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The Austin A 40 Devon

The Austin Motor Company goes back to the early days of motoring, formed by Herbert Austin who in 1905, gave up being General Manager of Wolseley to form his own Company. In 1914 the business became a public company.

Many popular models were produced prior to the second world war but perhaps the most famous was the Austin 7 in 1922, one of the greatest baby cars of all time with its 747 cc engine producing 13 brake horse power. It even had 4 wheel brakes but these were not coupled until 1930, the pedal worked the front ones and a lever the rear. When production ceased in 1938 at Longbridge, manufacture of the engine was continued by Reliant until 1962.

The post war period say the introduction of the 4 cylinder Sixteen of 2.2 litres, this however used the chassis and body of the 1940 "Twelve", this engine was still being used in Taxis and the Austin Gypsy as late as 1967.

1948 saw the introduction of the "Modern" perhaps slightly American looking 1200 cc A40 Devon and Dorset models with an overhead valve engine and independent front wheel suspension. These did well in the United States and helped Austin to sell over 48,000 cars in 1948.

The firms catalogue of 1949 extols the virtues of the model, "Smooth comfort with plenty of power to spare for safe overtaking and rapid hill climbing are two reasons why the Austin A 40 Devon Saloon has won wide popularity.

Clean and modern in design, with independent front suspension and a 40 b.h.p. overhead value engine to ensure sparkling performance, the A40 does approximately 39 miles per gallon of fuel at 30 m.p.h. and has a top speed of over 70 m.p.h. This the car is equally at home nipping quickly and quietly through city traffic or shortening the country journey.

The all-steel coachwork is sound insulated and has safe rear opening doors with concealed running boards. Generous rear luggage accommodation is provided wand the leather upholstered seating, with individual front seats gives ample room for four adults."

The exterior high lustre enamel was available in five colours, Brown with Brown Upholstery and Brown Carpets, Portland Grey with Beige Upholstery and Brown Carpets, Blue with Brown Upholstery and Brown Carpets, Mist Green with Beige Upholstery and Fawn Carpets and finally Black with Brown Upholstery and Brown Carpets.

The 1200 c.c (73.17 cu inch) ohv engine has a bore of 2.578 inches and stroke of 3.5 inches, producing 40 b.h.p. at 4,300 rpm, maximum torque developed at 2,200 rpm being 59 lbs.ft. The compression ratio 7.2 to 1. The forged steel crankshaft was supported by three detachable "Thinwall" bearings. likewise the bid-end bearings. The overhead camshaft being driven by duplex roller chain with tensioner ring of synthetic rubber for quiet operation. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a four speed and reverse gearbox with centrally mounted floor leaver, syncromesh was provided on the top three gears..

An interior heater with windscreen demisting was an extra at £6.0.0d. plus £1. 13s 4d. purchase tax, an Ekco car radio an extra £25. 0 0d. plus £6. 18s 10d. purchase tax.

For 1950 the gear ratios were altered to give slightly higher gearing, whereas the 1948 model cruised comfortably at 50 miles per hour this increased to 55 with the alterations and also improved the fuel consumption by some 2 1/2 miles per gallon. The "Motor" magazine road test for 1950 spoke very highly of the car and which in December 1950 could be bought new for £505. 9s. 4d. including purchase tax, the list price in late 1948 was £463. 6s. 2d. (including tax).

As a child I well remember travelling many miles in one of these cars, it was blue with the registration KLO 515. It is strange but there are certain things that stick in ones mind, it was a cold winters day and we were somewhere in mid Devon, snow on the ground and more falling when the car suffered a puncture to one of the tyres, well the jack on these models goes down through a trap door by the front seats, you lift the trap up and then put the jack down through the hole - not a problem on a summers day but the hole this day was full of frozen snow and slush, I am sure you can imagine the comments my father made about modern cars and their design - he was so wild with the car and slammed the drivers door so hard that it never did shut properly again during our ownership!