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Re: 7 van

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

Re: 7 van

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

Re: 7 van

My recollection is that it is a John Heath body,

Re: 7 van

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

Re: 7 van

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.

Re: 7 van

hedd jones
//. Were the vans built in house? Or by an external coachbuilder?. So where would you expect the chassis number to be?


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.

Re: 7 van

Mike Costigan
hedd jones
//. Were the vans built in house? Or by an external coachbuilder?. So where would you expect the chassis number to be?


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.

Re: 7 van

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

Location: Euroa, Australia.

Re: 7 van




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