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A Little British Car


Guest CutNChop

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Guest CutNChop

This was taken in Sunderland in County Devon in the 60's of my Great Aunt. I'd like to ID the little car they were so proud of.

ElizabethMcKenziebySportsCarInUK_ed.jpg

Thanks!!!:)

Pat

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This was taken in Sunderland in County Devon in the 60's of my Great Aunt. I'd like to ID the little car they were so proud of.

ElizabethMcKenziebySportsCarInUK_ed.jpg

Thanks!!!:)

Pat

The commission number on this car, TR 7524, indicates that it was originally registered prior to 1932 in Southampton, England (which is not far from County Devon).

Obviously the body style is not consistent with a 1931 or older model, especially a British car. What I strongly suspect is that this is a custom body kit applied to an older Austin 7. That would make sense, and jive with the tall narrow wheels and extremely short wheelbase of the car.

It appears to be a fiberglass kit, judging from the reflections on the side, so it likely was done some time in the 1950s. The TR2, which it is obviously styled to emulate, was made from 1953 to 1956, so again this makes sense.

I'm sure a lot of work went into building this car. Your aunt was right to be so proud of it.:cool:

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Guest abh3usn

The rear section of the car, chrome stone guard on the rear fender, opening for the radiator is the same. The "TR" on the license plate may or may not be an indicator as well. Also remember during this time there was a big custom car movement and many cars were modified.

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Guest CutNChop

Thanks for all the info. My first guess was also a kit car but everyone in the family from England is anything BUT inclined to build a kit car!!! :)

None are likely to know what a hammer is for ;)

Sadly anyone who would know is now gone :(

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My first guess was also a kit car but everyone in the family from England is anything BUT inclined to build a kit car!!! :)

None are likely to know what a hammer is for ;)

"Kit" and assembled cars (known in the U.K. as CKD cars, for Completely Knocked Down) were very common in England during this period. Until 1973 they enjoyed a substantial tax advantage when purchased, and as a result there was a large cottage industry of local outfits who'd build them for you after you purchased one. One of these outfits could just as likely install a custom body you purchased for your used Austin 7 for a fairly small fee.

Also it's very likely that this conversion was at least 5 and as much as 9 years old when the photo was taken. It was probably purchased as is by your relatives in any case.

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Hi,

Some interesting thoughts. I was not able to find a Sunderland in Devon, but there is an important industrial town called Sunderland on the north east coast of England. TR is indeed a registration issued by the County Borough of Southampton on the south coast in late 1929. (Jan 1930 was 7970.) In the UK it was/is possible to purchase the registration number and transfer it onto any car. So accurate dating can be spoiled by a move. The car looks very much like what we used to call a 'special'. 'Special' generally defined 'home built'. Home built did not define anything special!! Fiberglass was a common medium and quite awful cars were quite the norm. Better stuff was normally in aluminum and would house something a bit more special as built by somebody who knew metal. I would say that this one could be based on a Triumph as the rear mudguard has a TR look about part of it. It looks a bit bulky for an Austin 7. It also was/is possible to purchase a written-off insurance damaged car and rebuild it. These could carry the donor registration, or if too much of a ‘bitser’, would be re-registered as new, however awful looking. I will see if I can can get any info on this car.

Regards

Vintman (UK)

Classic Cars, Veteran Cars and Vintage Cars - The Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society

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Guest CutNChop

Thanks Vintman (and others!)

OOPPSS...Sunderland is in County Durham!! I'm working on two sides of the family tree, Durham and Devon! Sorry for the goof!

The picture info on the back is certainly not reliable as I don't know who wrote it. The lady is my great aunt for sure as I have several pics of her.

She and my grandfather were born at Easington Colliery.

Edited by CutNChop (see edit history)
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In the UK it was/is possible to purchase the registration number and transfer it onto any car. So accurate dating can be spoiled by a move.

Would this have been a likely occurrence in the early 1960s for a mundane number like this one? I don't live in Britain, but I discounted this in my comment because I don't know of any significance for this number and it would seem unusual for someone to spend extra money to get it assigned to their car. I know really unique combinations (F 1, M 1, TR 3, etc.) would have had appeal even at that time. However I think this would've just been an old number with no value that long ago.

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Hi Dave,

There a number of reasons for carrying on a number. Very first numbers (one letter one number, two letters numbers) indicated that you were rich and one of the very first motorists. These numbers were normally transferred to the next car, and then the next to perpetuate the family importance. Another reason was that combinations of numbers and letter spelled the make of the car AC 1, ALV15 or words ELV15 or indicated jobs COM1C. Many people kept dad’s reg because they were fond of it. Many two or three letter combinations were their initials so once people got hold of them they kept them forever. Another more recent reason is that registrations became 'age related'. This meant that everybody knows how old your car was. Rich people with last year’s Rolls didn’t like that so they started buying old plates or initial plates or worded plates. Some absolute fortunes could be made from two letter one number combinations. Vintage and veteran car restorers had major problems as they would have to carry modern age plates. My 1921 Citroen was purchased from a dealer with French plates. When rebuilt it had to be registered in the UK and would have to have modern plates. Fortunately some Scottish councils still have some two letter combinations available for ‘period cars’. I was therefore able to get a period reg after very extensive investigation by them as to the originality of the car. Plate is non-transferrable. I managed to bend my XJS quite severely so after a good rebuild I got a reg that spells my name to 'hide' age. My kids bought me a neutral non-age plate for my shopping Jag again to 'hide' the age. Transferring plates has been quite a common thing in the UK for ages and initially was not expensive. Only when ‘age related’ plates came in did it become an industry and a goldmine !

Regards

Vintman (UK)

Classic Cars, Veteran Cars and Vintage Cars - The Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Folks,

Regret I have not been able to get any more accurate info on this car. A couple of our experts think it could be a Mk IV Dellow, with the bodywork cut about a good deal. Their model Mk IV had a streamlined GRP body. The registration is no help here. An expert on Dellows of the 1950s - 60s, had the same verdict “ Dunno really but just possibly a Mk IV Dellow. “ He had two Dellows, a Mk I and a Mk V, and seen a brochure for the Mk IV which did have the rather large vee windscreen. I regret I have not been able to find any photos to confirm or deny.

Regards

Vintman (UK)

Classic Cars, Veteran Cars and Vintage Cars - The Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society

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