8th Jun, 2011 15:00

The Pavilion Gardens

 
  Lot 13
 

1971 Austin 3-Litre

Sold for £7,312

(including buyers premium)


Lot details
Registration No: XOX676J
Chassis No: ABSAD-8622M
Mot Expiry: Aug 2011

9,900 miles from new

Though the 3-litre was not unveiled until the 1967 London Motor Show, it was conceived several years prior as a replacement for the aging Austin Westminster and its Wolseley and Vanden Plas siblings. Codenamed ADO61, it shared its centre section with the smaller front-wheel drive Issigonis-designed 1800 (codenamed ADO17 - nicknamed 'Landcrab'). However, the two models had little else in common. Penned to rival such market stalwarts as the Vauxhall Cresta, Ford Executive and Rover P5, the 3-litre was powered by a new, longitudinally-placed 125bhp, 2912cc straight-six unit - essentially a shorter, lighter, seven-bearing update of the BMC C-Series engine. This drove the rear wheels via a conventional four-speed, all-synchromesh manual gearbox with optional Laycock de Normanville overdrive, or a three-speed Borg Warner Type 35 automatic unit. The suspension was a unique version of BMC's hydrolastic system with the addition of a self-levelling facility for the rear - a set-up that received much praise for the resulting ride and handling. As befitted its intended market, the 3-litre's interior had a suitably opulent air, courtesy of quality trim, wood veneer and cloth headlining. The lengthy nose required to house the six-cylinder engine was visually balanced by a sizeable boot - the resulting car was some nine inches longer than the 1800. Luxurious Wolseley and Vanden Plas derivatives reached prototype stage but progressed no further. Some 9,992 3-litres had been made by the time production ceased in 1971.

The 1971 example offered is finished in Persian Blue complemented by a Grey interior and is equipped with the optional automatic transmission. It was apparently purchased new from Patrick Motors, Birmingham by a Mr Pulley as a retirement present for his wife. Following her death two years later it was stored for twenty-seven years before being sold to a gentleman in Christchurch. Three more keepers ensued prior to the vendor's purchase in February 2010. Since then: the bodywork has been stripped bare and resprayed in the original colour; the brightwork rechromed; the interior trim removed, cleaned and replaced; the engine and gearbox serviced. Remarkably the odometer shows just under 10,000 miles, a figure which the vendor is confident represents the total distance covered from new. A rare survivor, 'XOX 676J' is offered for sale with MOT, tax, history file and related photos.
 

All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.

You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:

               

Auction: The Pavilion Gardens, 8th Jun, 2011

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