page_title: Austin 7
section_title: Engine and transmission
hierarchical_section_title: Austin 7 / Engine and transmission
caption_attribution_description: English: Austin Seven advert 1937 YOU BUY A CAR - BUT YOU INVEST IN AN AUSTIN The Seven Ruby Saloon - price at works £125 The Car for the Feminine Touch Why so many women love to drive an AUSTIN SEVEN Because there is no strain in driving an Austin. It is easy to handle in traffic and easy to park Gear-changing with Syncromesh is so simple, braking is quick and certain, and steering light. Because no mechanical knowledge is necessary. It will never let you down. It is as dependable as only a Austin can be. Because of its smart lines, its choice of pleasing body colours, its sense of style and roomy comfort Because it is light on the purse. A penny-a-mile with 'four up' covers the running costs. No wonder women like to INVEST in an AUSTIN BUY A CAR MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OLYMPIA GRAND HALL STAND 96 ANNEXE STAND 161 Austin Motor Co. Ltd., Birmingham &amp; 479 Oxford St., London. London Service Depots: 12, 16 &amp; 20 h.р. Holland Park, W.11 7 &amp; 19 h.р. North Row, W.1. Export Dept.&#160;: Birmingham
context_page_description: The Austin 7 is an economy car that was produced from 1923 until 1939 in the United Kingdom by Austin. It was nicknamed the "Baby Austin" and was at that time one of the most popular cars produced for the British market and sold well abroad. Its effect on the British market was similar to that of the Model T Ford in the US, replacing most other British economy cars and cyclecars of the early 1920s. It was also licensed and copied by companies all over the world. The very first BMW car, the BMW Dixi, was a licensed Austin 7. In France they were made and sold as Rosengarts, and in the United States they were built by the American Austin Car Company. In Japan, Nissan also used the 7 design as the basis for their first cars, although not under licence. This eventually led to a 1952 agreement for Nissan to build and sell Austins in Japan under the Austin name.
  Many Austin 7s were rebuilt as "specials" after the Second World War, including the first race car built by Bruce McLaren, and the first Lotus, the Mark I. Companies such as Speedex in Luton thrived in the late 1950s by producing race-proven bodies and engine parts for the Seven chassis.
context_section_description: The original 1922 four-cylinder Austin Seven engine had a bore of 2.125" (54mm) and stroke of 3" (76mm), giving a capacity of 696 cc and RAC rating of 7.2 hp. From March 1923 the bore was increased to 2.2" (56mm) giving 747 cc and 10.5 hp. The side-valve engine was composed of an aluminium crankcase, cast iron cylinder block and cast iron cylinder head. Cooling was by thermosiphon, without a water pump, and the dynamo was driven from the timing gears.
  The big end bearings were lubricated by jets from an oil gallery in the crankcase, the oil striking the crankshaft webs which were drilled accordingly. Originally the journal diameter was 1.125"; this was later increased to 1.3125". The three bearing engine (from 1936) used a white metal centre bearing.
  The splash-lubricated crankshaft (pressure fed on some sports models) at first ran in two bearings (two ball bearings at the front, roller at the back) changing to three in 1936. An electric starter was fitted from November 1923. The early cars used magneto ignition, but this was changed to coil in 1928.
  The 3-speed and reverse gearbox was bolted to the back of the engine and had a variety of ratios depending on the application: touring, sports, racing and trials. A four-speed gearbox was introduced in 1932 and in 1933 synchromesh was added to third and top ratios extending to second gear in 1934.
  The back axle was of spiral bevel type with ratios between 4.4:1 and 5.6:1 with 4.9 ; 1 being the most common until the 1930s. A short torque tube ran forward from the differential housing to a bearing and bracket on the rear axle cross member.
  Reliant used a derivative of the Austin Seven engine for their early three-wheelers, before developing an aluminium alloy engine (used as the replacement for the Austin Seven engine by the 750 Motor Club in their Formula 750 motor sport).
caption: 1937 advertisement
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