Happy/Sad Memory, My Old Austin

[PAUL161]

This isn't my car and I don't know who it belongs to, but I had a green one, with a dark green stripe where his black is, just like it when I was 17. You would not believe how many kids you can get into one of these! You had to be very friendly, or it wouldn't work. That's the happy part. The sad part is I ran it so hard that the block actually broke in half, all the way around the crank case, probably from pulling such a load! I've never seen this happen since. I think the crank case was aluminum, not sure. It's a CRS thing. Needless to say, it went to the junk yard and was scrapped. What we regrettably do as kids. Hind sight IS 20/20! PJ

 

[Roger]

I was brought up on English Austin Sevens, so I can relate! The American Austin was a "handed" version of the original. Not a complete mirror image, it had a number of detail differences, but they even went to the extent of moving the manifolds to the right side of the engine, which amused me.
The cylinder block and crankcase were separate components. The crankcase was alloy, andthe block cast iron, as you suggest. I imagine your block broke at the block/crankcase studs. They often broke crankshafts as well.

 

[PAUL161]

Your right Roger! That's where it broke, one of it's weak links I guess. I thought I remembered it being an alloy casing, gives me hope that the old brain isn't as bad as I thought.(Grin). Like I was saying, that we really didn't think back then these cars were ever going to be something someone would want. They were merely cheap transportation and mine was old when I had it. I'd love to have that little car today. How many of us has said that about cars we've had over the years. I would imagine quite a few. PJ