Well Bought
Austin Ten
What made this good value?
It wasn’t an Austin Seven, and generally the market tends to like Sevens eligible for Vintage Sports Car Club events. That said, there was so much in this Ten’s favour – it was well-presented inside and out and had good mechanicals, too, so the new owner could enjoy it for the rest of summer and, if they wanted, during autumn and winter, too.
It needed no cosmetics sorting.
While this Ten was small in size compared with the other cars offered at this Bonhams sale, it more than compensated for this in terms of its condition. The bodywork was in very good order, devoid of corrosion or dame, while the doors hung well, with no evidence of hinge drop. Two-tone red and black paint remained deep with a good shine.
It was all spot-on inside, too.
It was the same with the red interior, which looked as good as the outside. The carpet and door panels were mellowed but by no means untidy and the seats, re-trimmed in same red vinyl, were as-new. The engine bay was tidy and it was reported to be in fine fettle mechanically with the engine, gearbox and brakes described as being ‘very good’ and the suspension as ‘good’. The car came with some history, too, which is always a welcome sight, especially with a car of this age.
It’s still an easy classic to live with.
Forget what the experts down at the Twig and Consul might like to say – ie. that there is simply no demand for pre-war motors – because there is a definite following for these cars, and this Ten was a great way into that era of motoring. Bruce Hudson’s 1975-published British Light Cars, 19301939 describes the 10 as ‘a good, solid, orthodox light saloon,’ a statement that still holds true today. Factor in the good club and spares support and it’s clear this was one example of the breed that was extremely well bought.