Austin J40 fairground ride

[richard]

fantastic Austin J40 fairground ride featuring 6 original cars and built in 1953 - it really was fun

[richard]

another pic - click to enlarge

[marcus]

Lovely. I recently had to turn down a job restoring one of those, it would have been fun, but they really are CARS not toys, and as such a major job to restore and not enough sale value for me to earn anything like a fair fee.

[richard]

i remember we discussed it on the forum - that was the consensus i think  despite being in great condition they were still being used and 15 minutes after this photo was taken one of them had a big lad of about 13 in it ! 

[marcus]

Yes. lots of good advice here. If I had been doing it up for myself it might have been different, but for me to do a paid job and leave room for the owner, a dealer, to make a profit was just not on. I believe Carter's Steam Fair has a J40 merry-go-round.

[richard]

wonderful thing flikr innit heres a pic of Carters j40 ride - more flash but perhaps not so authentic - not that the children would mind 

[marcus]

In the 70s my jazz trio played a gig in a park in Chiswick or Hammersmith, and Carter's Steam Fair was also there, and plenty of time for me to have a good looksee. I did not know anything about J40s then, but was mightily impressed that the cars were so much more realistic than usual ones. I don't think they were painted like that though, rather more down to earth. Those do look a bit garish to me, but great for kiddies.

[Big Al]

Ah, J40 roundabout. All the fun of the Monoco Grand Prix in the park. Marvellous. J40, better built than a modern car and much much greener.

[marcus]

In fact they are so well built that any children getting one as a present in the 50s would soon have found their pride soon become a bit embarrassing as all the other children on scooters, tricycles and bicycles would soon leave them far behind.