LOT 162

1957 Austin A35 HRDC Academy Competition Saloon Registration no. 435 CPJ Chassis no. A2/55NCS18929

Sold for £10,350 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve

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Lot 162

1957 Austin A35 HRDC Academy Competition Saloon

Goodwood Members' Meeting|13 April 2025, 13:00 BST|Chichester, Goodwood

1957 Austin A35 HRDC Academy Competition Saloon
Registration no. 435 CPJ
Chassis no. A2/55NCS18929

• Built to HRDC Academy specification in 2015
• Raced at the 2016 Goodwood Revival by David Coulthard
• Eligible for the Goodwood Revival's St Mary's Trophy
• HRDC Academy passport
• Spare engine included

The growing popularity of events such as the Goodwood Revival and Silverstone Classic meetings prompted the Historic Racing Drivers Club's Race Director Julius Thurgood to launch an affordable entry-level single-make race series for historic saloons: the Academy. The make and model chosen was the Austin A30/A35. A comprehensive set of Control Formula rules and regulations was drawn up to ensure that cars would be very closely matched, and the result has been some very exciting wheel-to-wheel racing.

All Academy cars have to be road registered and MoT'd, and only one type of engine is permitted: a sealed unit built by Classic & Modern Engine Services of Bracknell. To convert cars to racing specification, the HRDC developed a kit of parts for the purpose; each marked with an HRDC reference number. The Dunlop R65 L-section tyre is the only type permitted.

The Academy idea has been so successful that the entire grid for the St Mary's Trophy race at the 2016 Goodwood Revival was made up of these cars, with celebrity drivers including Jason Plato, Jean Alesi, David Coulthard, Rowan Atkinson, Chris Hoy, Darren Turner, and many others.

This car was built in 2015 to HRDC Academy specification, including the CMES A-Series engine. The donor car was stripped to the bare shell, dipped and fitted with stronger sills, and then painted in BMC Maroon and Old English White. Its specification includes fully adjustable dampers, Aldon distributor, Minilite wheels, and a classic Alcantara Moto-Lita steering wheel as well as the upgrades permitted for the HRDC academy, including a limited-slip differential.

As well as numerous HRDC Academy races, where it finished on the podium on three occasions, the car ran in the Goodwood Revival St Mary's Trophy race in 2016 where the vendor shared it with Formula 1 legend David Coulthard in the latter's first ever drive at Revival. The A35 also raced at the 2017 Silverstone Classic where it was shared with former World Champion boxer, Carl Froch. It was also an entrant at the 2022 Goodwood Members' Meeting.

The car is offered with an HRDC passport and a V5C document for the registration '435 CPJ'. A spare engine is included in the sale.

Saleroom notices

Please note that the V5C and HRDC passport are to follow from the vendor after the sale.

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