1951 Humber Pullman

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £35,000, then £1,750 is added, making the total amount payable of £36,750.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £250 for processing the NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

The 1951 Humber Pullman we have with us today is in very decent all-round condition and appears to us to be a sound, original and honest example of the marque and the model.

We have no history or service record for this car. As far as we can tell, the car became part of the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles on 20.1.20.

The odometer currently reads a somewhat unlikely 17 miles.

As with the other cars in this vendor’s collection, we haven’t been able to start or drive it and, consequently, our opinions are confined to the car’s cosmetic condition.

That said, we have turned the engine by hand and can state that it is not seized.

The shut lines are consistent and even. The panels are largely untroubled by any dinks or dents of real consequence. The doors slam home with precision and certainty.

This is a solid, serious, hand-crafted piece of engineering and everything about it seems weighty, purposeful and considered.

You wouldn’t want to drop any part of it on your foot.

In general, the paintwork is in fairly decent condition.

Yes, there are areas where it’s lost its shine, and several patches of scuffed or flat paint, and intersections that are a little lumpy…but, overall, there’s not that much to raise an eyebrow or prompt a serious tut.

The wheels look pretty good, and even the tyres look fairly fresh (although we can’t vouch for their age).

Most of the chrome work is in good fettle, although it is a little dull in some places and there are spots and some foxing in others. There is a line of scuffing and light indentation across the middle of the front bumper.

There is some bubbling around the front grille and at the base of the windscreen. Some superficial rust is showing through where the paint has flaked away at the top of the o/s ‘A’ pillar.

Elsewhere, there is superficial rust in evidence under the chrome in places surrounding the windscreen and other windows. Much of the rubber trim around the windows is cracked or perished.

The trafficators have seen better days, particularly on the n/s, where the plastic has splintered and broken.

All in all, while there is no doubt some attention to be paid to the bodywork, there appears to a good deal of solidity and integrity to it in most areas.

The palatial interior is very much of its time, very original and, for the most part, very well preserved.

The leather bench seat in the front is in excellent condition and, we imagine, could be restored to its full glory with some cleaning, feeding and elbow grease. The same is true of the red leather seats in the rear.

The brown leather pop-up seats which fold up flat against the centre partition are rather more worn, but are nonetheless in reasonable condition, both aesthetically and functionally.

The wood around the windows and beneath the central glass partition is in decent nick. Some of the chrome surrounding the windows is tarnished and the trim around the rear doors is a bit shabby in places.

The carpets, headlining and door cards are all pretty good.

The dashboard and instrument panel are in reasonable condition. The steering wheel is showing a fair bit of wear and tear and is cracked at the rear.

Lifting up the carpets in here (and in the surprisingly small boot), reveals nothing more troubling than an entirely standard bloom of rust dust.

From what we can see, the undersides are strong, sound and untroubled by anything that looks as if it might threaten the structural integrity of the vehicle. Obviously, though, you’ll want expert eyes to take a closer look.

The engine and engine bay appear to be clean and dry and, as far as we can tell, everything is in its right and proper place.

The car comes with no history, no service records and neither an MoT certificate nor a V5.

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 haven’t been able to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat limited.

There is work to be done here, for sure, but perhaps less than there might first appear.

In our opinion, this seems to be a fundamentally sound and well-preserved example of a grand and stately Humber Pullman limousine.

There’s every chance it could go on to give its next owner many happy years of ownership.

Provided, of course, that the car’s engine and mechanicals prove to be in good working order.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £7,000 - £12,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.