1958 Austin

London Cab Limousine

4 - Cyl.

Manual

FX3D236725

Gasoline

1958 Austin FX3D London Hackney Cab Diesel Engine / Chassis #FX3D236725 The famous London “Black Hack”! This FX3 version is perhaps the best-loved variety of the many specialized cab designs that have plied the streets of London from the beginning of the motor age right up to the present day. The unique three-door design, built from 1948 through 1958, was the final one with traditional outdoor luggage storage alongside the driver’s enclosed cubicle. This example is from the final year of production. Vehicle was last registered for the road in 1973. It has been stored outside under a tarp for many years. No preparation or “touching-up” has been done, aside from a walk-around inspection and photos – This car is truly “as-found”. The body seems pretty solid, other than a poorly attached driver’s door. We couldn’t jack it up safely on the wet lawn to look underneath: Presume that it’s rusty on the bottom after years outside. In fact, presume that it needs EVERYTHING restored and you’ll be in the right frame of mind. On the plus side, it is almost 100% complete and original, with the correct taximeter, jump seats, an official London taxi rate sheet posted behind glass, a Benson & Hedges advert in the passenger cabin, and (very cool, this...) an original 50s Lucas “flamethrower” driving lamp on the front bumper. The “D” in FX3D stands for Diesel. This is Austin’s own diesel unit, as opposed to one from Perkins or Standard that came in earlier cars. It hasn’t been turned over in years, and with the high compression inherent in a diesel we didn’t try; we can’t promise anything. Again: Just presume that it needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the crank-up. Everything under the bonnet is there and in the right place, right down to the air cleaner canister. From a historical perspective, it’s exquisite. Although produced for ten years, only 7267 FX3 cabs were built – less than of 10% the number made of the follow-up FX4’s all-enclosed design – and yet this FX3 is the one for which collectors are most nostalgic. With only a cosmetic rehab, it would make a fantastic movie car, photo prop, or an excellent draw parked in front of a proper “brit pub”(...Can you imagine seeing a Beatles tribute band arriving for a gig on this car? Pandemonium!) Believe it or not, parts are still available, and this car could be put back on the road by a dedicated enthusiast, and it comes with a clear MN title card. WE DEARLY WANT TO MATCH THIS VERY SPECIAL CAR WITH THE RIGHT BUYER, so we convinced the owner to start the auction at a LOW BID PRICE with NO RESERVE to attract the maximum number of interested people. eBay gave us room for 24 pictures. Please look at them all carefully. Please ask about any other details that you'd like to know about and we will answer quickly and honestly. And, just there are no mistakes or misjudgments, we want to stress that this is a project car for a dedicated enthusiast. It is not a good bet for a casual hobbyist, and it will not be driven away after pumping the tires up and adding fuel. It will make a very fine and valuable collector car for someone with the resolve to see things through and do a proper restoration. The Fine Print (read it before bidding!): GOOD LUCK! Please bid to the value this car may hold for you. Please feel free to ask questions or add comments. Please ask questions BEFORE you bid. We will respond quickly and honestly. This car is located in Lester Prairie, Minnesota 55354, about 45 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. Your inspections are invited and encouraged! CONDITIONS: Winning this auction constitutes a legal and binding agreement between the Buyer, the Owner and the Selling Agents. Please bid sincerely and sensibly. Zero-feedback bidders must contact us first before bidding to establish some level of seriousness-of-intent; It's nothing personal, just business: We, and many others, have been stung on eBay Motors by too many dead-beat auction winners. Vehicle is sold "As-Is and Where-Is". If the Buyer comes to pick up this car and is in any way dissatisfied, he or she will have the Option of walking away from the Deal with Full Refund of the Deposit and any Payments made to the Owner. Otherwise, no warranty is expressed, implied or offered. Neither the Owner nor the Selling Agents can or will take any responsibility for this car after it leaves the premises. PAYMENT: Buyer must make a $50 DEPOSIT by PayPal within 24 hours of the Auction Close. The Deposit will secure the Deal for all Parties involved. Failure to make Deposit within 24 hours will risk Cancellation of the Sale at Discretion of the Owner and Sellers. BALANCE MUST BE PAID within 7 BUSINESS DAYS of sale by SECURE PAYMENT or CASH at PICK-UP. TRANSPORT: Buyer is responsible for all transportation arrangements and costs. Car is located in Lester Prairie Minnesota 55354. We do not offer quotes on shipping. There are many vendors to choose from offering vehicle transport; eBay's "preferred" shipper, DAS, and FedEx/Passport are two great places to start getting bids. STORAGE: While the Auction Winner sorts out pick-up or transport arrangements, Owner can offer, free of charge, outdoor storage for up to 30 days after auction termination. Longer periods can be arranged at cost if necessary. Seller cannot accept any liability during this storage period. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank You for Looking! We are fluent in classic European cars. We are hobbyists, first and foremost, and happy to hear from you on the subject of cars or bikes. In addition to AUTOMOBILIA and PARTS, WE HAVE SOLD DOZENS OF VEHICLES ON eBAY...EACH DEAL A HAPPY ONE FOR ALL INVOLVED! We also sell non-automotive items on eBay under the names 'kowalski0001'. We invite everybody to review our auctions and feedback under both seller names. >>MM1000auto>> was created to auction the THINGS WE LOVE MOST: CARS, PARTS, and AUTOMOBILIA!