The last Real Austins - those were the days

THE Last Real Austins – 1946-1959, a brand new book by classic car collector, restorer and writer, Colin Peck is the latest in the Those Were the days ... series from Veloce Publishing.

Austin remains unique as the only manufacturer to build everything from small family cars to large luxury limousines; taxicabs and military vehicles; sports cars and trucks. The Last Real Austins places in context how, when and where each model was used.

Published by Veloce at £14.99, this new book examines how Austin bounced back after WWII, and how, despite the severe materials shortage, amazingly, managed to develop the largest range of vehicles produced by any automaker in postwar Britain. How these innovative vehicles were received and used in these markets is detailed, and the book is illustrated with rare archive photography depicting the weird, wonderful and the downright imaginative!

Cars featured, include the bold, if not radical A90 Atlantic, the A40 Cambridge and the wooden-bodied A70 Hampshire Countryman shooting brakes.

Did your dad have one of these great British cars?

This 96-page book is available now from bookshops or from www.veloce.co.uk.

Veloce books make an ideal gift. With subjects ranging from practical do-it-yourself manuals, through marque and model histories to modern and classic motorsport, at prices for every pocket, there will surely be something very special for every dad.

The Last Real Austins – 1946-1959

By Colin Peck

Published May 2009 UK & USA

ISBN 978-1-84584-193-5

UPC 636847041939

£14.95 UK / $29.95 USA

Ihe book focuses from the end of WWII right up to the introduction of the badge-engineered BMC vehicles Austin was the only manufacturer to build everything from small family cars to large luxury limousines; taxicabs and military vehicles; sports cars and trucks. It also includes details of how, when and where each model was used.

There is a big ocus on export markets examining how well Austin fared in each and includes rare archive material with new colour action photography.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This new book examines how Austin bounced back after WWII, and how, despite the severe materials shortage, it managed to develop the largest range of vehicles produced by any automaker in postwar Britain. It examines how these vehicles were received and used in these markets, and is illustrated with rare archive photography depicting the weird, wonderful and the downright imaginative.

THE AUTHOR

Colin Peck has been collecting, restoring and writing about classic cars for almost 30 years. He has been involved with a number of car clubs for makes as diverse as Mercedes-Benz and Checker cabs, but it was while living in the US in the early 1990s that he renewed his involvement with old Austins, buying and acquiring a 1954 Austin convertible. He restored the car in the UK and later acquired a 1950 Austin Woodie from Canada, which he also restored. Colin’s involvement with the global Austin village has seen him establish links with Austin clubs, historians and enthusiasts around the world.