Tag Archives: super sports

Bean Super Sports

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1927 Bean 18/50HP Super Sports Open Tourer

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | September 26, 2020

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

Bean Cars was an offshoot of an older company that dated back to 1822. It was started as a foundry by Absolom Harper. Harper’s granddaughter married George Bean, who would take over the company in 1901. Cars didn’t arrive until 1919, which was more or less a frantic attempt to fill the void left by the lack of need for munitions after the armistice.

So for the next 12 years, Bean produced passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In 1926, they launched the 18/50HP, which was powered by a 3.0-liter Meadows-sourced inline-six. Only about 500 examples were produced before the end of 1927, and Historics reports that only four “Super Sport Open Tourers” were constructed.

It’s Bentley-esque, that’s for sure. But it’s also probably pretty usable. This, the only surviving model of its type, is expected to fetch $175,000-$195,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Frazer Nash Super Sports

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1930 Frazer Nash Super Sports

Offered by Brightwells | Bicester, U.K. | October 24, 2018

Photo – Brightwells

The first two models from Frazer Nash were the quite-similar Fast Tourer and Super Sports. This is a later example of this early model, which was available from 1925 through 1930.

This car is fitted with a replacement 1.5-liter Meadows straight-four that was installed in 1930 when this car was being used as a demonstrator. No gearbox or rear differential came with the car and they instead use a series of chains and sprockets connected to the rear axle. It’s strange, but these were very fast cars in their day.

Only 165 examples combined between the Fast Tourer and Super Sports were produced, making this car very rare. It’s usable (and has been used frequently) and was acquired by the current owner 55 years ago. It should bring between $195,000-$235,000. Click here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $265,436.

Palladium

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1923 Palladium Victory Super Sports

Offered by Brightwells | Bicester, U.K. | April 11, 2018

Photo – Brightwells

Palladium was a British car company that got their start in 1910 importing and selling French commercial vehicles as their own. Cars followed in 1912 and they were still largely French though they sported English coachwork.

After WWI, Palladium got back into the commercial vehicle business but this time they were building trucks of their own design. When they needed something more profitable, they reintroduced cars to their range in 1922. This model, likely a Victory tourer, features a Dorman 1.5-liter straight-four rated at 12 horsepower. In Victory form it was capable of 60mph – which, while scary, wasn’t so bad as these cars were fitted with front brakes.

This car is listed as “largely complete” and it has been partially restored but it’s not quite done. As you can probably see, the interior is mostly absent. Palladium cars are rare, even in this condition (only 280 were built between 1922 and 1925 when the company closed). This project is expected to bring between $10,000-$13,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $18,342.

1926 Arab Super Sports

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1926 Arab Super Sports Low-Chassis Tourer

Offered by H&H Auctions | Duxford, England | April 19, 2012

Arab was a very short-lived marque of automobile manufactured in Letchworth, England between 1926 and 1928. It was born out of a surplus of 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines built by Leyland Motors for use in “speedy delivery vans” that were never built. Enter Leyland engineers J.G. Parry-Thomas, Reid Railton (whose name would later appear on Railton automobiles) and Henry Spurrier, who put the engines to good use in low-slung sports cars. Only six or seven cars were built. This is one of two that survive – and the lone surviving Arab that is road-worthy.

Two models were available. This is the Low-Chassis model, capable of 90 mph (the High-Chassis model was not as quick). The bodywork is attractive and evocative of a Lagonda of similar vintage.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a very rare car in very good shape. The pre-sale estimate is $160,000-$190,000. To read the entire lot description, click here. And to see the other cars offered by H&H at The Imperial War Museum, click here.

Update: Sold, $144,000.