1931 BSA Trike

This fine-looking vehicle is the same age as William Shatner, Rupert Murdoch and Desmond Tutu.

With specific apologies to the archbishop, it’s in far better condition than any of them and almost certainly emits fewer groans and creaks when asked to clip an apex or sprint up a hill.

The vendor is a classic vehicle enthusiast who likes to take on projects where most of the engineering work and heavy lifting has already been done to the highest possible standard and he’s then free to sweat the detail and get a bit obsessive about sourcing the right bits and pieces.

This superb 1931 BSA three-wheeler is no exception.

The vendor bought the car 3 years ago as a 90% complete car and then set about finishing it to an extremely high standard.

This car was the subject of a nut and bolt restoration started some 10 years ago by two brothers, one a professional body fabricator and the other a professional engineer.

The original body, made of wood, fabric and aluminium, was deemed to be beyond repair.

So, a sleek hill-climb-style body was coach-built from scratch using the best materials and some seriously impressive expertise.

The frame components and wheels were stove enamelled and are as good as new.

The gearbox and differential have been overhauled. The engine has been rebuilt with twin carburettors and fettled to reflect its racer/hill-climber aspirations.

The vendor had the official mechanic of the BSA Front Wheel Drive Club go over the car with a fine toothcomb and a remit to root out and correct anything that wasn’t precisely right.

He spent a few days (and around £1500 of the vendor’s hard-earned cash) tweaking, fiddling, fettling and perfecting until he deemed everything to be mechanically and aesthetically spot on.

The car was completely re-wired using fabric-covered cabling in the correct, period BSA colours.

The interior is a symphony of glorious dark red leather and the detailing of the woodwork is superb. All gauges are correct and working.

So, it’s gorgeous to look at.

But what’s it like to drive?

Fire up the V-twin engine (which starts on the button) and your senses will be assaulted by a noise that appears to be emanating from a velociraptor who’s missed a few anger management sessions and has somehow got hold of a Gatling gun.

It’s joyously loud and totally bonkers in almost every meaningful way.

The car is called “Hell’s Bells” because that’s what the vendor’s wife said when she first heard it firing up.

Get it out on the open road and you’ll soon discover that this three-wheeler has a powerful bite to go with the demented bark.

The lightweight body, fettled twin-carb engine and external, Brookland’s-inspired racing exhaust give this some real pace and agility, and rather more horses and torques than it would have had 90 years ago.

It’s easy to forget that this is a vehicle with a 1931 non-synchromesh box because it’s so light and easy to drive.

Changing gear involves only the lightest amount of double-declutching and the steering doesn’t require you to have forearms like Popeye.

It’s got proper brakes that actually work, don’t fade and can be trusted in busy traffic.

All in all, this is a very well-built vehicle that goes like the clappers, sounds like an explosion in a fireworks factory and will always, without fail, every time, make you grin from ear to ear.

The simple brushed aluminium exterior really suits this car, we think, and is, of course, devoid of any cracked, pitted or peeling paint.

There are no dinks, dents, folds, creases, warps, ripples or scuffs of any note.

There are leather bonnet straps and various decals, such as the Birmingham proof house insignia (where all shotgun barrels are proofed) on the tail and the Aubigny House (it’s a Goodwood members’ thing) Fleur de Lys on the side.

We think they all add something unique and playful to the car’s overall appearance, as does the decorative copper wire on the car’s lower flanks.

Yes, there is a residual fuel splash mark on the bodywork around the filler cap, but we think this just adds to its ‘just got back from racing at Brooklands’ charm.

This is no museum piece. This is for driving.

We didn’t find any rust or bubbling anywhere. We didn’t expect to.

The lights, badging, trim, wheels, tyres and external exhaust run all look as good as new and ready to get going.

The good news carries on unabated on the inside.

It’s a simply glorious place to spend some time and is powerfully evocative of the pre-war age of derring-do from which it hails.

Everything is very well constructed and finished, from the cord-wrapped steering wheel and the comfortable bench seat, to the wooden floors, the delightful storage rack and the beautifully detailed dashboard.

The vendor tells us that all toggles, switches, buttons, knobs and levers work as they should.

Folding the seat down reveals a surprisingly useful amount of storage space either side of the central rear-wheel housing. There is a suitably aged and battered leather tool case strapped into place.

The undersides of the car look pretty much untroubled by either age or use. Everything looks virtually brand new and appears to have a great deal of structural integrity.

There is no rust to speak of anywhere and certainly not on the floor pan at the rear of the car. It’s made of wood.

Everything appears to be in its right and proper place inside the gloriously period engine bay.

This car’s history consists of a few detailed lists of work carried out, some invoices and a V5.

The car doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and obviously doesn’t require one by virtue of its age.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

We think this is an absolutely superb example of a unique car.

It has been restored to the highest standards by people who knew what they were doing and were prepared to spend the right (large) amounts of time and money to do the job properly.

The result is an utterly charming and thoroughly useable example of a pre-war BSA three-wheeler that goes as well as it looks.

Many modern cars deliver a somewhat sterile, computer-controlled, safety-conscious, anodyne driving experience.

What this fabulously characterful little beast gives you is pure, raw, unfiltered, visceral, seat-of-the-pants, in-your-face motoring pleasure.

The vendor described driving it as being like, “Running through a mountain stream naked”.

We’re more than happy to take his word for it.

We think it’s wonderful.

We’re confident to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £20,000 - £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.