1935 Austin Twenty Limousine

When the seller’s father turned seventeen, he wanted a motorcycle. His father refused but offered to buy him a car to soften the blow. He agreed to that deal and because he was a man of taste, the car he chose was an Austin Ten.

Which he kept for life, and it is still in his family.

You see that Austin Ten sparked a lifelong love affair with the marque, and the last two cars he bought were this Austin Twenty Limousine in 2019 and, a year later, the Austin 16/6 Burnham we are also selling.

He’d had his eye on this Limousine for a while, eventually prizing it out of the well-known vintage and classic car restorer David Wall's private collection in exchange for an Austin Twelve, a boat and some cash.

Finished in navy-over-black and the winner of the Best in Class at the 2021 Austin Ten Drivers Club Rally, we assess ‘CLC 47’ as still being “an honest and straight example.”

It’s also believed to be one of just seven 'painted cowl' Mayfair Limousines left in existence.
 

Designed to go toe-to-toe with manufacturers like Rolls-Royce, albeit for slightly less money, the passage of 90 years has done nothing to diminish its considerable presence. Part of that is the six-light design’s sheer scale, but credit also has to be given to those who’ve curated it over the decades, painstakingly preserving it whenever its glory was in danger of fading.

The front doors are conventionally hinged because who cares if the chauffeur’s entry and egress is more awkward than it needs to be?

Because rear-hinged doors were the preserve of the well-heeled, allowing them to get in and out with perfect grace; the surge of egalitarianism that would shortly sweep the nation ensured that cars would thereafter be designed with the owner/driver in mind, but for now the automotive world was not a democracy.

The tall roofline meant no stooping for the occupants either, whether getting in or sitting down. Hats could have remained in place too, at least for the first four years of its life; the world changed forever after that.

But the Austin didn’t know what was coming, and for now it was the epitome of style and elegance and effortless consumption; that huge bonnet, with its individually opening bonnet vents, conceals a 3.4-litre engine, whose 66bhp offered civility in addition to a top speed of 65mph.

A pair of ‘King of the Road’ headlamps illuminated roads whose principal danger, in the countryside at least, was as likely to be horse-drawn carriages as other cars. These are, like the rest of the lamps, in good order with no cracks or damage spoiling either their performance or appearance.

(Oh, and the rear numberplate is hinged, so it, and the red rear lamp, are still visible when the boot is open.)

The lamps’ casings are in an impressive condition too, with bright and shiny chrome and no dents or dinks. This is the case for most of the rest of the chromework, which is in fine fettle and in need of nothing more than an occasional polish with Autosol.

In fact, the whole of the coachwork is good. Sure, there are signs that the two-tone coachwork has been repaired over the years, including a little paint on some of the glazing, but it presents very well overall.

Best in Class, remember?

The 17-inch steel wheels, which have been painted black, are in good shape and enhanced by a set of good chrome hubcaps. They’re also fitted with a matching set of Firestone Deluxe Champion tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for flaws, it shows the usual patina you would expect a car of this age to have developed, including some bubbling and cracking to the finish, along with a little fading.

The rubber on the running boards has perished too, but we think that is a price worth paying to retain hints of the care and attention to detail that went into their design.

There are also a few microblisters here and there, some light pitting and tarnishing to some of the chrome, and the odd patch of orange peel to the finish.

More seriously, the chrome is peeling away from the radiator surround, there are some rust patches around the front bumper mounting points, the opening "smokers hatch" in the roof has been sealed with black tape, and some paint has been lost from the trailing edge of the nearside rear wing.

Modern indicators have been discreetly fitted to the rear. This is, we think, a sensible upgrade and we think they’re worth their minimal visual impact.
 

If the coachwork was designed to make an impression, the cabin was designed to cosset, a role it continues to do, even after almost a century of faithful service.

Rear legroom is vast, but then this is a limousine. The adjustable rear seat is covered in leather, and that leather is still decently soft with nothing more than light creasing to its surface. The underlying structure is still good and plump, and it is every bit as comfortable as it looks.

All four doors contains a beautifully made leather storage pocket apiece, while those in the back can enjoy two pop-up, forward-facing occasional seats in addition to a small opening sunlight, felt-lined compartments in the top of the doors, a rear blind, reading lamps in the pillars, and very good navy-blue carpets.

Plus, of course, a sliding glass partition between you and the paid help. (How your grandchildren are going to love closing that and giggling because granny and grandad can’t hear them…)

The front seats are also covered in leather. There’s plenty more wood in the front too, and this is slabs of real wood, not a thin smear of veneer. This, along with heavy chrome controls and switches, gives the Austin a heft to its tactility.

Owning a car like this is a delicate balancing act of preserving its history and the romance that comes with it, while maintaining the functionality that differentiates cars from other works of art.

In this respect, we think the Austin’s owners have done well; there is a patina, most noticeably to the dashboard, instruments, and steering wheel, and yet no one is going to climb in and feel shortchanged.

The boot is more worn, and we can see the next custodian may want to rejuvenate that. Everything else can probably be left as it is though.
 

David Wall Vintage & Classics Cars serviced it in July 2022, and we are told that it has been used in recent years for a few weddings and general trundling about.

If you were to tidy the engine bay then few would consider you overly fussy, and while you’re in there you might also like to track down the oil leak that’s making itself known.

The underside is as simple and strong as they come; Brunel would admire its engineering, and steel chassis aside, you’re as likely to need a fretsaw and a spokeshave to maintain it as a hacksaw and a welding torch. 
 

The vendor also tells us easy start is needed to persuade it to run and we can confirm without this it doesn't like firing into life therefore, further fettling will be required to get her singing again. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the change of owners in 2023 was when it was put into his wife’s name after he sadly passed away.

The Austin’s history file includes a photocopy of its original logbook dated 1929, a receipt for servicing it in 2022, and another for a service in 1963. There are tax discs dating back to 1960 too, plus a copy of the original advert for the car.

The Austin doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 
 

The vintage car market is dwindling as classic car enthusiasts are increasingly attracted to the cars they grew up admiring; the seller’s father’s lusted after a 1932 Austin Ten in the mid-seventies, and the equivalent now would be something from the eighties.

And yet, those who do take the plunge rarely regret it; one of our motoring journalist friends, said: “Vintage cars are amazing. My Austin Seven has changed my life in a way that owning Caterhams, TVRs, and Porsches didn't.”

They’re accessible too; we suspect this one will only fetch somewhere between £12,000 and £16,000, which is absurdly small price to pay for a motor vehicle as exquisitely engineered as this.

Even better, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will be going to an new home once the very first bid has been placed.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.