Significant Others at the London Concours

Ordered by Donald J. Baker from Manhattan Chrysler, this 1960 Chrysler 300F has only covered 77,000 miles in the past 62 years. Of the 248 convertibles built in it believed that only 78 remain and that this is the sole triple Black example left.

From the ‘Fins and Chrome’ class, a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. Once part of a Chicago based collection, this Biarritz has power everything, plus bucket seats and is finished in the Eldorado model-only finish of Persian Sand Metallic.

This is probably the first, and more than likely, the last time you will see a Honda 90 Moped and Rolls Royce Pick up in the same concours. The Honda was displayed as part of Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia’s collection. Sukhpal was visiting a friend and fell in love with the Honda so his friend gifted it to him. The Rolls Royce was in the ‘Coachbuilt and Concepts’ class. Based on a 1967 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow the conversion was carried out by Clark & Carter who were commissioned by the owner to build the ultimate Goodwood Revival tow vehicle.

honda

More from the ‘Coachbuilt and Concepts’ class. The Elan +2 was launched in 1967, It’s designer Ron Hickman had also designed a shooting brake but it was never put into production. But one + 2 owner wanted an estate car version. He enlisted the help of Lotus specialist Paul Matty to transform a 1974 Elan +2 S 130/5 FHC into this unique Estralle. An aluminum Shapecraft roof was bonded onto the fiberglass body, and Pilkington’s manufactured the glass. The Lotus Mediterranean paint was applied by Option 1 and Magnolia Nappa hide transforms the interior.

Fast Estates are not a new invention, From the ‘Coachbuilt and Concepts’ class, 1969 Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3 Crayford estate. One of only 12 W108 SELs converted to estate car form by Crayford, and now believed to be the last example remaining.

Originally converted for ex Connaught Formula 1 driver Kenneth McAlpine, the conversion used the glass and panels from a MK1 Ford Granada Estate with a bespoke tailgate.

From the ‘Great British History’ class, a 1928 Austin Seven Swallow. Produced by William Lyon’s Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool, designed by Cyril Holland, the Seven Swallow offered a more luxurious style but still at an affordable price. Such was the model’s popularity that Lyons was forced to move his factory to Coventry to meet demand. This example is one of just three preserved from the Blackpool production and is owned by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

Whilst Wolseley was one of the first British Motor companies and by 1927 it was under the control of Morris Motors. The 1930 Hornet had a 1.3 Litre straight-six engine and was based on the Minor which was also a Wolseley design.

This 1932 Wolseley has a four-seater boat tailed body by the Swallow Side Car Company.

From ‘Great British History’ a 1937 Lagonda LG45 Rapide, one of only 25 built. Originally supplied to S Baker in London and later owned by Dr Hurst, the inventor of the home damp-proof course system.

From, unsurprisingly, ‘Great British History’ this 1931 Bentley 4.5 Litre Blower did not start life with the body it carries today. Service records indicate that, unusually for a Blower Bentley, this chassis originally had what was known a close coupled Saloon body.

In 1990 the chassis was shortened to 9ft 9.5 inches and rebodied as a replica of the Birkin short chassis team cars HB3403 and HR3976.

When launched at the London Motor Show in 1930, the Invicta S Type had a list price of £1500, the equivalent today of £1.75 Million, when at the time the average price of a house was £200. Unsurprisingly only 77 examples were constructed and it is believed most all still exist today. Power was supplied by a straight six 4.5 Litre motor matched to a four speed transmission which gave the S Type a 100 mph top speed. This 1934 example is chassis S 165.

Built by the Swallow Sidecar Company, the SS1 Airline Coupe was styled to get the best out of its modest 20 hp six-cylinder engine. This example, one of 624 produced, was delivered in March 1935.

This wonderfully patinated 1938 Jaguar SS100 chassis 39029 was sold through the Jaguar main agent Henleys of London and exported to Australia. Whilst there Peter Moss competed in her in various hillclimbs before passing her onto the well known Australian Race/Rally driver Keith Thallon who competed in her in the 1949 Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn.

Owned by the Royal Automobile Club since 1994, this 1938 Alvis 4.3 Short Chassis Tourer was constructed as a Sports Four Seater by Vanden Plas.

From the ‘Japanese Jewels’ class, and winner of best in show, was this 1967 Toyota 2000GT chassis MF10-10129, Originally sold in Mozambique, it went to Portugal in 1976 before popping up on eBay in 2007 showing just 42,000kms on the clock. A full restoration was then carried out in 2012.

Another ‘Japanese Jewel’, This 1969 series two Mazda Cosmo 110S with the more powerful 128 bhp 0813 rotary engine now forms part of Mazda UK’s heritage fleet.

Supplied new to a member of the Cecil Family of Burghley, this 1914 Roll-Royce Silver Ghost was built as the rarer Sports Torpedo Tourer. In 1918 in was exported to the USA by its owner who had emigrated there during World War One. In the mid 1920s it was rebodied as an Oxford Tourer and after repatriation to the UK in the early 2000s was fitted with a Toolroom copy of its original Barker body.

From the ‘Great Marques: Mercedes Benz’ class, After Mika Hakkinen moved on from Formula One he switch to racing in the German Touring Car Championship ( DTM series – Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) and won at Spa Francorchamps, the third race he entered. This 2005 Mercedes Benz C-Class DTM is his winning car. Its 4.0 Litre 90 degree V8 produces a restricted 475 bhp, It has a carbon fibre prop shaft, triple disc carbon clutch and carbon brakes, but no ABS.