The Index Cards stored in a wooden drawer, were saved from Longbridge by Bob Wyatt c.1968. This was after he had completed “The Motor for the Million The Austin Seven 1922-1939”, so no information from the cards was used in that book. He generously donated the drawer with the cards to the A7CA Archives in 2013.
They came from the Austin Service Department and were used to keep a record of all the changes made to the cars and the chassis numbers where these changes were made. They were also used to update the SPARE PARTS lists.
The cards are arranged in two sections. In the drawer, the first section is approximately 110 typed cards listing spare parts for the Big Seven.
The second section is approximately 510 cards relating to the Seven. This section is divided into Part Number order, starting with BA; Crankshaft. The Part Number order continues to BZ which is divided into nine sections, which include Wings, Wheels and Windows. The BA to BZ order is the same as in the SPARE PARTS lists.
In each section the later cards, often typed, are at the front and the earlier handwritten cards tend to be at the back. This seems to follow standard engineering practice where more recent revisions would be filed at the front of each section.
Meanwhile a chronological List of Production Changes from 1922 to 1939 in book form is now available from Phil Baildon for £10 (cheque to A7CA) at 14, Jerwood Close, Little Bowden, Leics, LE 16 8AL.
Big Seven –
