Lot Ended
Description
Fully prepped for Historic racing and Hill Climb use; 120bhp race
engine; uprated brakes and suspension; lightweight body; let's go
racing!
As the Heritage
Certificate confirms, this Austin A40 Farina MkI was built in September 1961
finished in Horizon Blue with a matching Horizon Blue interior and was supplied
new via BMC agent Charles Clark of Wolverhampton. The first owner was a Mrs C
Reynolds of Cannock who was to keep the car right up until 2014 and it has had
just four more owners since, our vendor acquiring the car in June 2017.
At this point the car had already had some
competition mods by a previous owner, who had owned the car from 2014 – 2017 and
is well-known to Brightwells as an inveterate builder of fast-road specials
and competition cars.
Our vendor had bigger
plans for this A40 and really went to town on it during 2017/18 as detailed by
many dozens of invoices on file. This included fitting new floors and
inner/outer sills and lightweight GRP bonnet, boot and door skins, along with
4mm perspex side and rear windows (the front wings are steel). The finished
shell was painted in its current Ocean Blue with black roof, an early A40 colour
scheme.
Other features include: full FIA 6-point
roll cage; Sparco FIA bucket seats with TRS FIA race harnesses; plumbed-in SPA
fire extinguisher; inboard brake and fuel lines; RaceTech rev counter, oil and
temperature gauges; internal and external battery cut-off switches; Mountney
Classic steering wheel; aluminium foam-filled fuel tank.
The engine is a full race 1,330cc unit with 1300 block; 649 cam;
12G940 11-stud Cooper S/Sprite MkIV cylinder head; baffled sump; Weber
45DCOE carb; Aldon Flame Thrower electronic ignition; lightweight alternator;
gear-reduced starter motor; Autosparks wiring loom; Powerlite lightweight
lithium battery; MX5 aluminium radiator; aluminium catch tank; electric fuel
pump; A40 competition Maniflow exhaust manifold and bespoke exhaust system which
complies with noise limits at all circuits.
The
gearbox is an SC/CR Spridget unit which drives through a Salisbury-type limited
slip diff, both rebuilt by Hardy Engineering, plus Peter May competition
half-shafts.
The suspension features HRDC spec shortened front coil
springs; MotoBuild 3-leaf lowered rear springs; Spridget bottom wishbones; Rae
Davis polybushed rear A-frame; MGB front anti-roll bar; Peter May uprated lever
shocks front and rear plus Peter May negative camber trunnions.
Brakes are Spridget discs and calipers with Hawk
pads, Cooper S master cylinder and Aeroquip hoses. The car rides on a set of 13”
Minilite-style 5.5” alloys shod with a matching set of Avon Turbospeed CR28
185/60/13 tyres.
Rolling road tuned by Aldon
Automotive in March 2021, the dyno sheet shows 120bhp at 6,410rpm and 107 lb/ft
at 5,410rpm with 89.8mph at 6,470rpm.
The vendor
states: “This car has been built to a very high standard with no expense spared.
It is an easy car to race with predictable handling, ideal for both novice or
experienced racers alike. The car is eligible, depending on technical rules, for
many Historic races, notably the CSCC Series, and for Speed Hill Climb events.
There are a number of spares for the car which I would be prepared to pass on to
the new owner should it reach the reserve figure required” – see list below
(parts will need to be collected from the Pontypool area):
1.
Mould for fibreglass bonnet. ex
Honeybourne Mouldings
2.
Crown wheel & Pinion 3.9 ratio. To be
fitted into carrier.
3.
Rear diff assembly 4.5
ratio.
4.
Uprated, 100%, front shock absorbers,
pair, unused, Peter May Engineering.
5.
2x Alloy Minilite replica 5.5" wheels
fitted with Avon Turbo Speed tyres, unused. (same as currently fitted on
car)
6.
2 x litres racing oil, castor
based.
7.
Rear Axle, blasted, bare and ready to
paint.
8.
BMC factory workshop manual . A40 Mk1
& Mk 2.
9.
BMC Factory lower rear boot lid
mounting panel (genuine); believed unused.
10. BMC Factory rear window surround panel (genuine);
unused.
11. 1 x pair competition front springs unused, 7.5" length; rate
unknown.
12. 1 x pair competition front springs unused 8.5" length; rate
unknown.
13. An outdoor waterproof car cover, tailored for A40. No rips or
tears complete with securing straps underneath.
14. New laminated windscreen; requires fitting.
As you can see in the photos, this A40 is in sparkling
condition throughout and has been starting promptly and running well on site
(see video). Fully road legal, it has only competed in two hill climbs at
Shelsley Walsh, one sprint race at Castle Combe and one track day
at Mallory Park since it was built.
On offer here for
substantially less than it cost to build, it will appeal to both novice and
experienced racers alike, so if you have ever fancied a bit of Historic
motorsport action, this is an opportunity not to be missed.
Consigned
by James Dennison – 07970 309907 –
james.dennison@brightwells.com