A FORTNIGHT ago, we featured in this space a picture of Thirsk Market Place in May 1963, crowded with cars. Who, we asked, can identify the black coupe parked on the cobbles and the four door saloon on the top of the transporter?

Many thanks indeed to everyone who sent in an email.

“The 'black coupe' is a Farina-designed Austin A40 Mk 1,” said Richard Stone. “They were notable for having a hydro mechanical braking system. They also had a small boot, despite a body shape that was ideal for a hatch. Mine, which cost me a fiver, had its rust holes decorated with weeds by unappreciative colleagues.”

Phil Garwood agreed. He said: “It was designed by an Italian, but it never looked the part. Most of my friends saw them as dull and tinny, and a few called them "efforts".”

It was, in fact, designed by Battista "Pinin" Farina, who came to global prominence as a car designer in the 1950s due to his work for Ferrari. The British Motor Corporation brought him in at the end of the decade to add a bit of pizzazz to its range.

Many correspondents were rather rude about the A40, but Derek Noble in Hutton Rudby noted that it played a role in car development: “It was the forerunner of the soon to be popular 'hatchback' type cars.”

And Howard Thomas of Carlton, near Leyburn, called it “a little treasure”, but he turned out to be a little biased. “My first car was an A40 when I lived in Milton, Stoke on Trent, and it would come fully loaded with people, dog and luggage over Park Rash to Carlton in Coverdale many times,” he said. “It took me for my first job interview with Terry's of York. I got a job as a sales rep and graduated to a Vauxhall Viva.”

For Therese Hobbs-Briggs, the picture provided a double hit. “An Austin A40 was my first car in 1964, and the one on the transporter is either a Morris 1100 or Austin 1100 – my second car. Both were brilliant cars – I loved the shape of the A40 and I moved flats in it about three times.”

This introduces the only note of dissension among our correspondents. Morris and Austin 1100s were very similar, but several expert identifiers pointed us in the direction of the radiator grilles.

James Larcombe said: “From memory Austins had crinkly grilles and the Morrises straight, so the car on the transporter is therefore a Morris 1100.”

Derek Noble agreed. “They were the same vehicle differently badged. These are, probably, Morrises with straight grille louvres,” he said.

Gerald Burnett of Richmond said: “The Morris 1100 was built from 1962 until 1973. It was an designed by Alec Issigonis and essentially were a big Mini. Later versions had a 1300cc engine, and in line with Austin’s practice of the time, MG, Wolseley, Riley and Vanden Plas versions became available. Like the Mini, rear subframe rust was a significant problem.”

Andrew Fletcher added: “In a time before foreign imports, all the vehicles in the picture are British. Behind the A40 is a Mini Clubman and a Thames Trader Pantechnicon.”

Tony Martin in Caldwell also spotted other vehicles, and named the transporter as a “Leyland Beaver/Comet Aric”.

Honourable mentions also to Edward Brown of Low Row, Duncan Hamilton of Northallerton, John Weighell of Neasham and John Floyd of Thornaby for the information they supplied.