Right from the moment of its launch in 1922, the cheeky little Austin Seven was an unprecedented success that not only saved Austin but wiped out most other small cars and cyclecars of the early 1920s.

Simply yet brilliantly engineered by Herbert Austin and his young protégé, Stanley Edge, at Austin’s Lickey Grange home, it quite literally put Britain on the road. The RK saloon was made between 1928 and 1930 and came with either aluminium or fabric bodywork. This 1929 aluminium-bodied RK wide door saloon was built and registered at the end of December 1929. It was restored by Philip Chew in Devon before emigrating to live with its owner’s uncle in Sonoma California in 1992. It was used in parades and shows and was enjoyed there until he died in 2014. The family decided to sell the car in 2016 at which point the vendor purchased it unseen and repatriated it, thankfully managing to get its original registration number put back on the car after its extended holiday in the sunshine state. It needed some recommissioning when it returned which included a rewire with armoured cable and a set of five new Blockley tyres. The carburettor was overhauled and the car generally given the care and attention that it deserved.(surely not possible – Ed) 

The vendor advises that it shows the correct oil pressure, has a healthy dynamo and that he enjoys driving it very much. He adds that he understands that the engine is the original to the car and that the interior is smart and tidy with working window regulators.

Only on offer because the vendor has too many Sevens in the garage (surely not possible – Ed) it looks good value and great fun.

 LOT NO.73