History of the Austin Eight Register

The history of the Austin Eight Register started by Ian Pinniger in 1974 when he bought his first Austin Eight Saloon. Ian just was wondering how many Austin Eight's were still in existence. In 1993 Ian published a book "The Austin Eight". This book contained the Austin Eights found till then. New unread copies of this book were available via the Austin Eight Register. But are sold out now.
Autumn 2012 I bought Ian Pinniger's 1939 Austin Eight Tourer, called DOT and from then I also took over the complete Austin Eight Register, including all Austin Eight historical documents and automobilia.

I am very grateful to Ian who has given me the thrust in building further what he has started. Also I am grateful to all Austin Eight owners and enthusiasts assisting me to build the register further. I will continue what Ian Pinniger started in 1974.

Funny thing is that my interest in The Austin Eight started exactly the same as Ian's in 1974. After I bought our first 1939 Austin Eight two door four light saloon, called "Aussie" in 2010, I had difficulties to find spares and was interested in how many Austin Eight's were still in existence, because so less information was available. After I had obtained a copy of Ian's book: "The Austin Eight" I have searched for Ian and found him living in Jersey.

 Hermann Egges and Ian Pinniger

After some contacts with him during a few months on a distance only, we seemed to have a "click" and Ian proposed me to take over The Austin Eight register together with his lovely 1939 Austin Eight Tourer.

This was the starting point for me to build the Austin Eight Register further. Ian handed over to me the Austin Eight Register containing about 225 registered cars. Now the register has already grown over 750 registered cars. I have to say that the job for me is much easier because of nowadays Internet and E-mail systems, which were not available during the time Ian started to build the register.

I hope the register will grow in future and hope I am able to assist all Eight owners with history about their particular cars and hope Eight owners will share the details and history of their cars. In the last years I have brought previous owners in contact with current owners, which brought not known history back to the cars and their new owners. In some cases the previous owners were even able to drive the cars they ones owned. This makes building this register so enjoyable to have contacts with Austin Eight enthusiasts all over the globe

I have to thank my wife Tineke and my sons Tim and Hugo, for putting up all hours spent building the registers and giving me the opportunity to enjoy our Austin Eights with all our family. I hope it will bring them good memories in the future to come.

Hermann Egges, Chairman - Registrar Austin Eight Register

Since January 2013, I am building and up-dating the Austin Eight register further. If you would like to receive specific details about the register, or about a specific car, please feel free to contact me via austineightregister@gmail.com

May be I am able to assist you finding, the Austin Eight you ones owned, history about your Eight or finding other persons with an Eight in your area.

In case you own an Austin Eight please assist me in building the register further by sending me the details of your car.

You can register your car here.

After sending your detailed information about your Eight, I will check if your Eight is in the register and of course I will send you the history of your car as known in the register.

After receipt of your filled in register form, you will receive a register document in return. I look forward to be of your assistance.

Hermann Egges, Chairman - Registrar Austin Eight Register

Hermann Egges

To start the register off I used a letter typed in the office. photocopied, together with an Austin Ten drivers club members list to locate those Austin Eight owners. (I was a member) I thought there were only about 30 Austin Eights in existence. Having sent the letters off, Tony Phillips-Smith telephoned one Sunday afternoon, introduced himself, stating that he owned more Eights than anyone else, 3 at that time, and put a bet on with me that there were about 90 in existence. We were both wrong!
Tony has been very supportive, and has drawn Austin Eight Christmas cards for the Austin Eight Register several years, so many thanks to you Tony and his wife Jane.

Before the register could be put together, I needed a computer program set up to keep all the file records. I am certain that I could not have accomplished anything without the help and patience of Steward Hill, a computer expert. Not only did Steward set up the program, but helped me through this early stages when I knew absolutely nothing about computers. Now I am quite comfortable with the lap-top Steward recommended.

Ian Pinneger with two Austin Eights he owned 1993

Austin 8 gathering at the Beaulieu car jumble 1993

The last few years I have seen the register grow and develop into quite a club. As I write I have just ordered our Austin Eight register car badge. I have made many contacts and met almost all owners in the United Kingdom and quite a few that live overseas. As I write 210 records are maintained and I have build a world wide network of Austin Eight owners. It has given me considerable satisfaction seeing follow owners getting in contact with each other, exchanging parts and advice and being able to resolve their problems. To my mind that's Austineering.
I must thank Tim Braby in Australia for his support and the loan of the Wasp photographs. Two other owners that I particularly thank are Idris Hassan, from Malaysia, for his superb photographs, several make up the colour plates and Dr. Tito Cabral de Noronha, from Portugal, for the Photographs that I have used for the cover of the book.

In the UK and Jersey we owe a depth of gratitude to John Buckley who has been so kind and helpful. I also bought DOT my military tourer from him. Barry de la Mare who let me have some Austin articles. Also Roy Walker for thrusting me with his rare magazines. Derek Hammond who is now manufacturing parts. And really it is all to you recorded in the register that I must thank for participating, allowing me for both record your cars and the fascinating history associated with each and every one.

I also acknowledge with grateful thanks to the publishers, who have allowed me to compile and use articles for this book.
Last of all, but not least, I must thank my wife, Jill and my three daughters Joan, Anne and Rachel for putting up with the long hours spent building the register I hope those who obtain a copy of "The Austin Eight" enjoy what it has to offer".

Ian Pinniger, March 1993

1939 DOT before restoration 1994 

Image of Derek Hammond (R) and his brother Norman (L)

Derek Hammond
During several contacts with Austin Eight owners, one name comes to the front over and over again. Derek Hammond was mentioned to be Mr. Austin Eight. Derek re-manufactured parts for Eight's to assist owners to rebuild their cars. From al I hear Derek was a very well respected person. He was offering his spares for example at the Beaulieu auto jumble. Unfortunately Derek past away and I was unfortunately not in the position to meet him personally.

This is why I have decided just to mention his name related to the Austin Eight Register. Derek Hammond and Ian Pinniger were close friends as well and Derek and Ian were the Austin Eight Register in the early days.

Here is an image of Derek Hammond and his brother Norman in his Austin Eight spares stand during one of the Beaulieu auto jumbles. Derek is the chap without glasses.

The parts were sold to the ACCC by Derek's wife, some time after Derek past away. From what is left of these, Austin Eight's are still provided with parts from good old Derek through the ACCC.

The last parts are now sold and available through "Austins of Old Arley"

An article was found in Practical Classics, May 1989, where Derek mentioned to get very upset, not to find the poor little Austin Eight in the older car price guide. This is an expression how much he loved the little Austin Eight’s, for which he is asking himself why they are such a forgotten breed. Below is what he further wrote to the magazine:

"I am the owner of an Austin 8AP tourer which I have restored myself from a real mess which I towed home with all the bits and pieces stowed in the back. The comment of my wife was: "- What the hell is that thing ? You have passed two scrapyards to get it here!-" That was in 1975. I spend six years of part-time labor getting the vehicle back into its present condition and it was back on the road in 1982.

I have had a lot of fun with it since and won a few "pots" etc. plus a great deal of interest from people of my age who remember the war years."

This car is still known in the register and now in ownership of the family owning the car even before Derek Hammond. It is restored for the third time in it's lifetime.

Derek Hammond's 1939 Austin 8 tourer