history of the car except that, due to the high import taxes in Australia during the mid-war years, the coachwork was actually built in Australia on a chassis imported from Britain. The coachbuilder was an organization in Adelaide (where I bought the car) called F.J. Richards.

Here's my problem. . . I had it serviced at a place in St. Louis Missouri that "specializes" in British cars. I was having a problem with lack of power due to fuel starvation. Well, to my horror. . . these guys replaced the mechanical petrol pump with a hideous modern electric pump. In order to do that they needed to change the car from positive ground to negative ground!!

Imagine my shock and feel my pain.

It's now time to revert her back to as close to the original I can get. Problem is, a couple of folks have told me that it's not an Austin Big Seven and it's really an Austin Eight chassis. How can I tell? The chassis number that I can see is 9131. My first step is finding the original mechanical fuel pump. Would a Big Seven and Eight fuel pump be identical?

Any assistance members can give in identifying my car or helping me find a fuel pump would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

Location: Kansas City, Kansas, USA

I don't think Austin 8s actually had a chassis.
I'm quite prepared to be corrected however.
A photo of your car is all we need to identify.

Location: Bristol

Hi Graham.

The front bodywork and the chassis number would be right for a spring/summer 1938 Big Seven, but more info would be helpful.

Location: Herefordshire, with an "E" not a "T".

The Austin 8 had a "platform chassis", a reinforced floor pan which was the immediate precursor to modern unit construction.
The quickest way to tell a Big 7 engine from an 8 (they are not the same, although they share many components) is the shape of the side water branch. On a Big 7, this is a long affair, from high on the back of the engine to low on the front. The 8 outlet by comparison is much smaller, half the engine length, on the front 1/4 of the block.
The petrol pump, if it's the same as the Big 7, is identical to an Austin 7 type, only the arm is different.
The Austin 7 arm, although superficially the same, doesn't work in a Big 7 (or presumably, an 8).

Location: North Wiltshire

how many wheel studs does it have?

3 on a big 7

4 on an 8

But I agree with Martin. The pic on your website suggests big seven.

Hi Graham,

Welcome to the forum. There are a number of close up images of a 1939 Big Seven Engine in the first link below - interestingly this engine has also had its mechanical fuel pump removed, a blanking plate fitted and a period 1930's SU electric fuel pump substituted instead. The apparent reason for removal of the mechanical pump would appear to be that the owner has opted to install a modern spin off oil filter unit in the area previously occupied by the mechanical fuel pump!

http://vintage-engineering.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/1939-austin-big-7.html

I'm sure it should be possible to locate a replacement mechanical pump in the UK. Brand new pumps are available for the earlier Seven's - see link below, but as Tim has pointed out the actuating arm that runs on the cam lobe is a different shape to the arm on the Big Seven so unfortunately won't fit your engine.
https://www.theaustinsevenworkshop.com/products/f0212-mechanical-fuel-pump

Suggest you contact Robin Taylor at Austin Big 7 Spares - he offers a range of Big 7 parts - request his list of spares.
Email: robin.e.taylor@talktalk.net

I would agree with the others your small photo appears to show a Big Seven Ute.

Below are some images of an Austin Eight chassis and engine - totally different chassis and notable visual differences in the engine as described in earlier posts above - note the much shorter in length alloy side water inlet for example.









Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England

Hi Graham,

I forgot to mention in my above reply - a very obvious difference between the Big Seven chassis / running gear and that of the Eight is that the Big Seven just like earlier Austin Sevens has a single transverse semi-elliptic spring on the front beam axle and two quarter-elliptic springs on the back axle whereas the Eight has two semi-elliptic springs on both the front and the back axles.

Jeff.

Location: Almost but not quite, the far North East of England