Like many car enthusiasts I have an automotive bucket list and near the top is building a custom car of my own. If you have read some of my COAL series then it’s clear that my taste is sometimes towards the offbeat and unusual. So, I am unlikely to build a ’32 coupe with a Chevy 350, but something a little more unique, cheaper … that’s a little more me. I like British cars, I like engine swaps; add in some semi-radical body work. So why not? The idea is to keep the budget super low in case the project fails from over-ambition.
This is going to be a longer term project as dictated by the sheer amount of work involved. I started in 2021 but I wanted to make sure it at least had some chance of success before sharing. So we have a little catching up to do. For the base car I knew I wanted an Austin A40 Somerset. I have actually written and been tempted by them in the past. It had to be one that was not completely gone rust- wise but also one that was likely to be beyond reasonable economic stock restoration. The A40 Somersets are less common than the earlier Devon due to being only sold for two years from 1952 to 1954 and so finding a suitable example was a bit of a waiting game. I had been following this one for sale online for many months as it was a good distance away and the asking price was too high in my opinion.
Out of the blue they lowered their price, so I contacted the seller and received only a handful of postage stamp sized photos before committing to buy it. Usually random parts sitting in the trunk is a bad sign, but I could overlook it given the plan of the mechanical update I had envisioned. I later found out they were selling the property it was sitting on and the wife was reluctantly open to letting it go for that reason, which makes the sudden rational price drop make sense.
Have you heard of Dog Pound, Alberta? Me neither, but that is where we are going to collect it from. Fun name though. Unfortunately, it was a five or so hour drive to go collect it. We used my eldest son’s high mileage 1999 Chevrolet 1500 pickup and a borrowed trailer.
Dog Pound is not a big place. In fact its population is not even listed and appeared to be collection of rural properties so it is not well sign-posted. We got a bit lost and turned around thanks to Google Map’s habit of guessing when it does not know a rural address. I really wish it would say “I don’t know” rather than silently substituting something it feels is close. We ended up about 40kms too far west on some less than ideal roads for our two wheel drive truck before the owner got us pointed in the right direction.
After I first laid eyes on the car in person, I was relieved. Don’t get me wrong, it was in horrible condition but it appeared to be very solid body wise with no real visible rust. The hard to source windshield and rear glass were intact but it was missing two of the side windows. There were a few dents likely from sitting around in a field for a few decades. I think the original colour might have been the light green but the red showing through is primer. Amazingly good primer. The interior was disgusting and toast but I had expected that.
The seller let us know that the frame was no longer bolted to the body! He had planned to swap it onto a Suzuki Sidekick frame. The larger physical size of the front suspension on the Suzuki had stopped him before getting too far. The wheels seemed a little (a lot) reluctant to move as well as the seller claimed the engine was seized and he’d cut the gear linkage so it could have been in gear. The linkage at the gearbox was not easily accessible. The problem of not being attached to itself for loading was solved by using his front end loader. Strapping it down to the trailer was made a little more interesting as I had to secure both the body and frame. I am not going to post any photos of it but I was shocked that I did not get pulled over as it would have appeared from a glance that I had poorly secured the load and had just tossed some straps over the body. I did not have anything similar to a loader at the other end but that was now a problem for later.
As usual I planned to drive home in the day light but ended up finishing in the dark. There were many stops to re-check and adjust straps.
The unloading from the trailer to the garage took several hours with many sketchy moments. In addition to the body not being connected to the frame and the wheels not wanting to roll we discovered it did not have any steering as the seller had cut the steering shaft in the engine compartment. The thick shaft is for steering while the thinner one goes to the column mounted shifter for the four speed transmission.
At various points we used the Mustang as a mobile anchor point along with jacks and wheel castors. A big thank you to my friend Rod first for lending me his trailer and then helping me unload it. I really should buy slightly better condition vehicles but this one suits my purpose very well.
So what comes next? Well, in the next installment we will assess what we have in this shell. Then we will start in on the body transformation, which is the most obvious visual piece of this project. I created a few illustrations starting with the four door sedan and three possible directions to go. Feel free to speculate in the comments below.
Project Austin Special Series:
Project Austin ‘Special’: Acquisition of a 1952 Austin A40 Somerset
Project Austin ‘Special’: Assessment of the Car
Project Austin ‘Special’: Four Becomes Two
Project Austin ‘Special’: Planned Mechanical Upgrades
Project Austin ‘Special’: Rear Suspension Upgrade
Related CC posts:
CC Capsule: 1953 Austin A40 Somerset – The Mouse That Squeaked, by Tatra87
Curbside Classic: 1951 Austin A40 Devon – The Best-Selling Import Of Its Time, by Paul Niedermeyer
Curbside Classic: Austin A40 Somerset – Short, Chubby and Irresistible, by David Saunders
I like the small pickup idea; an Austin version of a Minor Traveller would also be cool, although I personally don’t enjoy woodworking. I can’t wait to see what you’ll do on the mechanical side.
Growing up an older friend bought an Austin Devon that someone had swapped in Volvo 122 running gear. That car just flew but cornering was scary…they were never meant to go that fast!
The suspension and brakes are definitely getting an upgrade as well. Nothing crazy but definitely an upgrade in capability at least a couple decades worth.
I’m half way between yikes and wow on this one. I have a slight soft spot for the A40 as well, when I lived in the small town of Blenheim Ontario in the early 90’s there was one of these sitting in a yard. I recall it as being in reasonable shape, but it’s probably been gone for decades now.
I like the woody wagon idea, but sounds like a heap of work and recouping your dollars and hours would be an issue. If I was you I’d have kept the Studebaker 😉 , but failing that I’d be more about just making it into a vehicle that runs and drives. Mid engine with Honda Fit components sounds about right.
Austin Sommersault, the chassis is boxed already so pretty much anything can be used to power it, I prefer the larger A70 version with 2.2 litre engine and in utility guise they are getting thin on the ground in any form now though, good find and keep us updated on progress.
Yes, the chassis will be retained as its a very strong given the modest power. People have done V8 powered monster with the stock chassis. I do not believe that Canada did not received the larger A70. I think the US got the Devon/Dorset but not the Somerset.
That’s a cute little bugger. I like the ute idea. I know zilch about bodywork or fabricating, but on the surface that looks like the least arduous approach to modifications. Less interior work, fewer complexities, and the finished product would be more versatile, I suppose.
Make it relatively easy on yourself. Keep the 4-door sedan, swap in an MGB or rwd Datsun engine and 4/5-speed floor shift transmission, don’t let project creep run away from the goal of a drivable car.
Absolutely understand. That said the bodywork has been mostly done now. The mechanical side will be keep reasonably straightforward.
Wow, you are quite ambitious but I think you’ll get it done based on all of the other stuff you’ve done. This’ll be impressive to watch.
At first I was wondering if this was the same red A40 I found a few years back up in Canada, albeit a couple of provinces away! I mean, how many red ones could still be floating around? But apparently there are more than I imagined (I didn’t imagine two)…
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/roadtrip-outtake-red-means-stop/
With our taste of the authentic Canadian winter experience currently going on down here in the lower 48, what’s always most shocking is how your wife seems to grant you full use of the garage without accommodation for her car.
The red is the primer. It would have been a light green originally. They are not common but there are a few about.
Your find is the earlier Devon which is a little easier to find. They are much the same car mechanically with 2hp less and mechanical brakes on the rear.
My wife has not been able to park in the garage for years but I get little input on the inside of the house. 🙂
The Estate car or Ute are nice ideas. How about building the Ute, then fob up a removable roof section that mics the estate car lines. Yeah, That is project creep for certain. Hey, In for a penny, in for a pound.
Like others here, I find the ” woodie ” and the pickup the most interesting, but I would also be inclined to just upgrade the mechanicals and fix the interior and exterior as needed. That means my finished project would be a sleeper of sorts. ( I had this done to a 1969 VW, once. A beetle that ran like a Porsche and looked like a refugee from a junkyard. )
Given the body work I have done its going to need painted but my aim is look more like a well preserved original car rather than perfect restoration or a hot rod with a million dollar candy apple paint job.
I’m partial to the woody wagon concept, but there are probably not that many places to surf where you are located in Canada. 😉
That said, you may just want to stay with its original form as a four door sedan.
I suppose this one will be too costly for the next GBC, eh?
Best of luck with the project and please keep us posted, David!
The base car fits in the GBC budget but getting it roadworthy will most certainly burst that. Might be ready for GBC 2023 but unlikely for this year.
David – With my US central and mountain time zone background, I am sure I’ve never seen a real, 1:1 Somerset. But I recognized it immediately because of the light blue Dinky Toy (# 161) Somerset that has lived with me for decades.
Your ambition is admired.
I’ll go off script with the chop-top. Although it would be a bugger of a job, it would change the whole demeanor of the Somerset — which would go “Step Down”. You could even name the car, “Mr. H” after the postwar Hudson and the character who planned to do “10 summerets” in The Beatles’, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.”
Oh man, I had been waiting for updates on the Studebaker, but I guess that chapter has closed?
Oh well, this one definitely pegs the meter on interesting. I look forward to watching the progress.
The Studebaker was a little more rusty than I would have liked and something was quite wrong with the automatic transmission. The interior had a really low rent makeover (AstroTurf for carpet, sloppy spray paint). I don’t like know who or have the desire to deal with automatics. I know that excuse makes no sense given this way larger project but hey.
“Studebaker was a little more rusty than I would have liked”
Wow, a rusty Studebaker in Canada – I’m laughing at this.
Yeah, on these cars I would really want the 3 speed/OD setup, that was actually quite common. That BW automatic was relatively simple but might not be the most all-around satisfying with its 2nd gear start. So I understand completely – you are the one who has to deal with it, and if the thrill is gone, there’s no sense going further.
It (trans) was making some horrible rattling noises.
As much as I usually grumble about taking rarer antique cars and hot rodding them, I find I’m fascinated by the project. You’ve certainly picked on that wouldn’t be worth trying to restore to factory original. You probably could, but for the same money spent you’d be bankrupting yourself with no chance of ever making your expenses back.
Put my vote in for the wagon alternative. Done right you could give a whole new meaning to the concept of ‘shooting brake’. Engine? Something in-line with multiple carburetors on one side and a twisty, snakey header system coming out the other. (Yes, my one dream of ever doing a hot rod was around a 28-33 body of some type, no hood and a Chevy six with sidedraft carburetors and a six-into-one header. V-8’s are so overrated.)
Yes! Someone’s saving a koala-nose Austin! Love these little beasties. 🙂 Never that common when I was a kid, and here in Australia they all seemed terribly rusty.
You mention a custom car. There was one of these Austins running around Geelong back in the nineties with the front and rear ends of an ’80-ish (square) Datsun Bluebird somehow welded on to the (round) Austin body. Strangely it didn’t look as bad as it sounds. Weird, definitely. It belonged to my daughter-in-law’s father, and she said she always felt like a princess being dropped off at school. Possibly featured in a magazine? Not sure whether any photos survive. But I’m assuming you wouldn’t want to do that!
Pickups were made on the earlier Devon body, along with several different styles of integral-bed ute; I don’t think a Somerset pickup existed. That’d be cool. But I love your coupe drawing.
The Devon had a wider variety of body styles; sedan, two door, pickup, van, sports convertible as well as some Utes and Tourer (convertible) in Australia or New Zealand.
First off, I love that head-on night shot. Beautifully captured, the car really jumps off the page.
Scrolling down, when I first came across the video preview with the car on the forklift, I thought it was a pic of it jumping a small hill, until the lift came into view.
I can’t wait to see before pictures of the interior and learn more about this car.
Why in the world would someone cut the steering column? The mystery to be unraveled.
David you have quite a challenge there.
As rare as the A40 is at this point in time, I did see an ad a year or two ago on Kijiji advertising an A40 and some related parts for sale. Perhaps I should keep my eyes peeled here in Calgary for an A40 in a back yard or rusting away in a commercial lot.
These little cars were in abundance back in the day in western Canada along with a few other British models. Good luck in your project!
I have a cream (red seats) 1953 Austin of England A40 Somerset petrol sedan. It needs paintwork, reupholstery and new tyres otherwise intact
Wot a cutie ! .
It sounds like you have a good general plan in hand .
What happened to the front bumper ? .
I too would prolly use later Datsun 2 liter OHC parts, did this one come with Flat head or ‘A’ series BMC engine ? .
-Nate
Front bumper was half disconnected by the previous owner.
These had a 1.2L “pre B-series” similar to a Nash Metropolitan, etc.
What a project! 🙂
I’ve been going through my collection of old Autocar magazines, and came across a review of the original A40 Devon in a 1948 issue. I wasn’t really aware of the difference between the Devon and the Somerset – I can see why you were keen to get your hands on a Somerset.
I’ve uploaded the review of the Devon to the comment section on Paul’s original posting on that car.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-1951-austin-devon-the-best-selling-import-of-its-time/