Austin champ

[Gil Boyd]

It was slightly before my day in Army service, but when I read about the beautiful little beast, can't help wondering why it lost out to the Landrover. It did look the part and had a meaty power pack too, and appears to have had many assets the MKI L/R didn't. I am sure there are some ex users on th site who can educate me on it>
Here's a link to some interesting reading:

Austin Champ

Information

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[skiprat]

There is a lot written about the Champ V Landrover.
Initially the Champ was to be a “Combat Truck” (CT) the Landrovers of that time were “General service” (GS)
Landrovers in service at the same time as the Champ were no match for the Champ, not as strong and underpowered. Over time the landrovers were improved / upgraded but the Champ was what the MOD wanted at the time.
The Champ was a vehicle designed by a MOD committee to have lots of parts interchangeable with other vehicles in military service (B40 / B60 / B80 engines all the same basic design just differing amount of cylinders) it was also designed as a stable weapons platform, fitted with Vickers machine guns and the American M40 recoilless rifle (Suez 1956)
And the champ was to be maintained by REME mechanics with little training, it is a lot simpler to remove the complete rear axle assembly than repair the broken component.
The Champ could be called “over complicated” but they were well made and solid. With all round independent torsion bar suspension it has a lot smother off road ride than any Landrover.
The cost of the champ was a lot greater than the general service landrover . and there is no heater in the Champ!

---------- Post added at 10:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:54 AM ----------


My replica of what Champs were designed to do.
2 Para M40 recoilless fitted for “Operation Musketeer” Suez 1956

[Gil Boyd]

Thanks for that Skiprat, brilliant photo as well. I suppose, when it was designed for all climates especially the hotter ones, and being able to be nearly totally submerged a heater would become redundant and about as useful as a porcupine in a durex factory

[Peter Laidler]

Mind you, some Landrovers didn't have heaters either. None or the Wombat carriers did neither did 35CL21.

Great photo Skippy. Couldn't you put the WD number on it for the shows?

That was an interesting article in the AUSTIN MEMORIES article and their comments about the Champ on the line 26BE05 and their assertion that this indicates that this is an Austin mark, to indicate that it is the 2,605th Champ off the line. NOT SO. This is the WD registration number. They are implying that Scammell 05BD90 would be the 590th Scammell - when we only had 207 in total!

The 26BE05 number was a typical 50's WD registration number of the time along with 73BR62, 88BC36 etc etc and were issued out to new vehicles after acceptance in blocks to new vehicles issued out of Ashchurch (?) by a small MoD office that's based near Hillingdon.

[bigduke6]

They can still be had for a reasonable price too, ( reasonable compared with a Series 1 LR) quite a few at the War and Peace show, pics are from the show in 2012