AUSTIN 1800 EX WORKS 1968 LONDON TO SYDNEY MARATHON CAR

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Make: Austin
Model: 1800 MK2
Trim: EX WORKS MARATHON CAR
Year: 1968
Mileage: 72,000
Engine size: 1848cc
Fuel: Gasoline
Drive type: FWD
Vehicle Title: Clear
Location: Gateshead, United Kingdom

Description

A UNIQUE CHANCE TO BUY A LITTLE BIT OF GENUINE BRITISH AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY JUST BEFORE ITS 50TH ANNIVESARY IN 2018
THIS HAS BEEN MY OWN VEHICLE FOR 35 YEARS !
1968 EX WORKS BMC AUSTIN 1800 MK2 LONDON TO SYDNEY MARATHON CAR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR BACK IN 1980 NOT KNOWING WHAT ITS HISTORY WAS. IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS CAR NUMBER 17 ENTERED INTO THE 1968 DAILY EXPRESS LONDON TO SYDNEY MARATHON.
6 COMPETITION CARS AND ONE RECCE CAR WERE PREPARED IN BMC's ABINGDON WORKS FOR THE EVENT. FOUR OF THEM WERE WORKS ENTERED, (THEY ARE THE RED CARS WITH BLACK BONNETS), ONE WAS ENTERED BY THE RAF AND THIS ONE WAS ENTERED BY THE ROYAL NAVY. THESE LATTER TWO WERE WORKS SUPPORTED.
I BELIEVE OF THE 3 ABINGDON PREPARED COMP CARS LEFT IN EXISTENCE THIS IS TRULY THE MOST UNIQUE AS IT WAS A "ONE OFF" FOR THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE ONLY WHITE ONE.THE REMAINING CARS ARE VERY SIMILAR IN THAT THEY ARE ALL THE RED AND BLACK CARS.THIS ONE IS ALSO CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST ORIGINAL OF THE SURVIVORS
THIS CAR SUCCESSFULLY FINISHED THE 10,000 MILE RALLY, COMING 31ST OUT OF 100 STARTERS, NOT BAD WHEN YOU CONSIDER IT WAS PILOTED BY A NOVICE ROYAL NAVY CREW (OF TWO COMMANDERS AND A CAPTAIN) AND ONLY 56 CREWS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE EVENT.IT WAS THE ONLY ONE OF THE 6 ABINGDON CARS TO COME STRAIGHT BACK TO THE UK. IT WAS PUT ON A HERCULES AIRCRAFT TO SINGAPORE THEN CAME BACK TO THE UK ON AN A ROYAL FLEET AUXILLIARY SHIP.IT WAS THEN RETURNED TO THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF MOTORING WHO WERE THE CHEIF SPONSOR AND WHO ACTUALLY OWNED THE CAR.AFTER TOURING THE UK TO SATISFY THE SPONSORS IT WAS USED BY BSM FOR HIGH PURSUIT TRAINING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THIS WOULD PROBABLY EXPLAIN WHY IT IS IN THE SUPERB UNADULTERATED CONDITION IT IS. THE OTHER REMAINING CARS FROM THIS TEAM CONTINUED THEIR COMPETITION CAREERS LARGELY IN AUSTRALIA AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGED, ALTERED AND BROKEN UP OVER THE YEARS AS YOU WOULD EXPECT.
I USED THIS CAR MYSELF AS PERSONAL TRANSPORT FOR MANY YEARS. I EVEN TAUGHT MY THEN GIRLFRIEND, NOW WIFE, TO DRIVE IN IT. THINKING BACK IT MUST HAVE LOOKED QUITE ODD DRIVING AROUND TOWN WITH LEARNER PLATES ON!!
IT WAS THEN LAID UP IN MY GARAGE FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS UNITL 2013 WHEN I GOT ROUND TO DRAGGING IT OUT ON A CHAIN BEHIND MY LANDROVER.IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD.
ITS HISTORY IS EXTENSIVE TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS DATING BACK TO 1968 INCLUDING ACTUAL PICTURES OF IT BEING PREPARED AT ABINGDON. PLUS I USED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE DRIVERS AS I WAS A MARINE ENGINEER CADET BACK THEN. THEY GAVE ME LOADS OF GENUINE ITEMS FROM THE MARATHON INCLUDING ROAD BOOKS, BADGES, PHOTOS, SLIDES AND MUCH MUCH MORE BESIDES. I ACTUALLY HAVE A LARGE BOXFUL OF PROVENANCE.AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS THE ACTUAL CAR THAT DID THE MARATHON! NEVER RE SHELLED. NOT A COPY. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR MOST OF ITS LIFE!
I TOOK IT TO THE BRITISH MOTOR INDUSTRY HERITAGE MUSEUM IN 2014 WHERE IT WAS WINNER "BEST IN CLASS"
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO SELL IT AS I AM UNLIKELY TO GIVE IT MUCH FURTHER USE AND I FEEL IT SHOULD GO TO A NEW OWNER WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO GIVE IT A NEW LEASE OF LIFE. PLUS, THE MONEY WILL BE QUITE NICE AS I APPROACH RETIREMENT!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY THROUGH E BAY. THEN WE CAN EXCHANGE PHONE NUMBERS / EMAIL ADDRESSES ETC. AND I CAN SHOW YOU MUCH MORE.THE CAR IS IN ENGLAND OF COURSE AND IF YOU ARE VISITING THE UK AT ALL PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME AND SEE THE CAR. I CAN HELP WITH SHIPPING ETC.
THANKS FOR LOOKING

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