1957 AUSTIN CHAMP

1957 AUSTIN CHAMP - PRECURSOR TO LAND ROVER DEFENDER IN BRITISH MILITARY

[@Twirlyhead]

When I was about 10 years old the bloke over the road had one of these and he kindly took a bunch of us kids down to the beach in it and sped up and down the waterline with it a few times with us kids hanging off it toting our toy guns - we thought we looked like the SAS on a mission but probably looked more like the circus was in town. I think he got a roasting for not checking with any of the parents first - great memory of the once ridden never forgotten Austin Champ.

[@timcattley1056]

You forgot to mention that what you called the "reverse lever" is in fact the transfer box actuator. Select reverse here and you then have five REVERSE gears. Believe me, it is great fun to select REVERSE and then accelerate, changing UPWARDS 1-2-3-4-5 ! The steering starts to get decidedly twitchy going backwards at over 25 mph, at 50 it is decidedly vicious beware!

[@stephensomersify]

I remember clearly being passenger - in a Champ - as a teenager - in the British Army - 1965 - 40 mph in reverse across a field! I never did get to buy one for myself

[@josdaalmans6977]

Hi, I'm living in the south of the Netherlands and I'm priveleged to fix and maintain Landrovers and an Austin Champ, owned by a collector. After lots of restauration and fixing leaks, we are now driving it every now and then. We had some leaking Tractabal hubs, but we fixed them. Last week I've lowered the rear suspension, because the tractabals were making noise due they were working under a contant angle. Hope to drive it coming week and again hope the noise is gone. One of the tractabal couplings in a wheel hub was mounted in the wrong order by the previous owner. As you mention, The Champ drives much better than the leafsprung Landrovers (I drive myself a Ninety V8 and that drives much better than de Series cars). By the way, we have a double circuit brake system in it for some more security. Have fub with your Champ.

[@simplydesan211]

@Jos Daalmans no spare parts available nowadays? Maintenance is difficult? What's Austin Champ value today, at least in your country? Thanks

[@josdaalmans6977]

@simplydesan211 the values of Champs is going in all directions sometimes less than 2000Gbp, mostly far above it. In the Netherlands we say: the value of a car is what an "idiot" gives for it🥴. Spares are rarely available, sometimes you have to choose "nearby " fitting. But, the fun of this all is to search for solutions and fix it. The Champ proofs to be comfy and comes remarkably far in slippery terrain. Coming winter, the clutchplate will be replaced and gona look how bad the rear crankshaft oil seal is. Unfortunately, the previous owner had the wading plug fitted (permanently obviously), so the leaked oil had touched the flywheel and clutch plate. So, work to be done 😊👍

[@Grover895]

I saw a lot of people trying to find reverse in these Champs when I was in the army in the fifties...ha ha!

[@Crash-zm2qd]

They had one of these at barracks in Kingsbury in 1963 my grandad worked on it whilst he served in reme ta.

[@MrCervuselaphus]

They came out to Australia for $250 (used) or $500 (depot miles.) I was on a pittance wage and wished my parents to fund me. They didnt and all these years later i haven't forgive them. As one who ever looked after anything he had i would have still had it! Enjoy your beast. I believe they were designed by the same man who went on to design the original British "Mini"..

[@rich_john]

You can get doors. Canvas on metal frames.

[@Stevensteven1098]

It was over engineered, A wonderful machine, It would go across a ploughed field a lot smoother then a Land rover.

[@martinburke362]

Back in the 70s a farmer friend of my dad had a Austin gipsy with i believe the same suspension as one of these it made my dad's land rover feel crude and would out run out landy easily

[@CaptainDominic]

I've got one of these. Could you give me some idea of where to find spare parts. It belonged to my grandfather I think the clutch is gone in mine

[@aplinewalker]

CaptainDominic Contact the Austin champ owners club ,,,, or drop me a line and I can put you in touch with Phil Plumb who helps put the magazine together ,,, and organizes events etc,

[@robwesselink6070]

The car has dutch license plates.

[@bernardtharme838]

Big Myth, It is not a Rolls-Royce motor it was designed by R-R but built by Austin motor co.

[@yakacm]

Oh that's sort of true and sort of not, RR built some of the motors early on in the contract but didn't have the capacity so production was moved to Austin. The Austin made engines are slightly redesigned to make them cheaper and to make mas-production easier, so the RR version is a better engine with an aluminium cylinder head.

[@10wanderer]

and the engine was black not green @@yakacm

[@stephensomersify]

4 litre version of the motor that went into my Vanden Plas Westminster (4 litres also went into VPs)

[@thewilderfanclub7896]

I want one

[@jono.pom-downunder]

The wheel hubs on these Beauties can be used to cross cable bridges IE run 2 cables across a span, if driven slowly I'm told they pull very straight. If looped around the hub you can get quite a turn of speed.... Only for the very,very, brave, or stupid😅

[@kristofferkaaling8795]

Nice nick of a nice car, goes deeper than 5-6 feet tho.