Hi im keen on buying the 7 van painted in Bernard Mathews colours which is for sale..
does anyone know or have any information. .Phil

Location: Norfolk

Here is the van http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C859371

Location: Croydon

Phil,

The A7CA Chassis Register has it as "2013-Sep - ex Bristol Austin 7 Club / Source Book" - so perhaps it's featured in the Source Book ? - I haven't had time to check if it is.

DVLA have it as 'Untaxed' (in a red box) since 1st November 2015, so it's not SORN'd either as it presumably should be. LA registrations were originally issued in London - records for which have been destroyed.

***** Edit: There's some information, photographs of the van and it's then owner (a Mr Rollings? of the Online Austin Seven Club) at the NEC Classic Car Show in 2014 - the owner goes on to say he subsequently sold the van in October 2015 to fund the restoration of an MG Magnette ZA Saloon - link below.

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/genealogy/rollings/rollings13.html

A picture on Flickr apparently taken in 2007

https://www.flickr.com/photos/55705547@N02/14726682159

Jeff.

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

I remember it some years ago when it was still owned by Bernard Mathews - a firm local to us here in deepest Norfolk. Although the "minder" was a bit cagey regarding its provenance it had been heavily "restored" and I could not decide whether it was kosher or not. Were I planning on buying it I would examine it carefully.

It has now shown up on ebay

Rick

Location: Deepest Norfolk

I think it's safe to say that the body is a modern replica rather than a restoration, albeit a reasonable one. Originally the van had a solid division between cab and loading space, with a bench seat. The body shape is not quite right, and the timber construction of the roof is inaccurate, too.

Whether LA 4069 was originally a van is probably going to be impossible to establish, but as long as you view the purchase as an attractive copy and price it accordingly, why not?

The van looks a good start.

Thought with a steel cowl,surely it would have had a mag engine.

Also it has a shallow dish steering wheel, and should have a deep dished wheel. So must have the wrong column as well.

Not saying there are any problems with its age in any way. But when I see mistakes like the wheel and column, I would check the chassis number all the more closer. And check to make sure it's not a long wheel base that has been SHORTEND.

The owner was obviously a larger person, single seats fitted, instead of bench seat.

These vans are small, try it on for size before you buy.

Also drive it down the road, I have single seats in mine. Being a larger person but with the back being open, even though I have a sweet sounding mag engine fitted. It still feels like I'm in sitting in an amplifier box.

Tony.

Location: Huncote on the pig

Im happy to be proven wrong, but the information I have suggests that the LA xxxx registration would have been issued between April 1910 and July 1911. This is therefore bit odd on a Seven.

Particularly as the DVLA have date of registration as 31st Dec 1928, which broadly agrees with the chassis number on the register.

To me its a little suggestive of a reclaimed reg number using a tax disk and a dating letter based on the chassis number used on the vehicle.

I notice the only other LA registration on the chassis register is a RN saloon, but theres no record of it on mycarcheck.

I wouldn't thought that this was a problem as all the details availible on the internet searches are consistent with the vehicle being sold.

But it does rather suggest that Tonys advice is well founded. Take a good hard look at its chassis number (stamped into the rail itself) rather than on any plate on the bodywork.

On another note and relating to the chassis number. My 1928 chassis and body remnants which is strongly believed to be a cup does not have a number stamped on the chassis rail, but has a chassis number stamped onto a 'This Chassis is the property of etc etc' plate on the offside of the rear crossmember. Were the vans built in house? Or by an external coachbuilder?. So where would you expect the chassis number to be?

Location: not north wales any more

My recollection is that it is a John Heath body,

hi jon,

not saying its not a heath, but the number of times i here people say a car has a heath body on it?

heath must have made more austin 7 bodys than austin did.

he couldnt have made that many, im still after a scoop scuttle body. but the are no heath ones about. there should be 100s

tony.

Location: huncote

I'm sure this is not a John Heath body - it looks wrong in so much of the detail and his were always consistent and accurate.

Add to that the dreadfully unsympathetic paint job and the incorrect seats and amateurish looking door trim, and it wouldn't come very high on my wish list.

Austin did not start building vans 'in house' until mid-1930; in all probability a 1928 C-cab van would have been built by Startin. Local coachbuilders would also have been used to build vans, but these are more likely to have been to an individual bespoke design to suit the end-user.

Coil ignition and shallow steering wheel would be ok for a late 1928 car, but not with the small radiator.

At the same time the headlamps would have moved from the scuttle to the wings - everything about this van suggests a cobbled together bitsa of dubious parentage.

Whatever it's fate - I hope the first thing done to it is change that ghastly colour scheme! Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia.

Coil ignition and shallow steering wheel would be ok for a late 1928 car, but not with the small radiator.[/quote]

I completely agree with Mike, that variation never came out of Longbridge but other variants did during 'cross over' periods.

From chassis no 65442 the shallow wheel was introduced but the mag engine and small radiator remained.

From chassis no 67024 the raised nickel plated radiator was introduced but the mag engine was still there.

The transition was complete by chassis no 69104 when the coil engine was introduced