1937 Austin Seven Grasshopper - the last of the 12 produced and the only one built by the factory in 1937, possibly as a Works reserve car for the TT that year, but not used. Original registration number UI 3345
First time on the market for 63 years, single ownership since 1963
Please enquire. These cars rarely come onto the market...
OWNER’S STATEMENT
UI 3345 was the last of the 12 Grasshoppers constructed and was first registered in Londonderry in December 1937.
Little is known of its history up to 1941 when it was owned by an RAF officer. It was subsequently fitted with LMB independent front suspension and appears to have been a low chassis car with doors from the outset.
It was acquired by the present owner in 1963 and rebuilt between 1964 and 1966. The car competed in VSCC racing over a number of seasons in the late 1960s and in VSCC & MCC trials in the early 1980s.
This car has its original 3 bearing crankcase, modified to take a modern 2 bearing 1 1/2" crank, with Renault 4 con-rods and pistons, as re-built Paul Bonewell.
The Grasshopper head and Grasshopper cylinder block (modern replica) are in excellent condition.
It has a Nippy close ratio gearbox and Grasshopper remote gear change.
Chassis number XE 1037.
THE KNOWN HISTORY - reproduced from the Comprehensive History of the Austin Seven Grasshopper by Peter Hornby and Michael Hanna - 2014 - ISBN 978 0 9572426 3 0
UI3345 is the only Grasshopper which was constructed in 1937. It appears to have been unused by the Works prior to being registered to Mrs Gladys Watt of Culmore Road, Londonderry in December 1937. The mono photograph shows the car during the War when it was owned by someone serving in the RAF.
From the photographs of the car taken at this time, its specification is that of an early low chassis, pre-supercharged car with body details as the first and second production batches, with swept wings. It has a large fuel tank, a single spare wheel and 16 inch rear wheels. Whilst the Grasshopper instruments are there in this first photo, including 80mph Speedometer and 5500 RPM rev counter, they are not in the usual positions, the speedo and Rev counter being mounted in the centre of the dashboard with no cubby hole. It is fitted with a large winged Austin radiator cap as seen in the early publicity photos and a flat Bluemels steering wheel. A Grasshopper remote gear lever extension is also fitted. The Grasshopper engine and chassis numbers indicate that it was manufactured & registered shortly before it was sold to Mrs Watt. Whilst there is no record of a Works competition history, intriguingly there is an RAC stamp on the top face of the then three bearing crank case beside the engine number. There is evidence of blue, mid green (also evident on parts of BOA 59) red and finally cream paint in the late 1940s.
By 1951 the car had been fitted with a Ford engine and swing axle LMB front suspension with its distinctive low chassis, late Grasshopper unique ‘swan necked’ Girling dropped sports radius arms being retained. There is a letter on file from the then owner confirming this.
A Motor Sport article dated April 1947, titled “A visit to the North Downs Engineering Company” yields the following: “We saw a Grasshopper Austin Seven with LMB suspension, new gearbox and a brand-new Nippy engine sprayed with a new blue colour scheme devised by North Downs”.
It seems probable that this was this car offered today - UI3345 - a view given greater evidence by a letter published in Motor Sport in September 1964 quoting “I owned UI 3345 in 1951-52 at which time it had a Ford 10 engine and LMB independent front suspension. The two air scoops…… were fitted by myself in an attempt to improve the cooling at speed”. P W Widdowson, Princes Risborough.
This car, now painted green once more, passed to John Hodges in 1953 who also experienced problems with overheating and with the modified drive train.
The trail now goes cold until the car emerges having been re-registered 8046WW with a standard Austin Seven engine and gearbox on 14th of July 1960. Four years later it was purchased for £30 by the current owner. At that stage it was painted mostly cream and in a generally complete and towable state. See faded mono nearside photo.
The car was rebuilt between 1964 and 1966 by the present owner and a number of changes were made. The engine was changed for a two bearing pressure fed Nippy unit modified by Bill Boult, and a Nippy gearbox was fitted. With twin 1 1/8” SU carbs and a four branch manifold it developed about 23 BHP at the wheels. One small issue was the fitting of the twin SU carburettors which required minor modification on the nearside bodywork and bonnet side to accommodate them. (See photo of old bonnet side with carb scoop). These changes were reversed when the current engine, now supercharged, was fitted in 2010. In addition, in 1966, the LMB front suspension was replaced by a Girling type dropped axle, retaining the original Grasshopper radius arms, a new mounting was fabricated to take twin spare wheels and the original mudguards were substituted for cycle type. Finally, hydraulic brakes were fitted and a very effective hood frame mechanism was modified to accept a three plane hood.
The original registration number UI3345 was recovered in 1982.
In this form the car covered 10,000 miles in the year 1966-67, much of it travelling between Leeds and Edinburgh, and was good for an indicated 75 mph. In that time there were no engine failures despite harsh treatment, but having broken two half shafts and a front axle, the decision was made to retire it from daily use.
It subsequently raced in VSCC events in 1968 and 1969, and competed in the VSCC Lakeland trial in 1983. It was exhibited at the motor museum at Bentley from 1983 to 1990, and came out of semi retirement for the MG Cream Cracker reunion at Rodborough in 1995.
This car has taken part in the MCC Centenary Lands End Trial in May 2008 and the MCC Centenary Exeter Trial in 2010, plus other events including the 2013 MCC Welsh Trial and a number of MG Kimber trials in the hands of John Bennett who has also taken it on a number of occasions to the Kop Hill climb.
It was finally reunited with its original engine fitted with the SU carburettors from 1966 and a correct Grasshopper gear lever extension in 2001, and in 2010 the carburettors and manifolds were removed to be replaced by a Centric 125 supercharger and crossover manifold, mounting the 1 1/4” horizontal SU on the nearside of the engine, so avoiding the cottage loaf bulge in the bonnet. This arrangement was altered and a slightly smaller horizontal 1 ¼” SU is now bolted more directly to the supercharger inlet to avoid a ‘chilled mixture’ in cold conditions.
COPIES OF GRASSHOPPERS
The challenge of producing a convincing copy of a Grasshopper is much more complicated than producing a replica Ulster Austin Seven together with an engine with many unique components. There are however a very small number who come close to producing convincing copies and these have generally been based on bodywork constructed by Keith and Stuart Roach.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
Of the 12 cars manufactured, eight were high chassis trials cars and four were low chassis road racing versions. First built in 1935 – they were based on the Austin Speedy chassis, with special bodies. The aluminium cylinder head had a full-length water take off and was designed by Murray Jamieson, as was the special camshaft. All 12 Grashoppers were eventually supercharged using a Centric 125 and driven by a V-belt from the fan pulley delivering 6 1/2lb boost, later increased to 9lbs boost. The crankshaft originally was a 2 bearing shaft and pressure lubricated. As the Austin competition department extracted more power, they experienced a great deal of crankshaft trouble, later going to 3 bearings, with Laystalls manufacturing special 1 ½” journal crankshafts which helped.
FURTHER GENERAL BACKGROUND – found in a Triple-M Register article
It is believed that Bill Sewell, Lord Austin’s personal aide, was the author of the name “Grasshopper”, inspired perhaps by the well-known Austin Seven reaction to the initial transmission of power to the axle, leaping forwards!
The first appearance of the Grasshopper Team of three cars was at the Lands End Trial of 1935, driven by Messrs Orford, Milton and Richardson.
The Team’s successes included taking the Premier, Runner up, Visitor and Team awards, including the Land’s End, as well as other achievements. In 1939, in the Highland Two-Day Trial, J H Blyth driving for the Scottish “Tartan Grasshopper” Team took the Premier Award for under 1500cc.
UI 3345 has an unusual history as it was not originally registered in England until 1965/6, but first saw the light of day in Londonderry in December 1937. The Irish licence authorities confirm that they have no record of the car being registered before this date. Both the engine and chassis numbers are well on from the later batch of Grasshoppers and it is possible that this car is the Paris-Nice Rally car, but opinions differ on this point. Despite the inconsistency, it is most definitely a Grasshopper and very nicely rebuilt.
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Although we attempt to ensure accuracy of any statement or detail, the customer must make his or her own judgement in purchasing this car. The purchaser of the above car understands that he or she is purchasing a historic motor car with components that are up to 89 years old and sold as a collector item. There is no warranty given or implied due to the age of the car.
Call 07973 731508
