Youngest A40

[Garry]

More out of curiosity than anything else, when was the final A40 built/registered ?

PS: I am still looking for one

[Dave the rave]

The last Countryman was 14-11-67 chassis number 172,360
The last Saloon was 20-11-67. Number 172,897.
One of the last was known to the club, some years ago. Memory tells me last but one….

[exlkrs]

Mine's about 200 from the end. As for Reg suffixes, Personally I've never seen one beyond 'F', But seen photos of a few 'G's. I recall Mike Hodgson posting a picture of an 'H' reg.

[Mike Hodgson]

I think the car Dave refers to was owned by Debbie Smith who unfortunately was a victim of the Covid outbreak.
The car was not in the best of condition and I have no idea if it still around.

[Dave the rave]

Correct Mike

[Garry]

Many thanks all, I had seen a G reg’ Countryman in the past.

[Dave the rave]

Just crunched some numbers on the membership list.
Firstly Chris….your car, 170974, is virtually 2000 from the end, not 200, ( or is that what you meant.
We do have two VERY late ones though, latest Countryman we have is Mark Gormans, 172327, 33 cars from the end.
And R J Carter owns, 172846, 51 from the end of the Saloons.
I’m fairly certain they would have been built on the last day.
We have one G registration, registered 1st Aug 68. Number 172,567, a saloon, & a basic one at that.
Another month and it would have been on an H plate.

[exlkrs]

Just crunched some numbers on the membership list.
Firstly Chris….your car, 170974, is virtually 2000 from the end, not 200, ( or is that what you meant.
We do have two VERY late ones though, latest Countryman we have is Mark Gormans, 172327, 33 cars from the end.
And R J Carter owns, 172846, 51 from the end of the Saloons.
I’m fairly certain they would have been built on the last day.

Correct Dave! Missed a naught!!

[Nik]

I used to own RHU 239G registered in Nov 68, it was scrapped in 95 I think, I don't have the chassis number, but given where it rusted(everywhere) I guessed it was probably one of those car they showed on the news. New unsold cars sat in flooded field because people weren't buying them and then got registered much later. Dad bought an Austin 1100 that was probably there, it was only a few years old and rust just appeared everywhere.

Engine: original 1098cc Austin, Metro HIF 38mm SU + manifold, A+ Electronic Distributor, 3 into 1 exhaust manifold, Sprite big bore exhaust system.
Run on unleaded thanks to Carbon-Flo.
Front Suspension: Cut down rear Imp springs, lowered and uprated dampers.
Rear Suspension: Stiffened, lowered.
Sprite Front Disc Brakes
Sprite Gear-box
Electric Cooling Fan + bonnet cooling duct(also reduces lift) , Electronic fuel pump, Omni-auto's roller release bearing, 185/60x13" on the rear, 165/65x13" on the front on 6" Cosmic alloys and 3.9 diff. The top half of the screen is Mirrored film and not metal and has less of a tint than normal Grey/Black Tints. I had a nice long chat with a Policeman I'd just wave out of a side street and then he stopped me saying I must take the sheet on Aluminium out of the front screen. After I explained it was mirror tint film he got his visor tints out to say it was too dark, it was lighter than any of the tints so he left me with it's too distracting it must be like having rain on your windscreen. As I was sat on the floor I only looked at traffic lights through it because it was higher than my line of sight.

[Michelle]

A related question: what and when were the *earliest* A40s?

I have a left hand drive one here in Canada, registered as a 1958.. and now I'm curious. The 'export or die' thing is also something I'd like to know about - were exported Farina bodies numbered differently?