15th October 2011 Sale

At our October sale we were very privileged to offer a selection of cars from the private collection of Andrew Booth. It comprised several Vintage Humbers, an early and very original 1914 Morris Oxford, a 1929 Riley 9 Tourer, a 1922 Austin 20/4 Tourer (an exceptionally reliable car), a 1934 Wolseley 9hp Tourer, a 1923 Austin 12/4 Tourer, a 1938 Rover 10hp Coupe, a 1927 Alvis TG 12/50 Sportsman Saloon and a 1933 14hp Rover Speed Pilot Sports Tourer.

 

American Cars:

Our October sale included a number of American vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

1925 Ford Model T Float

Throughout its eighteen years production, the original concept of the Model T remained firm, with its 2,892cc side valve unit using epicyclic two speed and reverse gears and transverse leaf suspension front and rear. Certain details were changed of course, including the brass radiator replaced by a black painted version. Far more black radiator cars were made. The affectionate nickname ’tinlizzie’ belies the quality of the materials from which they were made. With their low price and durable qualities Model Ts sold themselves. Such was the demand, the company did not need to advertise at all from 1917 to 1923.

This car was purchased from auction a number of years ago, and had undergone major works with marque specialists, Tuckett Brothers.  It was a highly unusual and interesting vehicle. It sold for £6,600, and we hope the restoration goes well.

1925 Chrysler 6 Landaulette

The Chrysler Six was the first car to carry Walter Chrysler’s name. It was revealed at the New York Motor Show on the 5th January 1924 and was an immediate success, it has been described as the ‘foundation stone’ of Chrysler’s company.

The reason for the Six’s fantastic performance is its high quality engineering and the 3300cc, six cylinder engine. The engine had a high compression ratio of 4.7:1 and a seven bearing, balanced crankshaft which together gave 68bhp. Chrysler chose to ignore the conventional braking systems of the time and to fit the Six with hydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels.

Manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation of Canada this was a very rare car indeed with this style of coachwork and RHD steering, it sold for £22,000 and has remained in this country.

 1928 Chevrolet Tourer

In 1928, the release of the Chevrolet National Series A B cars saw General Motors become the market leader in the United States. GM had employed a cunning tactic, they offered $50 off of each new standard car, in order to undermine the new 1928 Ford Model A. It worked. 785,199 A B Series cars were produced, each selling from between $495-$715.

The A B series was a fresh look for Chevrolet, having extended the wheel base four inches from the previous A A Series and using modern design from GM’s new Art and Colour Studio, which was formed in 1927. The body had longer, more angular lines, with flowing wheel arches and running boards. Inside the cars were equipped with the four cylinder engine that had first been seen in 1913. In late 1928 this engine was soon changed in favour of the six cylinder type. The Chevrolet sold for £8,500.

1929 Chrysler 66 Fixhead Coupe

1929 to 1930 saw the release of the Chrysler 66 and 70. The 66 was the entry level model, with the 70 being slightly more luxurious (later a 77 would follow, with even more bells and whistles). Chrysler produced 66 coupes, sedans, tourers and roadsters, in total 22,606 66’s were built. This period was an enormously productive time for Chrysler himself, in 1930 he opened the Chrysler building in New York, a year after the Wall Street Crash. The fact that Chrysler was still going at this tough time, shows how strong the business was.

This car had a 3300cc straight six engine, it was finished in two tone red and black and had two seats with a dicky. The vehicle was restored in 2008 and was in great condition all round, although the interior did need finishing. It was sold for £9,500 and has remained in England.

1951 DeSoto Custom Convertible

The Custom was built from 1942 to 1951 and was Chryslers most diverse car, with many different body and trim styles available. The earlier cars were built with pre-war designed bodies, but a full redesign of the Custom range in 1949 breathed new life in to the type with the 1949 Second Series models. They were the most luxurious vehicles of the DeSoto range, powered by a large six cylinder engine.

This car had the 4100cc engine, with a two speed automatic gearbox. It was finished in dark grey with a burgundy cloth and vinyl interior, which was refitted in 2009 when the vehicle was imported from Texas. It now lives in Germany, having sold for £15,000