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#Post#: 87912--------------------------------------------------
Austin Champs
By: blackskidmarks Date: May 6, 2014, 3:35 pm
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HTML http://s37.photobucket.com/user/blackskidmarks/slideshow/autin%20champs/austin%20champs
Hi,
I noticed that several members have an interest in Champs.
I bought one in 1969 when Land Rovers were relatively new and
expensive. The army was discontinuing using Champs and they were
cheap at auctions, and ex govt dealers. Mine had been
registered in 1966, but was built in 1952, had been a breakdown
vehicle in civilian life. I paid £145 for it.
The weak point was a phosphor bronze bush in the rear tracta
joint. I replaced those many times in the 15 years I ran it, had
them made up by machine shops for about 30 bob a time. If you
cut a half inch off the tracta bell you could get them out
without removing the axle.
I never replaced the points all the time I owned it, not
available except in a complete distributer. Cleaned them often,
only got 12mpg!
The next owner was a wildfowler on Preston marshes. He reckoned
that Champs didn`t get stuck as often as land rovers due to the
independent suspension. Perhaps off road skill wasn`t a strong
point back then!
I also include pictures of ex govt vehicles for sale at Crook
Bros, at Hoghton near Preston.
#Post#: 87913--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: genem Date: May 6, 2014, 3:58 pm
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Superb. :thumbs:
#Post#: 87917--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: johnpirate Date: May 7, 2014, 2:11 am
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I,m the resident Champ fan being the happy owner of one for the
past few years .I bought it after a Sunday afternoon in the
pub,went on e,bay and woke up the next day with
message"Congratulations now pay for your item".Oh Bollocks!!.I
love the thing,I ended up getting rid of the series as I wasnt
doing anything with it.The Champ I reckon I get about 18mpg and
on the motorway kept to about 45mph it will do 21mpg.I towed a
caravan with it and that dropped to low single figures.the off
road capability is better than a series but there are
downsides.What a series can do at 5mph a champ will do at 15 to
20mph and there lies the problem. You get carried away with the
enthusiasm of the thing and tracta joints can pop
out.[IMG]
HTML http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/JohnAPender/slippyno2.jpg[/img]
#Post#: 87919--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: blackskidmarks Date: May 7, 2014, 3:04 am
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HTML http://s37.photobucket.com/user/blackskidmarks/library/autin%20champs/austin%20champs/white%20champ
In those days there was little choice among 4WD vehicles. Never
guessed the market would expand as it did!
I attach a photo from about 1972, I painted champ with
woolworths white, what was I thinking? I `renovated` it at that
time, cut new laminated glass for windscreen and replaced rotted
windscreen bars. Added flashing indicators and a mini heater
with a 24v motor from a bus heater.
I recall that when the Lancaster bypass was being built (later
M6), the contractors (Costain) had dozens of champs on the site.
Non were sign written, only one colour, army green!
#Post#: 87922--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: onfire Date: May 7, 2014, 6:47 am
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Great pictures, thanks for sharing. Im sure it has been answered
before ... but ... why did the Army phase out the Champs if they
have better offroad capabilities than the Series? I thought that
the Army decision had been due to the availability of production
(and that Land Rover simply won the race)?
#Post#: 87923--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: inglishg Date: May 7, 2014, 7:21 am
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I went in my first Champ only a few weeks ago. Really
impressive!
A farmer has one in his barn and we got talking about my
S2a...he said "come and look at this".
He had one covered in all sorts of shite and dusty as hell...but
he started shifting things around and cleared a path for it. A
set of jump leads and it fired up!
It purred beautifully (Rolls Royce engine of course) and he took
it for a drive around his yard.
It had obviously been restored to concourse condition...but what
a waste to leave it sat there doing nowt!
#Post#: 87927--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: mandylandy Date: May 7, 2014, 10:51 am
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I remember as a 5/6 year old crying 'cos my dad wouldn't buy me
a ferret scout car at Ruddington.
Those brilliant piccies took me back.
Just imagine turning up ,in those days with 5k int'arse pocket !
It's good to dream . :smilewide:
#Post#: 87934--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: johnpirate Date: May 7, 2014, 2:04 pm
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[quote author=onfire link=topic=8062.msg87922#msg87922
date=1399463250]
Great pictures, thanks for sharing. Im sure it has been answered
before ... but ... why did the Army phase out the Champs if they
have better offroad capabilities than the Series? I thought that
the Army decision had been due to the availability of production
(and that Land Rover simply won the race)?
[/quote] Cost was a major factor .A series 1 cost about £650 to
the army but a Champ cost £1300 .There was other things
including repairs and stuff .They were overcomplicated to such a
ridiculous level.Reverse gear in the transfer box in the back
axle.Squaddies being squaddies threw it into reverse going
forward causing the back axle to be written off a very expensive
part.They also did their best to get them into single figures
mpg wise and usually managed it.Heres a picture of a friends
civilian champ which has an Austin A90 engine instead of the
Rolls unit.i asked him what it was like .He said scarey 90mph
capability with 1950s
brakes.[IMG]
HTML http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/JohnAPender/DSCF3057.jpg[/img]
#Post#: 87936--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: johnpirate Date: May 7, 2014, 2:08 pm
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[IMG]
HTML http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/JohnAPender/DSCF3066.jpg[/img]<br
/>Whe we get together in Greater Manchester area we can usually
get at least 6 or 7 Champs
there.[IMG]
HTML http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/JohnAPender/DSCF3063.jpg[/img]<br
/>This belongs to a Champ owner .He has this the Champ and DB9
#Post#: 87937--------------------------------------------------
Re: Austin Champs
By: pete Date: May 7, 2014, 2:11 pm
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Back in 1962 my first posting in Germany was to a unit with
16 champs. Of these only 2 had the RR engine with the lead seals
the others had made under licence Austin built unit.
We used to race them in reverse, quite interesting at 50+ mph
in a corner.
The main reason they were discontinued by the army was cost,
roughly two and half times the cost of a Land Rover.
pete
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