Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[prefect01]

Hi all i have been offered an Austin A70 Hampshire from a family friend its been in a shed since 1960 its black runs and drives body is ok need paint and a clean up it has a factory sunroof which is a big thick chunk of roof that you take off and put somewhere in the car and most of the big ticket items for its day i was reading a british car mag from 1993 ?? they said there are only 30 known to be left worldwide is this true ??? plus should i check any where for problems with the car as im a ford anglia and prefect owner i know nothing about austin's the car is only $800 AUD which is very cheap and i have seen the car in the flesh
the car looks like that >>

[47Jag]

Hi,

The only problem I'm aware of on the A70s is that they 'eat' 1st. gears. I don't recognise the sunroof that you described. I would have thougt it should be a slider.

Art

[prefect01]

Ok thanks for that sunroof is a lock in type its hard to tell how its setup without photos and being in Australia maybe its a custum thing for our cars i have no idea

[prefect01]

Hope to have the car home soon it will drive its very dusty been in a shed for a long time will upload photos asap plus im looking to buy an Austin A40 Devon pickup will upload a pic


Ps what standard of the day power mods can i do to both the A70 and A40 to make them keep up with today world??? keep the bodys standard just boost the HP a little with bolt on mods

[47Jag]

[Jim.Walker]

I never heard of a first gear problem. In fact it is hardly necessary to use it in an A70.
The engine was one of the most robust and long lasting engines of its era and the same engines in the fleet of nine FL1 hire cars we had would wind the speedo needles hard up against the stop on the 80 mph speedos. And they were really London Cabs with slightly modified bodies. MUCH heavier than an A70.
I would leave the engine as is bearing in mind its excellent reputation.
The only questionable feature was that the timing chain was tensioned by rubber rings between the camshaft gear teeth and tended to soon rattle when the rubber went hard. In fact I had one break on me, finding its way out by splitting the cover. Though it did no other damage.
The claimed history of that engine is that it was designed to be rugged enough to power a British "Jeep". But the project was abondoned as the Battle of the Atlantic turned in the Allies favour and US Jeeps could be brought over in quantity.
Jim.
_________________
Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

[welder]

My uncle gave me an an A70 Hampshire when I was 15. JAC 102. Still got the logbook.

I enjoyed it for a while, then I cut it up with an axe.

Sorry.

Ian

[prefect01]

Thanks for that tip Jim.Walker Welder i think we have all done that at some stage not knowing how rare they will be in the years to come and also thank you 47Jag This is the austin A40 pickup im looking at buying body is good its in a very dry hot part of australia

what do you think of it ???

[Rick]

Like the A40 a lot, well worth rescuing (can you post it to me if you lose interest only joking)

RJ
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[prefect01]

Hahaha yea send it by airmail its been sitting there in the middle of a paddock since the 60s looks good too

[Rick]

I prefer the look of these earlier pickups, that had the saloon-style front end rather than the painted grille found on later vans and pickups.

R
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Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
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[prefect01]

Oh ok thats something i didn't know how early do you think this is ??? i have no idea until i can open the hoot as its stuck after all these years out on the open

[Rick]

My '51 (floor change) and '53 (column change) both had painted grilles, so I suspect this one would be about 1950 or early 1951.

The A40 10cwt pickups have heavier-duty 17" rims as opposed to the A40 Devon car's 16" wheels, and as a result the front wings are different, to take the larger diameter wheels into account.

Are the rear wheel spats still with it?

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
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[prefect01]

Ok nice thanks for that info and yes i think there still with the car i never looked but will when i go back

[exbmc]

The 1st 4WD vehicle i drove, was an Austin Gipsy, i was told that was powered by an A70 engine. It was a breakdown truck, didn't pull too well with a load attached, but was surprisingly sprightly on it's own.