On occasions, members have asked about the mysterious letter codes other knowledgeable people use to describe A7 models. The following is available on the A7CA website, but here is a summary. Only the starting date for each model can be given and it can generally assumed that as one new model is introduced, the previous model is phased-out. However, the change-over was never instantaneous as Austin, sensibly, used up old stock during the first few months of the new model.
|
AUSTIN SEVEN BODY TYPES |
|||
|
Code |
Type |
Description |
From |
|
XL |
1,2,3 |
prototypes |
May 1922 |
|
AB |
Tourer |
Chummy; aluminium body four seater scooped scuttle |
Nov. 1922 |
|
AC |
Tourer |
Chummy; sloping doors, and bonnet |
Jun. 1924 |
|
AD |
Tourer |
Chummy; scuttle headlights |
Feb. 1926 |
|
R |
Saloon |
Aluminium or fabric saloon |
Apr. 1926 |
|
AD |
Tourer |
Four seater, wing headlights, coil ignition |
Aug. 1928 |
|
RK |
Saloon |
Four seater Aluminium or fabric saloon, coil ignition |
Sep. 1928 |
|
AE |
Tourer |
Four seater. Two inches wider than AD |
Sep. 1929 |
|
EA |
Sports 2 seater |
Ulster |
Feb. 1930 |
|
AF |
Tourer |
Aluminium bodied four seater,longer wider, chrome rad. |
Jun. 1930 |
|
RL |
Saloon |
Steel saloon. Short wheel base ‘Box’ |
Mar. 1930 |
|
RG |
Saloon |
Fabric version of RL saloon |
May 1930 |
|
RM |
Saloon |
Coupled brakes |
Jan. 1931 |
|
AF |
Tourer |
Longer bonnet. Steel bodied four seater, coupled brakes |
Feb. 1931 |
|
RN |
Saloon |
Long wheel base ‘Box’ |
Oct. 1931 |
|
AG |
Tourer |
LWB open four seater |
Nov. 1931 |
|
AH |
Tourer |
Pressed steel body. LWB four seater . Rear tank from Sept. ‘32 |
Jun. 1932 |
|
AJ |
Tourer |
Rear petrol tank |
Sep. 1932 |
|
RP |
Tourer |
LWB ‘Box’ rear tank |
Oct. 1932 |
|
PD |
Tourer |
Two seater |
Oct. 1932 |
|
EB |
Tourer |
Type 65 Sports Touring |
Jun. 1933 |
|
EK |
Sports |
Type 75 Sports |
Jan. 1934 |
|
AEB |
Sports |
Nippy |
Jan. 1934 |
|
AEK |
Sports |
Speedy |
Jul. 1934 |
|
APD |
Two seater |
Opal (chrome rad until July 36 then cowled rad) |
Jul 1934 |
|
ARQ |
Saloon |
Ruby Mk.1 (cowled rad). Low frame, no bumpers |
Jul. 1934 |
|
ARQ |
Saloon |
Ruby Deluxe (cowled rad), chrome bumpers |
Jul. 1934 |
|
AAK |
Open Road Tourer |
cowled rad, high frame, open spare wheel |
Jul. 1934 |
|
AC |
Cabriolet |
Pearl, exposed hood irons |
Aug. 1934 |
|
APE |
Two seater |
New Opal (cowled rad) |
Aug. 1934 |
|
AAL |
Open Road Tourer |
Covered spare wheel (chrome rad until July 35 then cowled rad) |
Jul. 1935 |
|
ARR |
Saloon |
Ruby Mk.2, thicker door pillars |
Jul. 1936 |
|
APE |
Two seater |
Opal Mk.2 (cowled rad) |
Jul. 1936 |
|
AC |
Cabriolet |
Pearl Mk.2, internal hood irons, larger rear windows |
Jan. 1937 |
|
ARR |
Saloon |
Ruby Mk.2 Deluxe |
Jul. 1938 |