AJS-Jensen Tourer

1931 AJS-Jensen Open Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 15, 2023

Photo – H&H Classics

A.J. Stevens & Co. Ltd. was founded by Jack (Albert John) Stevens in 1909 after an engine produced by his father’s machine company was successfully used in a 24-hour motorcycle run. They sold motorcycles under the AJS brand from 1910 through 1931.

As far as car go, AJS started by building bodies for Clyno, and when Clyno went out of business at the end of the ’20s, AJS put their know-how to use and launched their own car in late 1930. They were powered by a 1.1-liter inline-four that made 24 horsepower. Production estimate range from 1,000 to 3,000 through 1931.

Only 38 of their cars are known to exist. This one was sold new as a bare chassis (which was an option) and was bodied for the first owner by Jensen Brothers, which is what they did before they started building their own cars. Restored, it now has an estimate of $30,000-$38,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Lagonda 3-Litre

1957 Lagonda 3-Litre Mk II Saloon

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | November 30, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

The 3-Litre was Lagonda’s follow-up model to the 1948 through 1953 2.6-Litre, which itself was Lagonda’s first post-war car. The 2.6-Litre was also the first Lagonda produced by the company after its takeover by Aston Martin‘s David Brown.

The 3-Litre was produced between 1953 and 1958. It was available as a four-door saloon, a two-door coupe, and a two-door drophead coupe. Power is actually from a 2.9-liter inline-six (curse you Lagonda marketing department!) that made 140 horsepower. The sedan could hit about 110 mph.

The Mk II debuted in 1955 and featured a redesigned dashboard and a floor-shifted transmission. Just 266 3-Litres were produced. Lagonda took a few years off after this model before coming out with the Rapide in 1961. The pre-sale estimate here is $33,000-$41,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Withdrawn.

Riley RMC

1951 Riley RMC

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | November 30, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Riley’s RM series of cars picked up after WWII where the pre-war Kestrel had left off. What started as the RMA in 1945 would eventually progress through the RMF in 1953. The RMC was produced between 1948 and 1951 and was only available as a roadster.

These cars always struck me as a little awkwardly proportioned. The wheelbase just looks too long. But otherwise it’s an attractive post-war sporting body with suicide doors. Power is from a 2.5-liter inline-four that made 100 horsepower. It was enough to push the car to 100 mph. Sixty took an agonizing 16.5 seconds.

Over four years of production, just over 500 of these (507 to be exact) were built. This one is finished in good colors and is described in the catalog as “self-maintained” – which I think means it maintains itself? It has an estimate of $33,000-$38,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Not sold, H&H Classics, Duxford March 2023.

1918 Peugeot Truck

1918 Peugeot 1525 Flatbed

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | November 30, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Peugeot set up a commercial vehicle plant in 1912, and from that factory they helped France’s WWI effort by producing trucks like this. This particular example was built as a troop carrier. After its military career ended, it was converted to civilian commercial use.

The Type 1525 was produced from 1917 through 1920, with about 4,084 produced. It’s powered by a 4.7-liter inline-four that made 22 horsepower – enough to get it to about 19 mph.

Used at the end and after the war by the French Armed Forces, the truck has since been bodied as a dropside pickup and flatbed. It was refreshed in the last three years and now has an estimate of $23,000-$28,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

S1 Elise

1998 Lotus Elise

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 20, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

The Elise is one of the most vaunted cars to be produced by Lotus… ever. The Series 1 launched in 1996 and remained in production until 2001. It was never sold in the United States (the Series 2 was). It was a light car – just under 1,600 pounds – with a fiberglass body and an aluminum chassis. It’s pretty much the direct descendent of the Lotus Seven.

The base model was powered by a mid-mounted 118-horsepower, 1.8-liter Rover inline-four. A five-speed manual was the only gearbox option, and all cars featured a targa roof. This car has small hidden upgrades, like S2 suspension and upholstery.

These cars are very active track day participants and are still used regularly. So whether or not they have officially become collectable is debatable, but I think these early cars are just on the cusp of it. This one has 28,000 miles, and that mileage is likely to be kept very low by future owners. It should sell for between $27,000-$29,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $30,642.

Thames Trader

1961 Thames Trader Flatbed

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 19, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Beginning in 1933, Ford of Britain sold commercial vehicles under the Fordson brand. In 1939, they changed the name to Fordson Thames, perhaps because their first factory was located on the River Thames in Dagenham. After 1957, they dropped the Fordson, making the brand just Thames until they reverted to Ford in 1965.

The Trader was the largest truck built by Thames, and it was in production the marque’s entire existence. The Trader has a pretty distinctive cab and front-end design. This one is powered by a gasoline inline-six.

This Mk I example features a rear flat bed after having previously been configured as a box van. Thames was a short-lived marque that produced vehicles meant to be used and discarded. It’s pretty great that one still exists in this condition. The estimate is $12,000-$14,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

McIntyre Utility

1909 McIntyre Model NN Utility

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 19, 2022

Photo – H&H Auctions

McIntyre was based in Auburn, Indiana, and was surrounded by quite a few other local manufacturers. They produced cars out of the old Kiblinger factory, and like Kiblinger, also produced high-wheelers.

From 1909 through 1911, they exclusively produced high-wheelers. The company claimed they were the only high-wheeler manufacturer to offer a full line of automobiles. And in 1909, they sold four models across nine body styles and sub-models. So yeah, kinda.

This car is one of 264 Model NNs produced in 1909. It’s powered by an 18-horsepower twin and sold for $650 when new. It’s basically an early pickup. It’s offered at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold ~$12,814.

Hadfield-Bean

1928 Hadfield-Bean 14/45 Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | October 19, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Bean Cars first entered the automotive industry as a parts supplier and started producing automobiles in the wake of WWI, which they had tooled up for and now needed a product to push out. So the first Bean cars went on sale in 1919.

They got up to speed quickly, selling a lot of cars for an upstart. But expansion was expensive, especially as the market slowed. Bean was bankrupt by the end of 1920. So in stepped Hadfields Limited, a steel company, among others, saving the company. A few years later debts had mounted again and Hadfields came to the rescue, this time getting a majority share of Bean as a result.

So from 1927, all Bean cars were sold as Hadfield-Bean, and the following year they launched the 14/45 (which I am pretty sure this is). Well, the cars were launched before they were sorted and it tanked the brand value because, well, they weren’t great. Passenger car production ceased in 1929 with commercial vehicles lasting through 1931.

The 14/45 was powered by a 2.3-liter inline-four, and this one has known history back to the 1930s. A restoration was completed in the late 1970s. The pre-sale estimate is $28,000-$32,000. Click here for more info.

Sunbeam-Talbot 2-Litre

1947 Sunbeam-Talbot 2-Litre Sports Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | April 27, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Sunbeam-Talbot existed as a marque between 1935 and 1954. It was formed when the Rootes Group merged Sunbeam and Talbot together. By the mid-1950s, Talbot-Lago‘s existence made things confusing, so Talbot was dropped from English-built cars and Sunbeam existed for decades to come.

The 2-Litre was available from 1939 to 1948, with a break for the war. Power is from a 1.9-liter inline-four capable of 56 horsepower in post-war spec. Three body styles were offered, including this tourer, which was restored in the 1980s.

There were 1,306 examples of the 2-Litre built, and just eight are known to exist in the U.K. This one carries an estimate of $20,000-$26,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $22,029.

1923 Swift Tourer

1923 Swift M Type Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | April 27, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

The Swift Motor Company operated out of Coventry, England, between 1900 and 1931. Early cars used De Dion engines, then the company moved into cyclecars. After WWI, cyclecars were gone and more a traditional model range took their place.

This M Type is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 12 taxable horsepower. The model was also known as the “12”. This attractive tourer sports some really cool wheels, the kind you only find on British cars of this era.

It was first restored in 1991 and again in 2013, with just 900 miles having been covered since. It now carries and estimate of $15,000-$20,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,702.