Beschreibung
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
19th June, 2024 13:00
1952 Austin Champ
Estimate
£11, 000 - £13, 000
Registration No: HSV 588
Chassis No: 4210
MOT: Exempt
Current registered ownership since 1999 with just one previous keeper recorded
Very original example
An older restoration that still presents well
Iconic British Army military vehicle
After the success of America’s Jeep in the Second World War, the British Army was eager to have a multi-purpose light truck of its own. In spite of competition from the Nuffield Organisation, Austin was awarded the contract to build 15, 000 vehicles from a former aircraft factory at Cofton Hackett, on the outskirts of the Longbridge works, which was specially adapted for the purpose. Built from 1951 to 1957, Champs were quite unlike anything Austin had attempted previously. A four-wheel-drive quarter-ton truck, it utilised the straight-four, 2838cc Rolls-Royce B40 engine. The Rolls-Royce B-series engines were developed specially for use in British Army vehicles and, in their various guises, also powered the Daimler Ferret, Humber Pig and six-wheeled Alvis’. Although a civilian version of the Champ was offered, the vast majority were built for military use. Champ was actually the civilian name; officially the military version was the less catchy ‘Truck, ¼ Ton, 4x4, CT, Austin MkI’. Of the military vehicles, almost all were used as either basic cargo trucks or wireless vehicles.
Manufactured in 1953, chassis ‘4210’ is an older restoration finished in Deep Bronze Green paintwork with Green interior upholstery. Residing in current registered ownership for the past twenty-five years (since 1999), the Champ is showing just one former keeper on HPI. Barn-stored for the past few years, the vendor informs that ‘HSV 588 is now running and driving well, and further notes that the brakes have been recently overhauled. A very original example, ‘4210’ is rated in regards to bodywork, paintwork, engine, gearbox, and electrical equipment as ‘very good’ by the vendor, while the vendor rates the interior trim as ‘excellent’. Supplied with a history file, this is a nicely restored example of the iconic British Army Champ.
