Light Commercial Vehicles

The sturdy design and construction of the dependable Austin models made them ideal vehicles for commercial use. Throughout the 1930s most of the range - from 7 to 18hp - were available as vans. The taxicab market became dominated by the Austin Taxi, based on the Heavy Twelve. Small trucks were build on the Light Twelve chassis.

Ten van 

The 10/4 van was introduced during the third quarter of 1932 and given body designation GV. Vans had stronger springs and shock absorbers, and disc wheels to cope with heavier loads. It is not known how many were made: a rough estimate made in 1972 and based on the few known to the ATDC was a total about 30,000 Ten vans in both styles. Production carried on until August 1937 in the original styling, retaining (flat fronted) chrome radiator shell. There does not appear to have been a Lichfield styled model and it was replaced at this time by the new GVA van with Cambridge styling.

Larger vans 

Larger models included the Light 12 van, in both 4 and 6 cylinder versions, some of which carried a wing-mounted spare. Like the Ten the larger vans retained the chrome-rad styling until the New Ascot-styled version replaced it.

Taxi cabs 

The features that had made the H12 popular with the family motorist - strong, simple, reliable, and value for money - carried over into the taxi bodied version. Like the van the taxi retained the characteristic Austin flat chrome-rad for many years but late models appeared with a cowled-rad.

Documents

• - Taxicab specification - (.pdf : 378.25 kb)
• - Taxicab registration numbers 1938 - (.pdf : 455.98 kb)