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Perhaps like me you’ve seen the Brightwells ad for their auction on Sep 27th. What looks like an LG45 Sanction One saloon. Their ad says chassis 12007, if so then it’s really early? The LG45 saloon used by WO Bentley as a test car was chassis 12006. It has survived (now in Ireland?).
But 12007 might be better described as a paddock find, not a barn find!Here’s a link. Sixth lot down (a bit further down now as new lots are added above).
Must be earlier than the date stated (1938) if it’s an early car. A project that looks like it’s been stored outside under a tarpaulin.
David
“Complete car for full-restoration; lots of potential to make a very special car indeed”
By that, I suspect the auctioneers mean, one needs bottomless pits of money to restore this car.
I note on social media there are a fair few pages appearing about the practice of selling wrecks as barn-finds, with Photo-shop spliced Haynes Manual front covers as well.
For some reason, my computer isn’t letting me see the “full description”.
They say the reg. is CUD494, yet the remnants of the actual number plate indicate it’s DU–9-. So why expect any degree of accuracy if they can’t even be bothered to look at their own photos?!
It is in reality DUC494, showing in the 1962 membership list as owned by Tom Pinguey in Beckenham. The entire range of DUC, ie DUC1 – DUC999, was issued in London solely in January 1937….so there you have a pretty accurate date for first registration of this LG45. Coincidentally, I bought a pair of LG45 headlamp bar mounted horns from Pinguey in the late 1970s, a strange and not entirely pleasant individual. Horns are missing in the photo…
Computer still “Connecting” to the full description, so I’m giving up on that. Going by the degree of accuracy in their basic info, I daresay they state this car needs “minor recommissioning”. With horns and much underbonnet detail missing, how can they state “complete car?”
LaurenceI had a look at the engine photo and it seems to be either sanction 1, which would be correct for an early LG 45, or an M45 engine fitted later.
The best fate for this car really seems to be to be turned into a fake Rapide or a le mans replica, there are much better saloons about.
Perhaps it ran around on trade plates as demonstrator in its early life.
M34
Colin
Not familiar with the earlier sanctions, but might that cast iron water outlet at the front of the head indicate a replacement engine from a lesser vehicle?
Laurence
It is an M45 engine. Gearbox is G9 .. car has been in that spot [Welsh Marches] for many many years and many many people tried to acquire it…..
I have dug out some photos of this car sent to me 4 or 5 years or more ago. I thought it was possibly the same car and it is. It was in a bad state then so no doubt worse now.
The description on the back confirms it has an M45 engine. It also has an altered boot area (extended c1960). Built Autumn 1935 but not registered till 1937 for some reason.
DavidSold for ?30,000 plus 10% buyers premium.
Don’t forget the additional ?600 vat too. 😉 Thus, the grand total paid by someone for this treasure was ?33,600.
I went to the auction viewing yesterday and have to say I was shocked at the condition of this car. However, it had spent 45 years in the open, so you would expect it to be totally derelict.
There is nothing structural that could realistically be saved from the body, perhaps a couple of the wings may repair but doubtful. The interior was rotted out and the rear body had collapsed after all the timber sections rotted away. The car bulkhead plate showed an SB prefix which I believe confirms it is a very early LG45 body type.
I could not see much of the chassis but what I did see was obviously heavily rusted but not sure whether it was perforated.
The radiator shell and headlamps were certainly restorable and of course the mechanics can be reclaimed. The gear lever was rusted and seized solid so inside the box the exposed gears may have suffered accordingly.
It will provide the basis for a team car replica and finding a donor is now very difficult so that perhaps explains the competitive bidding and sale price.
I hope the new owner reads this and would make contact (Y2 in the club members register). Being a saloon owner I could do with a few bits and pieces from the body….if not rotted away.
Regards
MarkAs above, following a rather slow start from 7000 [where even my hand started to fidget] it then rapidly went into the 20’s & on to the ?30000. Telephone and, possibly, internet bidding but went, I think, to someone in the room.
As mentioned elsewhere, engine is M45 [number M45/192]. Gearbox is G9.
I too went to the preview. The body is not the problem if it’s going to be discarded. It will be a shame – the main roof panel could probably be saved as it only had a shallow dent in the top. It appeared to have doors on only one side and they didn’t look too bad. There was so much stuff inside that you couldn’t see if the remains of the other two doors were there.The headlights were surprisingly good and the radiator and shell reasonable. The handbrake and gear lever were heavily rusted and probably scrap.
The concern is the chassis. The top part of the side rails where they could be seen looked OK, but the cross tubes upper face not so good. I have seen photos of the underside of the chassis and running gear and it looks bad – taken some years ago so must be worse now. The rear springs appear to have collapsed, possibly when they moved the car as they weren’t collapsed in the photos. Springs are replaceable but it suggests the rest is weak too. An inspection of the underside would have been essential before bidding. Not an easy task as the tyres were flat as well as the rear having collapsed so it was close to the floor. Also other lots were close particularily on the drivers side making a look underneath difficult if not impossible. I think I would have wanted to have seen the car on a hoist before parting with my money.
I hope the buyer isn’t about to have a nasty shock.It is all very sad. As I understand it this car had been known about for very many years (I heard about it at least 15 years ago). The owner apparently resisted all attempts to buy it. So another nice elegant saloon will be lost and another “Le Mans racer” created !
bill wrote: So another nice elegant saloon will be lost and another “Le Mans racer” created !
Indeed, although the M45 engine and the G9 gearbox are not the ideal bits for a “racer” ……if one had the choice, that is.
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