Richard McWhannell

  The Class ‘H' Sports Model Austin Seven is the second ‘found' model from CMC Motor Bodies. The penchant
for French styling is again evident.
The following images give a potted description of CMC's design/build method.
Joss Campbell has evolved this method through his extensive repertoire of car building. In the creation of the ‘Dieppe' Model I may have been the apprentice, but now I get to do the big picture with
an ever watchful partner. Huge gratitude to Joss for being that part of CMC. As a collaborative process they can't get much better.

Above: A bottom and upper curve are described on a ply floor. A sill is fixed and uprights half jointed to the whole. Strapping describes the desired curve of upper dimension. 3mm ply is temporarily fixed, onto which is drawn a profile that serves as a pattern for building up the superstructure

Above: A box is built to traverse the back axle. Made of 9mm ply. The rear floor of original ply floor is removed. Two laminated beams previously set up against the ply side panels have been fitted.

Above: Cross members fix all widths while quarter inch stringers tie front and rear sections and the whole begins to feel very strong.

Above:  A laminated curve is set to form upper curve of the back section.

Above: The cutouts are roughly removed in line with laminates that have been fixed diagonally to facilitate the desired curve.

Above: A crude set up of side panels set up with a fortuitously fitting ‘Nippy' bonnet top. The nature of the staggered seating is seen. This is a very useful feature in a narrow bodied ‘7'. Austin used it in the Super Sports and the French used it extensively.

Above:  The battery box sited behind drivers seat. The transmission tunnel is fitted. All steel is 22 gauge.

Above: A firewall is folded, sided and spot welded and bonnet land brought up. Challenging!

   

Valances formed with a joggle to act as land for bonnet sides

{mospagebreak}   Below: Inside the cockpit which shows an extended curved gear lever.
A nod to Austin’s 1925 Supercharged racer. 
  Above: The instrument panel is fashioned and fitted


The side panels are permanently attached as is the rear floor 

Above: The upper rear ply panels are glued to the frame. After fettling the body will be covered in canvas. The side panels are permanently attached as is the rear floor

Above: Where it’s heading:  A homage to Marcel Violet and the Huascar. . But without the exhaust gases discharging at the driver’s right shoulder!

 

Above: Bonnet sides are made and hinged to ‘original’ top