Austin Big Seven Handbooks (also Spare Parts List, Price List of
Spare Parts and Schedule of Charges.)
The Austin Motor Co. Ltd. produced many
books to help with driving, servicing costs, parts purchase and identification.
In the later years of the Seven there were also Body Parts identification list
and after the war some maintenance books.
The car books and publications covered
included:
The Handbook of the Austin Seven
Operating instructions and features of the car including specification, running
adjustments, servicing, electrical wiring diagram and lubrication.
The Austin Seven List of Spare Parts
Listing of spare parts and most are illustrated. Covers most parts from
chassis to petrol tank, no body parts are shown except in special body parts
books.
Austin Seven Price List of Spare Parts
These book listed prices of most parts by part no and were updated as new parts
and price adjustments were implemented.
The Austin Seven Schedule of Charges for
Repairs
Austin issued fixed price servicing and repairs cost. These books list the
charges, frequently reviewed by issue of new books.
For a complete listing of Austin Seven
Handbooks published by The Austin Motor Co. Ltd. visit the A7CA website (select Historic Information,
then Documentation). Some handbooks can be downloaded as a pdf file.
THE BIG SEVEN PUBLICATIONS
Often ignored by some of the Austin Seven fraternity as they say it's not a
'Seven'. The Big Seven was recognised by Austin as a 'Seven' and that is good
enough for all Big Seven owners. It adds to the multiple designs of Sevens with
the movement to the post-war designs of Austin cars. It was built for a price
competitive market and 20,171 were sold between July 13th 1937 and
January 1939, although Ford and Morris were dominant in the market at this time.
For good reading on the Big Seven see The
Austin Seven Club's Association Magazine 1975D pages 30-38 and the very good
article by Jonathan Oglesby, who I believe started and ran the Big Seven
Register. It details more than we can print here about the 'Sixlite' (CRV) and
'Forlite' (CRW) saloons. Below are listed the Big Seven publications which I
know exist, no doubt there are others.
HANDBOOKS
Most Big Seven handbooks were printed with light green covers. The books follow
more or less the same format as the first A7 Handbooks in 1922. Publication of
the handbook series started in July 1937 with publication no 1523 and covered
the original 'Sixlite' saloon introduced at this time. This is an excellent
book for the owner driver covering all aspects of routine maintenance and
servicing. A lubrication chart with a list of recommended lubricants is shown.
One key feature of this handbook is the
cut-away picture of the engine, gearbox and dynamo. The handbooks do not show
any pictures of the cars, only a drawing of the interior showing driver
controls.
The second Big 7 handbook published in
October 1937 was 1523A. The printed changes in this book are:
Luggage platform permissible load reduced from 112lb to 56lb.
Change to steering box lubricants is recommended in the lubricants chart.
February 1938 saw handbook 1523B
introduced. Changes saw the layout of page on the ignition system with more
detail on timing the ignition adjustments (Page 28). The recommended lubricants
chart shows more changes as manufacturers updated grease and oils, and brake
adjusters were added to lubricant layout chart.
Handbook 1523C came out in June 1938 after
the introduction of the two door 'Forlite' saloon in March 1938 and is the same
as the previous book. September 1938 saw the publication of Handbook 1523D.
The section which explains how the fuel pump
works has a new diagram of the pump. The notes on the cooling system have more
detail on draining the system. The electrical section shows and oblong
stop/tail light as against the previous book where it was shown as round,
although the Parts list issued in the October still shows the round types.
I cannot say this was the last Handbook of
the Big Seven because as late as May 1954 (843/B) and September 1957 (843/C)
Austin produced a publication called Austin Cars 1936-39 Running and Maintenance
Instructions. It covered Austin Seven, Big Seven and up to the larger cars such
as Twenty-Eight.
Those handy books of 72 pages, including
specifications of cars made during the pre-war period with wiring diagrams and
lubrication charts and full maintenance instructions.
LISTS OF SPARE PARTS
In December 1937 the Big Seven owners saw the first spare parts book,
publication no 1598. Although there is no guidance on the actual date of
release the parts book it is dated December whilst the car was introduced the
previous July. These books used the actual Austin part numbers as other late
books against reference numbers used in early books.
The second Spare Parts List 1598A published
in March 1938 states that it embodies alterations made up to chassis No. 7100.
Page 21 shows change in the exhaust pipe with the silencer and tail pipe listed
as separate items and an export version. The gearbox section lists changes to
the clutch pit bottom cover and the clutch pages list different part numbers on
the flywheel. The pages on steering show changes with the traffic and horn
switch. The engine mounting page shows a bracket for the starting handle with a
guide tube added.
When 1598B was published in October 1938 it
covered changes made up to chassis No: 13,500. Changes show different part
numbers and illustration on piston scraper rings and clamping pins. A different
starting handle is shown on page 12. This book also shows changes to the
radiator assembly. The clamping plate for distributor has been changed with a
different part no and the clutch pit bottom cover is changed again.
However,
after the war in January 1946 Austin printed publication 189 (light green cover)
which is a list of parts without illustrations and covered both cars from
1937-39. This book is useful for the discerning Big 7 enthusiast as it details
when changes were made to parts by chassis no and exceptions. It was followed
up by as similar book, 189A, in June of that year.
Two further publications which could be
classed as Parts List are: 1648 Body Parts list which showed illustrations of
body parts such as wing, doors and body fittings etc and covered Big Seven 'Sixlite'
(CRV) and was published in March 1938. 'Forlite' (CRW) owners would need Body
Parts List 1745 released later that year in December, and, to assist owner
drivers was the Austin Seven and Austin Big Seven Price List of Spare Parts
issued in April 1938 as publication no. 1653 (54 pages). This covered all
Austin Seven parts and has a conversion chart so earlier reference numbers in
parts lists could be cross referenced to the actual Austin Part no. You need
the Spare Parts list to identify a part number. A further list with additions
and deletions was printed in October 1938 as 1653A.
SCHEDULE
of CHARGES for REPAIRS
Publication No. 1713 Schedule of Charges for Repairs on the Big Seven detailed
costs to customer of most of the repair and service functions on the Big Seven,
and was published in September 1938. The conditions printed outlined terms
under which repairs were carried out. A comparison of charges shows that you
paid marginally more for labour on a Big Seven against other Sevens, hence, no
doubt, the separate book.
GARAGE CHARTS
Austin Dealers were issued with garage charts. Publication 1559 featured a Big
Seven lubrication chart and was published in 1937 and 1559B in April 1938.
These were actual Austin issue and there were others from the oil companies at
the time.
STOCKS OF SPARE PARTS
Dealers were also issued with an unnumbered publication: Austin Big Seven Table
of Suggested Stocks of Spare Parts (various amounts) 1938 Season, and other
issues.
AUSTIN BIG SEVEN PUBLICATIONS
No
Month
Year
Title
No of pages
1523
July 1937
Handbook of The Austin Big Seven
64
1523A
Oct 1937
Handbook of The Austin Big Seven
64
1523B
Feb 1938
Handbook of The Austin Big Seven
64
1523C
June 1938
Handbook of The Austin Big Seven
64
1523D
Sept 1938
Handbook of The Austin Big Seven
64
1598
Dec 1937
List of spare parts Austin Big
Seven
72
1559
1937
The Austin Big Seven Garage Chart
1
1559B
April 1938
The Austin Big Seven Garage Chart
1
1598A
Mar 1938
List of Spare Parts
Austin Big Seven
Alterations up to
Chassis No: 7100
72
1598B
Oct 1938
List of Spare Parts
Austin Big Seven
Alterations up to
Chassis No: 13,500
72
1648
Mar 1938
List of Body Spare Parts
Big Seven Series CRV
72
1653
April 1938
Price List of Spare Parts
Austin Seven and Big Seven
56
1653A
May 1954
Price List of Spare Parts
Austin Seven and Big Seven
56
1713
Sept 1938
Schedule of Charges for Repairs
Big Seven
12
1745
Dec 1938
List of Body Spare Parts
Big Seven Series CRW 'Forlite' 2
door Saloon
31
189
Jan 1946
Big Seven Parts List Series CRV
and CRW July 1937 to Jan 1939. Not illustrated
66
189A
June 1946
Big Seven Parts List Series CRV
and CRW July 1937 to Jan 1939. Not illustrated
68
2230 A-J
to Feb 1951
Austin Light Cars, Running and
Maintenance Instructions, 7, Big 7, 10, 12, 14.
72
843/B
Running and Maintenance
Instructions: 7, Big 7, 10 12,14, 18, 20,28
72
843/C
Sept 1957
Running and Maintenance
Instructions: 7, Big 7, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 28.
72
This article, written by Peter Kemp, originally appeared
in CA7C Seven Focus, October 2003 pp13-17.
However,
after the war in January 1946 Austin printed publication 189 (light green cover)
which is a list of parts without illustrations and covered both cars from
1937-39. This book is useful for the discerning Big 7 enthusiast as it details
when changes were made to parts by chassis no and exceptions. It was followed
up by as similar book, 189A, in June of that year. 
SCHEDULE
of CHARGES for REPAIRS