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| Photo credit - www.theclassicvaluer.com |
They may be small, they may not be particularly fast by today’s standards, but when more than 35 Austin Sevens start winding their way around Sunraysia in September, they’ll certainly be hard to miss.
Members of the Austin 7 clubs of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales are heading our way for Sunraysia Sevens, with the little vintage cars spending several days exploring the district.
During their stay they’ll be doing a decent lap of Sunraysia, travelling through places including Red Cliffs, Gol Gol, Dareton, Merbein South, Wentworth, Irymple and Nichols Point.
There will also be a chance to get a closer look at these little pieces of motoring history when they gather for a public display at Psyche Pumps on Saturday, September 5.
And they really are an important part of motoring history.
The Austin Seven first appeared in Britain in 1922 and remained in production until 1939. It was designed as a small and relatively affordable car at a time when owning a motor vehicle was still well beyond the reach of many ordinary families. Over its life it appeared as tourers, saloons, sports cars and even little vans.
Australia added its own chapter to the story.
In the 1920s, imported rolling chassis attracted favourable treatment compared with importing a complete car, which helped encourage an Australian coachbuilding industry. Companies here could bring in the Austin chassis and mechanical components, then build their own bodies on top.
One of those companies was Holden’s Motor Body Builders, long before Holden became the car manufacturer most Australians remember. Holden produced Australian bodies for Austin Sevens, while a number of smaller Australian coachbuilders also created their own versions.
That means the cars coming to Sunraysia aren’t simply a line of identical old Austins.
Many have distinctly Australian bodywork and their own little differences, which is part of what makes them so interesting. Some of the cars that survive today have been brought back from little more than rusty remains, with owners putting countless hours into returning them to something resembling their former glory.
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| Photo Credit - www.classicmotorhub.com |
These cars weren’t built to sit behind ropes in a museum. They were built to be driven, and around 100 years later, that is exactly what their owners are still doing.
So if you happen to be driving around Sunraysia and suddenly find yourself behind a swarm of tiny vintage cars doing things at a slightly more relaxed pace, don’t get too impatient.
You could be looking at nearly a century of Australian motoring history rolling along in front of you.
Better still, head out to Psyche Pumps on Saturday, September 5 and have a proper look.
Bring the kids too. There is just something about an Austin Seven that seems to put a smile on everyone’s face.
Sunraysia Sevens - Dates & Times
Event dates: Friday, September 4 to Monday, September 7
Public car display: Saturday, September 5
Time: From 12 noon
Location: Psyche Pumps, Mildura
More than 35 Austin Sevens are expected to take part, with the cars also travelling through towns and communities across Sunraysia during the weekend.