Custom Car – September 2019

u“Iuseitallthetime.Igotoworkinit,Igo

shoppingandIthrowthingsinthebackofit.

Ifit’srainingormuddyitdoesn’tmatter,andif

someoneknocksintoitinacarpark,itjustadds

tothepatina.Thatwasthewholeideawithit–

andit’scomfortableandsafetodrive,too.”

Thanks

Especiallytomywife,Claire,andmytwokids,

HenryandDaisy,forputtingupwithallthe

countlesshoursI’vespentintheworkshop;my

brother,Jimmy,atPyburnEngineeringformaking

partsforme;LarryatCliffordPerformance;Lenny

atSo-CalVegas;BaileyMorrispropshafts;CM

FrostAutoParts;SpeedyCables;JohnatArmour

Fabrications;NorthHantsTyres;Carpy’sCafé

Racers;ChrisReynoldsatTheDeluxeTrimming

Companyforthesunroofcover;SteveWingat

MidlandBlasting;RussatRandRHotRodImports

and‘BenUnderwood’,thehelp.

combinethemwithanMGmastercylinder

andaclutchcablemadetospecbySpeedy

Cables.Simplewhenyousayitquickly,huh?

LittlegreyFergie

Withtheengine,’box,steeringandbrakesall

sorted,Steventurnedbacktothebodywork,

promptlydiscoveringthestockgrilleshelljust

didn’tlookrightwiththestretchedchassis

andsizeofengine.“Itneededsomething

deeper,soratherthancutandwidenthe

AustingrilleshellIstartedlookingfora

replacement,andfoundjustwhatIwas

lookingforinalittlegreyFergie.”That’sa

MasseyFergie,ifyouhadn’talreadyguessed.

Cut,stretchedandcombinedwiththe

originalAustinsidesintoaone-of-a-kind

flipfront,thebodyworkwascomplete,and

justneededmaturing.Maturing?It’snota

bleedin’lumpofcheese.But,likeagood

cheese,orbottleofport,itwaslaiddownfor

arestbeforeitwasreadytobesavoured.

“Ijustpusheditoutsideandleftitto

fermentforafewmonths,”grinsSteven.

“I’dchuckabucketofwateroveritevery

nowandagainuntilithaddevelopedjust

therightpatinaIwanted,andthenImatt

lacqqqueredit.”

Lookcloselyatthepictures,though,and

you’llnoticetheundersideofthebonnet,

louvres,doorshuts,cabinteriorandthe

frameareallpaintedinacamoeffect.It’s

justanotherofthoselittledetailsthatkeeps

youcomingbacktothiscaragainandagain.

It’sclearagreatdealofthought,anda

goodhelpingofmechanicalknowledgeand

ingenuity,hasgoneintothiscar,evenifthe

Austinfraternitymightnotappreciateit.

“I’mgladit’sfinallyfinishedasallmy

childhooddreamsanddrawingsarenow

realityandIcannowenjoydrivingit.

“Itwashardworkattimes,butifIhadn’t

spentallthattimebuildingthis,itwouldstill

berottingawayinafieldnow.Inmyeyes,

that’sbetterallround.”

Hearhear. CC

agreatsound,abit

ofpunchandsimple

reliability

qq

Thoughit’stherustyex

terioryounoticefirst,

there’sacamouflage

painteffecteverywher

e

ontheunderside,inside

andchassis.

Theflipfrontismoreo

fSteven’shandiwork,

madefromtheoriginal

Austinsidesanda

modifiedMasseyFerg

usontractorgrilleshell.

Stevenputalotoftimeandddttthhhooouuuggghhhtttiiinnntttooottthhheeessseee

somethinghelookedfo aaatttiiinnngggpppooosssiiitttiiiooon,wantttiiingthhhecartobe

rwardtogettinginanddrivingateveryopportunit

gearsandthetorqueyengineit’sabitslowonpu y.“With 3. 50

quickactually,”hesaysw lloffbutthenitgoes.Itgoesabittoo

ithagrin.Areallyneattouchisthehiddenrollcage

cabforsafetyandstruc builtintothe

turalrigidity.