1937 Austin Ascot 12/4
HISTORY OF 1937 AUSTIN LIGHT 12/4 ASCOT SEDAN
“Only a very few of these cars were imported fully assembled by Frank Robb and Company of Strand Street Cape Town in October or November 1937.
The vehicle referred to here, Chassis Number H R 52293, Engine Number 1 H 52906, with a Pitohley steel roof was first registered in Cape Town in November 1937 under Number CA 48206.
The car was used by a Mr Williamson, who I understand, came to South Africa from the Longbridge factory to demonstrate this new model to all the main Austin agents in this country. It took him about five months to complete this project during which time the odometer recorded some 6000 miles, mainly on corrugated gravel roads.
Messrs Robb Motors advertised the car for sale and was purchased by me in March 1938. In September 2001 I sold the car in good running order to Mr Colin Kretschmer with some 150,000 miles on the odometer performed without fault or breakdown. The reading is reasonably accurate except for a couple of stoppages amounting to some 2000 miles while the speedometer cable was replaced and the instrument overhauled. The car was maintained solely by me throughout the 63½ years I owned it.
I became interested in the car through my father who was a personal friend of the sales representative at Messrs Frank Robb Motors, Mr Doug van Riet, the well known racing motorist who drove Austin Swallow cars with 998cc supercharged engines. Before he died a few years ago his last Austin Swallow was shipped to a museum in England.
During World War 2 I placed the car on blocks while I was serving as a Navigator in SAAF heavy bombers for two years. Soon after my return at the end of the war I was transferred to Johannesburg and subsequently to Pretoria for 15 years which started an annual holiday trip of some 2200 miles to Cape Town and back accompanied with our two sons. In November 1969 we were transferred to Grahamstown where we remained for the next twelve years before returning to Fish Hoek, Cape Town.
Since 1965 used mainly by my wife for short journeys.
In 1964 at the odometer reading of 85000 miles I removed the engine and gearbox complete by lowering it onto a board on rollers, raising the front of the car to enable the engine to be rolled clear forwards to avoid the necessity of removing the radiator cowl which is still installed as it was done by the factory. The cylinders were bored out to 20 thou oversize and new pistons and rings fitted. The connecting rod big ends were re-metalled and line bored and the main bearings fitted with new standard shells but the crankshaft was not touched. This is the only major engineering work done on the vehicle apart from replacing the Luvax shock absorbers with similar type Rotoflo units and replacing the drive shaft universals and pinion bearings which I replaced at 90000 miles. I have also replaced the king pins and tie rod ends with standard parts.
The only alteration I have made to the electrical equipment is to replace the offside head lamp globe with a twin filament type and fitted an extra pair of contacts to the near side headlamp to confirm with traffic regulations which require both headlamps to be on when the dip switch is operated. In all other respects the car is factory original.
The owner’s handbook, spare parts list and set of keys, including the ignition keys are as originally supplied with the car.
The carpets, upholstery and paintwork are all original as is the fitted trunk in the boot complete with two small and two large canvas straps. All the original tools, tyre pump and etcetera are present in their respective worn Pegamoid holders.”
Written by Mr Dick Mitchell- First owner
After purchasing the car in September 2001 it was kept in it’s original condition for about two years. Thereafter it was decided that to prevent further deterioration the car would be re-sprayed and where necessary, certain parts were re-silvered.
This project took almost 15 months to complete after which the car looked good, but the interior had now become unsightly and in need of repair. The interior was then completely redone in fabric rather than leather which would have proved too costly and the end result was pleasing.
The car, at this stage had been idle for almost two years during the restoration and it started giving regular mechanical problems and would not run properly.
Towards the end of 2006 the car finally decided that it would now co-operate and give some pleasure to the owner and is now running well despite being a little sluggish on the hills.
In the interim the car will be enjoyed and driven often.
Colin Kretschmer –second and current owner
April, 2007