08 November 2019
|
There was an unprecedented level of pre-sale international interest at British Toy Auctions recently when a 1949 Austin J40 pedal car was set for auction.
There was an unprecedented level of presale international interest at British Toy Auctions recently when a 1949 Austin J40 pedal car was set for auction.
The Austin J40 had remained in the same family since its purchase in 1949 and was in remarkable condition for its age. Not surprisingly though the original removeable Champion spark plugs had been replaced, as had the original battery, powering the still working headlights. In every other respect however, the car was largely as the Austin Junior Car Factory had intended. Another special feature of Runcorn’s J40, was the number plate bearing the legend 999. This was additional to the original factory specification and served to make this particular model rather unusual.
The J40 factory in Barcoed, South Wales, was started with government funding to re-employ miners, disabled by ‘the dust’, otherwise known as black lung disease or pneumoconiosis and only began production in 1949 making this particular Austin J40 quite exceptional. It was the day’s best seller, realising a hammer price of £1,250.