CLASSIC CARS

Austin Cambridge A60

Icame across this month’s featured classic – a 1967 Austin Cambridge A60 – in a warehouse behind a lakeside temple in the heart of Colombo; it was surrounded by plenty of automotive parts in various stages of restoration. This beauty is owned by Chanaka Jinasena who says he bought it about a decade ago. And he adds that this classic has sentimental value for him. A lawyer who lived next door to the Jinasena family had bought the car in England and used it for about a year before bringing it down to Sri Lanka.

Chanaka remembers chatting with his neighbour about the car, watching him drive it every day and take loving care of it.

Since it was used regularly by its former owner, Chanaka says that everything – right down to the windscreen

and doorlocks – had to be replaced. The restoration took him around two years to complete and he also insulated the interior and added air conditioning to combat the heat of our tropical island.

With a 1.6-litre B-series inline-four engine turning out 61 hp at 4500rpm, the A60 reportedly has a top speed of 129 kmph and the ability to accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in 20 seconds or thereabouts – a feat that’s rather impressive for this senior member of the British motor industry.

Chanaka remarks that machines are made to be used rather than being ‘garage queens,’ adding that his classic car still runs magnificently. And when the beast is awakened, the healthy, throaty growl that emanates from beneath its hood and the ease with which it glides lends credence to its master’s restoration skills.