DAVID COCHRANE’S AUSTIN 7 CHUMMY REGISTERED XY 9076 – 29 MAY 1925
David’s car is the second type of Austin Seven, a ‘C’ Tourer, also known as a Pram Hood Chummy; he’s owned it since 1970. David explains, ‘The first owner, William Parr from Stoke Newington, paid £149 to Herbert & Mills Ltd of Great Portland Street. Although I obtained details of previous owners from Hampshire County Council in 1973, its records only covered 1945 onwards, so the 20 years before that remain a mystery.
The buff logbook records that William Freathy of Southgate bought the Chummy in July 1945, selling it in 1949 to Walter Gilham of New Romney. It had a further four owners in the Fifties. My uncle, Shaun de Salis, bought it in 1959 and also won some VSCC awards – he was sadly killed in a flying accident in 1962 aged only 26. A cousin then had it until Dad took it on in 1967. In 1969, when I was 16, we did a top-end overhaul, then in 1970 I learnt to drive in it and ownership passed to me. Now my sons drive it.’
David, like many enthusiasts who’ve owned several Sevens, has one he’ll never part with. ‘Sentimental reasons. My dad showed me how to repair the Chummy, it was my late uncle’s and then all the experiences I’ve had with it. It’s a big part of my life. I’ve driven it to Monte Carlo, San Marino, Switzerland and Andorra on various 750MC events. On the Monte Carlo run in 1974, during the night I thought the engine had stopped, but in fact I had fallen asleep at the wheel. Thinking the engine had stopped was what woke me up – luckily I was still on the road!
‘Most of my social activities were through the Chummy as part of VSCC and Austin 7 club events, and still are. It’s a hobby that’s become my full-time job because for the last fifteen years I’ve been supplying spare parts to other Austin 7 enthusiasts.
‘The Chummy’s interior was replaced in 1973 and it had a body-off rebuild in 1982, assisted by Barry Clarke. The engine is original and probably the gearbox as well. The back axle, although original, has new innards. It’s stamped ‘22nd May 1925,’ which is a week before it was registered.
‘It’s the most reliable car I have, probably because I’ve kept on top of the maintenance and I know it so well. I’m not afraid to drive it long distances - I would quite happily throw a few things in the back and head off to Holland.’