to Champ or not to Champ......

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

A couple of last comments and I will leave you in peace.
The indicators on the windscreen frame are original, can't say I have ever seen any here in OZ.
Appears from the pics that the previous owner has done a lovley job making the front bumper straight - they are supposed to be bent inwards at the centre.
You made mention of the rec'd fuel tank, is the bash plate among your spares?

Pretty normal to still have the original engine, but neat all the same !

You could join the Austin Champ Owners Club ( has the rather doubtful acronym of A COC), the award winning Champ World magazine is well worth the subscription.

Rich.

[Keith Webb]

And you should get the 2012 Corowa DVD with a segment on Richard's Champ showing how to drive backwards.

[David DeWeese]

Thanks Richard and Keith for the reply!

Picked up the other Champ this weekend. Was a 6-hour round trip, but I consider that a fairly 'local' haul for here in Texas.

The second one was a parts donor for the first, but still has potential as a restoration project if someone was really motivated. It is also fairly rot-free except for the battery box. There are no brass data plates or engine tag present on this one. Is there somewhere else to look for identification numbers?

"Bubba" was definitely smoking something strong when he decided to turn his modified front bumper into a muffler on this Champ.

The second one appears to have been disabled for some time. Had two Willard-brand batteries installed... I think they have been out of business since the early 60's.

At least the first Champ I picked up now has a new sun-baked buddy to keep it company, although it doesn't look too willing to play at the moment....

Thanks, David

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Lots of good bits still left on your donor vehicle, I think it will prove invaluble.
I assume the front bumper was also used as a portable Barbie Plate ( not sure what you call them in Texas) for cooking sausages and steak, it would certainly get hot enough.
Some Champs have a number stamped on the top front of the chassis behind the bumper, however this appears to be just a manufactures number and has no relation to the number of a completed vehicle.
Rich.

[Mike Cecil]

Richard,

It's a GRILL ..... one BBQ's on a Grill in this fair country: BBQing is the action, the Grill is the instrument on which one does the action. (Confused??) And gas does NOT come in bottles .... in the USA you obtain 'propane in a propane tank..' (Go figure....)

Mike 'I have so much to learn' C

[David DeWeese]

A grill is used to fast-cook meat, a smoker is used to slow-cook meat, but it is only after applying the thick tomato and molasses-based BBQ sauce that it becomes barbecue.

If you grill a chicken, it's grilled chicken. If you slow cook a chicken in a hard wood fired smoker, it's smoked chicken... BUT, if you apply barbecue sauce to the chicken, well then it is barbecued chicken!

So, in Texas barbecue is a noun, verb and adjective!

Do I get an award for hi-jacking my own thread!

Thanks, David

[Mike Cecil]

Such a true statement: 'I have so much to learn'!! ..... but then Texans ARE a different breed to the northern folk, eastern folk ... well, the rest of the country, really.

So David, when are you turning on the Barbie for Aussie visitors to sample the oh, so sickly sweet molasses based BBQ sauce???? (Yes, you get the award!)

Mike C (who still admits to having much to learn...)