1935 Austin A 7 Race Car

[TRMark]

The local collectors club has an auction coming up soon. I noticed one of the cars is an 1935 Austin A7 Race Car. The picture is not very good, it has cycle fenders and is RHD. I don't know a thing about them, any help out there? Any idea what they are worth?

 

[aeronca65t]

There are "real" Austin Seven racers (called "Ulsters" or, confusingly, "Ulster Replicas") and there are many home-brew Austin Seven racers (sometimes called "Brooklands Racers" ). These type of cars were often used in the TT road races and track races in Ireland, The Isle of Man and the UK druing the '20s and '30s.
Some of the period homebuilts and real cars are still being run in vintage races. And many modern A7 racers have been created from basket-case Sevens.

I am building an Austin Seven TT racer (sort of an "Ulster Replica Replica")....but mine is not intended to be an exact copy (and it will have Sprite power).

I'd say a real Ulster in nice shape could bring $30,000 or more. A nice homebuilt with some history and true A7 mechanicals might bring around $10,000.
Regular Austin Seven sedans are like Ford Model As....you can get a decent runner sedan for about $6000 and a basketcase for half that (which is a good start to make a modern A7 racer).

Brooklands A7

My A7 project to date.

 

[Roger]

My father was one of the doyens of A7 racing in the U.K, and having in my younger days had considerable experience and ownership of Austin Sevens, and still finding odd bits of them in my toolboxes and so on, I feel qualified to answer.

To begin with, a 1935 Austin Seven racer is almost certainly a special built on an A7 saloon chassis. There were works cars in 1935, but they are as rare as hen's teeth and all accounted for.

There was a rash of special building in the post-WWII era in the U.K, and the A7 was a popular and plentiful choice of car as foundation. The first 4 Lotus were built by Colin Chapman on modified A7 chassis, though sometimes with Ford 10 engines. The start of 750 formula racing encouraged many to use this as a start to motor sport.
As to how much it's worth - it all depends. A look at the picture would help!

Aeronca - let me correct some delusions. Real A7 racers are not all Ulsters. The attachment is of me driving an Ulster back in 1973. There were several other genuine A7 racers, including single-seaters. Ulster replicas are recent fakes, to put it bluntly.
Home-brewed cars are not called "Brooklands" unless you're seeking to deceive. There were genuine Brooklands cars, built by Gordon England, but they were much earlier. The white car you illustrate is NOT a Brooklands by any stretch of anyone's imagination, having been built long after Brooklands closed! I've seen that car before, but do not remember its constructor. It's a Special.

Your chassis, apart from being a basic A-frame, appears to have nothing A7 about it at all.

 

[TRMark]

Thanks for the info, this is the best I can do for a picture. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[aeronca65t]

Mark:

Looks good! I’d be interested in hearing any follow-up info on this car

Roger:

let me correct some delusions
Really?

Real A7 racers are not all Ulsters
Actually, none of them are, if you wish to get fussy about this.
“Ulster” is an unofficial nickname that was give to the works racers.

Ulster replicas are recent fakes, to put it bluntly.
There were many privateers that built “Ulster Replicas” in the 1930s. These cars had excellent racing provenance, were well-regarded and are a part of the A7 racing history.
There are recent re-creations (including GRP bodies) and there has always been “Specials”.
Yes, I’d say “fake” is a bit too blunt for such an obviously modest, hobby-car.

Home-brewed cars are not called "Brooklands"
I’ve seen it used generically for A7 Special adverts in Brit magazine. It is probably an incorrect usage. Normally, I would dutifully look about and cite my source, but in your case, I couldn’t care less.

Your chassis, apart from being a basic A-frame, appears to have nothing A7 about it at all.
Congratulations!
You have a <u>firm grasp</u> of the obvious!
Thankfully, I do not seek your approval in any of my projects. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

 

[Guest]

I saw that post last night before bed and had to bite my tongue. There are tactful, respectful ways to disagree with what someone else has written, especially if you speak from a position of personal experience. That post wasn't a good example of one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif

 

[tony barnhill]

Here's a neat body:

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Drop-Tank_W0QQitemZ4643359767QQcategoryZ7251QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[kennypinkerton]

Yup, that would make an interesting car Tony... Or stand it up on the front porch with radiation logos all over it - hehehehehehe.

 

[Roger]

First off, let me apologise - I really did not mean to offend, though re-reading my post I can see how that happened. I did not mean to disparage Aeronca65t's special either - anyone who builds a special is fine by me! I merely meant what I wrote, blindingly obvious though it may be to anyone who knows A7s.

Mark, your picture doesn't show a lot. The radiator is a '35 period saloon shape, and the car has a dropped front axle in the manner of an A7 Ulster or Nippy. That's about all I can tell.

I'm a bit hesitant to mention Ulsters again, except to say that the term refers to the 50 or so two seater production cars, and to refer you to this web page, where among other things you'll also find pictures of my father's Austin "Simplicity Itself"

 

[Bruce Bowker]

Nial - that will be a great car.

Bruce

 

[aeronca65t]

Roger:
Thanks for your comment.
I was probably a bit rough in my reply to you, so for that, I apoligize.
Anyway, no bother! We're all just joined here by a common interest in these facinating little cars, which is a great way to spend one's spare time.
I've often looked through Barry's A7 page and I enjoyed looking at your father's car.

 

[swift6]

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