Description
1955 AUSTIN A90 ‘SIX’ WESTMINSTER
Due having to relocate soon I sadly have to part with my lovely A90.
PLEASE READ THE ADVERT IN FULL.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire a lovely largely original A90 with only 68000 miles and four previous owners. This is quite a long read but should hopefully give you an honest description.
I have only had Selwyn for a year but have enjoyed bringing it up to scratch mechanically so the new owner should have years ahead of trouble free motoring, however I’m selling as a rolling restoration – more of which later.
With all of my cars the history is of vital importance and Selwyn is no different. The car was registered new on the 2nd August 1955 by Imperial Motors in Bournemouth to Renee Douglas Miller who kept the car until 1985, albeit little used latterly. Worth noting is the original buff log book notes the VIN number as B54 9977, whereas it is actually BS4 9977 as all early Westminsters were BS4.
The car had a spell off the road between 1975 and 1985 whereupon it was re-registered when it was put back on the road having missed the cut off for the requirement to notify the DVLC at the time of their computerisation that you wanted to retain the number. There is a lot of correspondence around this and the attempt to have the original number retained/ re-assigned but it was rejected and a new number WSV145 allocated. Even that was erroneously recorded by the DVLA as the new registration book displayed the number WSV14S! Further correspondence ensued and after 6 years in 1991 Mr Starr, the second owner, successfully had the original SEL240 number reinstated – now non-transferable. The chap I bought it from got it from Matthewsons auction but he only had it a couple of years and barely used it. There is actually a Youtube video of it when it was an auction lot in 2022 - details above
I have some older invoices and the original buff log book as well as a record of all 4 previous owners and the charming original sales brochure, handbook, maintenance manual and a booklet confirming garage servicing prices. It even still has both original Austin leather key tags in the same leather as the interior – very rare now!. Still with only 68000 miles I have recently spent a considerable amount getting the car up to scratch which included addressing the paintwork in the video as well as the following:
Overhauled cylinder head including hardened valve seats, head gasket etc.
Overhauled cooling system including re-cored radiator, new hoses, thermostat & housing, new fan belt & radiator cap
Suspension overhauled with 4 new lever arm dampers, bushes replaced
Full handmade stainless steel exhaust
Four new tyres
Refurbished brakes & general service
New classic rubber battery, voltage regulator, solenoid & coil
Body work is very good for a 70 year old – its not concours but holds its own well on the show field and attracts a lot of attention. It has clearly had bits of paintwork over its life but there is nothing that requires attention in the short term. The underside is very solid, a couple of historic patches but well executed.
The interior is lovely and remarkable that its all original, the leather is in excellent condition and even the carpets are original albeit the drivers side is a little worn. Headliner & dash are unmarked. The chrome is all excellent too and the original fog and spot lamps plus the period reversing light & radio all work as they should.
Now the not so good – it’s currently not running due to an electrical fault. The battery will not connect without sparking and I have run out of ideas. I have addressed some suggestions that have been made to me but it really needs someone who understands old electrics which I most certainly don’t. I can’t move it currently (although it was running superbly after the other work) and I can’t get anyone out to look at it. I’m up against it now because of the move & losing storage so this will be to the new owners advantage.
A new owner might also wish to replace the front windscreen seal (provided) but its not a big problem. Also when the head was done they couldn’t locate a correct temp sensor so the gauge doesn’t work currently but I’m still trying to locate the correct one Smiths TT1200 if anyone has one!
Overall a lovely rare A90 but useable and always gets people smiling. I’m gutted to have to sell now its almost done as I won’t get back a fraction of what I have spent and someone will get a lovely car here.
