1927 Vauxhall 30/98 Velox Tourer

Lot details
Registration No: RF 2750
Chassis No: OE304
Mot Expiry: April 2003

Named after the area of London where it had been first set-up, Vauxhall had made cars from 1903 and had moved to Luton in 1905. In that year Laurence Pomeroy joined the firm and was to become a highly successful chief engineer but left for America in 1919, later joining Daimler. Clarence E. King, who had worked for Adams and Lorraine-Dietrich, replaced him and King designed the popular 14/40 and was responsible for the overhead valve versions of the Pomeroy designs.
In 1920 Vauxhall employed some 1400 people and made 780 cars. Joint Managing Director Percy Kidner built up what was virtually a controlling interest in A.C. cars, but these 80,000 shares were sold to S.F. Edge in 1925 shortly before General Motors invested £300,000 in Vauxhall. The American interest and control is still there but Vauxhall still has a very strong branding in the U.K. market.
One of the most desirable Vauxhall's ever made was the 30/98 which borrowed many features from the equally desirable Prince Henry model and was produced from 1913 until 1922. Thirteen chassis were laid down before the First World War and afterwards 270 'E'-types followed, which in turn were followed by 313 'OE'-types. The OE came with the 4224cc overhead valve engine, a multi-plate clutch, the four-speed gearbox with right hand change, the bevel axle and the semi-elliptic suspension. The OE had its most successful year in 1924, when 111 were made and front wheel brakes were introduced in 1923 and were of hydraulic operation by 1926 and interestingly three out every five 30/98 chassis were sold to Australia.
OE304 was for many years in Watsons, the main Vauxhall dealers showroom in Airdrie, and it has the hydraulic brakes together with the S-type gearbox. It has been in its present ownership for the last six years where it has seen little use but there is a quantity of bills in the history file, including one for a rebuilt engine, from Templeton Engineering. It is described as being in excellent condition throughout and indeed it looks really bright and cheerful with it yellow coachwork to the rear of the unpainted engine cowl.
Ownership of 30/98 must be the ambition of all true 'vintagents' and this particular example, which is offered with Swansea V5 and a full listing in the Vauxhall 30/98 register, is an excellent opportunity to own one of these much revered cars.