Austin 12 hp
Encyclopedia
The Austin 12/4 was introduced by the Austin Motor Company
in 1921. It was the second of Herbert Austin
's post World War I models and was in many ways a scaled-down version of the 20/4
, introduced in 1919. (The letters 'HP' in its name defined its fiscal horse
power rather than its bhp.)
Initially available as a Tourer, by 1922 three body styles were offered, these being the four-seat tourer, the two/four-seater (both at 550 GBP
) and the coupé at 675 GBP.
The car enjoyed success throughout the vintage era with annual sales peaking at 14,000 in 1927.
While the mechanical specification changed little (the engine increased from 1661 cc to 1861 cc in 1926), many body styles were offered with saloons becoming more popular as the twenties drew to a close.
The car continued in the Austin catalogue until 1935 and as a Taxi option until 1939. The last cars were produced for the War Department
in 1940.
During the early thirties, the car began to become known as the "Heavy 12", to distinguish it from the other, newer, 12HP
cars in the Austin catalogue ("Light 12/4
", 12/6
etc) and received some updating. The artillery style wheels were replaced by wire spoked ones in 1933 and coil ignition replaced the magneto
in 1935. The gearbox got synchromesh on its top two ratios in 1934. The body range was steadily simplified with the last of the fabric covered versions in 1931 and no open cars after 1934.
After the war the Austin 12 name returned to the Austin catalogue for a couple of years until the arrival in 1947 of the Austin A40
Dorset and Devon saloons.
Today, the Austin 12/4 is remembered as being virtually unburstable and is well catered for by the Vintage Austin Register in the UK and various other clubs in other parts of the world.
The 12/4 is familiar to children in the form of Gumdrop
, the title character of a series of books authored by Val Biro
, who owns an example. Gumdrop is an Austin Clifton Heavy Twelve-Four of 1926.
The stories revolve around the car and his owner, initially the younger Bill McArran, but for most of the series, the more senior Mr Oldcastle (later joined by a dog, Horace). The plots often involve the search for replacement parts for Gumdrop.
Biro wrote the stories from the late 1960s to the 1980s. The main series of books, all fully illustrated in colour by Biro, ran to at least seventeen titles, with a further twelve (at least) "Gumdrop Little Books" also published in the 1980s.
Whilst Gumdrop's adventures are fictional, the car is not. Mr Biro and Gumdrop are frequent visitors to car shows and other events in Sussex and surrounding area (2008)
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
in 1921. It was the second of Herbert Austin
Herbert Austin
Herbert 'Pa' Austin, 1st Baron Austin KBE was an English automobile designer and builder who founded the Austin Motor Company.-Background and early life:...
's post World War I models and was in many ways a scaled-down version of the 20/4
Austin Twenty
The Austin Twenty was introduced by the Austin Motor Company in 1919 continuing in production until 1930. After the 20/6 model was introduced in 1927, the car was known as the Austin 20/4....
, introduced in 1919. (The letters 'HP' in its name defined its fiscal horse
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
power rather than its bhp.)
Initially available as a Tourer, by 1922 three body styles were offered, these being the four-seat tourer, the two/four-seater (both at 550 GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
) and the coupé at 675 GBP.
The car enjoyed success throughout the vintage era with annual sales peaking at 14,000 in 1927.
While the mechanical specification changed little (the engine increased from 1661 cc to 1861 cc in 1926), many body styles were offered with saloons becoming more popular as the twenties drew to a close.
The car continued in the Austin catalogue until 1935 and as a Taxi option until 1939. The last cars were produced for the War Department
War Department (UK)
The War Department was the United Kingdom government department responsible for the supply of equipment to the armed forces of the United Kingdom and the pursuance of military activity. In 1857 it became the War Office...
in 1940.
During the early thirties, the car began to become known as the "Heavy 12", to distinguish it from the other, newer, 12HP
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
cars in the Austin catalogue ("Light 12/4
Austin 12/4
The Austin 12/4 was a car produced by the Austin Motor Company from 1933 until 1939. To distinguish it from the earlier four-cylinder Austin 12 it has become known as the Austin Light 12/4. It was replaced in 1939 by a new model also called the Austin 12 keeping the same engine...
", 12/6
Austin 12/6
The Austin 12/6 was introduced by the Austin Motor Company in 1931 continuing in production until 1937. To separate it from the earlier, four-cylinder, Austin 12, it has become known as the Austin Light 12/6....
etc) and received some updating. The artillery style wheels were replaced by wire spoked ones in 1933 and coil ignition replaced the magneto
Magneto
A magneto is a type of electrical generator.Magneto may also refer to:* Magneto , permanent magnetic alternating current rotary generator* ignition magneto, magnetos on internal combustion engines...
in 1935. The gearbox got synchromesh on its top two ratios in 1934. The body range was steadily simplified with the last of the fabric covered versions in 1931 and no open cars after 1934.
After the war the Austin 12 name returned to the Austin catalogue for a couple of years until the arrival in 1947 of the Austin A40
Austin A40
A number of different automobiles were marketed under the Austin A40 name by the Austin Motor Company between 1947 and 1967.Austin's naming scheme at that time derived from the approximate engine output, in horsepower...
Dorset and Devon saloons.
Today, the Austin 12/4 is remembered as being virtually unburstable and is well catered for by the Vintage Austin Register in the UK and various other clubs in other parts of the world.
In fiction
Gumdrop (book series)
The Gumdrop stories are a series of 37 children's books written and illustrated by Val Biro. They concern a 1926 Austin 12 hp called "Gumdrop", who gets involved in various adventures. The car is real and in the author's possessions, but the stories are fictional. The first book was The Adventures...
, the title character of a series of books authored by Val Biro
Val Biro
Val Biro , children's author, artist and illustrator, was a native of Hungary now resident in Sussex in England. He received his education in Budapest and London...
, who owns an example. Gumdrop is an Austin Clifton Heavy Twelve-Four of 1926.
The stories revolve around the car and his owner, initially the younger Bill McArran, but for most of the series, the more senior Mr Oldcastle (later joined by a dog, Horace). The plots often involve the search for replacement parts for Gumdrop.
Biro wrote the stories from the late 1960s to the 1980s. The main series of books, all fully illustrated in colour by Biro, ran to at least seventeen titles, with a further twelve (at least) "Gumdrop Little Books" also published in the 1980s.
Whilst Gumdrop's adventures are fictional, the car is not. Mr Biro and Gumdrop are frequent visitors to car shows and other events in Sussex and surrounding area (2008)
External links
- Austin Taxi (at Austin Memories) – Includes how the 12/4 became the first of the line that spawned the classic London TaxiAustin FX4The FX4 is the classic Black Cab. While the majority are black, there is in fact no requirement for them, or indeed any other make of London taxi to be black. Over the years, the FX4 has been sold under a number of different makers' names.-Design and launch:...