1961 Austin A40 Farina Countryman Mk1

↑ Washed after being brought gently back to life after a 41 year slumber. Its first drive in all that time - mid April 2024.

The Austin A40 Farina is a small, economy car introduced by Austin in saloon (1958) and A40 Countryman (1959) estate versions. It has a two-box body configuration. It was badged, like many before it, as an A40, consistent with Austin's naming scheme at the time, based on the approximate engine output in horsepower; and to distinguish it from other A40 models, it was also given a suffix name – this one being the Farina, so named, reflecting the all-new design by Italian Battista Farina's Pinin Farina Turin studio. Austin had been merged into the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1952 and – unusually for BMC at the time – the A40 Farina was sold only as an Austin and not rebadged for sale under any other BMC brands. The Farina was both the first Austin A40 not/named after a county of England, as well as the last in the line of Austin A40s. The 1959 A40 Countryman version stands out by its layout as a small estate car with an upward (and downward) opening tailgate, and is therefore viewed as one of the earliest examples of a volume production hatchback.

While 141,897 Mk1 saloons were made between 1958 and 1961 (including CKD), only 27,715 Countrymans (Countrymen?) were produced, making them pretty rare nowadays.

Huge thanks to my son, David, for seeing this gem advertised, alerting me to it, inspecting it, photographing it, picking it up for me, cleaning it, and storing it in his Melbourne workshop until easing Covid restrictions allowed me to pick it up.Enjoy these early snaps taken by him, who inspected the car for me...this delightfully unmolested 'Farina' had not been driven since 1983 (at 73947 miles), and since 2006 had sat in this carport in Boronia (Melbourne, Australia).

↑ Car number shows it was the 79259th car produced at the UK factory (as a CKD kit), and subsequently became the 602nd A40 off the line at the Zetland Australia plant (Australian numbers always started at 501, and this is number 1103). All components with a date stamp, including body glass, are dated in the third or final quarter of 1961, while the coil is Januaary 1962, and the car was sold new from Austin Distributors in South Melbourne 31st March 1962, registration HNH-512.

↑ This is the first time the car has moved since 1983. Huge thanks to son, David, who picked up the car and brought it to his nearby workshop...

↑ The roof that had lots of items stored on it (with carpet underneath) is virtually unscathed!

↑ Almost all paint is still original factory paint. The only exception appears to be a small section front left lower (next pic)

↑ The only area with evidence of repair and repaint is this lower front guard, which has faded differently over the past 38 years or more.

↑ Safely stored in David's workshop for a few days until relaxed Covid restrictions allowed me to pick it up and transport it to its new home. Huge thanks for the photos, David! Now it's all up to me.

↑ The car came with the original log, meticulously maintained by the original owner.

Purchased 31st March 1962 from Austin Motors, South Melbourne (I think this should be Austin Distributors). Victorian (Australia) registration HNH-512. It had its 500 mile service at the same dealer 21/5/62, 31/7/62 for its 1000 mile service, 25/9/62 2000 mile service, 4/12/62 3000, my 5th birthday 22/1/63 4000, 19/4/63 5000, 23/7/63 6000, 16/10/63 7000, and then at 7777 miles (3/12/63) the notebook is full and he moved on to another log book that has not yet been found.

Every trip documented, all around Melbourne, and generally to golf courses, it seems! Pretty obvious why he chose a Countryman! He also drove an A55 Cambridge, with close to 50,000 miles on it, at the time.

The car now shows 73947 miles, which is almost certainly original, judging by the commensurate wear (or lack thereof) to steering wheel, seats, pedal rubbers and general mechanical and body condition.

Interestingly, this model was the first of the 'hatchback' Countryman Austins. Also in the collection is an astounding example of one of the very last, a 1974 Austin 1300 Countryman.