A few weeks ago, we made the journey into Wales to recover a remarkable survivor from the early days of British motoring: a 1932 Austin 10 that had spent decades tucked away inside a traditional farm building.
Now, after making the trip across the country, the Austin has been catalogued and entered into an upcoming Anglia Car Auctions sale, giving enthusiasts the chance to take ownership of one of the earliest Austin 10s produced.
First registered on 11 July 1932, this Austin dates from the very beginning of Austin 10 production.
Introduced during the depths of the Great Depression, the Austin 10 was designed to bridge the gap between the hugely successful Austin Seven and the larger Austin Twelve. It quickly established itself as one of Britain’s most popular family cars, offering dependable motoring at an affordable price.
Throughout the 1930s, the Austin 10 became a familiar sight on Britain’s roads, serving families, small businesses and professional users alike. More than 290,000 examples would eventually be built, making it one of the most successful British cars of its era.
Nearly a century later, finding such an early example is unusual enough. Finding one that has spent decades hidden away in largely untouched condition is rarer still.
When we arrived in Wales, the Austin was still sitting exactly where it had been left many years ago.
Dust-covered and showing all the signs of long-term storage, it presented exactly the sort of scene that gets classic car enthusiasts excited. The years have certainly left their mark, but so too has the fact that the car was carefully stored rather than exposed to the elements.
This is not a car that will simply be fuelled up and driven home. Any future owner should expect a full restoration and comprehensive recommissioning programme. However, that’s precisely what makes vehicles like this so appealing to many enthusiasts.
The opportunity to save and return a genuine pre-war survivor to the road doesn’t come along every day.
For all the dust, age and surface corrosion visible today, this Austin’s survival is no accident.
After being taken off the road many years ago, it remained with the same family and was stored away rather than altered beyond recognition. As a result, it survives today as a fascinating snapshot of early Austin engineering and 1930s motoring.
Cars like this only exist because somebody chose to keep them.
That decision has given today’s enthusiasts the chance to preserve, restore and enjoy a vehicle that has already survived for almost 100 years.
According to the Anglia Car Auctions catalogue, the Austin is accompanied by an old green continuation logbook, maintenance handbook and parts literature.
Perhaps most interestingly of all, members of the previous owner’s family are keen to help any future buyer piece together more of the car’s story.
Details such as these often prove invaluable when restoring a vehicle of this age and help preserve the history that comes with it.
That’s the question every barn find raises.
Some will favour a full restoration back to original specification, while others may choose to preserve as much of its hard-earned character as possible. Either way, we hope to see it back on the road where it belongs.
Whatever route is chosen, we suspect this little Austin has many more years left in it yet.
The important thing is that it finds an owner willing to take on the challenge and continue its story.
We documented the recovery of this remarkable Austin 10 in Wales, capturing its first journey into daylight after decades hidden away. The video shows the car exactly as we found it and offers a closer look at one of the earliest Austin 10s still surviving today.
The Austin is now entered into an upcoming Anglia Car Auctions sale and will be offered without reserve.
For anyone looking for a genuine pre-war restoration project with character, history and plenty of potential, it is certainly worth a closer look.
You can view the full auction listing and catalogue information via Anglia Car Auctions, here:
https://angliacarauctions.co.uk/auctions/2763-20-Jun-2026/14748~2-1932-austin-10
Cars like this are exactly why we do what we do.
Whether it’s an Austin hidden in a garage, a sports car buried beneath decades of clutter, a motorcycle tucked away in a shed or an unfinished restoration that’s been sitting for years, we’re always interested in hearing about genuine barn finds and forgotten classics.
We buy classic cars, motorcycles, collections and restoration projects throughout the UK.
If you have something hidden away and are considering selling, get in touch with UK Barn Finds. We’d love to hear its story.
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