Our video this week comes from a show local to me – the Cars at Kiawah show. This is a great show of about 300 cars with mixed marques, mixed ages, and mixed types. This past year Dennis Gage from “My Classic Car TV” came out and covered the show. Of particular interest to our readers will be the first vehicle featured, a 1954 Austin Champ. You may be familiar with the smaller Austin Gypsy, but how many of you have seen a Champ?
As Wikipedia will tell you, the Austin Champ is the civilian version of a British Army vehicle made by the Austin Motor Company. The army version was officially known as “Truck, 1/4 ton, CT, 4×4, Cargo & FFW, Austin Mk.1” however the civilian name “Champ” was universally, if unofficially, applied to it.
This specific example is owned locally by the gentleman in the video who actually works on the Charleston Tea Plantation. How appropriate is that?
If you get a chance to attend the Cars on Kiawah show, you won’t regret it. It is a fascinating show held in a beautiful time of year when the weather on the Carolina Coast is just about perfect. And a lot of the flowers are in bloom too. This year’s show will be held on May 4th.
And if you attend either the Kiawah show or the annual British Car Day show here in Charleston, you will probably see Bill Hall and his Champ.
Michael Carnell is the editor and founder of the Just British Online Motoring Magazine. As a lifelong British car enthusiast, he has owned or driven British cars of all ages from Austins and MGs to Jaguars and Triumphs. He currently owns a 1966 Vanden Plas Princess 1100 and a 1977 MGB. But there is always room for more - no matter what his wife says.
Excellent video hope some day to be there to see it all…