1930 Invicta 4½–Litre High Chassis Tourer

Registration No: BF 9905
Chassis No: A49
MOT: Exempt

• Fully restored from a rolling chassis across approximately twenty-two years
• In previous ownership for thirty-five years
• Meadows 4 ½ litre engine with four-speed manual transmission
• Presents excellently and worthy of close inspection!
• VSCC eligible and has seen Hillclimb action previously

Noel Campbell Macklin started the Invicta Car Company in 1925 and although it became one of Britain's classic sports cars his original aim was to build a car in which changing gears would become virtually unnecessary. Production continued until 1933 in Cobham, whereupon it moved to Chelsea until the outbreak of war, with its last four years being spent back in Surrey at Virginia Water.

Noel installed a two-litre, six-cylinder Coventry Simplex engine together with a four-speed gearbox, again by Coventry Simplex, in a Bayliss-Thomas chassis, and initially, six prototypes were made and performed very satisfactorily. The press launch showed that it could go from a standing start in top gear up the steep Guildford High Street but unfortunately, all six engines were ruined when they were left without antifreeze during a cold spell and so he had to start all over again, this time to be powered by the tireless six-cylinder engines made by Henry Meadows, with Invicta cars quickly establishing a reputation for outstanding durability.

In 1926 Noel's young sister-in-law, the 25-year-old Violet Cordery, started her series of long-distance journeys which included taking a team to Monza where they captured World records for 10,000 and 15,000 miles and then in another outing covered 5,000 miles at Brooklands at an average speed of more than 70mph. They won the Dewar Trophy for Invicta, which was presented by the Royal Automobile Club, and in 1929 she won it for the second time with a Brooklands' run of 30,000 miles in 30,000 minutes. Quite a lady and simply one of the best people available at promoting the marque.

In 1928, Invicta introduced a new 30hp model powered by the ubiquitous Meadows 4½-litre six, which was first shown to the public at the Olympia Motor Show in October. This was substantially the same as the existing 3-Litre chassis, though the gearbox and rear axle were strengthened and a pressed channel-section cross member fitted behind the gearbox, replacing the previous small-diameter tube. Finished to Rolls-Royce standards, the 4½-Litre chassis cost a staggering £985 at a time when the average UK house price was £590! It would go on to form the basis of the successor NLC and the famous S-Type 'low chassis' sports model. The 4½-litre Invicta had few equals as a very fast but comfortable high-speed touring car, its greatest appeal being an ability to cover big mileages at high average speeds with no strain, either to the driver or the machinery.

Like the contemporary Bentley, the Invicta was designed by people with backgrounds in competition motoring and both were produced to the highest standard. Thus, price was only a secondary consideration, a factor that contributed to both firms' failure to survive the Depression years of the early 1930s. Like Bentley, Invicta struggled against rising costs and falling sales, the final car leaving the factory, appropriately enough, on Friday 13^th of October 1933, though a handful of cars were assembled at the company's service depot in Flood Street, Chelsea between 1934 and 1936. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 or so Invictas of all types were made.

The example offered, chassis A49, was manufactured in 1930 and supplied new to the United Kingdom. Regretfully, nothing else is known of its early history until it was discovered and acquired by the previous owner in 1989 as a rolling chassis, with the running gear and some remains of coachwork still fitted. An exhaustive restoration ensued with the Invicta completely overhauled from the chassis up with all the mechanicals renovated or renewed, including the Meadows 4 ½-litre six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual gearbox, and dual ignition. Thereafter, the Invicta was clothed in the coachwork that it presents with today, and was finished in the very attractive hue of Cream with Maroon chassis and wings. The interior had a complete refresh with it trimmed in complementing Maroon leather upholstery throughout and ‘BF 9905’ was provided with a Mohair hood, hood bag, and full tonneau, all trimmed in Black.

The restoration is understood to have seen completion in 2012, with the Invicta issued with an MOT certificate in July of that year. Pressed into Hillclimb action once (thought to have been at Prescott), the Invicta was otherwise used sparingly, and hence, still presents excellently today and is worthy of close inspection. Purchased by the vendor last year to join his collection of pre-war motorcars, however challenges associated with advancing years and post-wrist operation difficulties mean that the right-handed gearchange force a sale. Despite this, the vendor has provided chassis A49 with considerable further improvement, with some £9,000 worth of expenditure. The dashboard facia panels and glove box were designed and manufactured by a cabinet maker in walnut veneer, new wheels and tyres were supplied all round, a new water pump fitted, and two new running boards fabricated and painted.

VSCC eligible and classified as Vintage, the Invicta possesses a no advisory MOT certificate until July 2024. Accompanied to the sale by a couple of pictures of the chassis as purchased by the previous long-term owner in 1989, a running and maintenance instruction book, invoices from the current ownership, and a current V5C document. This is a wonderful opportunity to own a rare example of this important Vintage-era British sporting car.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452