1951 Lea Francis Special – Project Profile

Back when there were only three channels, and even then, they were only black and white, people had a different outlook on life. We live today in a world of everything being disposable. Fridge breaks? Get a new one. Phone breaks? New one, please. Someone drives into the back of your car? Hello, insurance company? New car please. Back in the ’70s though, some vehicular contact didn’t provide a means to get a new car, it provided opportunity. That’s how this 1951 Lea Francis Special came to be. It was a car, until its rear end got intimate with another car. But rather than replace it, or worse, scrap it, the owner grabbed the lightbulb that appeared above his head and ran with the idea of turning it into a pickup. Or a van. Or a… well, whatever it is now. It says pickup on the V5 though, so we’ll go with that. It’s weird, it’s wacky and because of that, it’s wonderful.

It does, however, need to be saved. Having been idle for a while now, the years have caught up and this Lea Francis is in need of someone with tools, enthusiasm and creativity. The fact it has survived through to today is enough to justify someone taking it on. But more than that, this is an opportunity to have a truly unique classic car. This is a bona fide one of one. That’s not an opportunity that presents itself every day.

What is it? 

Originally this was a 1951 Lea Francis, probably one of the ’14’ models, given the 1,767cc inline-four engine. Of course, with the back end now completely bespoke, it’s tricky to know exactly what version it was. As we mentioned above, it was given a rear-end knock in the ’70s, at which point the owner opted to do something different with the old jalopy and turn it into a pickup. And indeed, it was a pickup with an open bed – there are pictures in the extensive history file to back this up. It seems that the bed was, at a later point, modified again to make it a covered design. As per its current intriguing aesthetic.

Why is it a project? 

While this Lea Francis is a runner, it needs a lot of work. There seems to be a great deal of ‘ventilation’ in the rear and in reality, you’re going to need to bust out your finest woodworking tools in order to put it right. It’ll need a full mechanical overhaul and the underside, while looking solid, will need a clean up and some sort of protection, too. The paint is tired, the interior has lots of original equipment, but the seats will need work, as will the floors. Look, this really is a full blown restoration, not something for the weekend warrior. But it’s worth it. This is a special, truly unique machine and one that deserves to be saved. And it’s not a complicated car, so if you have a decent understanding of mechanics and, um, woodworking, this is going to make for an amazing restoration.

What should you look for? 

We’ve done it all for you. This 1951 Lea Francis Special is currently on Car & Classic Auctions and we’ve included everything you could need. A full, detailed listing, hundreds of in depth pictures, a full inspection. Just spend some time examining every detail from the comfort of your armchair and bid with confidence.

What should you do with it? 

The world is your oyster. If it was our money, we would be looking to turn into some sort of truly amazing camper that would no doubt turn heads at every given opportunity. Though you could turn it back into a pickup should the mood take you. It’s going to be a challenge, make no mistake, and it’s going to be a bit of a fight at times. But just think of the end goal, of what you’ll have and what you’ll have saved.