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Butler County's great daily newspaper

KING OF THE ROAD

During the 75th anniversary celebration of the Austin, a rally in Butler on Monday will display a variety of American Austin and Bantam automobiles. Here is a rundown of the cars history and body styles. A story on the celebration can be found in today's Showcase.

Sir Hubert Austin began offering the English Austin Seven, named for its horsepower, in 1922. He approved the manufacture of an American Austin in Butler in 1929. The company produced 19,700 cars and trucks before filing for bankruptcy in 1934.- Model years: 1930 to1935- Wheelbase: 75 inches- Payload: 500 pounds- Engine: 14 horsepower. 4 cylinders- Designer: Count Alexis deSakhnoffsky- Body styles:- Five-window cabin coupe, 1930 to 1935- Three-window business coupe, 1931- Cabriolet, 1931- Four-seater, 1932- P-anel delivery, 1931 to 1935- Pickup truck, 1931 to 1934- Roadster, 1930 to 1935- Roadster pickup, 1932- Suburban coupe, 1933-Van, 1932

Miami businessman Roy Evans reorganized American Austin in 1936, redesigned the vehicles, added more powerful engines and offered them for sale in 1938. Just 6,700 were built before production stopped in 1940.The company then designed and built the jeep until 1941. The modest plant in Butler couldn't meet the demand for them during World War II, so contracts went to Willys-Overland and Ford. Bantam continued manufacturing trailers until it went out of business in 1952.- Model years: 1938 to 1940- Wheelbase: 75 inches-Payload: 500 pounds-Engine: 20 horsepower, 4 cylinders, 1938 to 1939; 22 horsepower, - - 4 cylinders, 1940- Designers: Count Alexis deSakhnoffsky, Alex Tremulis and Roy Evans- Body styles:- Five-window coupe, 1938 to 1940- Five-window business coupe, 1938- Boulevard delivery, 1938 to 1939- Club roadster, 1939- Hollywood convertible coupe, 1940- Riviera convertible coupe, 1940- Panel truck, 1938 to 1940- Pickup truck, 1938 to 1940- Speedster, 1938 to 1939- Sun-air roof coupe, 1938- Roadster, 1938 to 1940- Station wagon, 1938 to1940- Utility wagon, 1940- Information supplied by the American Austin Bantam Club

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