A30 bodied A35 van

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utp79
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A30 bodied A35 van

Post by utp79 »

hello all

I recently spotted an 1963 (A reg) registered A35 van that appeared to have an A30 body on it. Am I seeing things? The vehicle was fitted with trafficators (no indicators on the front wings) and the pressed door panels as you would see on a A30. The van was in beautiful condition, I was wondering whether this a one off or something that Austin produced themselves? It had an owners club sticker in the window.
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by gazza82 »

AV5 (A35 van 56-62) had trafficators .. perhaps re-registered?

http://www.austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk/Vehicles.aspx
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Cars: "Project 757" '59 A35 2-door bought in 1971 & Subaru BRZ SE LUX Auto plus "family fleet": Alfa MiTo, Peugeot 206, (Ex '98 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TS)
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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

gazza82 wrote:AV5 (A35 van 56-62) had trafficators .. perhaps re-registered?

http://www.austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk/Vehicles.aspx
AV5's also had impressed doors, very good chance it's re-registered, DVLA did this in their wisdom in the early 80's of any pre year letter numbers if they were sold :thumbs:
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utp79
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by utp79 »

Thank you for the replies, very helpful. I guess it might a very late registered example or as you say re-registered. For some reason I always thought the A35 van wasn't fitted with trafficators.
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

utp79 wrote:Thank you for the replies, very helpful. I guess it might a very late registered example or as you say re-registered. For some reason I always thought the A35 van wasn't fitted with trafficators.
my gut feeling it has had it's original registration sold in the 80's :thumbs:
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

A30/A35 Member A1372 (since 1981)
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Neil Evans
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

I've never understood why the Van and Countryman models continued with trafficators until february 1962 when the saloon and pick up had flashers from october 1956. It can't have been down to penny pinching economy as surely a pair of trafficators would cost more than four lamps, plinths, a flash can and the ability to use a 'one size fits all' wiring loom...
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Paulc »

I agree Neil and of course the MMs had trafficators until 1962. It would have been a lot simpler to change the brake set up to the A40 farina too, standardise the parts. As we know the brakes were the same for the 28bhp AS3 803cc and the 1098 van. My degree in hindsight hangs on the wall.
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Big Daddy »

Did BMC ever get the hang of cost effectiveness and profit making :?: ... :whistle:
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ian24ian
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by ian24ian »

regarding trafficators, It would be a expensive and time consuming job to modify the Press dies, considering, the van was being superseded by the Mini Van, the re-badged Austin 1000 minor, and the A60 van too, How many light Vans did BMC need ?
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

ian24ian wrote:It would be a expensive and time consuming job to modify the Press dies, considering, the van was being superseded ?
But they did it eventually, all AV6 and AV8 models having flashers. I believe it was forced on them by legislation though rather than market forces...
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Hoppend »

Maybe they ordered a lot of indicators from lucas pre 1956 and had to find some way to get rid of them and slowly switch to flashers... ;-)
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Big Daddy
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Big Daddy »

With BMC, anything was possible... :roll:
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SteveClem
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by SteveClem »

..and happened!
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Paulc »

regarding trafficators, It would be a expensive and time consuming job to modify the Press dies.
For the 4 door A35 they stuck a crude plate over the trafficator hole!

My view is that in 1962 someone brave should have chopped the A35 van and MM range and produced a proper A40 van (long wheelbase version)? The A40 Cambridge van soldiered on until 1973 in a body shape that was last used in a saloon in 1958.

Gary, perhaps these BMC thoughts need their own page, think we have hijacked a thread!
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Big Daddy »

Paulc wrote:Gary, perhaps these BMC thoughts need their own page, think we have hijacked a thread!
Could add them to my Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation thread... :whistle:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10465
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