David Whyley is a very fortunate man, but his immaculate Austin A90 Atlantic is even luckier. After decades of neglect, this post-war oddity has been given a new lease of life and today represents surely the world's finest example of its kind. That wasn't always the case, though.
I first encountered this particular radical-looking British convertible, registered FPN 717, 40 years ago, when it didn't run and was painted white. I was enjoying probably my busiest year as a designer of record sleeves, and among the myriad acts I worked with was a rock 'n' roll revival outfit called The Stargazers. The band members had a keen appreciation of retro style and were big fans of all things 1950s. Drummer Ricky Lee Brawn had always been fascinated by the reimagining of American design and culture through British eyes, and loved the way that in the UK we never quite got things right but managed to create something unique of our own. Think Elvis versus Cliff Richard, Flash Gordon versus Dan Dare - or Hudson Hornet versus Austin Atlantic. So when it came to the sleeve for the band's '82 album Watch this Space, and wanting to use an old car to help create a memorable front cover image, rather than putting the band in a big-finned American convertible, we plumped for Longbridge's take on early '50s US-inspired glamour.
Both Ricky and saxophonist John Wallace were into classics, and they knew a character called Dave Cropper who, among his collection of early Ford Consuls and Zephyrs, had an Austin Atlantic convertible restoration project. It wasn't a runner, but was cosmetically sound and would photograph well. Cropper was game and agreed to trailer the car to London.
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A Breath of Fresh Air- Alfa Romeo's exotic, V8-powered Montreal was like nothing the marque had made before, but can it compare with a Porsche masterpiece, the 911S 2.4?
The stereotype of the ItaloGermanic automotive rivalry is that the Latin car will be brilliant to drive, but poorly built and ergonomically flawed, while the Teutonic will be the opposite. Yet these 2+2 sports coupés both ran against orthodoxy. In the Montreal, Alfa Romeo created an outlandish-looking two-door more comfortable, more powerful and more refined than anything it had produced for decades. Meanwhile, Porsche continued to refine its back-to-front, austere and increasingly aged 911. Neither took a traditional development path, but both created thrilling and individual cars that have echoed through the decades.
Daring to be diminutive
AMC's Gremlin and Pacer, and Ford's much-derided Pinto, led America's response to the threat of imported European compacts
THE LONG WAY ROUND
There is a great tradition of overland trips by Land-Rover, but the tale of this 70s Aussie epic and the car itself was discovered by chance
Handsome cab
The Phantom V limousine marked the beginning of the end for coachbuilder James Young, but this Rolls-Royce represents the craft at its very best
DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES
Racing for their own F1 teams brought some drivers success and an enduring legacy. For others, it turned into a nightmare
20 30 LITRES CYLINDERS, 400BHP......AND MORE THAN A CENTURY OLD
Thunderous torque, flame-spitting stub-exhausts, white-knuckle thrills - and hopefully no spills - aboard a trio of Edwardian racing titans
ICON.
The three top-selling vehicles in the USA in 2023 were pick-ups, topped by the Ford F-Series. This is the truck that started it all
Blurred Lines
lan 'Del' Lines blended the V8 burble of Triumph's open GT with real practicality in his Stag V8 saloons and estates
Home of the brave
The innovative Silverstone proved a hit with keen amateur drivers. To mark its 75th, Healey's club racer returns to the circuit for which it is named
PLAYING ALL THE ANGLES
Alfa Romeo's wild RZ eschewed the jellymould styling of the period to offer a striking, wedge-shaped take on open-topped performance motoring