Faults:

Clutch plate replacement.

General Comments:

My third car after the Cortina. I wanted to try something different, and this $500 beauty was it! A black 4 door, the A30 is a crude looking beast; external door hinges and a bonnet opened by lifting the "flying A".

This car came (via relatives) from the original little old lady owner; a thick folder full of receipts! Represented a long history.

Mechanical issues? Other than the clutch, and routine servicing, (remembering there are grease nipples, kingpins, and the like...) none.

On the road it was fun. Very slow fun. Recidivist hoons should be made to drive an Austin A30 for a year!! 4 speed, first is a waste of time. Move through the gears with the long straight floor shift quickly to 4th, and a noisy 50 mph is about it. The B series engine has a sewing-machine like clatter. Seats are basic but OK. Dash is one instrument, but it gives you the info needed. Boot is pretty small, but so is the car. Tall (?) and narrow, you don't want to rush into corners! I did change tyres; it was far better to drive on radials.

It's not a daily commuter, but if you can find one you will be entertained. And you can do much of the maintenance yourself.

I sold the Austin in 1991 and two months later bought a fawn 2 door! That gave me a year of trouble-free motoring (but it was a part-timer).