1965 Austin A40 MKII Historic Race Car

Lot details
Registration No: HUR216C
Chassis No: AA2S9132189
Mot Expiry: None

Making her competitive debut aboard a Lotus Elite at Goodwood in 1962, Gabriel de Freitas (Konig) was elected an honorary member of the British Racing Drivers' Club eleven years later. Having piloted everything from a Lotus Formula Atlantic single-seater to a Ferrari 250GTO at circuits throughout Europe not to mention Monaco, Sao Paulo, Guyana SA and Barbados, she purchased this Austin A40 as a standard road car during 1989 and had it converted for historic rallying. Used to contest the Charringtons Historic RAC Rally of Great Britain (x1), Retrospective Circuit of Ireland Rally (x3) and Circuit of Ireland Historic Rally (x2) from 1990-1995, the two-door saloon was reconfigured as a circuit racer in time for the 2000 Goodwood Revival. Last run in anger at Chimay during 2005 after a string of class and group wins in the `Top Hat' and `Oldies but Goldies' race series, the Austin was regularly started and moved around whilst on display at the Beaulieu House Car Museum in Ireland from 2006-2013. Treated to a bare shell refurbishment in 1992 and an overhaul of its Formula Junior specification cylinder head twelve years later, the A40 also boasts the following modifications: long centre branch manifold, large diameter clutch, alternator, oil cooler, straight-cut gearbox, Ridgard seat, full rollcage, laminated front screen, solid fuel pump, foam filled petrol tank, oil breather tank, lowered nylon bush suspension, Peter May halfshafts, additional gauges, Perspex rear / side windows, Minilite-style wheels, plumbed-in / handheld fire extinguishers, full aeroquip-style brake lines, Midget front disc brakes and twin SU 1.5-in carburettors. Although without a current V5C registration document the car is still listed on the DVLA and HPi databases under the number plate `HUR 216C'. Running and driving but in need of recommissioning / updating, this well-campaigned A40 has the makings of an exciting project and is accompanied by an old RAC MSA logbook, expired FIA HVIF papers and assorted spares (body panels, camshaft, differential etc).