Grandfather spots classic car he sold in 1962

A grandfather visiting a classic car exhibition was stunned when he came across a vintage motor he sold 55 years ago.

David Young, 80, realised the blue Austin Heavy 12/4 was the same one he last saw in 1962.

The car, built in 1928, was wrongly listed as a 1927 model and its number plate UC 7532 confirmed the truth.

David, who paid a farmer £30 for it in 1960 when he was a 23-year-old in the RAF, said: “I was amazed. I thought it must have been long gone but it was overwhelming to see it.”

David came across the car “by complete chance” at the Beamish Museum in County Durham.

He said: “I recognised features like blue silk roller blinds that I remembered well and the same rear lights that I fitted.”

A search of the Vintage Austin Register showed David, a former draughtsman from Sunderland, was listed as a previous owner of the Austin.

He bought it after spotting it parked on farmland at Cotherstone, Teesdale, surrounded by straw and chickens.

The farmer’s wife gave him 10 shillings for petrol to move it and he called it “the haunted house” because it creaked so much.

The doors often flew open and the brakes caught fire.

David has owned about 30 other cars, with two of his favourites being a 1934 Rolls-Royce and a 1999 Saab.

Source: Grandfather spots cars he sold in 1962 at classic car exhibition