1955 Austin A50 Cambridge – Project Profile

Many would argue that when it comes to buying a classic car, provenance is everything. After all, we are talking about a machine that has been in use for decades. Time in which it could have been subjected to all manner of things. That’s why there is a certain peace of mind that comes from, say, knowing a classic car has been with one owner for a long period of time. If it has, the chances are it’s been maintained to a good standard. It also means the car is a trustworthy, potentially reliable old thing. After all, if it wasn’t, the owner would have got rid of it, surely?

And that’s what brings us onto this week’s project of choice, namely a 1955 Austin A50 Cambridge. This car, which now needs some light recommissioning, lived with the same family, from new, for some fifty years! That’s impressive. What’s more impressive is that it comes with all manner of original paperwork, the mileage is genuine and while some work is needed, the old Austin has been looked after and kept solid. Cars like this simply don’t come up every day.

What is it?

The car here, as mentioned, is a 1955 Austin A50 Cambridge. This model was introduced in late ‘54 and was, bodily, identical to the A40 Cambridge. However, the A50 packed more punch care of an all-new 1.5 litre B Series engine with fancy Zenith carb. Good for 50bhp, the engine was a welcome improvement over the 1.2 that came before it in the A40 version.

Built from ‘54 to ‘57, the A5 was an incredibly popular little car for BMC. Over its life, some 115,000 were built and sold. Impressive, considering the A50 was only ever available as a four-door saloon, which isn’t the most practical of designs. There was a pick-up version, too, but that was of course aimed more at industry and agriculture than the man on the street.

Sadly, as is the case with all British cars of this era, depreciation, rust and the introduction of the MOT in 1960 meant that many went the way of the scrap yard, which is a shame. Obviously though, this one didn’t. Instead, it stayed within the family of its original owner for some fifty years. As such, this A50 is exceptionally well preserved (though it needs work, hence being a project) and comes with a whole host of documentation that’s usually been lost for cars of this era.

There is a V5, an original bill of sale, an invoice deposit slip, the maintenance service voucher book, original guarantee certificate and some service history dating back to ‘55! The vendor states that the hand soap supplied by the dealer as a free gift is still present! But that’s not all, as there is an original lubrication chart, additional invoices, warranty documentation and a whole raft of paperwork such as MOTs and the like that serve to authenticate the indicated mileage of 95,519! Talk about a time capsule of a car!

Why is it a project?

While it has indeed been owned by one caring family for fifty years, the more recent chapter of the A50s life has seen it fall by the wayside a little. As such, some recommissioning is required to get this old machine back on the road.

The vendor states that the engine is free and turns, which is good. Another good thing is that service and rebuilt parts for the B Series unit are readily available due to its popularity across the BMC range, so there are no major concerns there. Especially given the extensive history of the car, which backs up the mileage and maintenance.

The big issues that require investigation are the brakes and clutch, as according to the vendor, the little A50 no longer has the use of either. Without looking at the car it would be impossible to say what needs doing. Though it’s a strong bet the clutch is worn out and the brake lines are more than likely shot. However, that’s something for the new owner to look into.

This A50 strikes us as a car that needs a mechanical overhaul more than anything else. The body looks to be in excellent condition. These cars are extremely prone to rust, and as such, they do a poor job of hiding any corrosion. However, on this car, the doors look good, the bulkhead too. The sills look solid from the pictures, the panels look straight and free of huge globs of filler. It looks like a, forgive the heavy-handed pun, a solid proposition.

The interior, which features lashings of red leather, also looks to be in excellent order. Of course it shows some wear, but this car has been used, so why wouldn’t it? The main thing is that it seems to be largely undamaged, it looks to be complete and it quite possibly just needs a clean before being pressed back into service.

Five things to look for:

1) Clutch
Why is it not working? Is it a hydraulic issue, or is the clutch simply worn out? We wouldn’t be surprised if the clutch was the original, so it might just be a case of throwing in a new one.

2) Brakes
Our money is on the lines being corroded. But still, check behind the wheels for wetness, as one or all of the wheel cylinders could have failed. Check the lines, too. But whatever you find, don’t be put off. As overhauling the brake system on a ‘50s car is never a bad thing to do.

3) Rust
The car looks remarkably solid, but of course, we can only go off the pictures presented to us. When viewing the car, you need to be looking for old, sub-par repairs. So take a magnet and have a good hunt around for filler. Look for any curious ripples in the paintwork, or any bubbling from underlying rust – as such signs could indicate a deeper problem.

4) Trim
Again, this little A50 looks to be largely complete. However, given the rarity of it, it won’t hurt to have a cursory check of the trim and fittings to make sure they’re all present. The seats look good, but what about the headlining, the door pulls, the window winders, all that hard to find stuff.

5) Engine
The vendor states it turns, but in what sense? Will the car crank on the battery, or is there an electrical problem? Check the water and the oil for any mixing, check the radiator, the engine block and the carb. Parts, as we said, are no issue. So this is more a case of getting an idea of how many parts you’re going to need to buy.

What should you do with it?

Given the remarkable and detailed history of the car, combined with what looks to be its excellent condition, the only real way to go with this 1955 Austin A50 would be to restore it in original specification. Though saying that, we would be keen to avoid a full-on restoration, and would instead go down the ‘oily rag’ route. This car has a wonderful level of ‘life’ to it, such as the excellent but used condition of the interior for example. It would be a shame to lose that. So by saying restore, what we really mean is a complete mechanical overhaul, and then enjoy it as is. Carry on the good work done by the family that had it for some fifty years.

If you missed out on this one but fancy a similar project, keep an eye on our Austin A50 listings.