Lot Ended
Description
1952 Armstrong Siddeley Whitley Station
Coupe
From a deceased estate; unusual double cab pickup;
believed to be one of only three surviving examples; well-maintained;
transferable PUG number plate
Founded in 1919, the Coventry-based firm of Armstrong
Siddeley established itself as one of the UK's most respected manufacturers in
the pre-war and immediate post-war era, producing staid but well-built luxury
saloons rather than overtly sporting machines. All cars were named after
aircraft, a logical move since the company was foremost an aero engine maker, a
field in which it gained vast experience during the war years.
The Whitley 18 was made from 1949-1954 and was available
as either a 4- or 6-light saloon made of steel and aluminium panels fitted over
a wooden frame, or with an unusual pickup body aimed at the Commonwealth
markets. The engine was a smooth 2,309cc six-cylinder with a tax rating of 18hp
that had first appeared on export versions of the Tempest, coupled with a choice
of conventional four-speed synchromesh or Wilson pre-selector gearbox'.
The chassis used independent torsion bar suspension at the
front with a conventional live axle with leaf springs at the rear, while a
Girling hydro-mechanical braking system provided the stopping power, the front
drums hydraulically operated while those at the rear used rod and cable.
During its 7-year production life, 4,321 Whitleys were
produced in total, of which just 717 were pickups, in either Station Coupe
(double cab) or Utility Coupe (single cab) format, most of which were exported
to Australia and all but 20 with the four-speed manual gearbox. Armstrong
Siddeley continued to make cars until 1960 at which point it went back to
concentrating on its core business of aero engines.
As the original buff logbook shows, this rare Station
Coupe is one of very few that didn’t go to Australia, being first registered to
Appleyards of Leeds in September 1952. It then had five further owners (mainly
in Yorkshire) before being acquired by a Raymond Barnes of Barnes Coachworks,
Frome, in c.1983, who was to keep it for the next 20 years. Information on file
suggests that he restored the car and changed the colour from blue to cream. Old
MOTs show that it was tested fairly regularly between 1991 and 2004 although it
only covered around 300 miles during this period.
In 2004 it moved to Northern Ireland and from 2007 – 2011
it was owned by a Mr R Walls of Newtownards, ownership transferring to a Mrs K
Walls of the same address from 2011 – 2015. Irish MOTs show that around 1,000
miles were added during this time.
In September 2015 it came up for sale at Brightwells where
it was bought by the current owner who promptly sent it to those good chaps at G
Windle & Son of Berrow for a thorough service and a good dose of waxoil
underneath. He also had a new set of tyres fitted in May 2016 and in July 2016
it had a brake overhaul at Newent Auto Centre who also rebuilt the floor-change
gear selector mechanism, renewed the front wheel bearings and gave it another
engine oil and filter change.
On offer here from a deceased estate, it has been in dry
storage for the last two or three years but has been starting promptly and
running sweetly as we have moved it around on site, with good 60psi oil
pressure, effective brakes and notably light steering. It also comes with a copy
of an original and very detailed factory workshop manual which should help to
keep it in good running order for many years to come.
Believed to be one of only three double cab pickups
surviving (one in the UK and the other in Sydney, Australia), this versatile
classic can transport six people and considerable cargo in comfort and will
prove a real talking point wherever it goes. Still wearing its original
(transferable) PUG 372 number plate, it looks mighty tempting at the modest
guide price suggested.
Documents: V5C; copy older V5; buff logbook; 13
old MOTs; invoices; copy workshop manual; club magazines etc.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or
email james.dennison@brightwells.com
* All charges are subject to VAT