Re: Brit.car.directory
>This is the first part of a series of articles I shall be posting, which
>lists most of the British cars produced.
The following data is from my 1964 copy of "the Observers Book of
Automobiles", L A Manwaring, ed., Fredericke & Warne & Co Ltd, London & New
York. These litt
le annuals were kind of a mini-Jane's. They might be most useful in your
endeavor [for which you are to be congratulated], assuming that you could
ever find old copies.
Austin A-40 Mk II; was
made at least through '64; saloon; 2 door; 4 seats; 1098 cc I4; 48 HP; 1525
pounds.
In 1964 the A-40 was a front engine rear, wheel drive sedan utilizing the BMC
A Series components. Same engine & running gear as sprigits & Moris Minor
1000. They were replaced by the mini derived front wheel drive line.
The first car I ever owned was a 1951 (I think) Austin A-40,
Austin-of-England engined 4 door, sun roof, BRG, with some of the worst
steering ever put on a car -it would freeze as you approached full lock.
Parking was tough, but on the other hand you could let the car run around in
circles by itself in the parking lot while you ran into the store. The
fifties had very traditional British styling (or lack the
reof) as opposed to the Italianesque style by the 60's.
The amazing thing was the number of years that the A-40 name designation held
constant while the car itself changed radically. By 1964 the A-40 was pure
BMC as opposed to a development of the Austin A-40 chassis. For the MMM, on
the other hand, they stuck the BMC A gear into the traditional Morris
unibody. The A-40 was more modern looking th
an MMM but didn't handle as well.
>RE: austin america...use so many mini parts...tool for re-pressurizing the
>hydrolastic suspension...contact your local mini club to find out
>who has a simil
ar tool
Mini's never had a hydrolastic suspension, did they? I thought mini's were
just rubber and Magnettes & Austin 1000's, etc. had Hydro.
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