So time and time again I’ve head the tale: the Japanese copied the British designs, improved them and that’s where their thriving industry started.
And to a certain extent it’s true, except they did so with permission from the rights holders in Britain.
On a recent trip to Japan, we visit the Nissan Heritage collection in Zama, Japan and were pleased to see the Austins that Nissan used as a basis for their Prince line which is still produced by Toyota to this day for Tokyo’s taxi system.
Included is a Austin A40 Somerset Saloon and two Austin A50 Cambridge Saloons which became the Prince Sedan and Price Bluebird 1200 respectively.
An unplanned meeting of three red TRAs at the shop!
Hottest day so far in 2014 and a nice couple of Healeys out front: Green: 1956 Austin Healey 100-Six BN4 / White: 1959 Austin Healey 100-Six BN4.
Today we saw the incredible 1934 Bentley 3½ Litre Windovers Sedanca Coupe chassis B111FC which is one of the very best Derby Bentleys in the world at RM Auction’s Amelia Island sale in Florida.
Estimate is $300,000 – $400,000 without reserve.
Auction Specialist Alexander Weaver was kind enough to open B111FC up completely exposing an immaculate engine bay and tool tray in the trunk.
RM Auctions list the highlights as:
*Offered from the estate of Charles “Chuck” Swimmer
*One of the most beautiful Bentleys ever produced
*Lightweight one-off coachwork
*Ordered by its original owner for a Royal Automobile Club tour
*A 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance award winner
*Featured in most of the important Bentley reference texts
Today our friend Hamish Crawford arrived with an image of his old Bentley 3½ Litre with Sports Saloon bodywork by Gurney Nutting H.J. Mulliner. The image is from 1964 in Blackfield, Scotland.
Being registered SY5582 and with the chassis number B64CR we hope to find this car. If you have any information, please let us know.
**Updated Feb 26th** We have additional images from the Hamish Crawford collection. Included is a picture of B64CR alongside a 1913 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost that was converted into a single-headlight garage truck! Chassis 1NA registered SW 275 has since been re bodied in the 1970s to an Open-Drive Limousine by Fox & Bodman.
**Updated Feb 27th** Respected author Neill Fraser of Bentley Beauty offers some insights on B64CR’s design:
“In Bentley Beauty I have photos of B142 DG, which is another HJM saloon, body no 4223, delivered in May 1935, as opposed to B64 CR which was body no 4156, delivered in June 1935. The two designs are subtly, but very significantly, different. B64 CR has a much more vintage feel to it, old fashioned probably in the eyes of buyers in 1935. The front wings are high at the front with a deep cut-in, the waist swage is more horizontal and does not appear to return down in front of the rear wings, or continue down the side of the boot to the rear bumper as it does in B142 DG. The door handles are below the swage on B64 CR, but are mounted on the swage on B142 DG. The boot is less integrated with the body than on B142 DG. Yet the window lines are very similar, with a high upright windscreen and quarter lights to the front doors.
Because of the what looks like a delay in sale of B64 CR, with a much earlier body number than B142 DG, I would suspect that B64 CR might have been a cancelled order which then HJM had difficulty shifting to a new buyer because tastes at the time had a preference for the more modern lines of eg B142 DG. I rather like the older design myself, though! But then it would appear that Scots are somewhat backward in these respects as B64 CR found a home in Scotland. This is probably due to the ownership of HJM by John Croall of Edinburgh.”
