Austin A35 Van

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The van version of the Austin A30 was offered for sale from the start of production in 1956 and continued with the uprated A35, outliving the saloon which was dropped in 1959 and the estate which ran until 1962. The vans soldiered on until 1968, beloved by small businesses, jobbing builders, and plasticine pest controllers for many years afterwards.

One of the most celebrated A35 van owners was legendary F1 racer and hell-raiser, James Hunt, who used one as his daily driver in London until his death in 1993, often packed to the roof with his beloved budgerigars. “I can put everything I learnt in motor racing into driving it round the Wandsworth one-way system on a wet Saturday night, blow off all the Ferraris and nobody takes a blind bit of notice,” he told Practical Classics magazine in 1993.

On offer today is a cracking little A35 van which needs nothing and will allow you to emulate your hero – plasticine or passed-on – with immediate effect. Looking resplendent in its blue livery and coach-written paintwork, this A35 is a very recent import from the Republic of Ireland and is not yet registered in this country. It is in sound condition, runs and drives, and has been fitted with a ‘Restall’ rear seat conversion.

The van is very smart inside and out and would make a great promotional vehicle for any business (not just Rolls and Bentleys specialists) but is also a fun practical classic. It is offered with a very tempting guide price and is sure to arouse a lot of interest on sale day.