Description
FOR SALE
1934 Austin 12/ 6 Coachbuilt
Doctor’s Drop Head Coupe by Gordon of England
This is a VERY rare car! The 12/ 6 was an expensive car when new, due to the punitive RAC horsepower calculations of the time which were based on bore size and number of cylinders. The result of this tax was to encourage long stroke small bore engines, of a side valve configuration (the bores were too small and the stroke too long to benefit from the OHV configuration gaining prominence elsewhere). The high bonnets required to cover tall engines set the British car industry back years, and you could argue it never fully recovered. That is a great shame, because this Austin is such a smooth car to drive and is quite surprisingly fleet of foot. As a factory bodied car it would be rare enough, but as a coachbuilt car it must be virtually unique. A few years ago, we researched the Austin clubs for other Gordon of England bodied cars with this “doctor’s coupe” style, and whilst a handful of 12/ 4’s still exist, we were unable to find another 12/ 6. What makes this car TOTALLY unique is that coupled with the rarity of the model itself, this is the first time this particular car has been for sale for 41 years!!
This is a VERY reluctant sale of what feels like a member of the family, having come into our home in 1971! It has been my Father’s pride and joy for decades, and has won too many prizes to list. Sadly, my father has now passed away and I have to face the fact we cannot keep her any longer. As any petrol head will know, you tend to acquire too many “toys” and that is where I am! I don’t have enough free time to enjoy owning and driving her, so it’s time for someone else to take on that role.
A detailed and thorough restoration was carried out over many years almost entirely by me and my family, (always overseen by my father who was a Chartered Automobile Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers) culminating 25 years ago in the finished article you see here. By the way, these are CURRENT pictures of the car, taken on the 10th August, wearing the same cellulose paint I applied 26 years ago. I can also advise on every single component on the car, every one of which I have held in my hand at some point over all those years.
Other than routine maintenance, nothing has been needed since, and she runs, steers and stops beautifully. She has won many, many awards over the years, which can go with the car if the new owner desires. The Austin has brought a great deal of pleasure to the family and to those who have seen her and our father at these various events.
Truly heart wrenching to let her go, but what would be more unbearable would be to see her deteriorate as a result of my lack of time to keep her 100%.
There is a huge amount of paperwork with the car, including bills, the original sales invoice for the unrestored car from 1971, photographs throughout the restoration, photographs at events, press cuttings, all the Mot’s, parts books, handbook, correspondence with the various clubs over the years, club magazines and so on.
My father also collected most of the original tools as supplied by Austin, and there are other items with the car, including spares and a complete, dismantled 14hp Goodwood 6 cyl engine.
Any collector will instinctively know, this sort of opportunity, with such a history and provenance, in this condition, and of such rarity, is absolutely the Holy Grail.
I make no excuse for asking a strong price, but we all know, in today’s environment, you could not re-produce this car from a wreck today for anywhere near my asking price, and you would then have to mature it for 41 years to come close to what we have here. You would also have to find a Gordon bodied DHC Austin Light 12/ 6 first!
There are bottles of wine worth more that this!!!
It would be a travesty to put this car in an auction, the frenetic atmosphere is entirely wrong to convey just how rare an opportunity such a car is in the classic car world.
I can confirm the car is only presently advertised on the carandclassic website, so you have first chance before I roll out the advertising a little wider. Please bear in mind; though I warmly welcome genuinely interested buyers, I do have limited time to just “chew the fat” with fellow enthusiasts; Please do not take offence, but I have been doing that for 41 years and time is the factor in my life which has brought the car for sale today. I can email any information, additional photos and copies of any documentation you may like to see.
I would hope the Austin will find a new owner in the UK, but if it is not to be, my current business interests include over 30 years in the classic car arena, and I am therefore able to assist the new owner with worldwide transport and shipping, and I am familiar with international banking arrangements.
I may also be able to consider part exchanges, though preferably not, as this car is a well loved family member and as I have previously stated, I have too many classics already!
Offers over £17, 000
