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Welcome Austin seven Friends
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Re: Fitting into a Austin Seven

Older NZ VAR mags carry photos of owners and girlfriends/wives in the 40s and 50s. As with my parents photos, most persons (even Americans) were of more moderate size then.

The curvature of Seven bucket seats intrigues; the great majority of us now are of non compatible radius.

With a bit more lateral freedom long trips on wavy roads may be less tiring, but at least do not have to use the wheel for support, which with the ultra quick steering, would be recipe for disaster.
After my Seven, on my bench seat Javelin I used to lower the centre armrest and pack a cushion between the door before attempting the same cornering antics.

Although six feet I covered 350 miles in a day on several occasions in my RP with no particular discomfort. Seat an inch or two back. The panel alongside pedal removed years before.

Clarkson did several “tributes” to various cars of the past. Based on treatment of Ladas etc, fortunately for Sevens generally, and particularly the car he may have acquired, he missed a great opportunity and did not get to a Swallow.

Location: Auckland, NZ

Re: Fitting into a Austin Seven

Just in case you might want a pair like mine in the pic above to enable you to drive your A7, those winklepickers were 1962 DENSON 'extra poynters' in antiqued alligator skin with three buckles and Cuban block heels bought from ' Cole's' shoe shop Regent Street Kingswood near Bristol.
This shop was run by two very elderly ladies who would put a bible script in the box with each pair of shoes you bought, it always seemed strange that they would stock such 'way out' shoes in a shop full of elderly clientele who would give a disparaging glance as you walked in with greasey drainpipes and Brylcreemed hair.
The left point soon took on a turned up appearance because it touched the bulkhead when pushing in the clutch! Those shoes would have been a fair chunk of my weekly pay packet. How many of you remember ramming newspaper into the toes with a screwdriver to straighten them up before a night out? Happy days apart from the Brylcreem! Ian

Location: Bristol

Re: Fitting into a Austin Seven

Utterly ace!

Re: Fitting into a Austin Seven

Hi Ian

It is a grand period photo on several levels. I hope the Getty picks it up for posterity, so in a thousand years they will have a clear picture of life in ... 1958?

Ingrained habits from youth die hard. It quite recently dawned that it is no longer necessary to remove socks to enable trousers to come off.

I am bemused to see my aware son and his business colleagues in trousers trending back to that style.

I am an advocate for rims picked out with a thin silver band, but was not sufficiently bold for whitewalls. Very sheikh.

Location: Auckland, NZ