Subject: Re: 12/24 for sale
Hi folks,
This saloon is an incredibly rare car and I am pretty certain it is the final surviving model S. Actually they made lots of them and they all disappeared quickly as they became obsolete and were just thrown away, having no value. The late Arthur Jeddere-Fisher told me that in the 1940's he went round with Hamish Moffat pulling abandoned 12/24s out of ditches and hedges .
Bob Norman, who I bought my 12/24 from in 1975, got his saloon in 1929. Although 4 years old it was probably pretty worthless by then...anyone want a 4 year old mobile phone...?
Bob told me he picked up bits from another 3 saloons which were used as taxis and then just scrapped in the 1930s. During the war, to get a petrol ration, he cut the back off his 12/24 to make a pick-up truck. So frankly it is truly amazing that this saloon has survived intact!
Bob Norman also told me that around 1952 his car was in atrocious condition - mainly the brakes - and the local police instructed him not to use the car any more! This is why compulsory MOT testing was bought in in 1959. Bob then left car/pick-up truck out in his blacksmith's yard until 1967 when this photo was taken! Not quite a hedge, but close...
Note that the model S for sale has 5 stud artillery wheels. That points to it being 1926 rather than 1925. I seem to recall that my car was 1925 with chassis number 6887 and had 3 stud ones.
Cheers
Colin
M34
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This post has been edited
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times. Last edit on Nov 25, 2009 8:54 pm by Colin Mallett.