Expert Buyer

Austin Seven

Everyone seems to love this little pre-war gem. What the Austin Seven lacks in performance it more than makes up for in sheer character, not to mention its historic importance as the saviour of Austin and one of the first ‘people’s cars’.

About 8000 are thought to survive worldwide – incredible for the time and testament to their build quality. The variety is bewildering, including open tourers, military versions, sporty (well, sort of ) two-seaters with cute names (Speedy, Nippy, Grasshopper) vans, saloons, and even tractors – not to mention those built under licence by various enterprises throughout the world, including the fledging Bavarian Motor Works. Rarity of your chosen derivative will play a big part in deciding how much to pay.

You’ll find many lovely restorations carried out by professionals and obsessive enthusiasts alike, some of them undertaken decades ago. Buyers tend to hang on to them, often taking them on driving holidays, so well-loved examples aren’t as easy to find as were.

Scruffy Sevens were once as cheap as chips, but £1000 won’t get you much more than a logbook these days and a true barn find is now a rare and precious thing. Neither is there enough demand for old car specialists to devote their stock to a range of Austin Sevens, so you’ll have to scout around to find the right car.

Books and forums abound, and numerous clubs exist under the umbrella of the Austin Seven Clubs’ Association (A7CA), as well as the motorsport-oriented 750 Motor Club. While many owners are gentlemen of a certain age, youngsters shouldn’t feel put off. You’ll find most Seven enthusiasts down to earth and, like the Seven itself, far from snooty.