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A classic car owner has opened up on an Austin 6 restoration that brought the historic model back to life. Fred Leach, a member of the Austin 10 Drivers Club and chairman of the Cambridge and District Classic Car Club, admitted he \u201ccelebrated\u201d when the car started up after working hours on refitting the engine.<\/p>\n
Leach purchased the beautiful Austin in the early noughties and has worked tirelessly to bring the car back to its best. However, his love affair with Austin began almost 40 years ago when he first got a flavour of historic vehicles.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI started working for the AA in London when I lived down that way. One of the other chaps in the garage where we worked, he had an old Austin. I used to sort of look at it and help him with bits on it. I ended up buying one that had been in a slight accident and needed some work doing to it, that was back in 1980 or 81.<\/p>\n
“I got that back on the road and for quite a few years I owned that and used to do regular trips to Holland and all over the place with it.\u201d Leach sold the model on but got the bug back after meeting his wife.<\/p>\n
READ MORE <\/strong> Ex-Wheeler Dealers host admits his own car is suffering from strange \u2018nuance\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n After parting ways with one of the pair\u2019s houses and paying off all the bills, the rest of their money got pushed into classic motoring. Leach spotted his current Austin in a magazine back in 2004 with the duo travelling down to Swindon to have a look.<\/p>\n They quickly agreed on a price and returned a couple of weeks later with a car trailer to pick up the stunning machine. He added: \u201cThe chap we bought it off was using it very little. As soon as we started to use it all the stitching started to break up on the leather, so we had that done.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had new carpets, I rebuilt the gearbox, I rebuilt the back axle. We had a new hood made for it. Finally we had it repainted in 2016 and a couple of years later I managed to break the engine. I broke the crankshaft so ended up having to rebuild the engine as well.<\/p>\n DON’T MISS <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a shell-bearing engine. It\u2019s a white metal engine so you have to have that done and there\u2019s very little specialists around for that nowadays.\u201d Leach admitted he secured all the parts to rebuild the engine days before the country was put into the first coronavirus lockdown.<\/p>\n However, he admits it was a \u201clot quieter\u201d than usual which allowed him to gradually rebuild the internals. Despite spending hours on fixing the model, Leach admits he has no intention of leaving the model lying around.<\/p>\n He has travelled to Brittany with twelve other Austins of a similar era with the car clocking up 1,000 miles door to door. The Austin has also been to the Isle of Wight and a trip to Cumbria with Leach having one eye on another journey back to Holland.<\/p>\n He explained: \u201cWe thoroughly enjoy using it and we make the most of it. We do anything between 1,000 and 2,000 miles a year in it. Years ago I can recall driving their old car on a trailer behind a modern vehicle even though they are staying in a hotel or whatever. They are not driving it.\u201d<\/p>\n Leach admits he has taught his son to drive the vehicle which has been a major feature of family events including two weddings. He revealed that there were no plans to sell the car which has enjoyed nearly two decades in his care.<\/p>\n He concluded: \u201cThe car\u2019s with us for as long as we can. If it gets to the stage where we are getting on a bit and we can\u2019t get out and drive it we will have to look at what we do. Fortunately we\u2019ve got children but I\u2019ve only got one son who\u2019s interested in classic vehicles and because of his age, he\u2019s more into the Escorts\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/24\/590x\/secondary\/austin-classic-vehicles-4971320.jpg?r=1695309984824\")
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