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Austin Champ 4x4

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Sherlock

Sherlock

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One of my Flickr contacts recently photographed an Austin Champ up in northern Michigan (Upper Peninsula)

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Just curious if anyone know who owns this rather rare truck... A great find that she made anyway, without even knowing what it is.

I even wonder if the owner has any plans to restore it?

And for those who are clueless, here is a link to the club in England - https://www.austinchamp.com/
 
Thats neat, sorta looks like a Brit version of an early Jeep CJ. When did they start building those?

*Edit* - nevermind, just read the history page on the club website. Looks like it started out just like the US Jeep, as a military vehicle.
 
And my understanding is that most Champ's were for military use only, with few being sold new as civilian versions.

By now of course, many have been de-commissioned from the military and are back in private hands, the ones that survived...
 
I like it... remind me of my old 1964 CJ2 Willys. But almost looks more like the military version. Very cool!
 
I did not read the club info but I know the Champ very well, when I joined the british army they were still in service. They were a remakable vehicle, unfortunately they self destructed. The engfine was a B series design commissioned during the 2nd world war and developed in 4,6 and 8 cyl versions They were used in the Champ 4, ferret 6, Saladin/Saracen/one other cargo Veh 8. All had the same pistons valves etc. The champ also had an interesting transmission it had a transfer box that allowed it to go backwards in all gears, and it had a very good power to weight ratio all of which was to tempting for most young soldiers to ignore. There were so many deaths from flipovers reversing at incredible speeds that the champ was pulled from service. It was incredibly responsive and a lot of fun to drive, The land Rover which superced3d it was boring!
 
I might add that when I was in the army corps (involuntarily) at my high school, we went to the local territorial army base where they had a Champ, and illegally they took us out in it on to Redhill common, a local wild area, to demonstrate proudly that with its four-wheel drive and huge ground clearance, you could go anywhere. Promptly the young man got us stuck! We had to get out and push!

Ken G, 1925 Rover 16/50 (San Francisco)
 
Thanks for those great stories... lemlem & Ken

It's great to hear stuff like that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
@78Z

That E-Bay auction is for a 1962 Austin Gipsy, they aren't that common either, but not quite as rare as a Champ
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thats neat, sorta looks like a Brit version of an early Jeep CJ. When did they start building those?

*Edit* - nevermind, just read the history page on the club website. Looks like it started out just like the US Jeep, as a military vehicle.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interestingly enough, the American Jeep was designed by the American Austin Company and was contracted out to be built by the major american auto makers. What goes around comes around, even in cars...
 
Actually, back in 1950's many companies built 4x4 vehicles similar in concept to the Jeep

Fiat and Alfa Romeo among others, I've personally seen a 1952 Alfa Romeo Matta "Jeep" a couple of years ago in Toronto
 
[ QUOTE ]

Interestingly enough, the American Jeep was designed by the American Austin Company and was contracted out to be built by the major american auto makers. What goes around comes around, even in cars...

[/ QUOTE ]

Not quite. The American Austin Car Company went bankrupt in 1934 and was purchased by Roy Evans who reorganized it, cutting all ties to Austin and renaming it American Bantam Car Company. American Bantam designed the Bantam Reconaissance Coupe (BRC) which won a US Army contract for a 1/4-ton reconaissance vehicle design. Didn't help much because the Army decided American Bantam was too small and awarded the manufacturing contract to Willys-Overland (and later Ford as well). All American Bantam got out of it was a contract to build trailers. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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