Austin 7HP
1909
Austin Seven Single
Cylinder Car
In 1909 Austin stared to
work on a 7 hp single cylinder, by using one cylinder-block from
the 18/24 engine as a basis for a tiny single-cylinder engine. This
engine of 1099 cc produced 9 hp at 1300 rpm, it was installed in a
very light frame. A prototype was made at Longbridge to see if it
was a practical vehicle to produce. After evaluating the project it
was decided some time after to send the vehicle along with the
drawings and body patterns to the Swift works at Coventry. It was
there in a separate department that R.H.Every was put in charge of
putting it into production. The Swift Company which was controlled
by Harvey Du Cros, had agreed that the vehicle could be made at his
factory. It appears that they were badged as Austin and Swifts and
according to records out of the 1,030 produced 162 were Austin's.
The car was sold for £150 but it was not a success so after just
two years from launched, production ceased.
Single-cylinder
engine in chassis
FRONT
___________________________
REAR