THIS CAR, A 1955 AUSTIN A30, CAME TO ME AS A WRECK, ROTTEN AND ENGINE EXPIRED!.................IT TOOK 9 YEARS OF 'ADJUSTING IT' INTO AN AUSTIN THAT LOOKED LIKE NO OTHER!

THE ROOF WAS CUT OFF...DOORS WELDED SHUT AND BRACED....AND SCREEN NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN!

YOU NOW STEP INTO MY 'NODDY' TYPE CAR!

THE ONLY ITEMS RETAINED FROM THE ORIGINAL CAR ARE ....THE BODY, THE RADIATOR AND THE FUEL TANK!!

IT WAS THE CHALLENGE OF FITTING MANY OF THE WIDER PARTS, AND THE FITTING OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND STEERING COMPONENTS FROM THE DIFFERENT AUSTIN MODEL, THAT MADE ME WANT TO DO IT!....SOME GUYS CLIMB MOUNTAINS!!!

THE BODYWORK WAS COVERED IN STICKY BACK PLASTIC 'GREEN MABLE' FABLON, THIS WAS THE MATERIAL THAT TRANSFORMED KITCHENS ACROSS THE UK, IN THE 1960s, IT TOOK A WHOLE 14 DAYS TO COVER, AS THE ROUND SHAPED AUSTIN WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC TO IT!.....I STARTED IT THEN RIPPED IT OFF IN FRUSTRATION!.....AND SAID ITS PAINT FOR ME!.....SLEPT OVERNIGHT TO AWAKE WITH RENEWED ENTHUSIASM!........AND I BEAT IT!

THE REAR BOOT OR TRUNK LID NOW OPENS THE OTHER WAY AND THE HINGES AND THE RELEASE HANDLE ARE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.....THIS IS OPENED FROM INSIDE NOW!

THE FUEL FILLER HOLE IS ALSO GONE!

THE REAR BUMPERS WHERE MADE UP USING THE ENDS FROM THE ORIGINAL BUMPER AND THE OVERIDERS!

THE NUMBER PLATE LAMP IS FROM AN AUSTIN MINI AND CUT IN HALF!

IF YOU HAVE GOOD EYESIGHT...YOU MAY SPOT THAT I ROUNDED THE REAR PANEL OFF....AS IT COMES FROM THE FACTORY FLAT.....TO RUN IN LINE WITH THE ROUNDED BOOT LID!

THE TRUNK CLEARLY ON VIEW....THE REAR FLOOR AREA WAS RAISED UP BY USING CHECKER PLATE ALLOY.....UNDERNEATH LIES THE FUEL TANK AT 90 DEGREES....ALSO IS AN HANDY TOOLBOX, AND THE NOW ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP!....THE SPARE WHEEL SITS IN ORIGINAL PLACE!

THE CAR HAS NO CARPETS BECAUSE IT IS KNOWN TO RAIN HERE FROM TIME TO TIME!.....INSTEAD ALLOY TREAD PLATES ADORN THE FLOOR!....ALLOY PEDALS ATTACHED TO THE FARINA PEDAL BOX...

THE DASHBOARD IS FROM THE FARINA TOO, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS GREATER IN WIDTH, IT HAD TO BE CUT DOWN TO FIT, IT IS ALSO BROUGHT FORWARDS TO DRIVER.

THE MODERN STEERING WHEEL WAS RECOVERED IN MATCHING GREEN, TO MATCH THE TRIMMED SIDES.....A REPLICA '55 TAX DISC WAS FOUND!...

THE GEARBOX TUNNEL IS FROM THE FARINA, AS ITS WIDER FOR THE LARGER 4 SPEED SYNCHRO GEARBOX...

THE HANDBRAKE WHICH OPERATED ROD REAR BRAKES ON THE DRIVERS RIGHT SIDE, NOW SITS IN THE CENTRAL TUNNEL, OPERATING HYDRAULIC BRAKES ALL AROUND!

THE ENGINE BAY SHOWING OFF THE AUSTIN 1098cc ENGINE WHICH IS VERY FREE REVING AND NO SLOW COACH!....AS IT WAS USED IN THE AUSTIN MINI!......AND THIS ONE IS PULLING LITTLE WEIGHT NOW!

AN ALLOY VALVE COVER AND CHROME CARB COVER ARE ADDED, SPORTS CLEANER AND 2 HYDRAULIC BRAKE AND CLUTCH RESORVOIRS ADDED ALSO!......

AN ALTERNATOR NOW TAKES CARE OF THE ELECTRICAL CHARGING!

THE ORIGINAL GRILL WAS THROWN....AND THE HOLE LEFT WAS FLARED OUT.....IN THE HOLE WAS FITTED A BIG ELECTRIC FAN....THIS COULD POSSIBLY PULL THE CAR THROUGH THE AIR IF I WAS TO RUN OUT OF FUEL!....THATS THE THEORY, ANYHOW!

A SPIDERS WEB WAS FABRICATED AND IN THE CENTRE A 'JEWELLED SPIDER' SITS!

THE FRONT BUMPER WAS CUT INTO 3 PIECES, AND SHORTENED, WITH THE OVER RIDERS COVERING THE CUTS!...THE BUMPER IS ALSO NOW CLOSE FITTED!

A PERFORATED MESH WAS FITTED BETWEEN THE BUMPER AND BODY, AND THE 'AUSTIN' LOGO SPLASHED ACROSS IT!!

THE FRONT NUMBER PLATE IS HINGED, TO MAKE LESS UNSIGHTLY AT SHOWS!

THE FRONT LAMPS ARE 'FOGRANGERS', AND FIT FLUSH TO THE BODY!

THE CHROME HEADLAMP TRIMS ARE FROM THE FARINA.....BUT ARE FITTED TURNED 180 DEGREES AS THEY ARE SHAPED.....THEY ALSO PROTRUDE FURTHER FORWARD THAN STANDARD!

ANOTHER VIEW OF ENGINE BAY!...YOU MAY ASK...WHAT BHP HAVE I ON 'TAP'......GET IT!........................

 THE COMPLETE STEERING AND SUSPENSION ARE FROM THE FARINA!

THE BONNET / HOOD IS NOW OPENED FROM INSIDE!

THE REAR PANEL BEHIND THE SEATS WAS FABRICATED IN METAL, AND COVERED TO MATCH!

THE FRONT A30 SEAT BASES WHERE CUT DOWN, AND MATED TO THE A40 SEATS.......AND THE REAR SEATS FROM THE WIDER FARINA WHERE STRIPPED AND SHORTENED!

THE ROUND SIDE VENTS WHERE MADE UP FROM AUSTIN MINI BONNET BADGE SURROUNDS, AND BLACK MESH!.......SPORTS STAINLESS MIRRORS WHERE ADDED!

A BLACK LINE WAS PLACED IN TO CREATE THE LOOK OF A DOOR IN PLACE!

UNDER THE REAR BUMPERS A STRONG BLACK MESH GRILL WAS ADDED....ALSO THE EXHAUST GASSES NOW EXIT TO THE SIDE!....USING THE SHINY PIECE FROM A MOTORCYCLE FRONT SUSP FORK!

THE REAR SIDE LIGHT AND FLASHER LAMPS WHERE FASHIONED OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL DRINKS COASTERS.......A '5' AND '5' WHERE CUT IN FOR THE YEAR OF THE CAR!

THE BRAKE LIGHT IS CUT INTO THE BOOT POSITIONED IN THE CENTRE, AS PER THE UK LAW, FOR THE YEAR OF VEHICLE!

FOR THE FRONT INDICATORS, REAR LAMPS WHERE BONDED INSIDE THE WINGS....AND THE AUSTIN 'FLYING A' LOGO WAS CUT OUT OF THE WING BY HAND!

THE FRONT WINGS ALSO HAD 20MM OF METAL REMOVED TO BRING THE WINGS IN TIGHTER FOR APPEARANCE!

A 'FLYING EAGLE' ADORNS THE BONNET / HOOD, AS IT FITS EXACTLY INTO THE RAISED SHAPE ON THE BONNET.....THE BLACK REAR PIECE TO A POINT WAS MADE BY HAND FROM ALLOY!

THIS EAGLE CAME FROM A 1950s CHEVY!!

BONNET NOW OPENED FROM IN VEHICLE!

PHOTO SHOWS THE SHORTENED FARINA REAR SEATS!.....AND THE SIDE BODY INTERIOR PANELS WHERE FASHIONED OUT OF A THICK ALLOY CHECKER PLATE FOR STRENGTH!

THEY WHERE THEN PAINTED BY HAND....AND EACH ONE OF THE THOUSAND 'FLASHES' WAS RUBBED OFF ONE BY ONE BY MY FINGER!.......MAYBE IT RAINED THAT DAY!

 AUSTINTATIOUS AT FIRST OUTING CAR SHOW...AND PICKED UP BEST CUSTOM!!!

ANOTHER SHOT OF THE DASH AREA!.....THERE IS A FULL GLOVEBOX THERE!

YOU CAN SEE THE LARGER GEARBOX TUNNEL!.....AND THE SHORTENED DASH!.....AND THE MESH FLYSCREEN!

THIS ANGLE MAY SHOW OFF THE 'ROUNDED REAR'.......AND THE SINGLE BRAKE LAMP!

IT STANDS AT JUST 42 INHES HIGH!

HERE IT IS BEING FEATURED ON FAST LANE DAILY VIRTUAL GARAGE ..A USA TV CHANNEL.