The Austin Ten is a small car produced by Austin. It was launched on 19 April 1932, was Austin’s best-selling car in the 1930s and stayed in production, with upgrades, until 1947. It fitted between the “baby” Austin Seven, introduced in 1922, and the various Austin Twelves.
Austin 10 at a glance
| Launched | 19 April 1932 |
|---|---|
| Produced | until 1947 |
| Engine | 1,125 cc four-cylinder side-valve, 21 bhp (15.7 kW), later 30 bhp in the Ripley |
| Gearbox | four-speed; synchromesh on top two gears from 1934 |
| Chassis | ladder chassis dipping 2.75 inches (70 mm) between the axles; pressed steel body |
| Price in 1932 | £155 (basic saloon), £168 (Sunshine or De-Luxe), £120 (chassis) |
| Performance (1932 saloon) | 55 mph (89 km/h), 34 mpg |
| Sports model | Ripley, 1934, 65 mph (105 km/h) |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only (a trusted source), so the facts were not cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Austin 10
The design of the car was conservative, with a pressed-steel body on a ladder chassis dipping 2.75 inches between the axles to give a low overall height. The 1,125 cc four-cylinder side-valve engine produced 21 bhp and drove the rear wheels through a four-speed gearbox and open driveshaft to a live rear axle. Steering was worm and wheel, and suspension half-elliptic springs all round on silent-bloc bushes with friction dampers. The four-wheel brakes were cable and rod operated, and the electrical system was 6-volt. For the first year only a four-door saloon was made in two versions: the basic model at £155 could reach 55 mph at 34 mpg, and the Sunshine or De-Luxe with an opening roof and leather upholstery cost £168. The bare chassis was £120.
1933–1935
In 1933 the saloons were joined by an open two-seater or Open Road tourer, a Colwyn cabriolet and a van. A sports model, the 65 mph, 30 bhp Ripley, joined the range in 1934; it was a close-coupled four-door tourer with lowered front doors and no running boards, with a Zenith downdraught carburettor, revised manifolds and camshaft. Mechanical upgrades for 1934 included a stronger chassis, synchromesh on the top two gears and 12-volt electrics. Austin’s range then included five “sports cars”: the Seven open two-seaters Speedy and Nippy, the Ten-Four sports tourer Ripley and the Light Twelve-Six sports tourer Newbury and sports saloon Kempton.
Facelift and later cars
The first styling change came in August 1934, with the plated radiator surround replaced by one painted in body colour with a slight slope. Synchromesh was added to second gear, and dual wipers, trafficators and a foot-operated dip switch were fitted. The saloon was given the name Lichfield and a protruding boot enclosing the spare wheel, and during 1935 the friction dampers were replaced with hydraulic ones. A new six-light saloon with three windows each side, the Sherborne, followed.
Design and features
- Body: pressed steel on a ladder chassis, conservative in style.
- Engine: a 1,125 cc side-valve four, with 30 bhp in the Ripley.
- Brakes: four-wheel cable-and-rod brakes at first.
Austin 10 versions
- Saloon (1932): basic and Sunshine or De-Luxe.
- Open Road tourer, Colwyn cabriolet and van (1933).
- Ripley (1934): the 30 bhp sports tourer.
- Lichfield and Sherborne: the saloons of 1934–1935.
More Austin cars are in our Austin collection, for example the Austin 7 below it, the Austin 12 above it and the Austin 16.
Austin 10 questions and answers
When was the Austin 10 launched?
On 19 April 1932.
How long was it built?
Until 1947.
What engine did it have?
A 1,125 cc four-cylinder side-valve of 21 bhp.
What was the Ripley?
A 30 bhp, 65 mph sports tourer added in 1934.
How much did it cost in 1932?
£155 for the basic saloon.
Video: My 1933 Austin 10/4
Video by bryanpepperell on YouTube.
Sources
- Austin 10, English Wikipedia: design, range and facelifts
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