Beschreibung:

1911 AUSTIN 40HP SHOOTING BRAKE Registration No. TO BE ANNOUNCED Chassis No. 576 Engine No. 591/11/301 Grey and green with black leather interior Engine: four cylinder, side valve, water-cooled separate cylinders, c6,234cc, 40hp; Gearbox: three speed manual; Brakes: rear wheel only; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs, rear, fully-elliptic leaf springs. Right hand drive. Herbert Austin first designed cars for Wolseley as early as 1898, and progressed from single cylinder models to twin, three and four cylinder versions. In 1905 he left Wolseley and in 1906 a 25/30hp car was launched bearing the Austin name. This particular Austin is the Big Four with a 40 horsepower engine and is a unique example believed to be the only 40HP Austin in existence in the world; it is certainly unique in carrying this shooting brake coachwork which was built to the order of the late Captain B. C. Vernon Wentworth of Wentworth Castle, Barnsley. It is also perhaps the first car ever registered in this country with double tyres fitted to the rear wheels. It only has a single rim, but with 2 tyres on each back wheel. This design is thought to have been developed to help take a vehicle of this great weight, and also being a shooting brake the extra grip was necessary in order to take a shooting party into forests or over moors. The rear compartment is fitted out with side facing seats and a folding table so the party had somewhere to sit and eat their lunch. Captain Vernon owned the vehicle up until his death when it is understood it was given to L.V.Grimes Esq of Barnsley in recognition of past services to the Captain. By 1955 the vehicle was owned by J.M. Oddie Esq who sold it on in 1963 to John Clayton Esq who sold it to the current owner in the early 1970s. For many years it has been a prominent feature in a Motor Museum but has often been used for rallies and shows and astounds onlookers with its high performance and reputed top speed of 65mph. Its last MoT certificate expired in March 1994. It is a beautifully engineered and appointed vehicle. The shooting brake passenger part is entered by a rear door and retains its original black buttoned leather upholstery, has green side curtains, sliding air vents in the roof and a sash style window into the drivers compartment. The leather upholstery in the drivers compartment has been replaced at some stage. There is an abundance of Brass work including the radiator and mascot, Brevetto acetylene headlamps, Lucas sidelamps, Boa Constrictor horn, Austin instrument guages, upper windscreen surround and the acetylene generator mounted on the running boards. The wheels are the wooden artillery type, Pratts oil cans are mounted on the running boards and there is a large luggage carrier on the roof. This unique vehicle is dated by the Veteran Car Club as 1911, carrying certificate no 0980 and comes with three old style log books, a modern V5 document and some old correspondance. As the only known 40HP model it is certainly an important vehicle in the history of Austin, it retains its original coachwork, is a powerful early veteran vehicle and would be ideal for rallies, shows, exhibitions and grouse moors