Austin A30 1955

[curtis]

Let me introduce my Austin A30 which I have had for 44 years.
It has a 803cc engine which I rebuilt about 18 years ago.
The car is absolutely standard.
When I bought it the engine sounded rough and I negotiated the price down. The following day I started to see what might be the problem and it was just one spark plug lead that wasn't properly connected. Ten seconds later and the engine ran sweetly! It also had modern flashing indicators which I removed and fitted a pair of semaphore originals.
It is just a family car but I have used it on many competitive rallyes. Of course, it doesn't have much power but with a good navigator with no, or very few, mistakes it has surprised other competitors.
Best was a 6th place in a field of about 60 . That time my navigator was a major in the French Army and he was able to plot the route for the map sections whilst giving me instructions out of the road book. Sadly we only did two events together as he was promoted and didn't have the time spare. The second event saw us on the podium (3rd) but that was in my Ford Escort MKI TwinCam.

 

[NutmegCT]

That is so cool! Engine sure reminds me of my 1957 Morris.

What's the extra "gear shift" coming from the driver side foot space?

EDIT - finally figured it out. It's the gas pedal!

Tom M.

 

[curtis]

And a few competition pictures.

 

[Bristol401]

Mine went to a farm upstate, sadly.

 

[curtis]

Is it being restored ?

 

[billspohn]

We used to have one of those around here but someone had installed a hopped up 1275 in it and front disc brakes. Always wondered how the stock diff made out......

 

[curtis]

The weakness was the half shafts. MG Midget replacements were an improvement.

 

[Bristol401]

Is it being restored ?

Too rusty. Went to the crusher.

 

[Pat MM]

This was mine, but had to sell it, the only car I regret selling… it was an A35, 1965. It only had 25 thousand miles on it.

 

[curtis]

I see it was RHD, how did it find it's way to the USA ?

 

[Pat MM]

The original owner bought it while in England & brought it back to the east coast and drove it to California in the late ‘60s. It sat in a garage in Santa Cruz county for years and I bought it from the daughter and son in law. It still had the British plates, (had never been registered in the USA) original paint and totally flat bias ply tires when I bought it around 1990.

 

[AngliaGT]

The original owner bought it while in England & brought it back to the east coast and drove it to California in the late ‘60s. It sat in a garage in Santa Cruz county for years and I bought it from the daughter and son in law. It still had the British plates, (had never been registered in the USA) original paint and totally flat bias ply tires when I bought it around 1990.

Did some guy named Wallace buy it?
He had a dog named Grommet.

 

[Pat MM]

That’s exactly what has made the vans so sought after! Wensleydale Creamery also has done well with their cheese because of the movies.
There was a van that was also green with a 1275 & Midget front discs for sale locally a couple years ago and he was asking close to $20K and he eventually sold it for something close to that!

 

[waltesefalcon]

I remember hearing or reading once that Wallace and Gromit pretty much saved Wensleydale. My understanding is that they were close to having to shutter the dairy where it is made and when the forst short came out sales skyrocketed.

 

[AngliaGT]

Just how many Were-Rabbits will fit in the back?

 

[equiprx]

I remember hearing or reading once that Wallace and Gromit pretty much saved Wensleydale. My understanding is that they were close to having to shutter the dairy where it is made and when the forst short came out sales skyrocketed.

I loved those W&G shorts, when the movies came out I was not impressed.
WHat ever happened to the guy who made the originals?

 

[waltesefalcon]

I loved those W&G shorts, when the movies came out I was not impressed.
WHat ever happened to the guy who made the originals?

Nick Park, he's the guy who still makes them.