Lot details
Registration No: EU-Reg
Chassis No: LM2317
Mot Expiry: None

'Lord Howenden detached from his motor car was an entirely different being from Lord Howenden who lounged with such a deceptive air of lanquor behind the steering wheel of a Vauxhall Velox... The fierce wind blew away his diffidence; the speed intoxicated him out of his self-consciousness' - Aldous Huxley, 1925

Though launched in 1919, Vauxhall's immortal 30/98 was of pre-war design, as was its touring counterpart, the 25hp D-Type, and the first completely new vintage Vauxhalls were unveiled in 1922 - the 3-litre Grand Prix car and the 14hp M-Type that was to become the mainstay of the company's production for some time. By 1925 the 14hp M-Type had developed into the 14/40hp LM that featured a taller radiator, wire wheels with Rudge hubs, and four-wheel braking. The newcomer also had a more robust chassis with a 3-inch longer wheelbase and 5-inch wider track, and there were subtle changes to the L-head 2297cc engine and a four- rather than three-speed gearbox too. The suspension remained the same, however, with semi-elliptic springs up front and cantilever ones at the rear.

In 1925 the LM chassis would have cost £450, upon which one could create: a Bedford Saloon, Kimberley Limousine, Grafton Coupe, Wyvern Landaulette, Melton two-seater or a Princeton Tourer like the one offered here. Smartly presented, this right-hand drive 14/40 LM features a polished alloy bonnet, Terracotta over Black bodywork, grey-painted wire wheels, Black hood and sidescreens and a Dark Grey snakeskin fabric interior. It was imported to Italy from Australia 20-plus years ago by classic car authority Veniero Molari, since when it has undergone a ten-year restoration. Currently registered in Italy, it can readily be re-registered in the UK or elsewhere in Europe. A great opportunity to acquire a very attractive, eminently usable vintage classic.