1929 20-60 six-super-excellent Hurlingham Speedster

1929 Vauxhall Hurlingham.

Chassis Number: T658
Body Number RA507
Registration Number: TBA.

Rare & Beautiful; it is believed that just 48 Hurlinghams were produced. This example is a four owner car that was exported to South Africa in 1936 & has now just to these shores. The car has undergone a meticulous restoration at the hands of the last owner; a noted & fastidious collector in Cape Town.

Vauxhall advertised the Hurlingham in the Motor on December 3rd 1929. referring to it as the Hurlingham 2-seater. although in fact the single dickey to the rear provides a third seat. The advert also featured the latest of Phillips patriotic inventions. a Britannia figure with the legend “Pride of British”.

Priced at £650 with its voluptuous boat type aluminium body resplendent with motorboat style scuttle vents. standard bolt-on wire wheels and twin V-screens. the Hurlingham represented good value by the standards of the day. The art deco detailing was superb. with a chrome strake on the scuttle that swooped up to form the central windscreen pillar. This line was then picked up in the cockpit by the shape of the seat back divider which merged into a central fin down to the tail of the car. Pleasingly the period details on our car are all present from the owls eye rear stop lamps at the back to the V motif escutcheon plates covering the front dumb irons.

The 3. 0 Litre T series 20/60 engine has been taken apart during restoration & completely rebuilt. Thus it starts instantly & runs in comparative silence. The four speed box boasts three straight cut gears giving way to a silent fourth. The original carburetor is pleasingly extant. The engine bay is detailed & in show condition with the access plate covers & rocker cover highly polished. The one shot lubrication system is all present & correct.

The 20-60 chassis was factory modified to create a Hurlingham. The catalogue mentions the car having “a higher back-axle ratio and is otherwise specially equipped to secure a higher speed performance. ” In adverts a higher compression ratio is mentioned and experience indicates that the valve springs may also have been stronger whilst the road springs had fewer leaves to both reduce the height of the car a little and adjust the ride for the lighter bodywork.

This car is resplendent in its red coachwork offset by black wings with the paint being in fresh beautiful order. The bonnet scallops are of chrome leading back from the radiator & giving an impression of speed even whilst stationary. The rear hatch flips up easily to reveal the dickey protected by its separate wind screen. Interior is red leather of some considerable age in near perfect condition & patinated to just the right degree.

The car comes to us with a comprehensive history file dating back to its early days in South Africa. Considerable correspondence exists in the file between noted aficionado the late Stanley Irving. who was a leading light for many years on the subject of Hurlinghams. a torch which his son Nigel now carries. I was able to photograph & forward to Nigel copies of his fathers letters from the '60's & 70's making for a poignant dialogue.

Surely the weapon of choice for cads & bounders in the late '20's. these cars rarely come to market & are very sought after. The car is with us now in our showroom & ready for viewing.

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Office 01442 236711

Richard Biddulph 07967 260673
Adi 07853 226940

We accept Credit/Debit Cards.
Part Exchange welcome.
Weekend & evening viewings OK.
Viewings by appointment in Hemel Hempstead. Watlington & Marlow. Call to check vehicle location

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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