Pre War Saloon Cars

[johnh875]

In the Vintage Sports Car Club display at the Philip Island historic races was this Alvis sedan, I think it was around a 1938 model. It was in very much unrestored condition...

[Edgar Jessop]

Originally Posted by johnh875

I think you'll find it's a Four litre Bentley. The unsuccessful last throw of the dice for WO's Cricklewood business which had a pushrod six cylinder engine, for reasons of cost, not ohc. No one wanted to buy them but allegedly they were far better to drive than their reputation suggests .... I suspect they probably drove something like Mr Roadmap's Derby - or like my own 3 1/2 litre drophead which while smooth and easy and quite rewarding to drive doesn't want to go anywhere near 100mph.

[Peter Mallett]

Interestingly the car next to it had a similar problem (if I'm right that is). Pre 1937 sporting MG's were all OHC engines then, when the T Type was introduced, they went to pushrod engines. It was approx 20 years before they brought out the twin cam 1600 MGA thus returning briefly, to their mechanical roots.

[johnh875]

Thanks Edgar.

I actually had a ride in a prewar Bentley sedan a few years back at the Steam Rally in Echuca (Victoria), it was just getting a lift back into town as I had travelled to the rally in a friends Bristol 401. A bit out of my automotive every day to say the least!

[johnh875]

Edgar you were spot on. I saw the car again on the weekend (at the owners' property, a very nice shed just down the hill from his house, which has his 3 pre-1904 cars, the Bentley, Vauxhall 30/98, Bugatti type 35, Mercedes Benz 540K and a few others)

It is a Bentley 4 litre on the 8 litre chassis, with body #1000 by Freestone & Webb

[Edgar Jessop]

Of course!

That's not a bad collection your man has got there! Though pontificating and rambling, I think I'd want to swop the 4-litre Bentley [no real Bentley steam train torque] and the Vauxhall 30/98 [no front brakes even if it's a later car with drums and linings at the front] for a 3-litre twin cam Sunbeam which was one of the great unsung Vintage cars. Or maybe a Voisin 'cos they're just so funky! [Yup, that's the right word for a 1920s Art Deco car!].

Then I've always wanted to own a Bugatti [I nearly bought a horrid home-bodied Brescia in the mid 90s] but I'd settle for a type 37 [4cyl] plus cash to run it rather than a type 35 [8cyl] 'cos surely there's only half as much to go wrong? There are certainly only half the plugs to change every time you want to take the car to the shops!

As for the 540K, I grew up with a 38/250 SSK in the family and a 380K and I couldn't possibly make use of any Grosser Merc because I haven't got an HGV1 licence!

[johnh875]

Not half bad at all I'd say! I agree it isn't an example of the best Bentley but they don't grow on trees after all, and it is a most practical car too, being one of only two closed cars - the other a Riley Kestrel I neglected to mention earlier. He said he had an offer on the Riley, or rather an expression of interest I suppose as I got the impression he could have named his price, but he told the fellow "you've picked the wrong car - that is the only one my wife can drive", having the pre-selector gearbox of course. I agree wholeheartedly on the choice of the Sunbeam, I have seen a few and they are great, a case of less is more.

[johnh875]

Here is a car from last weekend at the Winton historic races - a Lancia Lambda. The car is known as "the suitcase" because of it is black leather and very square - I believe it even has had a novelty handle mounted on the roof to complete the joke at one time! I passed this car on the highway on the way home, I would estimate its cruising speed at approx 50mph.


The characteristic Lambda trunk shape can still be seen.

[johnh875]

To revive this thread, I thought I'd post a shot of this Alfa Romeo 6C Berlina from the Phillip Island Classic on Sunday the 21st. I don't have the year of the car to hand, I'll have to come back with that.

[johnh875]

It is a 1934 car. Quite an intriguing prospect too - a saloon car with a very close mechanical relationship with a GP car.