Pre production

The 7 Sport is an evolution of the 7B and has many characteristics of the later 7C and 11AL. It has a 11CV 1911cc engine as found in the 11A and 11AL. The car was named 7 Sport (7S) because all promotion of that time was aimed at the 7 but it should have been called 11AL.
The car with serial number 20 000 and engine number 001217 is presented for type approval which is granted on May 29th 1934.

 

Production

The 7S appears in June 1934, just after the 7B.

 

Serial numbers
The serial numbers ranging from 020 001 to 021 500 indicate 1500 cars being built. In reality the number of cars were built is thought to be considerably lower.

 

Engine numbers
Engine numbers for the 7S start with a D and have green and white engine plates.

 

Mechanical

• Front axle:
  The front axle is largely identical to the 7B. The wheels are five stud items, and the drums are 10" just like on the 7A and 7B.

• Steering:
  The steering is the early Gremmer type, largely identical to the 7B

• Engine:
  78x100mm, 1911cc, 46 hp @ 3800 rpm, topspeed 110 km/h. The 7S engine feature the flat back water pump as found on the 7A and 7B, at least according to the parts manual. The 7S is equipped with an automatic choke, which is activated by a temperature sensor on the exhaust manifold as well as 78x100 on the cylinderhead between the second and third sparkplug. All 7Ss have a horizontal carburettor (Solex 30 THD). The engines have their date of manufacture cast into the block below the exhaust manifold.

• Engine mounts:
  The 7S is the first car to get the Pausodyne engine suspension system. Even the later introduced 11A is first fitted with the old Moteur Flottant system.

• Gearbox:
  The gearbox is identical in construction to those found on the 7A and 7B with one selector shaft housing, visible on the front of the gearbox cover. On later cars you can see two of these housings. The gearbox doesn't feature the mount for the floating radiator as on the 7A and 7B. The bottom bearing housing on the front only has 4 bolts.

• Rear axle:
  The rear axle is round with twin locating bars. The 7S featureslever arm shockabsorbers. Rear brake drums are 10" on all 7S's and they are secured in the same way as the front drums.

• Exhaust:
  The exhaust passes through the right-hand-side jambonneau.

• Fuel tank:
  The fuel tank has a 45 liter capacity and has 2 filler openings, one on either side of the spare wheel.

 

Exterior

• Bumpers:
  The bumpers are curved, the same as on all Traction Avants until 1952 with the difference that the 7S doesn't have overriders (just like other 1934 Traction Avants).

• Horns:
  The 7S has it's horns on the front bumpers.

• Grille:
  The 7S has the chevrons behind the grille just like on all 1934 cars. The grille is made from copper. On some cars the bars and grille surround are seperate pieces.

• Front wings:
  The front wings are identical to those found on the 7B.
  Width is 68 cm (measured along the headlight support).
  Height is 29,5 cm (measured from the headlight support down).

• Headlights:
  The headlights are 200mm in diameter, chromed, and have flat glass. The headlight supports are completely closed.

• Bonnet:
  The 7S has all the shutter handles on the rear of the shutters. All shutters open at the rear.

• Windscreen surround:
  All 1934 cars have a chromed steel windscreen surround.

• Wheels:
  All 7S has 5 stud wheels allround. Hubcaps are secured without the center bolt by pressing them into a ring on the wheel, Wheel sizes are 150x40.

• Body:
  The 7S has ventilated sills with the exhaust going through the right jambonnau, twin air inlets below the windscreen, no bootlid, flat floor without reinforcement dents and no raingutters. All 7S's have steel roofs.

• Doors:
  The doors are different from those found on later cars in that they don't have the trim strip and the rubber knobs are mounted in the doors, while on later cars these rubbers are mounted in the body.

• Rear wings:
  The rear wings are identical to those found on the 7B.

• Rear lights:
  There are 2 round rear lights located in the rear wings, 290mm height from the rear tip. The lights have a chromed edge and flat red glass with a small "lump" in the center.

• License plate holder:
  The illuminated license plate holder is in the middle above the rear bumper, either mounted on the bumper or on the body. The license plate is lit by painting the digit negatives on transparent plastic, with two lights behind the plastic in the holder.

• Spare wheel cover:
  The spare wheel cover is made up by several pieces. One piece is put on the body, after which the wheel is placed on the body and secured. Then the outer piece is put on the wheel. A chromed steel ring with a spring in it keeps the 2 pieces together. The hubcap is put on last securing the cover to the wheel.

 

Interior

• Floor:
  The floor is flat without reinforcement dents.

• Dashboard:
  The dashboard has a central placed combined speedometer (130 kmh), oil pressure meter, fuel gauge (45 liter), amp meter and clock with white digits on black background and white meter hands. It also has 2 glove compartments. The lights are operated by a switch to the right of the speedometer and a ring on the steering wheel. The horns are operated by a knob in the centre of the steering wheel. The gear selector surround has arabic digits and is the same shape and size as the light switch surround.

• Front seat:
  The 7S has seperate front seats. Upholstery is identical to that of the 7B.

• Rear seat:
  The rear bench is upholstered the same way as the front one. Because these cars don't have a boot lid, the rear back rest can be opened, hinging at the top and secured with 2 leather straps.

• Door panels:
  The door panels are from the same material as the benches and have a curve stitched into them, filled with wood. The front doors have a small pocket for roadmaps.

 

In November 1934 the 7S is replaced by the 11AL.