Lot Ended
Description
1929 Lea-Francis P-Type 12/40 Tourer
From the
Tresham Collection; current owner 18 years; Cross & Ellis coachwork; Meadows
4ED engine; well-maintained and in regular use; charmingly patinated
Vintage tourer with room for all the family
Initially best
known for their high-quality bicycles (an example of which appears elsewhere in
this sale, Lot 300), the Coventry firm of Lea-Francis went on to produce a
bewildering variety of cars during the 1920s.
They eventually settled on using overhead-valve Meadows engines,
which proved a shrewd move as these were extremely well-engineered units with
great tuning potential, leading to race-winning models such as the Hyper and the
Ace of Spades. Keen to capitalise on this success, various other models were
produced for the wider market including the 1927 P-Type 12/40 which was powered
by the renowned Meadows 1,496cc 4ED engine.
More powerful than its predecessors, the 38bhp 4ED necessitated the
introduction of a redesigned chassis, which was longer, wider and equipped with
semi-elliptic springing all round, a spiral bevel rear axle and four-wheel
brakes. The result was one of the most spirited touring cars of the late Vintage
period.
The P-Type offered here has well-made open four-seater bodywork
by Coventry-based Cross & Ellis, who also produced similar coachwork for
Alvis. To emphasise its sporting credentials, a previous owner has fitted the
louvred valence that covers the front dumb-irons – a feature normally seen only
on the Hyper.
Little is known of the
early history of the car, but the UW number plate would indicate that it was
first registered in London in November 1929. Lots of old MOTs and tax discs
imply that the car was in regular use throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, our vendor
acquiring it in 2004 from a gentleman near Bath who had owned it since 1993.
Kept as part of a collection of interesting
cars, it has been well-maintained in the current ownership with various bills on
file including an overhaul of the engine/gearbox/propshaft/axle using parts
supplied by Barrie Price of Lea-Francis Cars in 2005/06. The instruments were
rebuilt by Vintage Restorations of Tunbridge Wells in 2005 and the wooden dash
was restored at the same time. It had a new pair of Blockley tyres at the rear
in 2008 and was fitted with a full stainless steel exhaust system in
2011.
Supplied with a good set of weather gear
including hood, hood cover and sidescreens, it also has a well-stocked tool box
bolted to the driver’s side running board.
The
vendor states that the car goes very well, cruising happily at 50mph. A regular
attendee at Prescott VSCC meetings, it has also been displayed at the
Welland Steam Fair and has given good service as a wedding car for friends and
family. Very little used in recent years due to illness, it was fitted with a
new battery shortly before the auction and has been running very sweetly as we
have moved it around on site with good 35psi oil pressure.
A quality Vintage tourer with room for all the family, it is on
offer here at a modest guide price and doubtless has another 90+ years of useful
life ahead of it.
This is one of nine Lots entered from the Tresham Collection.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email
james.dennison@brightwells.com
* All charges are subject to VAT