1937 HRG 1500

Lot details
Registration No: ELF 236
Chassis No: W67
Mot Expiry: Feb 2005

HRG owes its initials to the three founding partners, Vale Special designer Ted Halford, Guy H Robins from the Design Department at Trojan and H R Godfrey, the former `G` in GN and a partner in Godfrey-Proctor.
The partners' first HRG was a traditionally-styled, open two-seater powered by a trusty Meadows 4ED 1496cc engine, driving the rear wheels through a Moss four-speed gearbox and ENV spiral bevel rear axle. The chassis members were bought in from Rubery Owen and the steering gear from Marles.
Although the simple aluminium bodywork on an ash frame employed for the 1935 prototype was made in-house at the Mid Surrey Gear Company's premises at Norbiton, production bodies were constructed by Alban Croft of South Croydon. From 1936, HRG had their own workshops at Tolworth where they completed five cars in 1936 and a further eleven in 1937, ten of which had the original `A' chassis and one the 3ins wider `W' chassis.
Two HRGs with reduced stroke Singer 12hp engines were made before the war as were eight short-chassis cars again Singer powered, though by 1074cc engines. Most 1500 HRGs had traditional, slab-tank, two-seater bodies by Croft, whilst Reall did the bodies for the 1100 HRGs. In addition, there was one pointed-tail car with cycle-mudguards produced for the 1938 Le Mans and one Triumph-engined fastback coupe made.
This 1937-built HRG - a 1½-litre powered open sports with, from the WF 67 chassis number, a `W' chassis - has been in vendor ownership for the past thirteen years, during which time he tells us the right-hand drive car on wire wheels has been completely rebuilt. For the past ten seasons ELF 236 has served him well hillclimbing, proving to be unbeatable, he says, in the up to 1500cc class, in which he and car have ascended Shelsey Walsh in 42.06 seconds and Prescott in 47.20 seconds.
The current condition of the chassis is claimed to be very good and the same goes for the red painted two-door bodywork and the black leather interior. The Meadows 1498cc capacity four-cylinder engine is reportedly as new and both four-speed manual gearbox and electrical equipment are said also to be in very good order.
By closure following voluntary liquidation in 1966, HRG had produced 241 cars of which historians reckon only 225 have survived the rigours of war and peace. Statistically, this is therefore a rare and, from those times clocked up at Shelsley and Prescott, a most extremely effective and nimble PVT. ELF 236 could be great fun to own and drive and should prove to be a relatively gilt-edged investment too.
PLEASE NOTE: An additional bonnet side is also included in the sale.