Descrição
We are pleased to offer this hand built tribute to the legendary Squire sports car of the mid-1930s.
It is one of a small number built to a very high standard by the Vicarage Classic Car Company of Bridgnorth, a company famous for its restoration and upgrade of Mk2 Jaguars. It is emphatically not a kit car.
The latter-day Squire was the creation of Phil Kennedy in approximately 1985 who formed the Kennedy Squire Company to build it. It was taken under the wing of Vicarage who built the small number of cars, each taking 500 man hours to build.
The basis of the car is a very stiff ladder type chassis, X-braced and with boxed in side rails. It is clothed in a very nicely made 18 swg aluminium body over an ash frame with swept wings in 16 swg aluminium. The beautiful chrome radiator shell is an exact copy of the very distinctive original.
The heart of a car is of course the engine and the Squire is fitted a twin cam Alfa Romeo unit, very much in the spirit of the original Anzani R1, albeit without a supercharger. Mated to an Alfa five speed gearbox, the 132bhp motor provides the Squire with exciting performance as it weighs a mere 850kgs.
In keeping with Vicarage’s high standards the chassis frame was shot blasted and epoxy coated with powder coated suspension parts. The ash body frame was given two coats of Sikkens wood preservative and the body itself was given 24 coats of paint applied in Vicarage’s own ovens. The interior is upholstered in Connolly hide with Wilton carpet on the floor and Foster’s mohair type weather equipment. The dashboard is engine turned aluminium which was an optional extra.
Where the Squire differs significantly from the 1934 design is in the suspension department which is independent at the front using a mixture of Ford and Vicarage’s own fabricated components. The rigid back axle utilises a Ford 3. 89:1 differential suspended on two longitudinal lower arms and four upper arms. Coil springs and gas dampers form the springing medium at both back and front.
Brakes are servo assisted Ford discs at the front and drums at the rear.
The wheels are chrome plated 15 inch MGC wires with centre lock fixing and traditional eared spinners. Tyres are Vredestein 185 x 15 radials.
The front hinged doors allow easy access to the car and once inside the seating position is pleasingly low down. The Alfa engine starts instantly and is delightfully responsive with the remote control stubby gear lever well positioned and having a good feel.
As far as we can tell the car is exactly as it was built over thirty years ago. The bright red paint still presents extremely well with inevitably a few age related marks and it is undeniably a very attractive car. The interior is in very good order and the engine bay is clean and well presented. The brightwork is in first class order.
Overall, the Squire is a very distinctive hand built motor car with excellent performance and easy maintainance. It will be sold with a fresh MoT and is sure to draw admiring looks wherever it is driven.
We shall be happy to consider a classic car or motorcycle in part exchange.
For more information and to arrange a viewing call James on the details below or contact us via the website.
Thank you for reading.
