One Friday afternoon, when I was a very young lad, My dad came home from work driving one of these as his new "Firms Car". As usual we all went for a family day out in the country on the following Sunday. We drove from Birmingham and got as far as Banbury when we pulled off the road to have a picnic. Dad got out and went to open the boot but it would not open! Another family were having a picnic on the grassy bank and the chap shouted across to my dad, "You'll not open that unless you drive onto a flat surface". Sure enough dad moved the car a few yards down the road where the ground was flat and the boot opened easily! On monday evening dad came home from work driving a brand new Ford Anglia.
Wow. My Uncle visited us in about 1971/1972 in an identical red and black Austin A40 . Those little white wheels with the hub caps stamped with the big A for Austin were very striking. Beautiful wee car.
My first car at 17; a 1962 one bought in 1974 for £15. It was a dull white, so I bought a tin of red paint and a brush to spruce it up! Couldn't afford a respray in those days; it took me three weeks to pay the car off! Wonderful car and memories.
I think your car was an early model Kevin , in what was called Farina Grey !.It was used in many applications , especially on the earliest Mk1 Austin Seven Minis .
Thanks for that Roger. It didn't look very good by the time I bought it and the colour had to go! A lovely car though and I've always toyed with the idea of buying another one. Lovely story of your A40 experience; I'm sure the Anglia was greeted with more enthusiasm. @@Roger.Coleman1949
That car Brough a tear to my eye my dad had three in the early 70 / 80 81 I was 5 years old and remember playing at driving it I think they was the ford focus at the time you saw them everywhere pitty my dad wasn't alive to see you reviewing it happy memories the gearbox went one of them he had a second car for parts and my grandad fitted swaped it over
I took lessons and my test in July 1966 in a '64 ( B reg. ) A40 Mk11 .Lessons were £1 / hour ( 10 in all ) and £2 -10s for the test ( half a weeks wage ! ).It was a lovely car and easy to drive , the dashboard had a sort of Formica wood finish.
I was an apprentice Post Office telephones engineer, David , ( now BT ) , on £5.15s.6d a week , that shortly rose to a heady £6 a week .A local engineering- instrument company which I was considering paid around £3 a week at 16 so it was no contest but never had any regrets !.@@davidhayes4814
I learned to drive in 1969 in a driving school Austin A40 in Cupar Fife. Two lessons a week, at £1 a time and my driving test taken on Good Friday. I think the whole course of lessons and test cost about £12. Mr McGregor, the test examiner, did comment that I must have been driving before my 17th birthday. Only on private roads, of course😉
@@paulphillips9228 Amazing Paul - same here - I'd learnt to drive on a disused air field at around 14 in the family 1949 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 , a wonderful car , and this was a regular Sunday afternoon treat for around half -hour at a time !.The driving school owner , Mr. T. Pipe - Wolferstan , told me on the first lesson on my 17th birthday - ' you've been driving before ' !.
What a great little car especially with the 1275 a series engine and twin carbs. My second car was one of these with a heavy chop and paneled in rear windows with the roof all covered in padded vinyl to hide all the welding. My elderly neighbour used to call it the Pigmy Hearse (I hope that is not an offensive word now) but I thought it was cool.
A family friend, and massive influence on me did all the chopping and based it on a Peter Stevens sketch (I think) in Custom Car. I think he used a couple of roof to make it line up but it was also why the rear windows were paneled and then covered in a vinyl roof. They were just were not classics back then and fairly plentiful. A big shout out to Malcolm if he is looking at this.
I learned to drive, and took my test in one of these in 1963, same red with black roof. Loved the lessons, especially the open windows due to obligatory hand signals regardless of the weather. Passed first time, kudos to my instructor, instilled habits I’ve never abused !
My next-door neighbour bought a new Mk I run-out model in '61, finished in black over white. He had the Castrol lubrication layout chart pinned up in his garage and maintained the car fastidiously. At that time we had a '47 Morris 10 Series M (which was exchanged for a '60 Mk II Ford Consul in '63) and our neighbour on the other side had a '58 Hillman Minx Series III. That Minx got washed every weekend, irrespective of whether it needed it or not! Happy Days!
My great uncle bought a new mk1 in '61 when he retired, he gave it to my sister when she started to drive. A wonderful little car, still got it but now a complete rust bucket, but in its day I drove it to Devon from london for her and averaged 48 mph and 48 mpg.
What a great choice a rather overlooked Austin, which when I was a youngster were still very much in evidence (though mostly quite crusty). A terrific piece of design and what a splendid practical car when in Countryman form.
A cracking quick review Matt. It may be an old car several decades old but it still looks very modern for the time that it was produced. Thanks for sharing.
My dad had a 1967 Morris 1100 in the late 70s. It had the same speedo/gauge unit as that Farina. Brings back memories. Always liked the look of the A40.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING YOUR EXCELLENT CONDITION A40 FARINA.. ON THE TEST DRIVE IT BRINGS BACK LOVELY MEMORIES FOR ME. I HAD AN AUSTIN FARINA FOR FOUR YEARS SECONDHAND. MAROON PAINTWEORK GOT WHITE SPOTS IN PAINT AS IT GREW OLDER SO I RESPRAYED IT.. AN OUTSTANDING CAR. IT HAD A 948 CC ENGINE SO IOPUT IN A 1098 CC ENGINE WITH TUNED CYLINDER HEAD. A VERY COMFORTABLE CAR WITH EXCELLENT ALL ROUND VISABILITY.. I TOOK THE FRONT DISK BRAKES FROM A SPRIGIT TO STOP THE CAR. VERY EASY TO FIT. THEY WERE A WELL EQUIPED CAR AND LEFT THE MORRIS 1000 FAR BEHIND. A VERY FAST CAR WITH OUTSTANDING ROAD HOLDING EVEN ON ICE. I PUT A GAS CYLINDER IN THE BACK TO KEEP IT FROM HAVING PROBLEMS.. I PUT MICHLIN X RADIAL TYRES ON IT.. I HAD A FRONT SEAT COVER LIKE YOUR CAR BUT WITH A HEADREST. THE WINGS EACH SIDE WERE TO KEEP ME IN THE SEAT.THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS WERE A PROBLEM WITH BRAKING. ONE LUBRICATES AND GREASES THEM AND THEN BINDS THEM WITH SYLGLASS. A PUTTY TAPE FOR SEALING GLASS ON GREENHOUSES. THE FRONT WISHBONE BUSHES GAVE TROUBLE IF NOT GREASED. I HAD MINE RE BUSHED. THE ONLY RUST WAS WHERE THE FLOOR JOINED THE INNER SILL.. I FITTED BALL TYPE AIR VENTS EITHERSIDE OF THE DASH BOARD PURCHASED THE SYSTEN FROM A SCRAP YARD. .WHAT MOST DO NOT REALISE IS THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST HATCH BACK EVER. A VERY ADVANCED DESIGN. AND WELL AHEAD OF ITS TIME. THE 11OO FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR REPLACED IT A GOOD SELLER BUT RUSTED WELL. LATER ON THE HATCHBACK WAS VERY POPULAR AND STILL IS.TODAY.
@4.10, the 'A' Series was designed by Austin for the Austin A30 in 1951, when BMC was formed in 1952 it was decided to fit the Austin 'A' Series into the then current side valve Morris Minor, the A40 Farina followed on from the Austin A35 in 1959 & the Morris Minor still continued on using the 'Austin' 'A' Series engine until the end of production in 1971
I drove my mother's A40 Farina Mk2 Countryman as a learner (and before that). It was a replacement for an A30. After I had a few lessons in a BSM Mk 1 Escort which I passed my test in I used it to go to Tech College when she didn't need it and I found it really useful to move my drum kit and the bassist's big speaker stack to a gig when I was in a band. Happy Daze. It was traded in for a Mini 1000 after 4 years. BMC never continued the "hatch" in the 1100 - A big mistake, but the Range Rover got it.
My late Grandfather bought one of these new and according to my late Father he stated to the dealer he did not want a radio,which was optional --due to import restrictions it took months and when the car arrived it had a radio,my GF asked for it to be removed only to be told by the dealer "pay extra for the radio or we,ll sell it to someone else!"he reluctantly paid and loved the car but it was a sore point with him for years! Auckland New Zealand 2024
My dad purchased his first car Austin A40 1963. That brought it home I fell in love with it straight away trip to Scotland on the coast Nan and grandad in there as well. His last car the Audi A1 Think of that as a modern equivalent of the A40. I’ve still got the A1 obviously it would take a lot for me to part with it hope it will be with me till the end. Love the video by the way thanks.
I had those type of seat covers in my Ford Anglia 50 years ago , you had to stretch them over the seat and they had built in side bolsters and built in integeral head rest ,and were actually very comfortable 😊.
Mid sixties we had the mk1, YHO713 in tartan red but a red roof unlike most with black rooves. The engine had a twin carb Speedwell conversion and it went, in my dad's words, like a scalded cat😁, in reality it was probably more like a cat waking up after a long snooze. Indicator switch was a twist lever in the middle of the dash, spring loaded so it turned off after about 20 seconds. Happy days.
Takes a brave man to drive an A40 in the rain...I bet you could hear the rust starting! I had (sadly) a 1966 Farina in white over gray and RUST! I stupidly hit me mates gate post (wooden and rotten) and knocked what was supposed to be the nearside wing off. It was a skin of Davids Isopon filler over a number of pages from an Express & Star newspaper! I hated it and ran it until the MOT expired, taking it over muddy fields while fishing. Then it went to the scrapman and good riddance. All that said, I'd happily own this beauty, red suits it....but I wouldn't take it out in the rain!!
I had a 1960 Mk1 in ocean blue with a black roof, 7834 RE. Took it over from my Dad when he had a new car. Put twin SU carbs on it in place of the original Zenith, so it went better. The back brakes were actually hydro-mechanical, there was a single large hydraulic cylinder bolted under the floor, just behind the drivers seat, which pulled a cable to a compensator on the axle with rods to the drum brakes, the same system as the A35. The Mk2 went to full hydraulic brakes. Good car except for the rust which plagued everything back then, but it would have been nicer with the Morris Minor rack and pinion steering instead of the steering box and idler setup.
I like these a lot - a bit of an unsung hero of the pre-1100 BMC range. Lovely Pininfarina styling, and as you rightly say, in Countryman form, arguably the first 3 door hatchback. I once had a 1959 copy of Motor magazine, where this, the 105e Anglia and the Triumph Herald were held up as examples of well designed modern (for the time) cars. I tend to agree that it’s a superb little car, although I think that the 105e Anglia is a real gem. My uncle had a very tired maroon example as his first car - a real rust bucket - replaced with a FIAT 126! Thanks for a review of a criminally overlooked classic car.
People of my vintage might recollect that Topsy and Tim's parents had a yellow one. And, Dad would probably have suspected that the A40's continuance would have ensured vital 'export' supply of the 2-door version of the ADO16, which we couldn't buy in the UK until A40 production had finished in 1967.
My father had one of these, a black 1962 version with split tailgate. I have many memories of it, including how we worked together to replace the rotten front suspension but the first thing that comes to mind is the irritating ticking of the electric fuel pump. This was mounted under the floor at the rear. It eventually became too rusty to keep going and was replaced by his last car, Triumph Herald 1200, which was altogether better.
Well yev done it again, i have no practical knowledge of this wee beastie.I would be about 7 years old when this came out. Am no 100% sure but i think this ran on cross ply tyres. (Not to be quoted). Excellent vid. as usual and thanks fur the trip doon memory lane. Widnae mind a wee vid on the Vauxhall Victor Vx 4/90 transcontinental circa 1962.. Don't know if ye dae requests. 😂👍
My first car at 18 was a Mk1 A40 Farina,did thousands of miles in that little car,only 950cc and nearly 50 mpg,much better than the shit they make today,my dad had an A35 with the same engine and gearbox.
Austin missed a trick not hinging the rear door at the top. This was a great design and better than the things that followed it. Should have been given the 1275 engine too
I had one of these a 1963 MK2 1098cc that had had a rebore just before I bought it for £40. It needed King pins that I got done at college as they had the reamers to do the job properly. I loved driving it. I could do stunt driving in it going round corners on 2 wheels. It was very rust rotten though in 1972. It had no floor or front panel. The reg was 4557FG. Wish I still had it and the car.
I had a Austin a40 farina mk 2 . 1964 alp348b . beautiful little. Car in maroon red. . .went many a mile in that little car . . .it only had a 1098 cc motor . .i could. Get 70 mph on a good run . Very cheap to run . . hardly never let me down . Always started first time in all weathers .i wish they made them again . .built to last .❤😅 Jay
my first car in 1970 was a 1962 farina mk2 in fern Green with an old english white roof. As one of the first Mk2 cars it had the 948cc engine, the usual rusty bodywork (which was soon filled with fibreglass and isopon) and a habit of breaking half shafts. It was purchased for £100 and had only 57,000 miles on it. After 4 years and loads of use it was passed on to a cousin. Some years later it was scrapped after the number plate had been sold. I got £50 back from that so that was a cheap car. Strangely i also had the rally seat covers fitted on my car - they were all black though. Thought I was the business in my 'Paddy Hopkirk' rally jacket with the BL motif stiched on by my mum.
My brothers mate had a red one. He painted yellow dragons full length along both sides in household gloss, after seeing 'Enter The Dragon', so it must have been mid 70s when he had it. It was a banger by then.
Great little cars, pale green seemed to be a popular colour for these. Farina designs are so handsome and timeless and just look 'right' even on small stubby cars.
As a young lad, I recall being taken around the Black Mountains region of Wales in a mk1, which had the crinkly front grille. It was a blue car with a black roof.
I learned to drive on an A40. Very easy to drive,good all round visibility and for its size comfortable. A very reliable car and economical to own. One wonders how BMC/BL managed to get things so wrong in the 70s.
That’s a nice A40, I’ve always wondered what those are like and I hadn’t realised that “Drive Dads Car” had one to try out! and this one it seems has a trick up it’s sleeve with that extra peppy 1275 engine. I think BMC were on to a good thing with the Farina A40, they’r early attempt at a hatchback of sorts, I like them a lot, very characterful and practical. Good review as always Matt, thankyou! 👍
My grandmother had a black one a E registration I remember the first three letters JOC my great uncle worked for the BMC so he got a discount my grandmother had chunky tyres on the back because the weather in Scotland can be not good to say the least greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Cheers Matt. Apparently dad had one (probably a countryman) when I was born, but moved onto Austin 1100s in the late ‘60s and mostly stuck with Austins as company cars. His last one being a Montego.
Another car from my youth which you hardly see anymore. Occasionally got a lift to school in one during the 1960’s, however I preferred the luxury of a Rover P6 or Mark2 Jaguar and was lucky enough that these cars were the chosen means of transport most days.
i had a very early mk2 so it still had the 948cc engine but was more than enough for round town but it struggled at 50 on the motorway, typical bmc parts usage the front side lights/indicators were from a minor and the rear lights were also used on the 1300, the front suspension was the same set up as the midget/sprite less the disk brakes and the rear number plate light appeared on many of the bmc cars , the one thing i did not like was the little door pull that looked like an ash tray, as i have long arme and with the big steering wheel if you had to park in a small space the turning circle is not that great much turning of the wheel was needed and you could end up whacking your right elbow on the pull as you turned right hand down, but the car was super easy to work on and most mechanical parts were easy to get, except the front wheel cylinders excellent starter classic and very good value , they look like a mini taxi 100% fun
The period accessory seat covers which you spoke of were part of the Paddy Hopkirk range of accessories, ever popular amongst fans of Ford Anglias, Triumph Heralds and Minis alike! I had a set of those covers on my Mini 850 Countryman.
The Austin A40 after the total redesign of the Austin and Morris cars to be perfectly honest between the dowdy but sweet little A35 and this A40 it looks it is years ahead in looks between this A40 and the A35 l think it looks more modern than the mini
My dad had one you could not gress the king pins because sum one had not lined the grespoint holes up correctly at the factory so they failed the mot and replaced with new ones it rusted away has did the car I passed my driving test in my dad's Austin 1300
Lovely. Don't know if it's just me, but I always thought it looked a bit odd that the chrome side stripe didn't go the whole length of the car on these. Nice none the less 👍
I see one of these nearly every work day on the motorway crawl into town. Kind of sticks out like dogs balls, little old car with 2 tone paint, chrome, little 1/4 windows sticking out at 90% when it goes past in faster moving lane. Reality is today who gives shit if it take 2hours to get to 60, we are ALL doing the 10km crawl at 20 no matter what we drive. Least it brings a smile to my face seeing it on the road, i'm sure not the only one. ( although must be a pain in the "A" having a manual box, stop/go stop/go no syncro in 1st)
What a really nifty little car. I live that it is rear wheel drive, too. Makes me wonder how fantastic it would be with an MGB 1.8 litre with 4 speed plus overdrive. I suspect it would be both fabulous and frightening at the same time.
I once saw one with the MG1100 twin carburettor engine fitted,went like stink but was a bit unruly on the bends and the brakes weren’t up to much either,drum all round with no servo fitted.
I had the A40 and an MGB roadster, I would go down the 1275 root with the A40 with beefed up suspension and brakes the 1275 would deliver plenty for the A40 the "B" 1800 isn't fast to be honest, I run a 300bhp now with twin turbos that's fast enough for the public roads but these old little cars are great fun to drive even with 40bhp
I wouldn,t know how to rate this car but a long time ago my friend Karl had two of them and one of them was used by a member of the clergy , the two seemed to go together like a hand in glove
I've always thought these were rather underrated little cars. I've always associated them with that pale blue colour that contemporary police cars were painted in
I had two of these in the early 70s the engine never let me down ,but what rust buckets ,you could see the road through the floor and the fuel tank rusted through 😢
Alec Issigonis designed the 1100/1300. It was basically a scaled up Mini with the same front drive, transverse engine layout and efficient use of space. The A40 was a different beast with rear drive and a more conventional mechanical layout. Where there is a similarity is that Pininfarina actually styled the A40 and the 1100/1300. The two models sold alongside eachother for four years so I'm not sure that it was meant to replace A40.
As a child, in the 1970s, I remember seeing one of these, in Horizon Blue, full of nuns and also driven by one. From then on. I would call this car the nun's car, for some strange reason, when I saw one.
Yes 3 cups tray Matt for you , wife and child only because back in the 50s mother in law rode in the boot 😁, out of sight , out of mind 😉, surprising what you can fit in a small boot when DESPERATE 😂👌🏻.
One Friday afternoon, when I was a very young lad, My dad came home from work driving one of these as his new "Firms Car". As usual we all went for a family day out in the country on the following Sunday. We drove from Birmingham and got as far as Banbury when we pulled off the road to have a picnic. Dad got out and went to open the boot but it would not open! Another family were having a picnic on the grassy bank and the chap shouted across to my dad, "You'll not open that unless you drive onto a flat surface". Sure enough dad moved the car a few yards down the road where the ground was flat and the boot opened easily! On monday evening dad came home from work driving a brand new Ford Anglia.
Body flex…lol
Wow. My Uncle visited us in about 1971/1972 in an identical red and black Austin A40 . Those little white wheels with the hub caps stamped with the big A for Austin were very striking.
Beautiful wee car.
My first car at 17; a 1962 one bought in 1974 for £15. It was a dull white, so I bought a tin of red paint and a brush to spruce it up! Couldn't afford a respray in those days; it took me three weeks to pay the car off! Wonderful car and memories.
I think your car was an early model Kevin , in what was called Farina Grey !.It was used in many applications , especially on the earliest Mk1 Austin Seven Minis .
Thanks for that Roger. It didn't look very good by the time I bought it and the colour had to go! A lovely car though and I've always toyed with the idea of buying another one. Lovely story of your A40 experience; I'm sure the Anglia was greeted with more enthusiasm. @@Roger.Coleman1949
Three cups? Oh, no, that’s two cups and a thermos, sir!
My Dad's first car - 423 DOX.
Him and my Mum went all over Devon and the southwest in it in the summer of 1971..
That car Brough a tear to my eye my dad had three in the early 70 / 80 81 I was 5 years old and remember playing at driving it I think they was the ford focus at the time you saw them everywhere pitty my dad wasn't alive to see you reviewing it happy memories the gearbox went one of them he had a second car for parts and my grandad fitted swaped it over
I’m so glad she’s kept her original registration number! Only had to glance to see that👍🙏
I had three Austin A40 Farinas in the 60s. I loved them. Great to drive, good on fuel, reliable. I wish they were still made. I would buy one.
I had one for 10 years…. Sold a year ago. Still miss her!
I took lessons and my test in July 1966 in a '64 ( B reg. ) A40 Mk11 .Lessons were £1 / hour ( 10 in all ) and £2 -10s for the test ( half a weeks wage ! ).It was a lovely car and easy to drive , the dashboard had a sort of Formica wood finish.
That was the later style dash option
Half a week’s wages in 1966 …? £5 per week? I take it that you were part-time or on apprentice rates …?
I was an apprentice Post Office telephones engineer, David , ( now BT ) , on £5.15s.6d a week , that shortly rose to a heady £6 a week .A local engineering- instrument company which I was considering paid around £3 a week at 16 so it was no contest but never had any regrets !.@@davidhayes4814
I learned to drive in 1969 in a driving school Austin A40 in Cupar Fife. Two lessons a week, at £1 a time and my driving test taken on Good Friday. I think the whole course of lessons and test cost about £12. Mr McGregor, the test examiner, did comment that I must have been driving before my 17th birthday. Only on private roads, of course😉
@@paulphillips9228 Amazing Paul - same here - I'd learnt to drive on a disused air field at around 14 in the family 1949 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 , a wonderful car , and this was a regular Sunday afternoon treat for around half -hour at a time !.The driving school owner , Mr. T. Pipe - Wolferstan , told me on the first lesson on my 17th birthday - ' you've been driving before ' !.
What a great little car especially with the 1275 a series engine and twin carbs. My second car was one of these with a heavy chop and paneled in rear windows with the roof all covered in padded vinyl to hide all the welding. My elderly neighbour used to call it the Pigmy Hearse (I hope that is not an offensive word now) but I thought it was cool.
A roof chopped A40? That sounds incredible! Did the window frames line up OK?
A family friend, and massive influence on me did all the chopping and based it on a Peter Stevens sketch (I think) in Custom Car. I think he used a couple of roof to make it line up but it was also why the rear windows were paneled and then covered in a vinyl roof. They were just were not classics back then and fairly plentiful. A big shout out to Malcolm if he is looking at this.
I learned to drive, and took my test in one of these in 1963, same red with black roof. Loved the lessons, especially the open windows due to obligatory hand signals regardless of the weather. Passed first time, kudos to my instructor, instilled habits I’ve never abused !
My dad bought one of these in 1965 and we travelled all the way to the southwest France with all our camping gear .
My next-door neighbour bought a new Mk I run-out model in '61, finished in black over white. He had the Castrol lubrication layout chart pinned up in his garage and maintained the car fastidiously. At that time we had a '47 Morris 10 Series M (which was exchanged for a '60 Mk II Ford Consul in '63) and our neighbour on the other side had a '58 Hillman Minx Series III. That Minx got washed every weekend, irrespective of whether it needed it or not! Happy Days!
My great uncle bought a new mk1 in '61 when he retired, he gave it to my sister when she started to drive. A wonderful little car, still got it but now a complete rust bucket, but in its day I drove it to Devon from london for her and averaged 48 mph and 48 mpg.
What a great choice a rather overlooked Austin, which when I was a youngster were still very much in evidence (though mostly quite crusty). A terrific piece of design and what a splendid practical car when in Countryman form.
As soon as I saw it was available I wanted to take it for a spin!
Love the period extra, heated rear window.
A cracking quick review Matt. It may be an old car several decades old but it still looks very modern for the time that it was produced. Thanks for sharing.
My dad had a 1967 Morris 1100 in the late 70s. It had the same speedo/gauge unit as that Farina. Brings back memories. Always liked the look of the A40.
Takes me back as had a 1964 model as my first car , cost me £100 in 1972 , drove it for 3 years through uni, served me well and seemed well built.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING YOUR EXCELLENT CONDITION A40 FARINA.. ON THE TEST DRIVE IT BRINGS BACK LOVELY MEMORIES FOR ME. I HAD AN AUSTIN FARINA FOR FOUR YEARS SECONDHAND. MAROON PAINTWEORK GOT WHITE SPOTS IN PAINT AS IT GREW OLDER SO I RESPRAYED IT.. AN OUTSTANDING CAR. IT HAD A 948 CC ENGINE SO IOPUT IN A 1098 CC ENGINE WITH TUNED CYLINDER HEAD. A VERY COMFORTABLE CAR WITH EXCELLENT ALL ROUND VISABILITY.. I TOOK THE FRONT DISK BRAKES FROM A SPRIGIT TO STOP THE CAR. VERY EASY TO FIT. THEY WERE A WELL EQUIPED CAR AND LEFT THE MORRIS 1000 FAR BEHIND. A VERY FAST CAR WITH OUTSTANDING ROAD HOLDING EVEN ON ICE. I PUT A GAS CYLINDER IN THE BACK TO KEEP IT FROM HAVING PROBLEMS.. I PUT MICHLIN X RADIAL TYRES ON IT.. I HAD A FRONT SEAT COVER LIKE YOUR CAR BUT WITH A HEADREST. THE WINGS EACH SIDE WERE TO KEEP ME IN THE SEAT.THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS WERE A PROBLEM WITH BRAKING. ONE LUBRICATES AND GREASES THEM AND THEN BINDS THEM WITH SYLGLASS. A PUTTY TAPE FOR SEALING GLASS ON GREENHOUSES. THE FRONT WISHBONE BUSHES GAVE TROUBLE IF NOT GREASED. I HAD MINE RE BUSHED. THE ONLY RUST WAS WHERE THE FLOOR JOINED THE INNER SILL.. I FITTED BALL TYPE AIR VENTS EITHERSIDE OF THE DASH BOARD PURCHASED THE SYSTEN FROM A SCRAP YARD. .WHAT MOST DO NOT REALISE IS THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST HATCH BACK EVER. A VERY ADVANCED DESIGN. AND WELL AHEAD OF ITS TIME. THE 11OO FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR REPLACED IT A GOOD SELLER BUT RUSTED WELL. LATER ON THE HATCHBACK WAS VERY POPULAR AND STILL IS.TODAY.
@4.10, the 'A' Series was designed by Austin for the Austin A30 in 1951, when BMC was formed in 1952 it was decided to fit the Austin 'A' Series into the then current side valve Morris Minor, the A40 Farina followed on from the Austin A35 in 1959 & the Morris Minor still continued on using the 'Austin' 'A' Series engine until the end of production in 1971
I drove my mother's A40 Farina Mk2 Countryman as a learner (and before that). It was a replacement for an A30. After I had a few lessons in a BSM Mk 1 Escort which I passed my test in I used it to go to Tech College when she didn't need it and I found it really useful to move my drum kit and the bassist's big speaker stack to a gig when I was in a band. Happy Daze. It was traded in for a Mini 1000 after 4 years. BMC never continued the "hatch" in the 1100 - A big mistake, but the Range Rover got it.
My late Grandfather bought one of these new and according to my late Father he stated to the dealer he did not want a radio,which was optional --due to import restrictions it took months and when the car arrived it had a radio,my GF asked for it to be removed only to be told by the dealer "pay extra for the radio or we,ll sell it to someone else!"he reluctantly paid and loved the car but it was a sore point with him for years! Auckland New Zealand 2024
My dad purchased his first car Austin A40 1963. That brought it home I fell in love with it straight away trip to Scotland on the coast Nan and grandad in there as well. His last car the Audi A1 Think of that as a modern equivalent of the A40. I’ve still got the A1 obviously it would take a lot for me to part with it hope it will be with me till the end. Love the video by the way thanks.
I had those type of seat covers in my Ford Anglia 50 years ago , you had to stretch them over the seat and they had built in side bolsters and built in integeral head rest ,and were actually very comfortable 😊.
Mid sixties we had the mk1, YHO713 in tartan red but a red roof unlike most with black rooves. The engine had a twin carb Speedwell conversion and it went, in my dad's words, like a scalded cat😁, in reality it was probably more like a cat waking up after a long snooze.
Indicator switch was a twist lever in the middle of the dash, spring loaded so it turned off after about 20 seconds. Happy days.
Takes a brave man to drive an A40 in the rain...I bet you could hear the rust starting! I had (sadly) a 1966 Farina in white over gray and RUST! I stupidly hit me mates gate post (wooden and rotten) and knocked what was supposed to be the nearside wing off. It was a skin of Davids Isopon filler over a number of pages from an Express & Star newspaper! I hated it and ran it until the MOT expired, taking it over muddy fields while fishing. Then it went to the scrapman and good riddance. All that said, I'd happily own this beauty, red suits it....but I wouldn't take it out in the rain!!
I had a 1960 Mk1 in ocean blue with a black roof, 7834 RE. Took it over from my Dad when he had a new car. Put twin SU carbs on it in place of the original Zenith, so it went better. The back brakes were actually hydro-mechanical, there was a single large hydraulic cylinder bolted under the floor, just behind the drivers seat, which pulled a cable to a compensator on the axle with rods to the drum brakes, the same system as the A35. The Mk2 went to full hydraulic brakes. Good car except for the rust which plagued everything back then, but it would have been nicer with the Morris Minor rack and pinion steering instead of the steering box and idler setup.
uncle had on of these in the mid 70s
My seat was the rear parcel shelf 😁
Back in the day when health and safety was not thought about
I like these a lot - a bit of an unsung hero of the pre-1100 BMC range. Lovely Pininfarina styling, and as you rightly say, in Countryman form, arguably the first 3 door hatchback. I once had a 1959 copy of Motor magazine, where this, the 105e Anglia and the Triumph Herald were held up as examples of well designed modern (for the time) cars. I tend to agree that it’s a superb little car, although I think that the 105e Anglia is a real gem. My uncle had a very tired maroon example as his first car - a real rust bucket - replaced with a FIAT 126! Thanks for a review of a criminally overlooked classic car.
People of my vintage might recollect that Topsy and Tim's parents had a yellow one. And, Dad would probably have suspected that the A40's continuance would have ensured vital 'export' supply of the 2-door version of the ADO16, which we couldn't buy in the UK until A40 production had finished in 1967.
My father had one of these, a black 1962 version with split tailgate. I have many memories of it, including how we worked together to replace the rotten front suspension but the first thing that comes to mind is the irritating ticking of the electric fuel pump. This was mounted under the floor at the rear. It eventually became too rusty to keep going and was replaced by his last car, Triumph Herald 1200, which was altogether better.
Well yev done it again, i have no practical knowledge of this wee beastie.I would be about 7 years old when this came out. Am no 100% sure but i think this ran on cross ply tyres. (Not to be quoted). Excellent vid. as usual and thanks fur the trip doon memory lane. Widnae mind a wee vid on the Vauxhall Victor Vx 4/90 transcontinental circa 1962.. Don't know if ye dae requests. 😂👍
My first car at 18 was a Mk1 A40 Farina,did thousands of miles in that little car,only 950cc and nearly 50 mpg,much better than the shit they make today,my dad had an A35 with the same engine and gearbox.
Austin missed a trick not hinging the rear door at the top. This was a great design and better than the things that followed it. Should have been given the 1275 engine too
yes it would have been the first "hot hatch" and made Austin a fortune!
I had one of these a 1963 MK2 1098cc that had had a rebore just before I bought it for £40. It needed King pins that I got done at college as they had the reamers to do the job properly. I loved driving it. I could do stunt driving in it going round corners on 2 wheels. It was very rust rotten though in 1972. It had no floor or front panel. The reg was 4557FG. Wish I still had it and the car.
I had a Austin a40 farina mk 2 . 1964 alp348b . beautiful little. Car in maroon red. . .went many a mile in that little car . . .it only had a 1098 cc motor . .i could. Get 70 mph on a good run . Very cheap to run . . hardly never let me down . Always started first time in all weathers .i wish they made them again . .built to last .❤😅 Jay
My grandfather had a Pale Green 1960 Austin Farina MK1. Marvelous car. We've recently discovered a few photos of it.
my first car in 1970 was a 1962 farina mk2 in fern Green with an old english white roof. As one of the first Mk2 cars it had the 948cc engine, the usual rusty bodywork (which was soon filled with fibreglass and isopon) and a habit of breaking half shafts. It was purchased for £100 and had only 57,000 miles on it. After 4 years and loads of use it was passed on to a cousin. Some years later it was scrapped after the number plate had been sold. I got £50 back from that so that was a cheap car. Strangely i also had the rally seat covers fitted on my car - they were all black though. Thought I was the business in my 'Paddy Hopkirk' rally jacket with the BL motif stiched on by my mum.
My brothers mate had a red one. He painted yellow dragons full length along both sides in household gloss, after seeing 'Enter The Dragon', so it must have been mid 70s when he had it. It was a banger by then.
Great little cars, pale green seemed to be a popular colour for these. Farina designs are so handsome and timeless and just look 'right' even on small stubby cars.
As a young lad, I recall being taken around the Black Mountains region of Wales in a mk1, which had the crinkly front grille. It was a blue car with a black roof.
I learned to drive on an A40. Very easy to drive,good all round visibility and for its size comfortable. A very reliable car and economical to own. One wonders how BMC/BL managed to get things so wrong in the 70s.
That’s a nice A40, I’ve always wondered what those are like and I hadn’t realised that “Drive Dads Car” had one to try out! and this one it seems has a trick up it’s sleeve with that extra peppy 1275 engine.
I think BMC were on to a good thing with the Farina A40, they’r early attempt at a hatchback of sorts, I like them a lot, very characterful and practical.
Good review as always Matt, thankyou! 👍
My grandmother had a black one a E registration I remember the first three letters JOC my great uncle worked for the BMC so he got a discount my grandmother had chunky tyres on the back because the weather in Scotland can be not good to say the least greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Cheers Matt. Apparently dad had one (probably a countryman) when I was born, but moved onto Austin 1100s in the late ‘60s and mostly stuck with Austins as company cars. His last one being a Montego.
Memories My dad had exact same car 788 HLP surprise news totally reliable for 20 years we had it
A40 and Spridget both developed off the back of the dowdy A35. Still great fun to drive with a few tweaks.
At last!!! Great to have a review of the forgotten Austin A40 farina, such a shame your internal camera wasn't working.
One of these is the first car I can remember a particular uncle owning, back in the 60s. I think his was red too.
I had one of these as a daily driver. A 1962, the year I was born, in the 90s. Great fun on the b road's. Absolutely crap on the main road.
It’s still a great looking car , probably looks more modern now than it did in the late 60’s !
Another car from my youth which you hardly see anymore. Occasionally got a lift to school in one during the 1960’s, however I preferred the luxury of a Rover P6 or Mark2 Jaguar and was lucky enough that these cars were the chosen means of transport most days.
My first ever car. Paid 40 quid for it. Pale Blue colour. Brings back memories.
i had a very early mk2 so it still had the 948cc engine but was more than enough for round town but it struggled at 50 on the motorway, typical bmc parts usage the front side lights/indicators were from a minor and the rear lights were also used on the 1300, the front suspension was the same set up as the midget/sprite less the disk brakes and the rear number plate light appeared on many of the bmc cars , the one thing i did not like was the little door pull that looked like an ash tray, as i have long arme and with the big steering wheel if you had to park in a small space the turning circle is not that great much turning of the wheel was needed and you could end up whacking your right elbow on the pull as you turned right hand down, but the car was super easy to work on and most mechanical parts were easy to get, except the front wheel cylinders excellent starter classic and very good value , they look like a mini taxi 100% fun
The period accessory seat covers which you spoke of were part of the Paddy Hopkirk range of accessories, ever popular amongst fans of Ford Anglias, Triumph Heralds and Minis alike! I had a set of those covers on my Mini 850 Countryman.
Always thought they looked very futuristic for their late 50's launch.
Very cool little car👍
yeah , the A series sound is unmistakable ( especially with twin carbs )
Took lessons and my test in one, loved it.
Cracking little car and a good option to the morris minor.
Brilliant little car. Somewhat underrated...
One small point the mk1 had the A35 brakes which were hydraulic front but the rear was rod (not cable) which were useless.
My late mother learned to drive in one of these cars.
I love all these English cars, keep them coming! Another great review, thanks Matt 👍
I need to go back there for some more!
The Austin A40 after the total redesign of the Austin and Morris cars to be perfectly honest between the dowdy but sweet little A35 and this A40 it looks it is years ahead in looks between this A40 and the A35 l think it looks more modern than the mini
My dad had one you could not gress the king pins because sum one had not lined the grespoint holes up correctly at the factory so they failed the mot and replaced with new ones it rusted away has did the car I passed my driving test in my dad's Austin 1300
Lovely. Don't know if it's just me, but I always thought it looked a bit odd that the chrome side stripe didn't go the whole length of the car on these. Nice none the less 👍
you are not alone
I see one of these nearly every work day on the motorway crawl into town. Kind of sticks out like dogs balls, little old car with 2 tone paint, chrome, little 1/4 windows sticking out at 90% when it goes past in faster moving lane. Reality is today who gives shit if it take 2hours to get to 60, we are ALL doing the 10km crawl at 20 no matter what we drive. Least it brings a smile to my face seeing it on the road, i'm sure not the only one. ( although must be a pain in the "A" having a manual box, stop/go stop/go no syncro in 1st)
Another Austin. That was everywhere and then just completely disappeared. I like the idea of the 1275 conversation.
What a really nifty little car. I live that it is rear wheel drive, too. Makes me wonder how fantastic it would be with an MGB 1.8 litre with 4 speed plus overdrive. I suspect it would be both fabulous and frightening at the same time.
I once saw one with the MG1100 twin carburettor engine fitted,went like stink but was a bit unruly on the bends and the brakes weren’t up to much either,drum all round with no servo fitted.
I had the A40 and an MGB roadster, I would go down the 1275 root with the A40 with beefed up suspension and brakes the 1275 would deliver plenty for the A40 the "B" 1800 isn't fast to be honest, I run a 300bhp now with twin turbos that's fast enough for the public roads but these old little cars are great fun to drive even with 40bhp
How long in minutes is the circuit at TGBCJ and how many times can you go round it?
About 5 minutes maybe? Not sure how many laps you get, they will let you know
There are an excellent pair of these at The Sherborne Super Cinema ....Gloucester...A fine pair......
cant say that is my memory of this car , the worn models I drove were drifty on the steering and generally the feeling of a jalopy.
I wouldn,t know how to rate this car but a long time ago my friend Karl had two of them and one of them was used by a member of the clergy , the two seemed to go together like a hand in glove
My Uncle Peter had one of these with a 45 rpm record player under the dashboard
I know who owned that A40 Farina, it was in the family for 30 plus years
An excellent review of a lovely little car, thanks Prince Phillip for saying the cars were dowdy 😂😂
yup, he said what needed to be!
The A series was originally fitted to the A 30 .then, the 848cc Morris Minor.
I had a A40 loved it at the time
I've always thought these were rather underrated little cars. I've always associated them with that pale blue colour that contemporary police cars were painted in
Was that a spindle for a rear wiper I could see?
Groovy, baby. 😁👍
Pity you can't get a crack at the two A40s raced at the Goodwood Revival. They do well. And the shelf is not for 3 cups, two cups and a milk jug.
I had two of these in the early 70s the engine never let me down ,but what rust buckets ,you could see the road through the floor and the fuel tank rusted through 😢
was thhis the forerunner to the Austin 1300 ?
I can kind of see where the Austin 1300 grew from
Alec Issigonis designed the 1100/1300. It was basically a scaled up Mini with the same front drive, transverse engine layout and efficient use of space.
The A40 was a different beast with rear drive and a more conventional mechanical layout.
Where there is a similarity is that Pininfarina actually styled the A40 and the 1100/1300.
The two models sold alongside eachother for four years so I'm not sure that it was meant to replace A40.
Neighbour had one and you could see the road as you went along 😂
As a child, in the 1970s, I remember seeing one of these, in Horizon Blue, full of nuns and also driven by one. From then on. I would call this car the nun's car, for some strange reason, when I saw one.
I took my test in one of these. Reg 164 YWC.
My late uncle owned one,same color
Really think this car is awesome -, it had its own style - and we could do with this now !
I always hankered after an A40 Countryman. Alas never got there
Yes 3 cups tray Matt for you , wife and child only because back in the 50s mother in law rode in the boot 😁, out of sight , out of mind 😉, surprising what you can fit in a small boot when DESPERATE 😂👌🏻.
The car I learnt to drive in.
A great review.
Austin trying to be exotic. "What do the call a flower in Barcelona?"
That's a nice car, wouldn't mind seeing a light resto mod on it
Its on the way there with that 1275
My first car, a 1964 in grey 🎉
Austin A40 about the size of a later Metro, haven't seen one on the road for over 30 years.
Beautiful example
True that!
We light green with white roof... 333 FOK