I spied this today while driving around in the countryside. (recent surgery won't let me do much else) Nobody was home, and I didn't want to try climbing the fence with a bad wing. Anyone know what it is? I'm thinking small car + big-assed engine = WooHoo!
I am strictly guessing here, but AC built other cars besides the ones Shelby discovered and started putting his modifications to. That grill is shaped very similar to the early AC Cobra. Regardless, its definately foreign and it has some nice lines to it. Might be a real find. Ask the owner about it. Ask Knoppler or what ever his name is that posts the "Wierd weekend car"
Oh, I definitely plan on getting this thing, if they'll part with it. I went by there three times, the last time at 8:00 p.m., and still nobody home. I'll keep at it until I find someone.
Yeah, KoppaK will be able to ID it, he knows what everything is. It is a really neat looking car, I thought Sunbeam too, but not quite. Some kind of Austin sportscar maybe? Definitely European.
My first guess was Abarth. I don't know why, probably a wierd result of all the reading of auto stuff in the last 45+ years. (much of it while in an altered state of mind ) I'd be freaked if that was it. It's just a name that popped into my head. Yeah, I'll bet KoppaK will know.
I think you're right. The grille shape, hood, and the little body lines on the fender sides all look pretty much the same. Good pull! Austin A40, or damned close.
it's an Austin A40 Sports which is not to be confused with the run of the mill Austin A40 models. apparently only 650 of them made it over here. Body by Jensen.
Squirrel found it! I thought The grille looked like the mid '50s Jensen Interceptor, but the headlights were all wrong... Turns out the A40 sports was a smaller version of it. ( Cool... never heard of the A40 Sports... See pic )
I've been reading Austin/Jensen pages since Squirrel found the car......It appears that only 643 were exported to the USA, and they have an ALUMINUM body! It was produced with a twin-carb banger motor.
Aluminum body? Although it may be considered blasphemy here, I would personally go for light weight and keep the sports car aspect (if there was one to begin with). Buick/Rover engine, Lower it maybe two inches, and more responsive suspension/steering. But thats just me.
It does look like rust. If I ever catch someone home, I'll check it out. The Jensen/Austin page I found said the bodies were aluminum. When I get a look at it, I'll look for any identification, etc.
The bodies are aluminium. The rust stains are probably from something that had been laying on the hood. Pretty much sought after Austin. Rare and all that.
sports car??? through a steight axle under it nailhead or rocket powerplant 4 speed skinnys and bigs that just the first thing i thought of when i saw it.. tom
Gotta be an Austin A40. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_A40_Sports http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=81
I agree- A40- look at the little rectangular hood badge right above the grill, they both have it. Also, the tiny marker lights below the headlights are pretty distinctive My guess is it used to be red, that's what appears to be rusty......... I attached a smokin' concept lowered a little with a hardtop that looks like a Porsche speedster softop
My guess is that probably the first A40 Sports were aluminum bodied, then they got cheap and made them out of steel.
I found the owner.........we're going to look at it in the morning.I'll report back what I find out .
Here is a picture of an AC ACE 1958 I don't it's this car the bodies were all the same from 53 through 61 http://www.csxinfo.net/csx2000/acace.htm
I asked the owner over the phone "What kind of car is it?" He said "It's an Austin of England". I'll see it up close in a few hours, but my money's on it being an A40 sports. I'll know for sure by this afternoon.
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