Do you have a favourite and least favourite Austin Seven book,mine are:-
Favourite ,the first edition of Wyatts The Austin Seven this is like an old friend ,I still read it and still enjoy it.I know there are some errors but on the whole I trust it.This book is still a very good grounding for Austin Seven production and racing history.
Least favourite,by a long shot The Source Book I dont like the mix of contempory and modern photos ,the formulaic approach, but most of all I cant trust it to be correct

FAV........ Williams' Austin '7' Specials, mine is ex Winchester Library, I forgot to take it back in 1966.

The other one I like is Rinsey Mills 'Original Austin Seven', I tend to think it's a coffee-table book, but there are some nice pictures - which I suppose is the definition of a Coffee-Table book.

I liked Bill Boddy's book - extracts from Motor Sport - and I dip into The Companion on a regular basis. The Manual is split up and placed in ring binders so I can extract the laminated pages I want to have with me when working on a particular part of the car.

WORST, the teams out on that, I'm not sure about Wyatt, I'm not into the 'Sports' and 'Racing' activities, thus I found myself skipping a lot of pages, but the time-line at the back is useful.

Source Book is a problem, there are errors, but it is the only comprehensive listing of all the models and changes.
Naomi

Got to be "building and racing my 750" by P J Stephens.

Fascinating first hand account of a special builder at work. Not one for the purists, or those who arn't excited by racing but brilliant in my humble opinion.

Steve.

Favourite:

"Seven Years With Samantha"

Everything I enjoy about A7's, including finding a wife!

Don't have a least favourite.


Cheers

Ruairidh

Of all the Austin 7 books I have Wyatt and Williams are the most 'Thumbed'--- the least 'thumbed'Chris Harvey and Wyatts Pictorial History,but for shear pleasure on a rainy night my quirky and quaint First edition Nicholson. My £75 Purvis is rarely out of the bookcase.Lets not forget those jewels,the Association Magazines,always great to pass away a winters evening.Manys thanks to all who have been involved over the years.

Good question, David!
After mature reflection, compelled to nominate "Coleman's Drive" as most enjoyable with Williams' "A7 Specials" (well I would say that wouldn't I) as most heavily thumbed.
We owe a debt to Bob Wyatt and Roland Harrison for collecting information at a time when those concerned were still with us, which I acknowledge respectfully but, for enjoyment, I vote for Coleman.

Regards, Stuart

Thank you for your reponses it seems that the old ones are the best ones ,like so many things in life. The book I wait for now is a large format volume of contempory photographs of Austin Sevens printed on good quality paper.You can learn so much from the study of such photos.Very few words just accurate concise captions.

My favourites are Wyatt for the history, 750 Companion and Doug Woodrow's big red book for technical stuff and Seven Years with Samantha for the adventure bit. One of the best sources of reference is my 35 years' collection of A7CA magazines. Least favourite by far is that Chris Harvey potboiler, riddled with errors, and about the only A7 book I don't have, despite it having a photo of me & my Chummy!

Location: NZ

Location: United Kingdom

Austin I take your point but Web sites are all very well whilst they are up and running, however unlike a book the information is not always guaranteed to be there when you need it at some point in the future. And personally even though I like the versatility of the web I much prefer leafing through the pages of a decent a book.

Location: NZ

I have enjoyed Seven Years with Samantha the most I think.
The book that has given me most grief is The Companion with its plethora of miistakes some of which
have cost my customers dearly.

Location: Wessex

I recommend 'To Hell and Gone' by Penryn Goldman. The tale of an ill prepared youngster, solo in a chummy, traversing the Australian continent in the late 20's.
Whilst he didn't make it, the adventure, luck and writing style are really good.
Mail me if you can't find a copy. cheers Russell

Location: oz

Yes, I agree with Squeak. " To Hell and Gone " is excellent. The term is Australian, referring to the ceaseless horizon in the Outback.
Published by Victor Gollancz in 1932, it is very difficult to find a copy in the UK.

Another favourite of mine is " Herbert Austin - The British Motor Car Industry to 1941 " by Roy Church. ISBN: 0 905118 29 4
This is a very detailed description of the Austin Motor Company. Not an easy read by any means but contains much fascinating information.

Location: Melton Mowbray

Location: oz

Chris,

I was recently given 'Herbert Austin - The British Motor Car Industry to 1941' after your suggestion.

As you say some difficult to follow financial discussion (for an engineer that is!) but still a different and very interesting look at Herbert Austin and his beloved company.

It points up the fortuitous additions to the company management after the receivership, complementing Herbert's engineering genius.
Also a few interesting comparisons between Austin and William Morris.

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia

This picture from the Austin Magazine dated January 1930, shows Penryn Goldman with his loaded Austin Seven ready to start his trip.


Bryan

Hi Ian Dunlop

I am interested that you have identified errors in the Companion. I know of one local chummy put on stilts through the wrong spring camber. I gather someone itemised the errors in the Williams book although I have not seen and do not know where to find. (Am curious to see how many I missed!)
As a much experienced Seven champion perhaps you could list on the Forum the Companion errors known to you. This may prove a be a bore to some old hands but would be of great assistance to the many green newcomers to the Seven scene, and especially those not closely linked to active local clubs. Few would have seen or have ready access to ancient back numbers of the UK Seven mag. where presumably such matters have been covered.

(I also found Samantha a good read, but as with many such accounts, I always yearn for a little more detail of the actual driving, speeds maintained etc. A non Seven owner would have particular difficulty visualising.)

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

If anyone cares to email me I can send them a two page list of the errors etc to be found in Williams' book.
Chris. PWA7C

Location: Melton Mowbray

Chris,

I would agree with your earlier post regarding Penryn Goldman's book To Hell and Gone. It is a very good read, bringing to life what a drive he must have undertaken. The car appears to be a late 20's Seven with an Australian built two seater body. I have the UK edition published in 1932 by Gollancz which has many illustrations and the Australian edition also published in 1932 by Angus and Robertson. There are no illustrations listed or present in my copy.

As someone with many interests, maybe reflecting my past profession of general practice, where I had to know a little about an awful lot of systems and parts of the body, I find most books on Austin 7s great to my level of interest. However, I agree that if you are writing an instructional manual, it has to be correct but still could prove a useful base for constructive criticism.

If every book could be studied and constructive views/criticisms were debated on the forum and then collated it would prove useful for future generations of owners. Despite its seemingly widespread criticisms I find the Source Book brilliant to show to anyone peripherally interested in A7s even if its just to show them how the first relatively affordable 'motor for the millions' started in the UK, the range of models built, the differences in style and the 7s influence on the start of other marques of car and even the rest of the World.

I hasten to add that I'm not volunteering for this not least because I'm neither a particularly skilled engineer nor that experienced despite many my nearly 50 years fiddling with 7s ! I've written to Chris regarding his 2 page list of criticisms and that looks to be a good start for such a project.

James

Location: Ferring West Sussex

The dangers of using one source of information, believing that anything in print in true, not asking questions and only hearing what you want to hear.

R,



Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia

I have a good collection of prewar motoring travel books and will post a
Photo of the bookshelves, but can I recommend
Round The World in a Baby Austin"
By Hector Macquarrie.

In fact he went round in 2 Austins as the ship with his first Austin 7
Sank in the Pacific and he was rescued but not the 1st Baby!



He wrote several books including

"Me and the Baby" which I think is being reprinted in Oz.
I'd love to get a copy, even a modern reprint.

Watch out for the next post with over 100 motor travels by
Exceptional people including Girl Guide leaders who drove from Cape to Cairo
In a Bullnose Morris! Or the guy in " Half Safe" who drove round the world
In his small GPW US amphibious jeep, including crossing the Atlantic and the Pacific
!!!!!!! Surely the bravest man of the century?

Happy reading

Bill G

Location: Scotland

Hi here is a photo of some of my travel books
If you like armchair travel check out your second hand book shop
For some of these . Every type of car is covered!
On every continent.


Happy reading!

Bill G

Location: Scotland

Sorry Ian

I got my surnames of famous Scotsmen mixed!

And another aside which Bill will presumably not approve.
My grandmother had a collection of old weekly NZ mags which featured a centre section with large photos. As a boy I was especially fascinated by the remarkable photos of the Tahiti slowly sinking after its propeller departed and cut a hole in the stern. Photos of the crew bailing, passengers in lifeboats and the ship slowly going down in dead calm mid ocean. It seems Hector and his colleague took the photos and the proceeds from largely financed the replacement car. It was extensively overhauled by Austin in the UK... don’t know if a new crank was included!

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

Hi all again, great post, raising lots of interesting issues. Bill regarding the title of the McQuarrie's book you mention it is 'We and The Baby' and a repro.is available form Ian Itter Publications in Australia along with other interesting tomes. Incredibly courageous journey when you consider the lack of roads or even tracks and having to float the car often in bits across raging rivers ! Consider the support from all the suppliers and possibly locals we have today and this and similar trips would still be very daunting !

With regard to Ruiairidh's last comment, I think he's right, everything said depends on the depth of knowledge and experience the person and often has to be taken with a 'pinch of salt' and can often amount to just an opinion rather than fact. The point I've been trying to get over is that any written word can form guidance to the complete novice, as I was at the age of 16, when I was faced with reassembling my first A7 from a pile of bits. James

Bill - your collection of travelogues interest me a great deal, I have some way to go yet.

James - my comment was is no way directed towards your statement, just a general observation of the way in which text, information and advice is treated by some.

I have learnt an awful lot through making mistakes over the years, perhaps more than any other method I have experienced.

Chris G - is there a reason your document listing the errors made by Williams cannot be shared here please? I would very much like a copy please.

Ruairidh, my level of paranoia hasn't reached the heights of this forum as I realise I'm a minnow sometimes swimming close to sharks of knowledge ! All I'd like to add is when you're on a tight budget as I certainly was when I started mistakes could prove expensive. The much missed Austin Seven Services at Kirby Wiske was virtually the only source of real help then.

When I dismantled anything to rebuild it, I photographed the parts all laid out in case I forgot how to put them back together but fortunately never had to get any of the films developed. Easy to do now with digital photography. Only years later did I learn from Messrs. Alec Mitchell and Tom Abernethy that the chassis had been bent when Ian Bell rolled the car going down a steep hill in Edinburgh...may have accounted for its subsequent poor handling !

Only now with really good Sevens can I really appreciate their worth.

James

Just managed to obtain a first edition of "Hell and Gone" cannot wait for it to arrive.
Until it was mentioned on this forum I was not aware of it.
Thanks chaps

Location: The Centre of the Universe

Bill Gardner

Hi here is a photo of some of my travel books
If you like armchair travel check out your second hand book shop
For some of these . Every type of car is covered!
On every continent.


Happy reading!

Bill G

Location: Oxfordshire

My favourite Austin 7 book is 'Austin Seven Competition History 1922 - 1939' by Canning Brown. I even have a spare copy for when I have worn the original out!
If you haven't got a copy, put it on your Christmas present list.
Another book I would recommend, albeit not Austin 7 related, is 'Rallies and Trials' by SCH Davis. Printed back in the 1950's, it is readily available secondhand.

Hi Chris

Thanks for the print of comments on Williams book.
It is quite different from my list!
Rather than all true errors, it is more soundly based elaboration.
Very apt comments on used diff adjustment.
And some debatable points. In practice, are wide RP brakes better than or same as narrow RN?

On the matter of general books, although not a true book, the Net account of journey from Mongolia to UK in a chummy a few years ago was a very good read.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

Bob, agree with your comments on the Bill Williams Book list of 'errors' although I've only looked through half of them and think they'd make a good supplement along with reference to suppliers and services in Austin 7 Owners Club (London) excellent Red Cross Directory as good original spares are becoming rarer and we can't afford them being subjected to amateur bodgers !

With regard to presumably the ebook account of the A7 trip from Mongolia to the UK in a Chummy, I've briefly trawled Amazon's Kindle and book sites in general but can't find a title .... can you provide more details ?
Cheers, James

"And some debatable points. In practice, are wide RP brakes better than or same as narrow RN?"

I know we should be wary of reading it in books - but I do remember reading in one of my text books that friction is independent of the area of contact!

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Australia

That's very true. All the increase in width does is reduce tendency to fade.

On the subject of Williams errors, we should remember that just because Bob Culver says its wrong, it doesn't mean that it is.

When I first started on Austin Sevens in 1960 Bill Williams book was the only source of information I had and very useful it was too!
I had a huge amount of help from the village garage who let me work on the car in the corner of their workshop and gave invaluable advice on replacing the broken crank.
Regrettably this type of local garage with knowledgeable mechanics willing to assist is now very rare. I think this forum goes some way to replacing them.

Location: Melrose, Roxburghshire

Hi James

The Mongolia journey was reprinted here from Octane mag in 2008 but author's name did not appear! Travelled with Annabel Jones and another car with Kip Waistell. Details were posted on a website now not apparently available. Hopefully others will provide info on where it can all be found.

Bob Culver

Location: Auckland, NZ

Thank you for passing these on Chris - the aforementioned sheets pertaining to Williams' erroneousness...

Another book is "The Little Car" by Leila Berg, with illustrations of A7 Box saloon by Gerald Rose. This is one of a series Puffin books aimed at "Young Readers" First published in 1955 and republished and reprinted since by Puffin. Delightful, especially for younger children (and anoraks) everywhere.

Location: Back from an Autumn Leaves run

Hi Bill and Bob,
Here is Hector MacQuarrie's account of the sinking of the Tahiti with the loss of their Austin Seven 'Emily'.
From Austin Magazine March 1931.






Bryan

Hi Bryan

Thanks for posting these pages, some of these photos
Are in the book.

Regards

Bill

Location: Scotland

The Mongolia journey by Austin 7 mentioned by Bob was actually called the Peking Paris. Ace VSCC navigator Annabel Jones crewed a Chummy with Sebastian Welsh.
I remember seeing Annabel on one of the VSCC Measham Rallies and she was saying that there were no maps available of Mongolia. It didn't seem to bother her, she would have to rely on her Geosat device!

The Blog of the journey is available HERE

I tried to borrow a copy of VAT 69 from the author but he only has a single copy left now. He did however say it was serialised in one of the A7 club mags some time back. Anyone remember or have digital copies?

I can help you with this Jon, Graham Rankin allowed me to publish the text and photos from VAT 69 when I was helping to publish the Association Magazines a few years back.

I used OCR software to capture the text and the pictures are digitised.

Jon,

I have uploaded the photos here: http://s123.photobucket.com/user/Ruairidhdunford/library/VAT%2069?sort=3&page=1

I need to locate the text files...