This vehicle started life as a 1951 Austin A70 pick-up and was acquired in 1952 by Jim Targett, an agricultural engineer-cum-Jaguar tuner, who was based in Wiltshire, UK.
He turned it into his personal Q-car by completely stripping the body, strengthening the chassis and adding Koni shock absorbers and a front anti-roll bar. At the rear the live rear axle was retained but coils springs, twin trailing arms, an A bracket, anti-roll bar and four Koni dampers were grafted on. Brakes were modified to discs and a servo added.
Body modifications included an estate car rear section to cover the pick-up load space and the addition of some glass-fibre panels to the bonnet and the fitment of an Austin A35 grille.
The original interior seats were replaced by those from a Citroen 2CV and the dashboard was modified to contain a full set of instruments. An Austin-Healey 100/4 engine replaced the original humble unit.
Later modifications included the fitting of a tuned 3.8 litre Jaguar engine, a Citroen Light 15 steering system and a set of Dunlop racing wheels from a Lister Jaguar!
The net result of these extensive modifications was a 25 cwt Q-car capable of out-performing Porsches, Mini-Coopers and the like.
Strange - yes, but don't forget this was in the early 1950s.
