1929 Austin 7 Chummy
A similar car to the one above was owned by my Father between 1946-8,
he bought the Chummy when he was demobbed from the RAF after WW2 and
cars were almost totally unavailable, it was not in very
good condition and new spares cost a fortune so that to keep it running
meant using old cast off parts from the scrap bin of the garage where
he
worked - even the pistons were pick and mix. The hood and side
screens
were tatty so that we always got wet when it rained and had to sit with
raincoats over our heads. The tyres were full of patches and most
journeys of any distance involved at least one puncture but there were
no new tyres to be bought even if you could afford them.
At this time cars were quite rare and we were the only family in the
street with one! We used to say "aren't we lucky!" as we pulled
our
waterproofs over us. Petrol was rationed so that you could not
drive
more than about 50 miles a week and between mid 1947 and 1948 there was
not even a basic ration, you had to apply and have a good reason for
even
a minimum ration. Dad eventually sold the Chummy to a chap that
ran
a domestic appliance shop and he would be seen going past with the hood
down and a cooker or fridge on the back seat sticking out over the
back.
This photograph is the only surviving one of the actual
car, taken in January 1947, an exceptionally bad winter in England.
- 4 cyl. 747cc. Sidevalve. 13 BHP.
- Bore and Stroke - 56mm x 76mm
- 2 ball bearing crankshaft.
- 4 wheel brakes but very poor.
- Cast iron block and head, aluminium crankcase
- Semi-elliptic front springs, quarter-elliptic rears.
- Tiny vehicle - very light.
- Fuel consumption was about 45 mpg.
- Not very weather proof.
