British 4×4 army legend still turns heads

Van Zyl, at the recent Day of the Old Wheeler at the Old Wheelers Museum in Windhoek, shared the Champ’s history and how it ended up in Namibia.

The Champ was the Brits’ answer to the Willys Jeep, simply called the British Jeep.

But the five-seater vehicle did not come cheap and was heavy in comparison with its counterparts, the Land Rover and the Willys Jeep.

But the Austin Champ had off-road and water-crossing capabilities ahead of its time.

The vehicle also has other applications, such as doubling up as a fire truck.

Van Zyl, a collector of old cars, said his dream has always been to own a vintage Jeep.

A friend in South Africa called him about the Austin that was up for grabs.

Van Zyl said he requested a picture of the car, after which it was considered a done deal.

The car was eventually delivered to Windhoek only two years after its purchase.

“After seeing the car I decided not to make it a yard car, but to restore it to its former glory,” Van Zyl said.

He said he sought the advice and expertise of people from far and wide to restore the car.

Van Zyl said around 15 000 cars have been manufactured, of which the first 1 500 were built in the Rolls Royce factory in the United Kingdom.

Hence it was fitted with a Rolls Royce B-40 2,9 engine.

The car was designed and built for the front line and was as robust as it needed to be.

Van Zyl said it has five forward gears, and five reverse gears, meaning the car can reverse just as fast as it can go forward.

Though it is a 4×4, it engages in four-wheel drive once the driver puts the car in first gear.

“The vehicle is built heavy and lots of brass has been used on the car. From the fuel and oil caps to the fire extinguisher everything is brass,” Van Zyl said.

The engine is sealed and water tight so it can drive totally submerged in water, with its snorkel in an upwards postion.

Another interesting fact about the Austin is that it runs on 24V and comes with a generator.

It even has a plug fitted to its side, which was used to start aircraft in the past.

The Austin’s cross-country capabilities was also considered some of the best at the time as the car had an independent suspension – hence the smooth ride over rugged terrain.

The Austin was withdrawn from the British military service during 1966 – 14 years after being commissioned.

Some armies used the Austin until around 1971 – most likely due to its cost and weight.

After the cars were decommissioned by some armies, it became a collector’s dream for many vintage car owners.

Namibia is home to one of them, which is still in running condition.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.