Serious (no, really!) group purchase suggestion: Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire, or summat else

[Junkman]

Official colour: P6 Tobacco

 

 

 

Looks more like Series 2 Turmeric to me.

 

[barefoot]

And even that one isn't quite the same since 1986.

Presumably it's even worse since Brexit.

[Guest Breadvan72]

This plan has now been fulfilled by group buyage of a tatty Ford estate car.  Well, at least it's a sort of sapphire colour.

 

Seriously, though, let's keep our mincers open for any cool and stately 50s ish luxo-chod that comes on the market at non mentalist prices.  I am getting the feeling that not many are keen on the Whitley, or on the 9K iffy-coloured Sapphire.  The Hotchkiss and the Alvises are prob all too spenner, and the Lea Francis seems to have aroused no interest.  I still think that Armstrong Siddeley may be the way ahead.

[chodweaver]

I'm properly glad that groupbuyage has been achieved and even more so that it's a worthy Frod from a shiter in need.

 

I don't know why (I'm old enough) - but I don't have the prerequisite love for 50s stuff with running boards and long narrow bonnets. The thought of wipers powered by steam and parts for an oil change needing to be handmade, again with steam power, by a man named Reg in a brown shopcoat leaves me cold. I will try to keep an open mind in order that I can be persuaded otherwise...

 

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[barrett]

Alright, it's not really posh, but the average prole in the street won't know that. And it's cheap. Factor £1500 for recomissioning and it's still cheap. Plus it had a newfangled self-changing gearbox for those of you who feel changing gears in an old car is a challenge rather than a pleasure

http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C843439

 

[Junkman]

It's delightfully upper middle class.

You know, them folks that have dinner at Seven, not tea at Six.

However, it's not quite up there yet with the folks that have dinner at Eight.

[richardmorris]

A hurricane?

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C839772

 

http://richardedmondsauctions.com/wp-content/uploads/catalogue/1917-2-798x466.jpg

 

The first owner was Sir Horace and Lady Seymour of Bratton House, Westbury who were ambassadors to China;

[Guest Breadvan72]

Fine toff provenance, but 8K estimate and it needs major work, so I fear no.

[barrett]

Major work? Looks like a clean and a set of tyres would see it right

[Guest Breadvan72]

Hmmmm

[richardmorris]

Of course it comes down to.... if four of us own it, then four of us need to fit in it!

[Guest Breadvan72]

Budge up!  I am a bit chunky, but not mega fat, and am currently reducing in girth.  Skizzer is as skinny as a skinny person.

[Longblackcoat]

If I'm still invited, you'll need to budge up quite a bit.

 

Can we buy a six seater to make sure there's at least a modicum of comfort?

[Guest Breadvan72]

Thought you had become all svelte lately?  

[320touring]

Alright, it's not really posh, but the average prole in the street won't know that. And it's cheap. Factor £1500 for recomissioning and it's still cheap. Plus it had a newfangled self-changing gearbox for those of you who feel changing gears in an old car is a challenge rather than a pleasure

http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C843439

 

8456824.jpg

That is LUSH

[Longblackcoat]

Thought you had become all svelte lately?

More muscle, trimmer, but still a big unit. A fraction less than 100kg these days.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Only room for three in this gentlemanly yobborocket, but non fat blokes can go in the boot.   Javelin Hotrod, up for sale tomorrow.

http://www.brightwells.com/classic-motoring/leominster-classic-vintage/leominster-classic-vintage-march-2017/catalogue-8th-march-2017/

[Guest Breadvan72]

Good write-up:

 

 

Yes, what we have here is a hotrod, but it is that rarest of things: a restrained hotrod. No purple metal flake and no flames on the bonnet. In fact, if you were to park it outside The Idle Working Mens’ Club it would probably not attract too much attention. (Idle: home of the Jowett Car Company – geddit?)

The interior is also restrained (giant rev-counter apart) in black vinyl (or imitation Naugahyde), with a sensible array of black-faced classic instruments on the dash and a third seat squeezed in the back – originally for the constructor’s grandson (brave boy).

It has been called a 'Gentleman’s Hotrod' if that doesn’t sound like a contradiction in terms. What it is, is a well-constructed and imaginative custom car which could be at home on the street or the strip – which is what a hotrod was originally before it all got a bit silly.

This is quite a well-known car and one that has been around long enough to have been thoroughly de-snagged. You could use it on the road, once you have got used to its little idiosyncracies (it’s not a Nissan Micra, after all) and you could drag it, if you have the nerve. The prefect all-rounder then?

It’s a lot of bang for your buck and very reasonable estimated here. It’s also tried and tested and something that you could not build for twice the price. It’s a bargain – all you have to do is convince the wife.

[LC Torana]

Alright, it's not really posh, but the average prole in the street won't know that. And it's cheap. Factor £1500 for recomissioning and it's still cheap. Plus it had a newfangled self-changing gearbox for those of you who feel changing gears in an old car is a challenge rather than a pleasure

http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C843439

 

8456824.jpg

 

That is simply magnificent.

 

A six-light into the bargain.

 

Lady Docker herself would be happy to be seen in the back seat of that.

[Guest Breadvan72]

I quite like the Conquest, and it has a cool name, but even leaving aside Junkman's (not necessarily strictly accurate) assessment of the car's position within the nuanced gradations of the British class system, I am not sure that the car is quite special and wow enough to get my groupobuy janglies jangling.

[barrett]

The Hurricane made £5500. Cheap. I was looking at one a couple of years ago in similar nick and it was £14k

 

Agree the Daimler isn't really special enough, it might as well be a Morris Oxford really. Aim high!

[vulgalour]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/studebaker-champion-conestoga-station-wagon-american-classic-car-barn-find/201842718394

 

 

Super rare wherever you are, bit of a looker, needs some* TLC.  A consortium of dedicated owners could see it just right enough to use.

[Skizzer]

Oh wow. Just...wow.

[Junkman]

That Javelin wankrod is so terrible that I'd rather have no car at all.

[richardmorris]

Didn't sell.

[barrett]

Nobody bid on the Conestoga, please

[Guest Breadvan72]

Another Sapphire in what some may say are meh colours.    I like it, however.  NB , it is a STAR Sapphire, for MOAR bettererness.  See further about this a few posts below.
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARMSTRONG-SIDDELEY-STAR-SAPHIRE-BLACK-CREAM/252801960092?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D59742d50e9a8414687c53c60ac96bfad%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D201845719599

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

And now for something completely different.  OK, not really one for this thread, but mildly interesting.  

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Ghibli-GT/252796562427?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D6b2054b030be49a9a19f68cf91c6465e%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D252801960092

 

[richardmorris]

Nearly bought one of those six or seven years ago - it was £7000 then! That sold to bill McGrath I think.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Amazing stuff for 1959.  This from Wikiblah -

 

 

The Star Sapphire saloon was announced on 17 October 1958^[10]and production continued through to the summer of 1960.^[8] It retained the previous model's commanding driving position. Though little changed externally, the radiator grille no longer rose to the top of the bonnet, many refinements were incorporated.

The six-cylinder engine was enlarged more than 16% to 3,990 cc with larger twin Stromberg carburettors as standard and power output increased to [sAE] 165 bhp (167 hp, 123 kW), or [DIN] 145 bhp (147 hp, 108 kW). Perhaps more important was an increase of nearly 30% in torque at 50 m.p.h. Big end and main bearings were now made of lead indium and a vibration damper fitted to the nose of the crankshaft. The compression ratio was raised to 7.5 to 1. The car could now lap the Lindley high speed track at 104 m.p.h.^[10]

 

Various suspension modifications had been carried out. Servo-assisted 12 in (305 mm) Girling disc brakes were now installed on the front wheels and Burman recirculating ball power steering was standardised with a turning circle reduced by 4'6". A BorgWarner type DG automatic gearbox was fitted which incorporated a lever on the facia to hold intermediate gear at 35, 45, 55, and 65 m.p.h.^[10]

Door hinges were now concealed and the front doors now hinged at their leading edge. There was an independent heater for the rear passengers and demisting slots for the rear window. All features were standard, the provision of alternatives being believed to lead to an unsatisfactory compromise.^[10]