1956 Austin A35

The vendor bought the A35 in 2010, attracted by its condition and the fact that it had had just the one owner from new until 2009. It was then sold to an enthusiast who smartened it up prior to selling it.

The vendor’s aim when he bought it was to have “a modified fast road car that didn’t stray too far away from the original”, an aim we think he nailed perfectly. A modest and fastidious man, the sort of attention to detail that he takes for granted is a rare thing in our world, and this is a car that gets better and better the more closely you look.

Featuring a totally renewed interior, the mechanical components were rebuilt by marque and racing specialists Rae Davis (RDR) and his brother Graham Davis (Motor Build). He might be reluctant to add the bills up but a quick totting up shows that the mechanical and interior work alone accounts for a five-figure sum – and that’s without the cost of the car itself…

He drove it up to us from Kent, a journey the plucky little Austin completed without an issue. Only for sale because he’s downsizing his life, this is your chance to get your hands on one of the most versatile and appealing cars we’ve had pass through our hands this year – and, as regular watchers will know, that’s quite a statement as it’s been a helluva year for interesting cars here at The Market.

The Tweed Grey coachwork is very tidy indeed; at a time when most competition/fast road cars have the emphasis placed firmly on their performance rather than how pretty they are, the condition of this A35 comes as a refreshing change.

The panels are, you see, both straight and beautifully aligned. The grey paint has been applied with an uncommon degree of skill too, and it’s weathered the past decade with an impressive aplomb.

And, the attention to detail that’s gone into the A35 might not be immediately apparent. The front grille, for example, has had every other slat removed to increase the flow of air through it. The modification has worked so brilliantly that the auxiliary Kenlowe fan hasn’t ever kicked in because the standard mechanical fan now does the job single-handed no matter what the weather.

The chromework might be limited in scope but it looks terrific with only light pitting, and the stick-on front number plate is there to provide a bit more clearance rather than because it looks good – although it does. Especially once you notice that it’s been trimmed to fit neatly around the grille and indicator. Obviously.

The ventilated Frogeye Sprite’s steel wheels have been painted cream to match the grille. They’re straight and in good order and fitted with chromed Austin hubcaps. The tyres are matching Mohawk M716, all of which have good tread and were chosen for their predictability; while modern, stickier rubber might give more ultimate grip, when they do let go they tend to do so more abruptly than these, and we agree with the owner that a large part of a period car’s appeal is the certainty of its handling and grip.

Faults? Well, the doors don’t lock, so the owner treats it like he would a convertible sportscar and simply locks his valuables in the boot.

The interior has been totally renewed. Originally green, the vendor’s wife wisely counselled him to retrim it in red and grey, a combination that works as well as everything else he’s had done to it.

So, you’ll find a new headlining, new seals and rubbers for the glassware, new leather-bound carpets, and an original-issue Mota-Lita steering wheel that the vendor refurbished as he didn’t like the too-bright look of the new ones that he found for sale.

Supplementary safety equipment comprises lap and diagonal seatbelts to hold the occupants securely in a pair of reclining seats taken from an MGB. The seller is 6’ 3” tall and had the seats fitted to suit him, so those of us who are longer in the leg can drive this A35 in complete comfort, something that’s rarely the case with cars from this period.

The seats have also been so neatly installed that they look like factory items, a state of affairs helped in no small measure by the fact that they have been reupholstered in red leather. Of course, all the other panels and seats were also recovered to a very high standard to match them.

The engine’s health is monitored via a rev counter and a combined oil pressure and water temperature gauge, both of which have been neatly placed directly in front of the driver.

And yet, for all the talk of uprated and improved driving dynamics and safety, the vendor clearly has a keen eye for his car’s aesthetics. We love the wooden gear knob, red leather gaiter, and the leather-covered Smiths’ heater.

The boot is as wonderfully trimmed and presented as the rest of the car. It’s got a very good carpet and spare wheel, and the floor is as solid as everywhere else. In fact, we can’t find any rust whatsoever, which is quite a feat.

It should be noted that the fuel gauge is somewhat optimistic with it's reading and the owner suggests refilling when it reads half full. With Shell V Power nonetheless. 

Work to do? Well, our test drive revealed wobbly pedals. These don’t affect the way the car drives but we can see that the new owner might want to fettle them to remove the free play.

The car features the following mechanical specification:

Engine: the 1340cc A-series engine has been gas-flowed, polished and ported. Fitted with heavy duty pistons and valve springs too plus an unleaded cylinder head, a Piper 286 camshaft, Vernier camshaft gear, a lightened flywheel, a fast-road, non-vacuum distributor, a baffled sump, and a Kenlowe electric cooling fan.

It breathes through twin K&N air filters and exhales though a four-branch exhaust manifold and custom exhaust system.

Transmission: fitted with a Ford type 9, five-speed gearbox, it has an uprated Frontline clutch.

Chassis: the lowered suspension is courtesy of a Frontline Developments adjustable upright front damper setup supplemented by Moss MG Midget adjustable rear dampers. The vendor found that this set-up works much better than the adjustable racing lever-arms that were fitted originally; the lever-arms might be ideal for smooth circuits but works less well on the sort of post-austerity roads we’re all forced to navigate nowadays. It also boasts ventilated steel Frogeye road wheels plus a braking system that features eight-inch discs at the front that’re fitted with MG Midget pads.

Miscellaneous: the headlamps have been upgraded to H4 halogen lights, an alternator replaces the standard dynamo, an ignition cut-out isolation switch is fitted, the windscreen is laminated, and the windscreen wipers are bolstered by electric washers.

The vendor, no mean helmsman, reports that it is “wonderful on cross-country journeys” and advises that “you’ve got to trust it to grip and just enjoy the drive” adding that the larger A-Series engine is “very tractable. It’ll pull away in second gear and you can accelerate in fourth from 30mph until you’re flat-out without a problem”.

He reports that it has “never let me down in the ten years I’ve owned it.” We’ve driven it and can report that it goes like the clappers and has far more grunt that you’d imagine.

The engine bay is very clean and as neatly presented as you’d expect of a car with this one’s provenance. As for the underside; well, you know what’s it’s like already, don’t you? Clean, solid and with plenty of evidence of recent expenditure, there is the odd minor oil leak but nothing serious enough to affect the oil levels, no matter how long it stands.

The A35 doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been built and maintained to a very high standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

This brilliantly modified Austin A35 is a very interesting proposition. Looking largely standard, it’s been carefully modified by its meticulous owner to bring it slap-bang into the 21st century without losing any of its considerable period charm.

It’s a very thorough job too, and has resulted in one of the most appealing and tempting cars we’ve seen all year - and a large part of its appeal is it versatility; just as competent on a winding B-road as it is a hillclimb course, it’s as much at home at Goodwood as it is in the paddock of your local racing circuit.

Best of all, it comes with a suitably diminutive price and our guide price of somewhere between £11,000 and £20,000 means there will be plenty left in the kitty for ferry fares, race entry fees, or a bespoke tweed suit for next year’s Revival.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.