1955 Austin J40 pedal car

The Austin J40 is one of the most popular pedal cars ever built. Each J40 was built in South Wales at the Austin Junior Car Factory, modeled after the 1948 Austin A40 Devon and Dorset models. The company was established on a not-for-profit basis, existing solely to employ disabled coal miners who needed a new form of employment. All J40 pedal cars were built from scrap metal from the Longbridge Austin factory, and each one was built and painted the same way as the actual cars.

The J40 was built with several accessories which made the car feel authentic to children. Standard features included working headlights and a horn, detachable wheels fitted with Dunlop tires, Austin-style front grille, and seats made from the same material as the Austin Devon. Additionally, the J40’s hood opens, revealing a faux inline-four-cylinder engine, complete with faux spark plugs. The trunk (or boot in England) opened as well and housed a spare wheel and tire.

More than 32,000 J40 pedal cars were produced before production ceased in 1971 with cars being shipped around the world. The popularity of the J40 skyrocketed in 2012 when the Goodwood Revival, a motorsports festival in England, featured a children’s pedal car race with dozens of J40’s. The race has been running annually since 2012, and interest in the J40 has continued to grow.