Paulc wrote:
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!
The MM was supposed to go in 1957. Instead its replacement, the Wolseley 1500, competed with it...
A40 Farina should have gone too, or not even have been launched in the first place as it directly competed with the A35 for two years.
Front wheel drive was the future so perhaps Austin should have made a van based on the 1100/1300 countryman...
Club Technical Information Officer
A30/A35 Club Member A191 (since 1972)
In 1967 BMC turned it's attention to building an 1100 van, however, they only managed to commission 50. These vans were used by dealers and service stations to ship parts. The self levelling suspension would have made the van a viable proposition and could have been a popular commercial.
Neil Evans wrote:Export only for a guess, like the A40 Farina van that was a 'special' built for Finland and Portugal...
i believe the rest of the interior & rear side windows were sent out separately to join up with the 'vans' once they had arrived in Finland or Portugal
Nick Bayliss
Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact
According to Barney Sharratt's, 'Post War Baby Austins' they were fully trimmed Countryman models and had "six little spot welds holding the panels in"...
Club Technical Information Officer
A30/A35 Club Member A191 (since 1972)
Neil Evans wrote:According to Barney Sharratt's, 'Post War Baby Austins' they were fully trimmed Countryman models and had "six little spot welds holding the panels in"...
not sure about that 100%
Nick Bayliss
Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact
There's a photo of one in PWBA and you need to remember too that Barney's works were greatly assisted by access to the production records held at Gaydon, which show such stuff like this in the 'optional extras' column....
Club Technical Information Officer
A30/A35 Club Member A191 (since 1972)