1947 Austin Gasser | St Albans, Hertfordshire

A 1947 Austin Gasser, a post-war Austin body reworked in the drag-strip style of the 1950s. The gasser look comes from a raised front end and a beam or tubular axle, which shift weight rearwards and give a nose-up, eager stance. Builds of this kind are individual creations, often with a large V8 and race hardware in place of the original mechanicals. This car is red with a black interior, a bold pairing that reads clearly on camera. It seats two, and its automatic gearbox is not what a 1947 Austin came with. It is left-hand drive, which adds an American hot-rod look: the driver sits on the kerb side and the front passenger steps out on the road side. The raised stance and hot-rod proportions give photographers, advertising crews and music video directors a strong shape to frame. Film and TV scenes that need a modified post-war Austin or a drag-racing look have a ready subject, and at events it works as a centrepiece. It also suits a wedding or birthday with a hot-rod theme. The car is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.