Austin A35 classic car with Rae Davis mods

This is an unusual sale, comprising the modified A35 as shown, plus lots of spares, including the original peachy-sweet 948cc engine, gearbox, back axle, suspension components, dynamo, distributor, carburettor with manifolds, and so on. So you would have the option of enjoying the fun of driving an A35 that looks standard on the outside to the casual observer but will keep up with, and outperform, many modern cars, much to their astonishment, amusement and appreciation. Or you could convert it all back to original and sell off the performance parts.My son and I bought this car about nine years ago from Rae Davis, as a standard original A35. We then used Rae's expertise and many of his parts to modify the car to give it modern performance. The rear leaf springs are Rae's lowered design but the front suspension is made by Frontline Developments and thus uses adjustable telescopic shock-absorbers, vastly superior to the original lever arm shocks. The front discs brake conversion is the Rae Davis design and safely matches the stopping power of the car to its new-found performance.The dynamo was replaced by an alternator with proper voltage regulation. The distributor is also new, with an advance curve to match the engine's needs.We bought the engine brand new from Classic & Modern Engines (as patronised by Rae Davis). It is based on an MG Midget 1275cc unit but ported and bored to around 1299cc, with a Piper 286 camshaft. Needless to say it it quite unlike the sweet little 949cc engine. We fitted brand new twin 1.5" SU carburettors including manifold and used Rae's throttle pedal arrangement, to operate the twin carb linkage.We fitted a 3.7:1 high ratio Midget back-axle, thus enabling motorway cruising speeds without screaming the engine. This is a deceptively quick car.We also fitted a laminated front windscreen.Our total car conversion project is not quite complete. Our final improvement would have been the rear suspension damping, by replacing the lever-arms with telescopic shocks. We bought Frontline rear AVO tele-shocks and include them in the sale, but have not fitted them yet. It will need careful redesign of the upper mountings and probably alter the rod-handbrake arrangement, or convert to Midget rear hydraulic brakes with cables. But it can be done. The front carpets have perished but the rears are good and original. Full sets are still available for £160 new. We have just run out of time and our lives and priorities have changed. So our dear little Austin has to go.This is a rare opportunity to buy an historic classic car, in fundamentally rust-free original condition with the fun factor of extra performance. There are blemishes in the external paintwork, but we have not tried to mask them. I can send you any detail photo angles if you need them. Many projects of this kind fail due to the depressing amount of welding and bodywork often needed to the vehicle shell of such an old car. This is not the case with our car. This is a very sound, original, unrestored example.Payment by BACS transfer or cash please.Viewing is essential. 

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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