Austin A40 Devon
Overview
| Produced: |
1947-1952, 273958 produced. |
|---|---|
| Types: |
Saloon,2 doors,4 seats Saloon,4 doors,4 seats Station Wagon Van |
Along with every other major British car manufacturer, Austin soon realised the need for more modern car designs which it could sell at home and more importantly abroad. In 1947 Austin launched its first post-war family saloon range, the A40 Devon and A40 Dorset. Both cars were built on a separate chassis but with modern saloon body styles and overhead valve 1200 cc engines.
The Devon proved to be the most popular of the two cars, its four door body being ideal for small families, in fact by 1951 Austin had decided to drop the two door Dorset from the range. Other A40 Devon variants were also available including a Countryman estate car, Van and Pick-up as well as a Sports version (see separate entry).
The A40 Devon was eventually replaced in 1952 by the larger, more bulbous A40 Somerset range. The Devon had served well during its production run, earning much needed export orders from around the world.
The A40 was produced in miniature form as a child's pedal car and sold by Austin dealers as the J40, these small toys are now easier to find than the real car!
Source: Motorbase
Engines
| Capacity | Config | Model | Bore/Stroke | CR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1200cc | S4 OHV | 65.48mm x 89mm | 7.2 |
Transmission
| Type | Gears | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | 4 |
Drivetrain and Suspension
| Drivetrain | Steering | Front Suspension | Rear Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worm | Independent/Coil Springs | Beam axle/Semi-elliptic leaf springs |
Performance
| Top Speed | 0-60 | SQM | MPG | Engine Pwr | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 mph | 29.4 s | 31 mpg |
Auction Sales History
| Lot Num |
Description | Auctioneer | Date | Hammer Price | Hammer Price (inc premium) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 043 | Austin A40 Pickup | Brightwells Auctioneers and Valuers | 7 Mar 2012 | £4000.00 | - |
| 385 | Austin A40 Devon (1950) | Greens | 30 Sep 2000 | - | €3150.00 |
| 003 | Austin A40 Devon (1949) | BCA | 11 Oct 1999 | £525.00 | - |
| 010 | Austin A40 Devon (1952) | BCA | 12 Apr 1999 | £1200.00 | - |
| 568 | Austin A40 Devon (1949) | Thimbleby & Shorland | 17 Oct 1998 | £200.00 | - |
| 1241 | Austin A40 Devon (1948) | Brooks | 23 Mar 1997 | Not sold | |
| 374 | Austin A40 Devon (1948) | Brooks | 21 Sep 1996 | Not sold | |
| 579 | Austin A40 Devon (1951) | Sothebys | 17 Oct 1994 | £3400.00 | - |
| 019 | Austin A40 Devon (1949) | ADT | 21 Feb 1994 | £1150.00 | - |
| 011 | Austin A40 Devon (1948) | ADT | 9 Aug 1993 | £2000.00 | - |
Magazine Articles
| Title | Pages | Options | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article |
Devon Restoration - Part II - Back Together - Devon Back to its Brilliant Best |
78 |
 |
|
| Publication | Practical Classics March 2005 | |||
| Devon Restoration - Part II - Back Together - Devon Back to its Brilliant Best - Our pile of parts finally becomes a working car again as Dale Drinnon and the Austin Devon restoration team finish the job. | ||||
| Article |
Devon Restoration - Part Ten - Retrim |
72 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics February 2005 | |||
| Devon Restoration - Part Ten - Retrim - Retrimming doesn’t have to break the bank and there are some easy ways to make your interior look better without even swing a stitch, Dale Drinnon reports. | ||||
| Article |
Devon Restoration - Part Nine |
94 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics January 2005 | |||
| Devon Restoration - Part Nine - Tackling the brakes from back to front. | ||||
| Article |
Austin Devon part 8 - Paint - All set for a spray job |
94 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics December 2004 | |||
| Austin Devon part 8 - Paint - All set for a spray job - The Devon takes a quick detour towards the bodyshop and Dale Drinnon addresses some fundamental issues about painting your classic. | ||||
| Article |
Suspension Stripdown - Restoration - Austin Devon Part 7 |
98 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics November 2004 | |||
| Suspension Stripdown - Restoration - Austin Devon Part 7 - The Devon gets a bit of basic suspension fettling and a special treat as well, as Dale Drinnon discovers you don’t always have to buy off the rack to get a good deal. | ||||
| Article |
Screen Out ,Wiring Out - Austin Devon Part 6 |
102 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics October 2004 | |||
| Screen Out ,Wiring Out - Austin Devon Part 6 - The reassembly process gathers steam as the windscreen is removed and there’s also a spot of wiring. Dale Drinnon reports. | ||||
| Article |
Restoration Austin Devon Part 5 - Repairing the central body shell - That's one down |
102 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics September 2004 | |||
| Restoration Austin Devon Part 5 - Repairing the central body shell - That’s one down and tons left to go, but as Dale Drinnon reports, the Devon restoration team can at least strike ’fix rusty bodywork’ off their list. | ||||
| Article |
Restoration - Austin Devon Part 4 - Body Repair and Welding |
102 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics August 2004 | |||
| Restoration - Austin Devon Part 4 - Body Repair and Welding - After being stripped to the bone our Devon starts to become a car again with a little help from a master metal craftsman. Dale Drinnon reports. | ||||
| Article |
As Bare as we Dare - Austin Devon Part 3 - Bodywork and Interior Stripdown |
102 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics July 2004 | |||
| As Bare as we Dare - Austin Devon Part 3 - Bodywork and Interior Stripdown - Our saga of a genuine garden shed restoration continues by stripping the Devon to the bone. Dale Drinnon reports. | ||||
| Article |
Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff - Austin Devon Part 2-Mechanical Evaluation |
102 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics June 2004 | |||
| Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff - Austin Devon Part 2-Mechanical Evaluation - Before you know what you need, it helps to know what you already have. The Devon restoration crew take a critical look at the running gear. | ||||
| Article |
Restoration - Austin Devon Part 1 - FInding A Likely Candidate - The Better Part of Valour |
103 |
|
|
| Publication | Practical Classics May 2004 | |||
| Austin Devon Part 1 - FInding A Likely Candidate - The Better Part of Valour - The most important part of any restoration happens before it starts. Dale Drinnon looks at two very different cars and the hard choices that come with every new project. | ||||
| Article |
Classic Cars February 2002 pg 97 |
97 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Cars February 2002 | |||
| Fifties Saloon Racers. We test four hopefuls set to scrap it out in a new Fifties saloon car racing series: Jaguar MkV11, Sunbeam Rapier, Austin A40 and Morris Minor. | ||||
| Article |
Starter Classic - Austin A40 Devon to Somerset |
170 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic & Sports Car December 2005 | |||
| Starter Classic - Austin A40 Devon to Somerset - Britains' best - selling immediate post-war saloon makes a great first classic, says Malcolm Mckay. | ||||
| Article |
Classic Car Weekly 28 August 2002 pg 20 |
20 |
|
|
| Publication | Classic Car Weekly 28 August 2002 | |||
| Buying Power. Austin A40. Austin's A40 Farina was never as popular as its Mini and 1100 stablemates, but the world's first small hatchback makes a very usable classic, reckons Richard Gunn, assuming you can live with the rust. | ||||
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