Austin A50

[scruff]

Inspired by Col's thread I thought I would share a terrible picture of my grandad's Austin.

 

 

It's an A50 Cambridge with a bit of an interesting past, according to the BMIHT at Gaydon it was shopped out of Longbridge as a CKD kit on 7th April 1955 bound for South Africa! Somehow it made it to Northern Ireland and eventually to England.

 

My grandad bought it at a steam rally autojumble in the summer of 1992, I can remember being very excited and we picked it up from Maidstone with a cattle trailer - it just fitted inside.

 

It had no engine and the arse end had been repaired and primed, all the lights and bumper were missing but otherwise the shell was dead sound and the paint all original.

 

Over the next few years the parts were sourced, all from autojumbles. The engine came from the famous Blackborough House and was in a A60 van which was test driven before grandad was presented with an engine crane and left to get it out. The paint was matched and the arse end sprayed and fitted up. Grandad finished his 'new shed' in '97 and the Austin was pushed in there and there it has sat, between his vintage caravan and a Fergie tractor - hence the shite picture! We did have ideas of getting it done for my school prom and I can remember helping bleed the brakes for an MoT that never happened - that was in 1999.

 

Fast forward to 2013; two tractor rebuilds, one Aveling road roller, a few trailer restorations later and the Austin is now running and has moved back and forth 2 feet. A dig in car revealed the NI number plates which had been tucked under the seat and not been noticed for the previous 21 years. I'm currently going through the process of registering it and, hopefully, it'll be out on the road by Drive It Day. Don't hold your breath for more pics I'm afraid; he is in Sussex, I'm 160 miles away and I doubt he'll be keen on wheeling it out in the wet and cold

 

 

[Angrydicky]

Look forward to following this one! Looks to be Tintern Green from the photo as well, a rare colour on the A50.

 

When you do get it back on the road, make sure you rustproof it well as these cars rot for fun

[dollywobbler]

Great. Reminds me of my A90 Westie. They're very charming these pre-Farinas.

[scruff]

I managed to drive one a couple of years back and loved it, as you say a charming car. Loved the column change and the smell of the interior.