1935 American Austin Panel Truck
Depression-era economics drove the American Austin Car Company to produce practical commercial variants like the 1935 Panel Truck, designed to serve small businesses requiring economical delivery vehicles. The American Austin Car Company was founded in 1929, in Butler, Pennsylvania, in premises that had belonged to the Standard Steel Car Company. Their intention was to assemble and sell in the United States a version of the Austin 7 car, called American Austin.
This rare panel delivery variant featured the same 747cc L-head four-cylinder engine producing 15 horsepower as other American Austin models, paired with a three-speed transmission and solid axle suspension. The styling came from renowned designer Alexis de Sakhnoffsky, famous for his work on the Auburn Speedster. Bodies were manufactured by Hayes Body Works in Grand Rapids, Michigan, then shipped to Butler, Pennsylvania for final assembly. American Austin was created to sell licensed versions of the Austin Motor Company’s products in North America. Initially, the company saw some success, but the Great Depression saw very low sales, and in 1935, American Austin was restructured and renamed American Bantam.
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